ZoLu

"Luffy? Can you hear me? Sorry for worrying you. If I don't become the world's greatest swordsman, that would be a problem for you, wouldn't it? I...I will...I WILL NEVER LOSE AGAIN! Until I defeat him and become the greatest swordsman, I'll never be defeated again! Any problems with that, Pirate King?!"

- Zoro.

ZoLu is the slash ship between Roronoa Zoro and Monkey D. Luffy from the One Piece fandom.

Canon
Anime/Manga=

Romance Dawn Arc
Luffy meets Zoro while he's being held captive by some marines who agreed to set him free only if he survives with no food or water tied up under the sun for a month. Luffy admits to him that he's looking for a crew so he can become King of the Pirates, to which Zoro replies that there's no way that he'd join his crew since he's 'weaker'. Luffy then says that he wouldn't want Zoro on his crew since he's got bad reputation. When Zoro asks Luffy to feed him the rice that a kid prepared him which has been thrown on the ground and was filled with dirt, Luffy deducts that he's a good guy. When Luffy found out Zoro's going to be executed in 3 days and that Helmeppo lied, he proceeds to beat him up and declares that he's gonna make Zoro join his crew. As Luffy and Coby head back to the marine quarters, Zoro finds out what Luffy's done when he found out about his execution. Once Luffy gets his swords back and protects Zoro from gunshots, Zoro comes to admire Luffy's strength and tells him that he's earned a crewmate.

Orange Town Arc
After Luffy's been tricked into being captured by the Buggy Pirates due to Nami, Zoro finally arrives to the island and looks for Luffy. When he arrives to set Luffy free, Buggy engages a fight with him and wounds him. Luffy tells Zoro to leave at which Zoro refuses, but then catches on Luffy's plan just through eye contact. After firing at the Buggy Pirates, Zoro carries the cage Luffy's in and leaves.

When Zoro arrives to town, he goes to sleep and is put in care in a shelter by the mayor. After Luffy's cage is destroyed by an enemy, he tries to ignore the fight to go look for Zoro which failed and he ends up engaging in the fight. Buggy then fires a cannon ball at the shelter Zoro's staying in, which worries Luffy, but turns out he came out alive. After Luffy attacks the Buggy Pirates recklessly, Zoro admits that he 'worried him for nothing'. When Buggy tries to intervene in Zoro's fight, Luffy stops him and says "Keep your mitts out of Zoro's duel!" After Zoro's victory, he admits to being a pirate and tells Luffy he's gonna rest. Luffy tells him not to worry and that he's gonna take it off from there.

Baratie Arc
Nami, Usopp and Zoro are all sat on a table when they call Luffy, who's been hired as a 'chore boy' because of the damage he caused. Zoro then teases Luffy about how he won't get to enjoy the food here which annoyed Luffy and made him drop a booger in his drink. Zoro pretends he's about to drink it then immediately makes Luffy drink the cup.

Near the end, Zoro channels a fight with Mihawk, which in he immediately loses to. Luffy thinks Zoro has died, which angers him to the point where he tries to attack Mihawk. Mihawk dodges and tells him that Zoro's alive, which Luffy is glad to hear. After being defeated, Zoro's ashamed and declared that he'll never lose again so he'll become the world's greatest swordsman and not disappoint him, even calling him King of the Pirates. Although Mihawk hasn't seen them really interact, he tells Luffy that they both make a great team and that he hopes to meet them again.

Arlong Park Arc
After Zoro beats the fishmen up, he wonders where Luffy is, saying that he promised he'd bring Nami back to him. When Nojiko's about to bring up Nami's past and Luffy says he's uninterested and leaves, Zoro said not to worry about him and that's just how he is.

Loguetown Arc
Zoro and Luffy both go to a restaurant together. After eating for a while, Zoro realises they both don't have any money to pay up. But that's soon resolved after they both unintentionally take money from Buggy, who's been following them.

Whisky Peak Arc
After finding out the village's true intentions, Zoro gets in a mess with the Frontier Agents and the other people residencing on said island. When Luffy wakes up and is still under the impression that the villagers were innocent, he starts a fight with Zoro who tries repeatedly to explain the situation which failed. Zoro thought that it might be a good test to see who's the strongest between the two, until Nami intervenes and stops them both. Luffy soon realises that it was a misunderstanding.

Water Arc
Zoro expresses that the crew must hold respect for Luffy, even if he's "a complete idiot". He says the crew is better off with someone who doesn't respect their Captain. Zoro also says that if his Captain is someone who will let people trample all over him, he might as well leave the crew. Luffy, Nami and Chopper are left shocked by what he said, but after some thought Luffy says that he agrees.

Enies Lobby
Luffy orders Zoro to cut some enemies up because they're standing in the way, which Zoro replies to with 'Sure.' without even thinking it over, which surprised the others.

Thriller Bark Arc
Throughout the story, Zoro has expressed that if Luffy would ever come in the way of his dreams, he would leave the crew or even kill him. But during this arc, Zoro seemed to have changed his mind about him, saying that he can't complete his dreams and ambitions without protecting Luffy's. After he almost dies by taking all the damage Luffy's endured so Kuma spares him, he says that nothing happened. He does so because protecting Luffy is what he's supposed to do as part of his crew, he doesn't need that recognition because all the strawhats already know that they'd stake their lives for anyone on the crew. He also expresses how he doesn't want Luffy knowing he caused one of his friends pain.

Sabaody Archipelago Arc
During the big fight, Zoro gets hit by Kuma, which devastates Luffy enough for him to repeat his name and shouting it at least 6 times. He also begins to remember flashbacks of them together. After all his crew is gone, Luffy beats himself over not being strong enough to protect any of them.

