Anime series, especially the shonen demographic, are filled with action and fighting, and that's one of the biggest reasons why the medium is as big as it is today. When it comes to these exciting battles, writers usually arm their characters with various weapons, not only to build up their exciting fighting styles, but also to deliver compelling battles. In anime, the most common choice of weapon is, more often than not, a sword. There are a plethora of powerful swordsmen in anime, which can make it difficult for some to stand out from the rest.
That being said, Anime! Anime! just conducted a new poll to see who fans first think of when they specifically talk about dual-swing swordsmen, and to the shock of many, the first choice was none other than Kirito, the protagonist of the very popular Isekai anime, Sword Art Online. Kirito has definitely cemented himself as a legend in the anime world, and while his story is over, the creator is back with another hit to keep fans hooked.
New 'Anime! Anime!' Survey Reveals Kirito of Sword Art Online as Japan's Favorite Dual Wielding Swordsman
Anime! Anime! is a popular Japanese website that specializes in all kinds of new anime. It was originally founded in 2004 by Tadashi Sudo, and has been going ever since. The site also regularly releases surveys for their audience to participate in, and recently announced the results of a new survey of Japanese readers, asking them, “Who comes to mind when you think of a Two Swords style character?”
This is definitely an interesting question, especially as there are a plethora of swordsmen out there. While many single blade users stand out, dual swing swordsmen have their own charm and showcase a unique fighting style. Hundreds of fans answered the question during a survey period that ran from June 2nd to June 9th. The results of this survey were revealed on Monday, June 22, 2026 at Anime! Anime! website, and the top pick definitely surprised some.
It was revealed that for Japanese fans, the dual-wielding swordsman that comes to mind first is none other than Kirito, the protagonist of the iconic Isekai series Sword Art Online. It was specifically revealed that Kirito won 19% of the vote, which is a large portion, and about 84 votes in total.
Other iconic dual-wielding swordsmen included Zoro from One Piece and Inosuke from Demon Slayer
Seeing Kirito as #1 definitely came as a surprise, especially with him winning the vast majority of votes. Considering the fact that Sword Art Online ended a long time ago, it's definitely impressive that Kirito still ranks above the likes of Zoro. Still, other extremely popular dual wielders also made the cut after Kirito. In total, the top 10 characters were revealed to us via Anime! Anime!'s June 22 article covering the survey.
Right after Kirito we had a character from Demon Slayer, Inosuke Hashibira. Demon Slayer is one of the biggest anime IPs of the moment, with an unprecedented presence in theaters that has completely defined a generation. Inosuke is technically one of the main characters, and is part of the main trio along with Tanjiro and Zenitsu. He wields two Serrated Nichirin Swords which he uses in addition to his Beast Breathing. This makes Inosuke a rather unique dual wielder who relies primarily on agility and flexibility, although his swordsmanship itself is far from the best in the story. Inosuke's time to shine will come in the next Infinity Castle movie. In the poll, Inosuke picked up 10% of the votes, which comes down to about 44 votes in total.
To complete the top 3 after Insouke, we were introduced to one of the most iconic swordsmen of all time, Roronoa Zoro from One Piece. Zoro, from One Pieceis the first character to join Luffy's Straw Hat Pirates as their swordsman. While Zoro may be the most iconic character on this list overall, we can see why he didn't jump to everyone's mind. Since the question is specifically about dual wielders, Zoro is not the first choice. That said, he is a very versatile swordsman, able to wield 1, 2, and even 3 swords. Because of that, most fans associate him with his iconic Santoryu Style, which sees him use 3 swords of his blades in battle. Zoro won 8% of the vote, giving him around 35 votes. This figure is definitely not bad for a man who has a lot more up his sleeve than just Two Sword Style.
The top three Swordsmen are specifically made up of iconic anime characters, and here are the rest of the Swordsmen revealed in order via Anime! Anime!'s own report:
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Kirito (Sword Art Online)
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Hashibira Inosuke (Demon Slayer)
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Roronoa Zoro (ONE PIECE)
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Konpaku Youmu (Touhou Project)
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Shinomori Aoshi (Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story-)
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Uzui Tengen (Demon Slayer)
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Miyamoto Musashi (Baki-Dou)
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Kyoraku Shunsui (BLEACH)
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Sanada Ryo (Ronin Warriors)
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Tachikawa Kei (World Trigger)
Obviously, this list determined the most iconic dual wielders in anime from a wide variety of tropes from different genres.
Kirito's adventures in Sword Art Online are officially revived with the new movie “Sword Art Online: Integral Domain”
Sword Art Online won big in the poll, with Kirito considered the most iconic dual wielder by Japanese fans. This is thanks to Reki Kawahara, the creator behind this story, who published his work as a novel between 2002 and 2008. His work caught on especially after the TV anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures, which started on July 8, 2012. This TV anime would become so big that it stood outside the entry point of the Isekai genre to the popular genre in Japan. Sadly, Sword Art Online ended a few years ago, on September 20, 2020, with season 3.
Technically, the series briefly returned with Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad on July 5, 2026. But more than that, it was officially announced on July 6, 2026 that Sword Art Online will officially make a comeback with a new film by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex, titled 'Sword Art Online': Integral Domain. This new movie will feature both Kirito and Asuna as the main characters, and it is scheduled to be released in 2028. An exact release date has not been given to us, but more information will likely be revealed next year, as the release nears.
With Kirito back, his popularity as a strong anime swordsman is about to shoot up even more. Kirito has already established himself as a popular figure, but with anime being as mainstream as it is today, he will gain even more fame.
