A new update in the One Piece universe seems to have finally settled one of the biggest debates among fans of Eiichiro Oda's work. According to recent Oricon sales reports from Japan, the light novel focused on Roronoa Zoro has cemented the character in a position of unrivaled prominence.
Zoro's Commercial Success in One Piece
The work titled "One Piece novel ZORO," written by Jun Esaka, topped the weekly light novel rankings for the second consecutive week in July 2026. With over 35,000 copies sold in total, the book outperformed the combined sales of the next seven titles on the Oricon list, demonstrating the pirate hunter's massive appeal.
This release marks Zoro's first solo adventure in literary format, something his eternal rival, Sanji, has yet to receive and has no scheduled plans for. The narrative delves into the swordsman's past shortly after the death of his childhood friend, Kuina, detailing his journey in search of stronger opponents before joining the Straw Hats.
Divided into three chapters, the story shows Zoro investigating Dracule Mihawk's power and facing off against corrupt Marines. Although not strictly part of the main manga canon, Esaka's plot captures the essence of One Piece's core themes, offering an intimate look at the character that fans rarely see in the main series.
More about One Piece
One Piece is a multimedia franchise that follows Monkey D. Luffy's journey to become the Pirate King. Since its debut in 1997, the work has become a global phenomenon, breaking sales records with its manga and adapting side stories into various formats, such as light novels and special animations like "One Piece: Heroines".
Source: CBR