Impel Down Arc
Before revealing his true identity, Bon Clay was disguised as Zoro. Luffy seems happy to see him, screaming his name in a surprised yet excited tone. When Bon Clay takes on his real form, Luffy exclaims “I'm so disappointed that you're not Zoro, but at least you're alive!"

Post-War Arc
After Mihawk comes back from Marineford, he finds Zoro outside his castle. Zoro finds out that Luffy was there during the war and asks if he was okay, Mihawk tells him that he was probably still alive, but that his heart has dealt great injury. When Zoro finds out that Ace died right in Luffy's arms, he was the only strawhat who seemed like he was on the verge of tears.

After beating the baboons outside of the castle, Zoro bows down to Mihawk begging him to train him. Mihawk says that he's only embarrassing himself and proceeds to ask why, which Zoro replies to saying "I want to beat you." Mihawk ends up accepting, but deduced that there was another reason as to why hes asking Mihawk for guidance, saying "Seems like you found something more important than your ambition" and thinking "When a man like you swallows his pride, it's always for someone else."

Egghead Arc

 * -|Netflix=

Romance Dawn
Luffy and Koby arrive at Shells Town and go to one of the town's bars to dine. While Luffy is contemplating how he can obtain the Grand Line map from the marine base, Zoro arrives at the bar with a sack containing his recent bounty hunt kill. Rika, the bartender's young daughter, offers him chocolate rice balls she made herself. When Rika abruptly turns around as Helmeppo, the son of Shells Town marine captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan, approaches the bar counter, she accidentally bumps into him and drops the plate with the rice balls on the floor. Helmeppo becomes enraged and begins acting aggressively towards her. Luffy is watching the commotion. Then Helmeppo steps on one of the rice balls. Zoro has been silent the entire time, but when Rika apologizes to Helmeppo and the spoiled son mocks her and tells her he won't be as nice next time, Zoro abruptly states that Helmeppo dropped his food.

Helmeppo's focus is on Zoro as the swordsman crouches down to eat one of the ruined rice balls. He tells Rika it's delicious, which brightens her mood, and Luffy smiles from his seat. Zoro lifts the plate with the leftover rice ball to the counter and instructs Helmeppo to eat it as well and apologize to the little girl. The spoiled son of the marine captain only chuckles and approaches Zoro, asking if he knows who he is, to which Zoro simply refers to him as a "shithead marine with a bad haircut". Helmeppo becomes enraged and draws his blade. He laughs at the swordsman's three katanas while Luffy continues to pay close attention to the situation. The son of the marine captain then declares that he just requires one sword (to deal with him), and the fight begins. Zoro knocks Helmeppo down swiftly, and he whimpers before immediately moving aside when the other marines in the bar attack the swordsman next. Zoro handles them all expertly, while Luffy smiles or laughs at the spectacle. He even mentions how skilled the swordsman is.

Soon after, Zoro grabs Helmeppo, who is terrified of him at this time, and instructs him not to draw his sword if he isn't ready to use it. Fearing for his life, Helmeppo informs him that he is the son of the captain of Shells Town's marine base and that his father will give him anything he desires. Zoro remembers the captain owes him money for the bounty kill he has with him, and he and Helmeppo depart to meet the captain.

Luffy later is laying down with Koby on their little boat. They both continue to gaze at the stars, as Koby expresses to Luffy his inability to forget what happened in the bar. Luffy enthusiastically agrees and instead tells Koby that "that guy was amazing," alluding to Zoro. He then wonders where the swordsman's third sword goes to. Koby is less enthusiastic, questioning why the swordsman had to protect the small girl from the marines when the marines should be protecting them.

The next day, Luffy discovers Zoro bound to a cross in the yard of the marine base. Zoro declined to join the marines and instead accepted the seven-day punishment for assaulting them in the bar, which included being tied to a cross in the yard without water or food. Luffy was attempting to enter the marine base through the sewer when he encounters Zoro in the yard. He remembers the swordsman from the bar, but Zoro hasn't seen him before, so he urges him to get lost. While gazing around, Luffy responds that he is (already) lost. He also informs Zoro that he attempts to enter the base, while Zoro appears uninterested. The young pirate then asks him how the marines arrested him after seeing him fight, but Zoro assures him that they didn't arrest him because he surrendered. Luffy believes he made an unusual and interesting choice.

Luffy is certain Zoro has his reasons, though the swordsman says the young straw hat man knows nothing about him. Luffy then approaches him and mentions that Zoro was a good guy because he defended that little girl in the bar while fighting the marines. Zoro sighs and informs Luffy that he is a pirate hunter, to which Luffy answers that he will be the King of the Pirates. The swordsman is then invited to join Luffy's crew, but Zoro laughs and asks why he would play pirates with him. Luffy merely responds that the swordsman is a good fighter and that they would make an excellent team. Zoro is skeptical of Luffy's plan because he is a pirate hunter who kills pirates like Luffy. The young straw hat man then inquires whether the swordsman has any other dreams, and Zoro discloses his promise he made to someone to become the World's Greatest Swordsman.

Luffy smiles, tells him it’s impressive, and eventually frees Zoro from the cross. Zoro informs him that he will not join his crew, but Luffy explains that he merely felt it would be sad to see the swordsman confined here when he could be someplace else pursuing his dream. Luffy then decides to depart the same way he came in, asking Zoro to close the sewer grate and thanking him before going through the hole, leaving a perplexed swordsman standing in the yard.

After Luffy and Nami successfully steal the safe from the marine captain's office, Zoro sprints past them as they fight the marines. When they are both having trouble with the marines, the swordsman eventually joins them and they fight together. Finally, Luffy and Zoro team up against marine captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan and emerge victorious. Nami took care of the remaining marines, and Zoro easily lifts the safe Luffy and Nami stole to their boat and which was too heavy for them to lift. This clearly impressed Luffy.

