ZOROBIN: SKYPIEA ARC - 4
(Here the first article on Skypiea Arc; here the previous article.)

INTERACTIONS

ZORO IMITATES ROBIN

This is a Zorobin track: Zoro is speaking like Robin, famous for her gory comments. See dialogue in panel:
Zoro: Yes, it is totally unexpected. Maybe we are already dead?
Sanji: For real? If so, it would explain this strange world ...
Chopper: WE ARE ALREADY DEAD !!?
Rufy: The Isle of Heaven is gorgeous! We can finally arrive !!

ZORO AND ROBIN IMITATES THEMSELVES

After the hallucinating journey to Skypiea, both Zoro and Robin have the same shocked expression (ep 237), different from all the others. Moreover, Robin immediately responds to Zoro's question, looking around whether all of the crew are actually there or not. Note that panels in which Zoro and Robin are next to each other is a constant that will repeat in this arc. Dialogues:
Zoro: Curse! What happened? Have we lost anyone?
Robin: (she is looking around)

ZORO LISTENS TO ROBIN, NOT NAMi

During Skypiea arc, the first in which Robin is involved in Luffy's adventures, the crew has been separated three times, with three different groups. Well, Zoro and R...

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ZOROBIN: SKYPIEA ARC - 3
(Here the first article on Skypiea Arc; here the previous article.)

CLIMB TO THE ISLAND OF HEAVEN

ZORO AND ROBIN ARE CALM AND ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER

When the Going Merry ascends to the Isle of Heaven, the crew is in complete chaos: but Zoro and Robin are not only always together, but they keep the same calm. As a Zorobin moment, meaning that it implies a relationship between Robin and Zoro, it's not bad. Oda couldn't have randomly put these moments so repetitively. It should also be noted that they are the only ones who do not cling to something.

THEY ARE SHOWN TOGETHER

Since leaving for Skypiea, Zoro and Robin are often depicted with adjacent panels. For example, here they are flanked just at the moment of the ascent to Skypiea!

Or when they face Ener.

The panels representing Zoro and Robin together, despite the large number of characters, cannot be counted. In particular, the last scene also indicates the Luffy-Nami couple: in fact, both, even if they are not close, in that scene both have the same expression.

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ZOROBIN: SKYPIEA ARC - 2
(previous Skypiea arc article here)

The story arc of Skypiea, or "The Isle of Heaven", is the first in which Nico Robin acts as a member of the Straw Hat crew. It is also the narrative arc in which the relationship between Robin and Zoro solidifies to become constant throughout the course of the series, like an underground river, but very present for those readers who observe carefully. From the titles of volume 29 we see many traces for a future relationship between Robin and Zoro. The narrative arc of Skypiea begins from chapters 217-234 (volumes 24-25), in which there is the prelude to the island of Jaya, from which they will leave for the Isle of Heaven, and where the entire arc will develop from chapter 235 to 302 (volumes 25-32)

In particular, look at the titles of the chapters of volume 29, entitled "Oratorio", they are almost all related to ... musical moments! In particular, the serenade and the suite are romantic music.

Titolo: Oratorio
Capitolo 265: Robin vs Yama (Robin against priest Yama)
Capitolo 266: Chopper vs Ohm
Capitolo 267: Marcia
Capitolo 268: Suite
Capitolo 269: Concerto (Zoro saves Nami ...

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ZOROBIN ADVANCES: CHAPTER 152

This cover is part of the Drum Island saga, where Chopper is introduced and Robin is not yet part of the crew. But it's amazing that this cover shows a clear intention to introduce Robin. In fact it is an anticipation of the character:
- All the characters (except Usopp) are reading books, and this is unusual, especially speaking of Luffy and Zoro, who are certainly not literate. Well, Robin is the character of the crew who read the most, so much so that he has her own personal library! So it's a reminder of Robin.

- Usopp is trying to portray a bird, and the bird is portraying him. Well, the bird is Robin's symbol and Robin often draws pictures of where she and her companions go! Not only that: the bird has a bandana (a typical element of Zoro) and has three pencils that he holds tight to the side: they are equivalent to Zoro's three swords. So it's a Zorobin image, which recalls both Zoro and Robin, and implicitly the fact that they are a couple. This drawing, mind you, was done before Robin joined the crew: Oda already had their relationship in mind, then.

- there are flowers around, and the flower is another symbol of Robin. The color of the flowers tends to purple (Robin's symbolic color) and there are green leaves and vines (Zoro's symbolic color).

