One Piece: Nine Red Scabbards, Ranked

The Nine Red Scabbards was the name of a group of samurai who served as retainers to the late Kozuki Oden. This posse consisted of a number of youths drawn to the daimyo, who aided him during his lifetime. Although Oden did not actively seek out retainers, these warriors were impressed by his feats, and matured into powerful combatants. Notably, a number of them use the Oden Two Sword Style, which was learned by imitating their chosen master.

Additionally, they all became capable of using both observation and arament haki, which were also utilized by Oden. They are capable of dealing blows to the likes of Kaido himself, albeit falling short of ultimately defeating him. That said, these warriors alone are difficult to deal with, and once united, require an incredibly strong foe to break their resolve. Taking their individual feats into account. This list will seek to determine how well each scabbard stands on their own.

1

Kikunojo

Often Overshadowed

Kikunojo, often referred to as Kiku, was a longtime subordinate of Oden, following him around alongside her elder brother, Izou, after the daimyo gave them food as struggling children. She was one of the four scabbards who followed Oden’s son, Momonosuke, into the future, with the power of a Devil Fruit eaten by Kozuki Toki (Oden’s late wife.) Although previously having gained a reputation as a fearsome swordsman, Kiku describes herself as a “woman at heart,” and is praised for her beauty and elegance.

While her brother, Izou, was proficient at firearms, Kiku, like most of Oden’s subordinates, preferred the sword as her weapon of choice. Kiku is undeniably capable with a sword, but her limited exposure and utility make her difficult to rank much higher, as her comrades are all of similar skill. Perhaps the most negative thing that can be said about Kiku, is that she lacks feats that aren’t immediately comparable to the general expected skills of a scabbard. This means she is still very capable, but hasn’t had time to prove she’s a cut above.

2

Kawamatsu

An Aquatic Attacker

Kawamatsu is a fish-man, specifically taking after the Japanese pufferfish. Due to the discrimination he and his mother faced in his youth, he lied about his race, instead pretending to be a Kappa. Alongside Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, Kawamatsu was discriminated against for his appearance until Oden rescued him. He was one of the two scabbards who looked after Hiyori, having been responsible for her from a young age.

Kawamatsu similarly has not had a lot of time to prove himself as a swordsman, but is part of the distinctly competent fish-man species. Fish-men are significantly stronger than humans on land, a disparity that widens in underwater combat. Additionally, he himself is shown to be very fast underwater. As a swordsman, he is capable, but not shown to be better than any of his other counterparts. Instead, he is distinguished by his demonstrated skills as a fish-man.

3

Denjiro

Simply Smart

In addition to being a devotee of Oden, Denjiro has been close to Kin’emon, the captain of the scabbards from a young age. Denjiro was so deeply affected by Oden’s death, that it physically contorted his facial features. Taking advantage of his new appearance, he acted as a subordinate for Kurozumi Orochi, who instigated Oden’s death to take his place as Daimyo. Under the identity of Kyoshiro, he acted as a yakuza leader, who secretly aided the downtrodden and wished to rejoin his comrades. Although he despised Orochi for killing Oden, he made use of the position to also take care of Hiyori, allowing her to survive under the nose of her father’s killer. He eventually aids Hiyori in disposing of Orochi, beheading him for the final time.

Denjiro’s intellect is what sets him apart from his peers. He is a fast learner, but also strategically gifted. He was able to successfully fool Orochi for roughly 20 years, not breaking character until the Fire Festival, when he took to rejoin his peers. He is also shown, albeit briefly, to be on par with Roronoa Zoro.

4

Raizo

Large But Stealthy

Raizo is a ninja who served the Kozuki family. After a rejection from a kunoichi, and a subsequent brief stint in crime, he took to serving Oden directly. He was one of four scabbards to accompany Momonosuke to the present day. He is established as a sensitive soul, who wants to find romance, and is disappointed in his lack of success. Despite his emotional outburts, Raizo is still highly competent in his field. Due to being a ninja, he is one of a few scabbards not to use swords exclusively. Raizo is also shown to attack with shurikens.

In addition to having the stealth and precision expected of a ninja, Raizo is also one of a couple scabbards to utilize a Devil Fruit. Specifically, his Devil Fruit allows him to create scrolls, which he can use to seal and unseal various objects as he pleases. He can use this for strategic purposes, sealing potentially harmful objects, such as Kaido’s flames, and being able to use them as a counterattack. He is also shown to be superior to fellow ninja, breaking a tie with his rival, Fukurokuju, by braving out the surrounding flames longer than him.

5

Ashura Doji

Reckless But Mighty

This reformed criminal once swore his allegiance to Kozuki Oden. However, both Oden’s death and time jaded Ashura, making him lose faith in the cause. After an extended absence from his comrades, he reverted to banditry, taking up the alias of Shutenmaru, and founding the Mt. Atama thieves. However, he eventually reunited with the scabbards, after Shimotsuki Yasuie sacrificed himself to conceal the rebellion.

Ashura is a truly mighty and fearless warrior who is not afraid to die. His strength is acknowledged by Kin’emon, who emphasized the importance of getting him to return. Whilst a mere bandit leader, Ashura showed no fear of Jack the Drought, one of Kaido’s highest-ranked subordinates. He was also capable of seriously dueling against other scabbards. Perhaps Ashura’s most noble feat was an act of self-sacrifice. His suspicions of a fake Oden allowed him to attack it, while his other comrades were tricked. After revealing its lack of blood, the fake Oden was discovered to be a suicide bomber. However, Ashura turned the tables on him, by using his strength to tackle the drawing and ensure only his own life was lost in the resulting explosion. This proves that, despite his ruthless, uncaring demeanor, in his heart, he prized not only Oden, but his fellow scabbards.