Soon Helmeppo catches up to them and points his guns at them. Luffy laughs at his new haircut and Zoro reveals he may have something to do with it. Helmeppo threatens them, but Koby silences him with a punch that knocks him unconscious. Zoro, Nami, and Luffy eventually set sail on their boat towards their next adventure.

The Man in the Straw Hat
Zoro, Luffy, and Nami are sailing through the sea, and Nami quickly opens the safe and obtains the Grand Line map. Luffy is confused about navigating the seas and maps, so Nami explains to him and Zoro what the Grand Line, Red Line, and all four seas (East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue) are. However, something red is soon blasted up into the dark night sky, and mysterious smoke is sprayed into the air, knocking them all out.

The next day, Luffy and Nami awaken from their sleep inside a massive wooden box. Luffy crawls up to Zoro and whispers his name into his ear, waking him up. The swordsman notes that they (the attackers) grabbed his swords, Nami informs them that she lost her navigation equipment, and Luffy confirms that his hat is still with him, which he is relieved about. Nami is concerned about the Grand Line map, but Luffy reassures her that it is safe because he swallowed it.

Zoro tries to break out from the wooden box, believing that marines have captured them. Nami is concerned about being executed, but Luffy informs them that he spotted their captors' Jolly Roger before falling asleep, therefore they are pirates rather than marines, which is preferable. Nami disagrees, but Zoro believes that pirates are easier to kill because marines are trained to battle. Luffy mentions Shanks, who taught him that violence cannot solve everything, and Zoro immediately demands to know “who the hell is Shanks". Luffy does not respond to the question, but he does explain that they do not need to fight because he can talk with them like pirate to pirate. Nami, on the other hand, does not believe Luffy is a true pirate.

Suddenly, their box is opened, and they realize they are inside a circus tent, surrounded by circus freaks doing various stunts. Imprisoned people are serving as the audience, reluctantly clapping to the circus show. Buggy, on the other hand, enters the tent and ends the show because everything is incorrect in his opinion. Luffy realizes he has seen his face in one of the wanted posters at Shells Town, and soon there is a confrontation between him and Buggy. Nami manages to throw Luffy’s hat in the air as a distraction while running away. Luffy then catches his hat in confusion, revealing his powers to Buggy. Zoro stays by his side, and Nami is eventually apprehended and returned to them, though she questions in astonishment what Buggy has done to the village, which has been utterly demolished. Zoro and Nami end up being taken to the “green room”, while Buggy deals with Luffy first as he wants the Grand Line map.

When Cabaji asks Zoro if he has anywhere else to be because he told him he wasn't staying around, Zoro responds that he didn't used to think so, but Luffy changed it. Cabaji, disbelieving, asks if Zoro truly believes in the straw hat boy, to which the swordsman responds that he doesn't need to because Luffy believes in himself and it rubs off. Nami escapes from her cage, while Zoro eventually escapes from the wheel, choking Cabaji unconscious. They then save Luffy from being drowned by Buggy, and eventually the three deal with Buggy and free the villagers who had been imprisoned by the Buggy Pirates.

The villagers try to offer them food as a thank you for their help, but Luffy declines because the locals will need it more than them. Then he, Nami, and Zoro proceed to their boat. However, Luffy chooses to return and take only one snack. Zoro can be seen waiting for him before Luffy returns, and then following him to their boat as they continue their voyage. While they continue to sail across the sea, Zoro wonders if every day would be this chaotic with him. Luffy turns to him and tells him what Shanks told him: if the path to what you want seems too easy, then you’re on the wrong path. Zoro appears to appreciate the advice and tells Luffy that "this Shanks guy sounds all right".

Tell No Tales
Luffy has finished painting his own Jolly Roger and shows it to Nami, who is unimpressed by Luffy's poor artistic skills. Nonetheless, the young straw hat man is overjoyed with his flag. When Zoro comes out through the boat's door, Luffy shows him the flag, to which Zoro simply answers that "It's unique". Soon after Zoro mentions a leak, Nami learns the boat is taking in water and that they will sink if they continue at this rate. Luffy explains that their crew will be known as the "Straw Hat Crew" when he tells them that they need a worthy ship for their crew. Both Nami and Zoro aren’t really fond of the crew’s name. Zoro remarks that "demon" has a lovely ring to it, but a name based on a headpiece isn't scary. Luffy then wonders who said pirates had to be scary. Zoro doesn’t have anything to say to that. They eventually decide to go to Gecko Islands before their boat sinks and look for a new ship.

Nami has taken the liberty of finding information about the ships when they arrive at the Syrup Village. Meanwhile, Zoro notices Buggy's wanted poster on one of the walls and is dissatisfied that he was unable to extract the 15 million Berry bounty from him. Luffy points out to him that he couldn't obtain it anyway because he is now a wanted man, and Zoro realizes that he is correct. Luffy then claps him on the shoulder and reminds him that it's just one more reason to go to the Grand Line and start over. Zoro agrees softly.

Luffy desires a flawless ship because a ship is part of the crew, and when they arrive at the shipyard, he spots one of the ships, a caravel with a sheep's figurehead on it. There, the group meets Usopp, who tells them about Kaya, the owner of the ship and the entire shipyard. That way, they may possibly strike a deal with her over the caravel Luffy is interested in. When they meet, Kaya invites them to dinner because it's her birthday, and soon Luffy, Zoro, and Nami must prepare for it.

Nami inquires of Luffy about her appearance now that she has changed into a dress. Luffy is perplexed as to what he should say and responds that she still resembles Nami. Zoro is about to stroll past the room's door when he notices Luffy and stops himself. When he sees Zoro, the young straw hat man gets excited and keeps his eyes on him as the swordsman moves past him to a nearby chair. When Luffy asks what he's going to wear, Zoro just says he'll wear something black and he didn’t like that Nami initially had wanted to wear black as well. Afterwards, Luffy wears a black vest before the dinner, while Zoro wears a black suit with a golden shirt. While waiting for Kaya, they eat their appetizers, and when Zoro enters, Luffy invites Zoro to try some of the appetizers he is eating, but Zoro declines, saying he has all he needs right there because he found the beverages.

