Episode 49: Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri! Zoro's New Swords, and the Female Sergeant Major
Air Date: 2000-11-22
Opening: Believe (2nd Opening)
Ending: Run! Run! Run! (2nd Ending)
Manga Chapters: Chapter 97 (5-18/19)
Short Summary
Zoro encounters Tashigi, seeing her use a sword skillfully to defeat criminals. He accidentally breaks her glasses so Tashigi takes him into the Marine base to work off the debt. Zoro escapes by beating up soldiers, and as he arrives at a weapon shop he learns the sword he wields is Wadou Ichimonji. With Tashigi there, Zoro picks up Sandai Kitetsu, a cursed blade, but when testing it against his luck Zoro decides to keep it. The shopkeeper then gives him Yubashiri as well. Meanwhile, Luffy continues his search for the execution platform after being knocked away by Smoker.
In-Depth Summary
The episode opens with Luffy standing before the execution platform, deciding that he wants to see what Gold Roger saw. He begins to climb it, and as he does, a crowd starts to gather to watch him. Before he can reach the top, Smoker arrives and calls out to him, telling Luffy he is going to arrest him. Luffy refuses, claiming he is going to the Grand Line to become Pirate King. Smoker is a bit surprised by this, as he saw Gold Roger's execution, and he says that if Luffy cannot beat him, he won't make it in the Grand Line. Luffy uses Gomu Gomu no Pistol as the two engage in a fight, but Smoker manages to avoid it and punches Luffy in the face, sending him flying and crashing to the ground. Smoker remarks how he didn't even need to use his Devil Fruit power and that Luffy will never become Pirate King. Luffy replies that he can't know if he doesn't try, and so uses Gomu Gomu no Whip. He misfires and his leg wraps around the fountain, and when it retracts he is sent flying across town.
Back in town, Sanji searches for Alvida, wanting to give her a rose. He spots Luffy flying through the air, wondering what he's doing. At the Bar Gold Roger, Mohji and Ritchie sit outside while Buggy and his crew sit inside playing with cards, and Buggy deals the cards to predict what will happen. He draws a card to see who will die, but draws the joker his own card, to his discontent. At this moment, Luffy lands, and people gather around to see if he is all right. Meanwhile, Zoro walks with Tashigi down the street, as Tashigi is still fuming about her broken glasses. She gets Zoro to work in the Marine base, sweeping the floors. Zoro reluctantly gives in, using three brooms in a Santoryu style and sweeps the floor quickly. However, two Marine soldiers spot him, recognizing him as Roronoa Zoro the Pirate Hunter and for joining Luffy's crew. Zoro knocks them down with his brooms, then looks around for what to do. When Tashigi returns, she finds the soldiers knocked out and some money left on one of their backs with a note saying that it's for the glasses.
After leaving the Marine base, Zoro heads to the weapon shop, where he asks for two katanas for 100,000 berries. The shopkeeper spots the sword at Zoro's waist, recognizing it as a named sword, and so asks to buy it for 200,000 berries. He slowly raises the price when Zoro continues to refuse, up to 850,000. Tashigi then arrives to get her sword back, handing the money back to Zoro as she refuses charity, and she puts on her new glasses. She spots the sword the shopkeeper is holding and recognizes it as Wadou Ichimonji, one of the Oowaza-mono 21 (21 Great Achievements of Craftsmanship). She says it is worth over 20,000,000, making the shopkeeper angry. He tosses Tashigi's sword back to her, and she stumbles around and knocks swords off the wall. He tells Zoro to go pick some 50,000 katanas out of the bins and leave. As Zoro starts looking through the bins, Tashigi says that Zoro reminds her of Zoro (she doesn't realize Zoro is right in front her) and that he is an evil man. She says that many of the swordsmen of the age are evil, and she will make sure no evil person has a named blade. Zoro replies that people have their own circumstances.
While rooting around through the bin, Zoro notices one sword that he takes out. Tashigi recognizes it as Sandai Kitetsu, the third Demon Splitter. The shopkeeper yells that it is not for sale, since it is a cursed blade and whoever uses it meets a terrible fate. Zoro decides to test it against his fate and tosses it into the air, putting out his arm. The sword falls around his arm as it sticks into the floor, and he decides to take it. The shopkeeper, inspired, goes into the back and brings out Yubashiri (Snow Step), the shop's best katana, one of the Ryou-Waza-Mono 50. He offers both Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri to Zoro for free, as a sword choses its master. Zoro walks aways proudly with his new swords, as the shopkeeper's wife gets mad at him for giving away the family heirloom. Meanwhile, in town, Luffy begins his search for the execution platform once again while Buggy and his crew search for Luffy. Buggy and Luffy bump into each other, searching in opposite directions at opportune times so that they don't spot each other. Luffy then runs off, and Buggy quickly realizes it was Luffy, becoming angry. Back at the Marine base, the two soldiers Zoro attacked warned Smoker about Zoro's presence in the town as Luffy once again draws near to the execution platform and the episode ends.
Mumbo230’s Notes
Tashigi's similar appareance to Kuina plays an important role in episodes to come. Also, the curse of Sandai Kitetsu will also play a role later on.
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