- Also, there is Zoro on the cover, practically in the center: there is no Nami or Sanji. This implies that Zoro is an important character for Robin.

HERE ARE THE ONE PIECE ENGLISH ARTICLES LINKS

Edited by joe 7 - 30/5/2022, 17:39

ZOROBIN ADVANCES: CHAPTER 107

Here I place the Zorobin moments that appeared in the manga before Robin's appearance. Let's look at the cover of chapter 107, which is part of the Whiskey Peek arc.

First, remember that chapter 100 is titled: "The legend has begun". It is a particular story, twice as long as normal (32 pages) in which Luffy manages to escape from Rogue Town by escaping the pirate Bagy and the marine Smoker, thanks also to the help of the revolutionary Dragon: but, above all, it is the chapter in which Luffy, together with his crew, for the first time enters in the "Grand Line", the most dangerous stretch of ocean in the world, where the entire One Piece adventure begins. It is the beginning of the real story. It's like it's some kind of chapter zero.

And chapter 107, in which there is the narrative arc of Zoro facing the Baroque Works, is the beginning of the narrative arc in which Nico Robin/Miss All Sunday appears for the first time. So it can be seen as a "chapter 7", and seven is Robin's number (not counting her nickname: "Miss All Sunday", Miss Sunday. Sunday is the seventh day of the week) . Let's move on to the title: "Moonlight and tombstones". They are concepts that connect to the dark world, to evil, to death. And they connect with "dark" characters like Zoro and Robin. Looking at the cover, you can see that Zoro is sleeping right in front of everyone, he is in the foreground, even though he is lying on the ground. Sanji is holding a yellow sheet of paper that says "GOAL?" in interrogative form, with many arrows going in every direction. He indicates an inability to reach the finish line, that is the goal, the direction, the point where you want to go: and in fact Zoro is the only one of the crew famous for not having the slightest sense of direction. Also, the skull indicates death, the evil spirit: Asura (evil spirit) is the name of one of Zoro's most powerful blows. Also, Sanji touches Zoro with his foot, as if to indicate that he is talking about him.

Also, Luffy is drinking beer with the same indifferent expression as Zoro when he drinks. Usopp instead drew a black sheet showing a flower and a bat, or demon, smiling and the words "don't funk". Well, the flower is the symbol of Robin (...

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ZOROBIN: ROBIN SEDUCES ZORO

The details about the Robin-Zoro couple are so numerous that it is sometimes difficult to find them all. In the past, I had already talked about the Zorobin moments in which Robin joins the crew (see here and here), but, looking at the anime, there are many additional details that deepen this relationship even more. Let's go back to the post-Alabasta time, when Nico Robin, who had been an opponent of Luffy's crew, hid in their ship at the time of departure: later, when they will be in the middle of the sea. Robin will come out of hiding and ask Luffy to join the crew. A curiosity: among all the members of Straw Hat, Robin will be the only one to enter the crew by asking the captain. In other cases, it was Luffy who asked the others to join his crew. But let's go back to the moment of "hiring" her.
First, note that while Luffy's crew was fighting the Navy, Robin, a stowaway, passed her time to take a shower and change clothes: and this behavior is at least odd. Did she want to look good for the job interview? And what need was there to do it? Does one have to be charming to be a pirate? I thought this only applied to models. But then, observe Robin's behavior: she grabs a deck chair, sits voluptuously, gestures to what Luffy has done to her with double meanings, so much so that Sanji easily misunderstands and wants to make Luffy pay for it (Nami, by the way , does not show particular reactions on this fact: but it is worth noting the curious absence of Nami in the panels in which Robin accuses Luffy. I believe that his jealousy has been put "off-panel"). This would be the behavior of a person who wants to join a crew, accusing the captain and acting like he's at a fashion show? The scene below is as a person posing, not as an aspiring pirate!

Among other things, while Robin makes her data known to Usopp, Zoro is secretly listening: the same scene appears in the manga. In the anime, Zoro's interest appears more explicit: the anime completes what is implied in the manga.
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ZOROBIN: ALABASTA ARC - 7° AND LAST PART
The first article is here. The previous article is here.

ROBIN, KUINA AND TASHIGI

Kuina was the girl who had been trained in the same dojo as Zoro; she was also the master's daughter. Kuina's skills were superior to Zoro's, at least at that time: we know that Kuina has won against Zoro 2,001 times (congratulations! O_o).

Kuina: "My two thousandth victory!"