When Kaya arrives, they proceed to the dining hall. Luffy and Zoro are seated directly across from each other. When the conversation turns to the ship Luffy wants, he admits that they are pirates. Usopp spits out his drink, and Nami is stunned by Luffy's lack of tact. "This ought to be good," Zoro says as he takes a sip of his drink. Luffy stands atop the table, telling everyone that being a pirate has been his dream for as long as he can remember, and that he will finally make it a reality. When Zoro lifts his gaze to Luffy, he expresses wonder and awe. However, Kaya's butler Klahadore becomes irritated by Luffy's performance and demands that they leave, but Kaya informs them that they can spend the night there.

Later that night, Luffy begins wandering the mansion's halls and unintentionally runs upon Zoro. Luffy is overjoyed and greets him enthusiastically, but Zoro grabs his arms and tells him to shut up while glancing around. They then begin heading down the hall, and Luffy inquires whether Zoro always carries his swords. Zoro tells him that where he goes, Wado Ichimonji follows. Luffy is curious as to where the swordsman is heading, and he claims to be looking for a drink, but the mansion is a maze. Zoro is also curious about where Luffy is heading, and he claims to be seeking for a midnight snack. They both follow Luffy's nose into the kitchen, where they find Usopp sniping at pots. Luffy is impressed by his skills.

Their talk soon shifts to Kaya, and Zoro wonders if she is Usopp's girlfriend or something, which he denies, but eventually asks Zoro if he believes Kaya likes him more than as a friend. Zoro tells him he is a wrong guy to ask that from, and Usopp modifies his question slightly by asking if he would like him if he were Kaya. Luffy interrupts Zoro's reply by informing Usopp that he likes him. Usopp tells him he didn't intend it that way and ends the conversation. Soon after, Usopp begins to take Zoro towards the wine cellar, and Zoro asks Luffy if he will accompany them. Luffy looks around and notices a pot on the stove, telling him that he has everything he needs right there. Zoro follows Usopp, while Luffy begins to eat the contents of the pot, ignorant that it is poisonous.

They soon discover that Klahadore is actually Kuro, the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, and that he intends to kill Kaya in order to inherit her property and money. Zoro's unconscious body, along with that of Kaya's family lawyer friend Merry’s deceased body, is thrown into a well near Kaya's mansion.

The Pirates Are Coming
Luffy is powerless to act after being severely poisoned by the food he ate. The marines, Koby and Helmeppo, eventually grab Luffy from the mansion and begin to take him back with them. However, Luffy vomits, which aids in his sobriety. Zoro had also eventually escaped the well and had accidently discovered Luffy with the marines. Helmeppo had threatened to shoot Luffy again if he didn't move, but Zoro's entrance makes him nervous, and the swordsman knocks him out. Luffy inquires as to how he discovered him, but Zoro replies that he was attempting to return to the mansion. Koby is powerless to stop them, so the two leave him with the unconscious marines.

Zoro ends up fighting Kuro's underlings Buchi and Sham, and Luffy defeats Kuro. After they have dealt with them, Kaya offers them the sheep caravel, which Luffy names Going Merry in honor of Merry. Luffy is overjoyed after naming the ship and hugs both Nami and Zoro. After saying his goodbyes to Kaya, Usopp also joins their crew.

Finally, after they left the Gecko Islands, they are pleased with the ship, but they are suddenly assailed by cannonball fire that, thankfully, has not yet hit their new ship. Nami spots the marines and Luffy notices his grandfather, which confuses everyone else.

Eat at Baratie!
Zoro wants to make sure he heard Luffy correctly when he named the old marine, a vice admiral, his "grandpa", but Luffy dismisses the question and isn't happy about his grandfather coming after him. When one of the cannonballs hits their ship, they must act quickly, but it soon becomes evident that they have no understanding how to operate cannons or sail correctly when the circumstances call for it. When Luffy's grandfather, Garp, chooses to toss one of the cannonballs at them with his hands, the young straw hat captain uses his Gum-Gum Balloon technique and fires the cannonball back at the marines, breaking one of their sails in the process. The Straw Hats rejoice, and Zoro even smiles at Luffy. They manage to flee the marines by entering dense fog.

Nami asks that someone go talk to Luffy about the situation they are in and about "the other thing". Zoro is confused at first as to what Nami means, and Nami explains that she means that someone needs to bring up the fact that he hadn’t mentioned who his grandfather is. Zoro doesn't believe it's such a big issue. Nami then suggests that because Zoro is Luffy's first mate, he go talk to him. Usopp appears to agree, and Zoro moves to stand beside Luffy. When he asks how Luffy is doing, the captain just says that he is well, but his hat was damaged during the "battle" with the marines. Zoro then asks if he wants to discuss the battle, but Luffy declines, prompting Zoro to remark that this was a good conversation and go back to Nami. He assures her that Luffy is well, but she is skeptical.

Soon after, Luffy detects the aroma of food in the air, and the Straw Hats decide to follow his nose. They arrive across a restaurant ship, Baratie, and Luffy decides they should go eat. Zoro is hoping that the place offers a bar. The swordsman attempts to seat next to Luffy as they prepare to eat, but his swords become stuck on a pillar, forcing him to sit across from the captain. They enjoy their food and drinks, which prompts Luffy to propose a toast to their crew and triumph over the marines. Zoro smiles at the captain. Nami is upset with their condition because they were unprepared and uncoordinated, and they should have died. When Nami brings up Luffy's failure to tell them about his grandfather, a vice-admiral of the marines, Zoro reminds her that she would still be a target because she infiltrated the military base for the Grand Line map.

