Who Killed Orochi in One Piece? Explained

Despite the numerous adversaries faced during One Piece’s Wano arc, perhaps none were as formidable and unrelenting as the Shogun of Wano, Kurozumi Orochi. Collaborating with Kaido two decades prior to the events of the arc, Orochi orchestrated the downfall of the previous Shogun, Kozuki Oden, and seized control of the nation.

As expected, Orochi receives his comeuppance in the Wano arc’s finale, meeting his demise during the intense Onigashima Raid. However, Orochi’s death is not a straightforward event, as he is seemingly “killed”multiple times before his ultimate demise, leading fans to question who truly ended Orochi’s life in One Piece.

Explaining Orochi’s Ultimate Death in One Piece

At the climax of the Wano arc, during the Onigashima Raid, Kurozumi Orochi, the antagonist of One Piece, was killed by Denjiro, also known as Kyoshiro. This happened just as Orochi was about to take the life of Kozuki Hiyori. This moment marked the end of the various plotlines and narratives that had been building up throughout this section of the story.

Despite Orochi’s apparent death at this point, the character has a history of fake-out deaths leading up to this moment, hinting at his eventual demise. This is a common tactic used by series creator, author, and illustrator Eiichiro Oda, but it can be frustrating for some as it leaves their fate in question.

In other words, at first glance, it offers various explanations for both the identity of Orochi’s killer in One Piece and the exact timing of his death. To clarify, according to the nature of Orochi’s Devil Fruit powers, his death at the hands of Denjiro is his ultimate downfall, strategically orchestrated.

Orochi’s Devil Fruit Ability

Orochi's Devil Fruit powers as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation) — Orochi’s Devil Fruit powers as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Kurozumi Orochi’s Devil Fruit, also referred to as the Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Yamata no Orochi, is commonly known as the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata-no-Orochi in English. This particular model is based on the legendary Japanese dragon or serpent with eight heads and eight tails, known as Yamata-no-Orochi. While it is often shortened to just Orochi, it is essentially the same fruit.

Although Orochi’s Devil Fruit only grants him one tail, it also bestows upon him the signature eight heads of the mythological creature. The Fruit designates the “main head”by coloring it a darker shade of green and placing it in the center of Orochi’s body. The remaining seven heads, in a lighter shade of green, surround the main head.

Despite having numerous strengths, Orochi’s Devil Fruit is most noteworthy for its requirement of the user to survive decapitation, even while in human form. To be precise, the user must endure decapitation eight times. The specific timeframe in which these beheadings occur is of no significance, as once a transformed head is lost, it cannot be regenerated. This is ultimately how Denjiro was able to bring about Orochi’s demise, rather than at any earlier instance.

Orochi’s Beheadings during the Onigashima Incident

Although Denjiro was the one who ultimately delivered the final blow to Orochi, his death was the result of a collective effort involving multiple individuals. While Denjiro and the other Red Scabbards played a crucial role in bringing about Orochi’s downfall, Kaido’s actions also aided in his demise by beheading him at the beginning of the Onigashima Raid.

Orochi initially had eight heads due to the powers of his Devil Fruit. But the Red Scabbards managed to ambush him and remove six of his heads, leaving him with a total of seven heads. During the Onigashima Raid, Denjiro was able to sneak up on Orochi and behead him for the eighth and final time, ultimately leading to his death.

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