6

Kanjuro

The Long Con

Kanjuro was a young brush salesman, who stole hair in order to make his brushes. After a botched attempt at robbing Oden, Kanjuro became one of his scabbards, eventually traveling to the future, alongside Momonosuke. Unfortunately, Kanjuro was captured by Dressrosa’s guards, leading Kin’emon to organize his escape. Kanjuro is also a Devil Fruit user, who can bring his drawings to life, but appears extremely incompetent at the art of drawing, hampering their efficiency. Instead of a proper katana, Kanjuro makes use of a refashioned ink brush, which is built and roughly used in the same manner, as well as being a quick way to conjure art with his abilities.

In truth, Kanjuro’s allegiance to the scabbards and the Kozuki family as a whole was a ruse. Kanjuro, alongside his parents, was a theater performer who was of the Kurozumi clan. After they died, a direct result of the persecution that happened to the clan, Kanjuro was instructed by Orochi to work as a double agent, specifically being an “actor,” playing the part of a loyal subordinate of Oden. He used his in with Oden and his comrades to feed information to Orochi at any opportunity. Kanjuro hoped to die alongside his false comrades, but was instead ordered to break character. He utilized this moment to reveal he was capable of creating very detailed, accurate drawings, which Kin’emon lamented he never used when they were aligned.

Specifically, Kanjuro conjured a fake Oden, which if not for Ashura Doji’s timely intervention, would’ve likely killed a number of fellow scabbards. After being fatally wounded by Kin’emon, Kanjuro created Kazenbo, a gigantic fiery wisp which destroyed its surroundings even after his death. Despite his death, Kanjuro’s acting prowess and his intentionally hidden skills showcase a talent for treachery. He managed to nearly kill a number of his most skilled comrades.

7

Kin’emon

The Team Captain

Kin’emon is the captain of the Nine Red Scabbards, and has been loyal to Oden long after his death. He traveled alongside Kozuki Momonosuke and three of his fellow scabbards into the future, to execute a successful rebellion against Orochi and Kaido. Prior to his reformation, Kin’emon was a thug, who was given a purpose by Oden and steadily refashioned himself into a devoted samurai. Despite his many accolades, he still retains some scruples.

Kin’emon is also a Devil Fruit user, but unlike Kanjuro and Raizo, his ability does not directly augment his combat. Instead, his abilities can be used to craft garb for a diverse number of purposes, including espionage, safety, and armor, albeit each of these are capable of being destroyed with enough wear and tear. He is also a strategist, but sometimes is capable of making mistakes, which can surprisingly factor into his strategy. He notably misread Yasuie’s final message, which he used to inadvertently decieve Kanjuro and his allies into attacking the wrong location. He was praised by Denjiro for this brilliant feat of deception, but truthfully, it was the happiest of mistakes.

Combat-wise, he distinguishes himself by mastering the foxfire style, which allows the user to both create and cut flames, an ability so good, Zoro eventually saw fit to learn it for himself. He also put a sudden end to Kanjuro after learning of his deception.

8

Nekomamushi

Master Cat Viper

Nekomamushi, alongside Inuarashi, co-ruled the Momoko Dukedom in Zou. Specifically, he acts as the dukedom’s ruler from 6PM to 6AM, leading him to be known as the “ruler of the night.” He is a feline mink, who specifically resembles a lion. In his youth, he and Inuarashi were best friends, who made their way to Wano after learning of the Mink Tribe’s pact with the Kozuki Family. Alongside Kawamatsu, the two suffered discrimination, which Oden quickly put a stop to, leading to their gratitude. They distinguished themselves from their fellow scabbards by joining Oden during his adventures with both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates. After Oden’s death, the pair blamed each other for its occurrence, which led to a falling out that continued well into their time as the co-rulers of Zou.

Like Inuarashi, Nekomamushi is confirmed to be one of the two strongest minks, which is notable as they are a tribe of warriors. Like the other minks, he has Electro, the ability to channel electricity-like attacks and a stronger Sulong Form he can activate by staring directly at the moon. He is also a skilled swordsman, and a cyborg, outfitted with a prosthetic arm gun. Nekomanushi showcased his prowess by defeating Charlotte Perospero, an officer of the Big Mom Pirates, who he specifically held a grudge against for instigating the death of Pedro, a jaguar mink who was the captain of his forces.

9

Inuarashi

Duke Dogstorm

Inuarashi was Nekomamushi’s counterpart, whose hours of leadership were during the day. He is a canine mink, who traveled alongside Nekomamushi in his youth. He is shown to be every bit as capable as Nekomamushi and has nearly all the same abilities, but shows himself to be somewhat more powerful regarding his chosen target. Inuarashi fought against Jack the Drought and won, defeating one of Kaido’s toughest warriors. Jack was an enemy to the Mink Tribe, in particular due to his destructive assault on Zou.

There is ultimately little else to determine which of the two is ultimately the better fighter, as they inhabit largely the same niche. It is possible that if things were different, Nekomamushi could’ve taken on Jack and won. However, by present metrics, Inuarashi marginally showed greater skill by taking out a stronger foe. Whatever the case the Momoko Dukedom’s ex-rulers both showcased themselves as skilled combatants and the top two of the Nine Red Scabbards.