Since the Straw Hats can't pay for their food immediately after they ate, the Baratie's owner and head chef, Zeff, assigns Luffy to a chore boy duty. Meanwhile, Zoro, Usopp, and Nami go have some more drinks. However, Zoro soon meets Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, whose title he also seeks, and challenges him to a duel. Mihawk threatens to go after Zoro's captain once he's finished with him.

After some time, Usopp leaves to find Luffy, while Nami attempts to talk Zoro out of the duel. They want Luffy to try to talk him out of it, but when Zoro brings up what he told Luffy when they first met, that this is about his dream, which Luffy eventually remembers and realizes, this makes it impossible for him to get between Zoro and Mihawk because it would mean he would try to stop Zoro from achieving his dream.

The following day, Zoro and Mihawk begin their duel, as Luffy watches with Usopp. Nami will eventually accompany them. Mihawk is eventually amazed by Zoro's abilities and potential, which leads to Zoro eventually acknowledging defeat and giving his front for him to slice through, as scars on the swordsman's back would bring great shame. Luffy and the others are taken aback by Zoro's obvious defeat and Mihawk's might. After Mihawk slashes his chest and Zoro collapses, Luffy cries out his name, runs to him, and grabs a hold of him. Mihawk briefly talks with Luffy about his dream and encourages Zoro to find him when he's stronger. The warlord then walks away.

Usopp and Nami approach as well, and the sniper mentions that Zoro is bleeding profusely. Luffy's voice shakes as he says he will be fine. The captain then asks the swordsman whether he can hear him, and Mihawk had told him that it is too soon for him to die. Zoro mentions his failure, and how if he does not become the world's greatest swordsman, Luffy will be disappointed in him. Luffy denies it, telling Zoro that he could never disappoint him. When Zoro raises his Wado Ichimonji katana into the air and vows never to lose again, he falls unconscious and drops his blade as well. Worried, Luffy continues to call his name, but receives no response.

The Chef and the Chore Boy
Luffy, Usopp, and Nami are returning to their ship with Zoro's unconscious body. They place him on the table, and Luffy asks Zoro whether he can hear him. When Luffy is unable to elicit an answer from the swordsman, he takes a step back and observes him silently. Meanwhile, Usopp searches for a first-aid kit or something to stop the bleeding. Nami abruptly commands Luffy's attention, jolting the captain back to reality. She tells him to return to Baratie, but Luffy says he isn't hungry right now. She explains that someone there must be a doctor since they really need one. Luffy agrees and runs to Baratie. He finds Sanji and Zeff in the kitchen while doing brunch preparations together and tells them that Zoro requires medical attention. Zeff informs him that the nearest doctor is a two-day sail away, which Luffy considers far too lengthy. The head chef then wishes that the young captain's friend will make it because he is unable to assist, but as soon as he says it, Sanji chooses to go help out the Straw Hats, which changes Zeff's mind as well.

When Luffy returns with Sanji and Zeff, the head chef demonstrates an old seaman's trick by sewing Zoro's wounds shut and then putting fish skin on top of them to staunch the wound and speed up healing. Luffy had been following Zeff's actions with the fish the entire time. When Usopp asks if Zoro is going to be okay, Zeff tries not to get too hopeful. Despite this, Luffy is certain that Zoro will make it. Zeff then advises them to keep the swordsman tethered to their world in some way because he is currently between life and death. He suggests that they sing, tell stories, talk to him, or do anything else so that the swordsman knows his crew is with him. Zoro is eventually transferred to the Going Merry's sole suitable bed in Nami’s room to rest.

Later, Luffy is holding Wado Ichimonji in their ship's kitchen while Sanji prepares dinner from the fish left over from Zeff's treatment, and Usopp is also present. When Sanji notices that Luffy isn't paying attention, he wonders if he doesn't like fish. Luffy tells him that he loves fish, but that he must prepare Zoro's sword for him when he awakens. Then he begins to clean it up in his own small, cautious manner. Usopp and Sanji exchange glances, and the sniper then brings up the possibility that Zoro may never wake up. However, Luffy, with his firm belief, tells him that Zoro is the strongest fighter that he knows and that no warlord can keep him down. Sanji then instructs him to eat something and offers to feed him T-bones or saffron risotto, which Luffy confesses he would typically eat both, but he still needs to prepare "Waddy Itchy Monkey" for Zoro first. Sanji is perplexed by the name, which Luffy explains is the name of the sword. Sanji is still confused as to why, however Luffy recalls Zoro telling him that the sword is special.

Suddenly, Luffy asks Sanji if he could make Zoro his favorite food, and when the young cook asks what the swordsman prefers, Luffy says rice balls and beer. The Straw Hat captain then wonders if Sanji can soak the rice balls in beer. Sanji then asks what the captain wants and he can make it, so Luffy says he wants Zoro to eat so he can regain his strength, sleep so he can heal, and maybe give him some water because all that fighting must have made the swordsman thirsty. However, Luffy believes that they should let Zoro rest because he is most certainly tired. Sanji brings up the captain’s tough responsibility and tells Luffy and Usopp about his and Zeff’s story. The young cook then asks if they have any idea how it feels when someone gives up their own limb for them, and Luffy realizes that he does. Sanji then adds he just wants to illustrate that sometimes a captain needs to make difficult decisions. Luffy abruptly declares that he would eat both his arms and legs in order to save Zoro's life. The captain then smiles at Usopp before exiting the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Nami has been keeping Zoro company and reading him a story about Mont Blanc Noland. When she finishes telling how Noland never stopped lying till his death, Luffy seems to have been listening the story and says how sad it is to lose a whole city of gold. Nami is not amused by Luffy's joyful demeanor and reminds him that it was most certainly not the point of the story. Luffy then argues that stories might have multiple points, such as why the king had to kill him. Nami then repeats what Sanji said before, that leaders must occasionally make difficult decisions. Luffy begins to wonder why everyone is saying that, and then the navigator adds that he could have saved Zoro since he didn’t need to fight Mihawk, but Luffy caused it to happen. Luffy's smile begins to fade at this point. When she questions why he didn't stop him, Luffy says he didn't think Zoro would lose. Nami says he could have changed his mind, but Luffy tells her that he would never do so. She then asks if he enjoys seeing the swordsman in this state because he may die. Luffy tells her that he would do anything to save him, except stand in the way of the swordsman's dream. When Luffy asks Nami what her true dream is, she informs him that not everyone gets to pursue their ambitions and leaves him alone with Zoro.