Now, we know that Navy Commander Tashigi has a great resemblance to Kuina. In chapter 201, entitled "Nico Robin", Robin defeats Tashigi, the "false Kuina", with great ease. Well, Robin defeats her in a chapter that has a number similar to 2001, without a zero (which is a number that has a name that resembles that of Zoro), precisely 201, which even has the name of Nico Robin as its title.

Robin: "I told you not to get in my way". A warning to not seduce Zoro?

It is as if Robin had defeated Kuina in the name of Zoro: in fact, chapter 201 is published in volume 22 of One Piece, a number that is linked to Zoro. In fact, in addition to being twice two (Zoro's number), 22 is also equal to 11 * 2, or twice eleven: and 11/11 is Zoro's birthday. If Kuina has always defeated Zoro very easily, Robin defeats Tashigi-Kuina very easily. She is also the second person who directly defeats Tashigi: the first, coincidentally, is Zoro. A very significant Zorobin connection. In addition, it could be recalled that Tashigi is subsequently defeated by Trafalgar Law and by Monet at Punk Hazard arc: well, Law is a call to Zoro, also being a swordsman with a dark reputation like Zoro; Monet, with her culture and attitude, is a reference to Robin (and to Zoro too, given her green hair). Here the Zorobin moments are more hidden, but very significant.
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ZOROBIN: ALABASTA ARC - 6° PART
The first article is here. The previous article is here.

COVER'S SUBJECTS

Chapter 201, titled "Nico Robin", has a cover in which Luffy and his companions behave in a bizarre way. They are all in wacky attack poses and Nami is acting strangely, sipping a drink with a straw, lying in front of them. She is lying down and her body is leaning towards Zoro; in addition, she turns a blind eye (a typical action of Robin, not Nami) and has a purple top (Robin's color).

Zoro also has glasses: but he never wears them, he doesn't usually do it. Robin, on the other hand, did wears them, after the time-skip: and those are just the kind of glasses she uses. Also, Zoro doesn't have swords here - a rather rare thing. Instead of them, he wear that pair of glasses!

Luffy also has an inscription on his shirt: "One thing I can tell you is ..."

and then there is, above Zoro and Usop, the yellow writing that continues and ends the previous sentence: "YOU! GOTTA BE FREE". In fact, if we refer to Robin (who in this chapter behaves like a beast in a cage, threatening the Marines and Tashigi), will be Zoro and Usop to free Robin at Enies Lobby. Could be it an anticipation of the Enies Lobby event that will happen three hundred chapters later? Also, the seagulls (the bird is Robin's symbol) predominate in the background, but the larger and the more prominent one, right in the middle of the sentence, is next to Zoro.

In addition, Chopper, who is related to Robin almost like a "son", carries a black bandana on his arm: the same as Zoro's!

In the double cover below (volumes 21 and 22), describing the alignment of forces betwee...

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AT THE SEARCH OF THE SOUTH BIRD

The first time they speak to each other, Zoro tells Robin he doesn’t trust her and that he’ll be watching if she tries anything. Robin just smiles. It’s not unusual that Zoro doesn’t trust Robin given that she was the right hand assassin of Corocodile, the man who tried to ruin Vivi’s country and kill the Straw Hats. What is unusual is that when the two are looking for a South Bird, not long after they reach the next island, Robin tells Zoro not to kill the insects and he listens to her. What’s odd about this is that Zoro rarely takes orders from anyone as it isn’t his style. He only listens to Luffy as he is the captain (and Nami when they are navigating).

This isn’t a moment, but it could be a hint. The only people who talk about the sky…are zoro and robin. Complement each in a good way

These three pages for me is a masterpiece… This shows that Zorobin isn’t one moment. The first thing is their team’s title : group 2. Why they are
in group who called 2? It sounds like the love who can have only 2 positions. And the weird… They were the only group, of which the team’s number was the same as the number of team mates. Coincidence? Knowing how much Oda likes to play with numbers, I think no.

The second is how he was clear to her. He didn’t trust her, but when she emphasized his weakness with a polite way… he was angry? No. He went after her, I don’t know if it was because he didn’t want to get lost or because she got his interest, but in the next panel shows, not only he followed her suggestions, but he yelled so that she to watch what he did. Really the insects could understand what he said? Or he wanted to show that he is smart and strong? It’s a requital for flirting, with a distinguishing way of shounen manga.

After Robin caught the bird, the only one who was designed separately, was Zoro. When a character designed alone in one place, is because the author wants to give attention to him. Why give this in Zoro? Maybe because Zoro need to know, this woman is strong and useful,so must trust her. But isn’t Zoro who likes strong women? Then her abilities are strong, and make him start likes this woman.

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