Usopp comes to check on Zoro and asks Luffy how the swordman is, but Luffy replies that Zoro hasn't said anything. The sniper then says Zeff advised them to talk to Zoro and tell him stories since Luffy has been sitting silently next to him. Luffy is at a loss for words, so Usopp advises him to speak from the gut. The captain simply states that his gut hasn't been feeling well recently, however Usopp says that at least Zoro will know it's him. Luffy then tries to think of something to say but fails, and Nami eventually needs to call for Luffy's attention since Arlong has arrived in Baratie in search of him and the Grand Line map.

Luffy later visits Zoro again and sits on the bed next to his sleeping form after losing his fight with Arlong, and Nami had left with the fish-man pirate captain and the Grand Line map. Luffy informs Zoro that there was a good fight that the swordsman would have enjoyed. They also ate dinner and listened to Usopp's stories. However, the captain admits that he made a mistake and lost Nami and the map. Then he fears he'll lose Zoro as well. He says he didn't know what to say before, but now he does, and it's so simple. Luffy then closes his eyes and tells the swordsman that he needs him.

Zoro finally wakes up and asks the captain if he keeps talking or let him get some sleep. Luffy becomes overjoyed and straddles him on the bed. He then hugs him tightly, much to Zoro's chagrin because he is still injured. Luffy understands he is inadvertently hurting the swordsman and jumps off of him to stand next to the bed. Zoro tells Luffy that he had a bizarre dream about Nami leaving. This is confirmed by Luffy, who blames himself. Zoro does not feel Luffy should blame himself because he did nothing wrong and acted like a captain. Luffy expresses his concerns about their crew's disintegration, but Zoro denies it.

As Zoro concludes his pledge and places his fist on Luffy's chest, which Luffy then grabs and holds, Usopp comes and is thrilled to see Zoro awake, which makes Luffy excited as well and pains Zoro a bit more when he suddenly lifts his arm in utter happiness. When the captain sees he's gotten a little carried away again, he lowers it back down to Zoro. When Usopp asks if they would now proceed to the Grand Line, Luffy resolves to go after Nami first.

Sanji eventually joins the crew, which makes Luffy very happy, while Zoro is confused as to why they are bringing the waiter. When Usopp asks how they'll find Nami, and Zoro agrees with his question, Luffy tells them he knows someone who can help. He then shows them Buggy’s head, though Zoro isn't thrilled to see the clown again.

The Girl with the Sawfish Tattoo
Zoro acknowledges Buggy and Luffy's agreement, but threatens to deal with Buggy if he leads them into a trap, despite the clown's desire to reclaim the rest of his body from Arlong, so he does not want to betray them. Zoro eventually drops his head in one of their ship's empty barrels to silence him.

Sanji is fishing, and Luffy wonders how long it will take to go to Nami. Zoro approaches Luffy to stand beside him and begins arguing with Sanji about where Nami's loyalties lie. However, Luffy concludes by noting that he is certain Nami had her reasons for what she did and that he only wants to hear her tell him. They soon arrive at the Conomi Islands.

Nami is collecting the monthly tribute from Coco Village, but Genzo informs her that they don't have any more because she realized they are low on funds to pay Arlong. When Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp arrive, they notice her. Nami is taken aback by their presence, and she and Luffy dispute about where she belongs and who she is. Luffy asks whether she wants their help, but she vehemently rejects it. Zoro observes their conversation silently. The Straw Hat boys debate whether they should do as she said and leave, but Luffy decides to speak with Genzo after noticing he isn't terrified of Nami. Before Luffy can introduce them all as pirates, Zoro adds that they are pirate hunters in order not to complicate matters with the guy, as the locals appear to dislike pirates due to Arlong. Genzo suggests they all go chat about Nami at a house on the outskirts of the tangerine grove. There they meet Nami's sister Nojiko, who initially threatens them with a gun before relenting when Sanji offers to make something for her in exchange for her time and information.

Nojiko tells them about her and Nami, and Zoro sits next to Luffy. She tells them how Arlong killed their mother. Usopp is confused as to how Nami could have joined Arlong's crew since he killed her mother. Luffy appears to have difficulty believing that it is something she would do on the spur of the moment and leaves his seat to go outside. Zoro quickly follows behind him and decides to sit on the roof with Luffy. He waits silently for Luffy to speak, and when Luffy does not move, he chooses to leave. However, Luffy soon begins talking about Nami, and Zoro settles down to listen. They discuss her, and while Zoro remains doubtful of her goals, Luffy remains skeptical of everyone's perception of her and wishes to help her. They ultimately stop talking and continue to sit peacefully together, watching the stars.

Later, once Nami loses all of the money she had saved to buy back her town from Arlong, she violently stabs her Arlong Pirates tattoo on her arm with a knife, realizing that Arlong had broken his promise. However, Luffy prevents her from further injuring herself and she begs him to help her. Luffy orders Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp to begin moving as they plan to attack Arlong and his crew. They soon notice that Coco Village is under attack.

Worst in the East
The Arlong Pirates have completely destroyed the Coco Village, which the Straw Hats discover. The villagers gather in front of Nami, led by Genzo and Nojiko, to plead for her forgiveness after Nojiko told them of her sacrifice over the years. Nami doesn’t seem to mind because Coco Village is also her home. The villagers then decide that it is their turn to attack Arlong Park and gain their independence that way if it cannot be purchased. Nami, on the other hand, believes it will be a massacre and does not want them to perish as a result. She tells them it's her fight, but Luffy adds that it's the Straw Hats' struggle as well. Zoro expresses that he is glad to finally being able to cut something.

Nami and Luffy are heading towards the map room to confront Arlong when they finally invade Arlong Park. As one of the fish-men tries to assault Luffy, Zoro cuts him down, allowing Luffy to continue following Nami to their destination. Zoro and Sanji start arguing about Luffy while Zoro is cutting down Arlong's men and Sanji is kicking them. Buggy, who is still merely a head, appears to believe that someone is feeling threatened, and the swordsman and cook tell him to shut up.

After defeating Arlong Pirates, the villagers hold a party, and Zoro joins Luffy in listening to Usopp recount his narrative about fighting Arlong and his crew while the villagers listen him.

When the Straw Hats finally depart the island, a news coo carries a newspaper with Luffy's first new wanted poster, which the straw hat captain shows his crew. Zoro remarks that with that bounty, a 30 million Berry, things will be more difficult because bounty hunters will be chasing him.

They'll also show Nami that they took three tangerine trees with them so she can have a piece of home with her. She is really happy, and Zoro smiles at Luffy for a little moment as a result. The navigator informs Luffy that the crew has something in store for their captain as well. Usopp then lowers the sails and displays their new Jolly Roger, which was based on Luffy's initial design. Luffy is stunned and excited, and Zoro watches his captain's reaction with the rest of the Straw Hats. Later, at Sanji's suggestion, they perform a cast-off ceremony by lifting their feet on top of a barrel and making a promise to pursue their dreams from this day forward. Zoro recalls his promise to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, while Luffy declares his intention to become the King of the Pirates.

Fanon
Over the years in the One Piece fandom, ZoLu as a friendship has captured many hearts and fans adore the close and familiar relationship between Luffy and Zoro. Zoro's utter loyalty and devotion to his captain and Luffy's blind trust in his swordsman are some of the strongest themes of this ship. However, while ZoLu is one of the more popular romantic ships in the fandom, it is often overshadowed by its rival ships ZoSan and LawLu.

Many OP fans don't want to ship ZoLu because of the headcanon that Luffy is an "aroace" (aromantic and asexual), born out of Luffy's canonical lack of interest in such topics. Although Zoro has also shown no interest in such topics, he is still often shipped with Sanji and many other characters. A few ZoLu shippers believe that some people's lack of interest in shipping Luffy with Zoro could also be because Luffy is not considered sexually attractive, as e.g. Sanji is. Although ZoLu shippers themselves do not ship Zoro and Luffy based on "sexual attraction" alone, which is why romance and friendship are a strong theme in the ship's fan stories and fan art. Many ZoLu shippers also seem to be aro/ace or in the spectrum. A fairly popular headcanon for the ship is that it's a QPR (queerplatonic relationship).

Some ZoLu shippers, and especially new shippers, are often confused by the popularity of other bigger ships, especially ZoSan (the ship between Zoro and Sanji), and wonder why ZoLu is not as popular as some people first have thought since their relationship is built on devotion and loyalty, which some fans think is rather romantic also.

While in general the One Piece fans may not like to ship ZoLu in romantic way, some fans do like to joke and create memes about Zoro's loyalty and devotion towards his captain, the theme of the memes often being in the crude line of "If Luffy ordered Zoro to suck his dick, he would do so without hesitation".

After the release of Netflix's One Piece Live Action and thanks to its ZoLu heavy content, the ship has gained a lot more attention and fans which has only made the older shippers happy.

On AO3, ZoLu is the 2nd most popular ship for both Zoro and Luffy, as well as currently the 3rd most popular ship in the fandom.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION
 * Luffy/Zoro on FanFiction.net
 * Luffy & Zoro on FanFiction.net
 * Luffy/Zoro on FanFiction.net
 * Luffy & Zoro on FanFiction.net


 * FAN ART


 * INSTAGRAM


 * TIKTOK


 * TUMBLR
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 * TWITTER


 * WIKI
 * on
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 * ANALYSIS AND META
 * Luffy and Zoro throughout One Piece by zorobae on Tumblr
 * Luffy and Zoro throughout One Piece Live Action (season 1) by zorobae on Tumblr
 * Luffy and Zoro, equality presented by Wano Arc by cienie-isengardu on Tumblr
 * Zoro and Luffy's portrayal, dynamic and similarities by
 * The way Luffy loves Zoro by biscuitboba on Tumblr
 * Sun and Moon, Luffy and Zoro by cienie-isengardu on Tumblr

Trivia

 * On social media platforms, ZoLu is often represented in emoticons as ⚔️👒 or 💚❤️.
 * Zoro and Luffy's specific colors (green and red) are complementary colors.
 * Luffy and Zoro's specific numbers are 01 and 02.
 * Luffy is born on May 5th and Zoro on November 11th, or 5/5 and 11/11 respectively.
 * According to western astrology, both Luffy's and Zoro's zodiac signs (Taurus and Scorpio) are opposites on the zodiac wheel, which also makes them the most compatible with each other.
 * Luffy's favourite food is all kinds of meat, while Zoro specifically likes sea beast meat. This means that Zoro shares his like of one kind of meat with Luffy.
 * Zoro's least favourite food is chocolate, because it's too sweet, while Luffy does like to eat them (as he did love the sweets in the Fish-Man Island). In chapter 800 Luffy states that he doesn't really like alcohol that much, while alcohol is to Zoro what meat is to Luffy. This means that they both can share food or drinks that they are not that fond of with each other so nothing gets really wasted.
 * If Zoro and Luffy wouldn't be pirates, their jobs would be a police officer (Zoro) and a firefighter (Luffy).
 * Zoro and Luffy (and Brook) are the only members in the Straw Hat Pirates who bathe only once per week.
 * Luffy and Zoro's personalities and thought processes (ideas) are very similar, though Zoro can be more strict and Luffy can be more outgoing.
 * Luffy and Zoro also have scars in similar places on their bodies: One scar on the left side of their faces (under Luffy's eye, and over Zoro's eye) and a bigger scar on their chest.
 * Both Zoro and Luffy are the only ones in the Straw Hat Pirates who can use all three types of hakis:
 * Kenbunshoku Haki (aka Observation Haki)
 * Busoshoku Haki (aka Armament Haki)
 * Haoshoku Haki (aka Conqueror's Haki, Color of the Supreme King), which is a type of haki that the individual has to be born with to be able to use it, and is also known as very rare ability that only one in several million people are born with.
 * Zoro's animal resemblance is shark, and in the cover of chapter 3 (in which he was introduced) shows a picture of Luffy riding on the back of a shark.
 * However, Zoro is later represented also as a tiger in chapter 651 color spread, and in "Color Walk 9 Tiger" cover we see only Zoro and Luffy (and Chopper) with a giant tiger. In chapter 394 color spread we see Luffy standing on a tiger (with Chopper), and Luffy also rides a tiger hoverbike in chapter 872 color spread.
 * Luffy's animal resemblance is monkey, and in chapter 174 cover page Zoro is sharing a bath and drinking sake in a hot-spring with a pack of macaques (also known as the "snow monkeys").
 * In chapter 589, that is part of Luffy's childhood story with Ace and Sabo, Zoro is very briefly seen training in his own village while Dragon's (Luffy's father) ship sails past him in the background.
 * Zoro is often seen to fight the second strongest enemy in the One Piece series, while Luffy usually takes on the main big bad guy. Though sometimes Zoro will first fight or even win (briefly) against the main bad guy (e.g. Fish-Man Island Arc).
 * Oda illustrated Zoro with Luffy's "Gomu Gomu no Mi" devil fruit powers in One Piece Magazine Vol.6.
 * On November 2023, the One Piece website's official Twitter account @OPcom_info posted art for Zoro's birthday. Luffy can be seen in the background in his Gear 5 (Nika) form shining light behind Zoro's head.
 * Interestingly, on May 2023, the @OPcom_info account posted art for Luffy's birthday with a giant moon shining behind him.
 * Some of the Color Spreads have some other Luffy and Zoro related "coincidences" and other things, which some shippers may have noticed:
 * Chapter 128 Color Spread has Zoro sitting on top of a flying pterodactyl's head while Luffy is sitting under the head on a "hanging swing". In "Color Walk 4 Eagle" cover Robin and Franky seems to do a similar thing as well on a flying eagle.
 * Chapter 269 Color Spread has Luffy wearing colorfully striped pants while Zoro wears a similar colorfully striped shirt and red pants.
 * Chapter 310 Color Spread has Luffy with three katanas.
 * Chapter 373 Color Spread has Luffy and Zoro in water and fire stylized kimonos. Luffy also has a green obi around his waist.
 * Chapter 439 Color Spread has Zoro dressed in red shirt and green pants with also wearing his iconic green haramaki on his waist. Luffy is seen dressed in yellow shirt with an image of a tiger, and striped green pants.
 * Chapter 471 Color Spread has Luffy and Zoro sharing similar black and white jacket color scheme with them both being the only ones to have visible skull images on a jacket (Zoro) and pants (Luffy).
 * Chapter 483 Color Spread has Zoro and Luffy clearly again coordinating with similar jacket styles (black + golden color scheme).
 * Chapter 685 Color Spread is halloween themed, in which Luffy has drawn similar scar (like Zoro's) across his chest while he also presumably wears Zoro's red sash (Zoro doesn't seem to wear it). They both also have words on their bag ("Whisky or Beer!!") and carry basket ("Trick or Meat").
 * Chapters 692 and 987 Color Spreads have Zoro and Luffy in similar jackets, with Zoro having a black jacket with blue-green color schemed roses on his while Luffy later has similar color scheme on his pineapple jacket.
 * Chapter 699 Color Spread has a medieval theme, with Luffy as the king and Zoro as one of the knights. Out of all of them, only Zoro and Luffy are patched up from unknown wounds. They are also the only ones to have a skull on their chest (Zoro) and top of the crown (Luffy).
 * Chapter 733 Color Spread has Zoro wearing a red scarf while Luffy has a green scarf with white stripes.
 * Chapter 756 Color Spread shows the Straw Hats getting ready to celebrate the series' 17th Anniversary. However, only Zoro and Luffy seem to have similar ways of getting ready (with food and drinks).
 * Chapter 872 Color Spread shows that Zoro has a number 56 on his chest which is known as Luffy's number also (Rubber; "Go" = 5, "Mu" = 6).
 * Chapter 999 "Color Spread" has Zoro with yellow sash (Luffy's usual sash color) and red jacket on his shoulder.
 * Chapter 1060 Color Spread has Luffy and Zoro be the only ones to wear a orange sash.
 * There is an unreleased Color Spread concept for chapter 1047 which presumably contains Zoro and Luffy fighting/sparring on a bridge in Wano. The Sun and Moon are present in the background.
 * On September 2023, @contodonetflix (with @netflixgolden) on Instagram posted a reel about Zoro and Luffy from the Live Action series with a caption "the banter between Luffy & Zoro >>>". An Instagram user @na_hhh_ua commented "True love" to which @netflixgolden replied "Unconditional and everlasting".