Every good blade we know in one piece

Meito, alternatively known as legendary swords, famous blades and similar aliases are, as each name implies, specially crafted blades of superior reputation. Those well versed in blades will be able to recognize them immediately, and they tend to command both high prices and superior carriers. Meito are individually “rated” based on their strength and quality.

Great Grade Blades are the blades of the second highest grade, resting only below the 12 Supreme Blades. There are only 21 of these Meito. The five currently known to the audience come from Wano Country, known for its superior artisans, and are currently in the possession of those connected to the area. This list will document all currently known Great Grade Blades.

6 Wado Ichimonji

One of Zoro's Blades

• Current Owner: Roronoa Zoro
• Creator: Shimotsuki Kouzaburou

Wado Ichimonji is a katana that has been owned by Zoro since his attempt to become the world's strongest swordsman. It was previously used by his friend and training partner, Shimotsuki Kuina. Wado Ichimonji was created by her grandfather, Kouzaburou, who brought it with him from Wano. He settled in East Blue and helped found the Shimotsuki Village of the same name. Kouzaburou's inheritance would later be used by both his son Koushirou and granddaughter Kuina.

Kuina and Zoro were Koushirou's best students and developed a close friendship and rivalry as a result. In a serious fight, Kuina used the Wado Ichimonji and defeated Zoro with it. She celebrated little though, as her Koushirou's sexist belief that women could not be as skilled with the sword affected her, especially as she approached puberty. Zoro assured her that skill and determination were the only things that really mattered, and the two friends swore to each other that one of them would become the strongest swordsman in the world.

After her sudden death at the age of eleven, Zoro asked for the sword so that he could fulfill his promise to Kuina. Koushirou allowed this, and it has remained with the swordsman ever since. In a way, it's still technically a Shimotsuki heirloom, since Zoro's grandmother, Furiko, was also a Shimotsuki. The Wado Ichimonji is notable enough that Tashigi was offended that a mere pirate claimed ownership of it.

5 Ame no Habakiri

One of Odin's Blades

• Current owner: Kozuki Momonosuke (provisional)
• Creator: Kozuki Sukiyaki

Ame no Habakiri was one of Kozuki Oden's signature swords, used in his own variation of the Two-Sword Style. The blade has a heavenly color scheme of white and gold. It shares its name with the katana of Japanese legend used by the Shinto god Susanoo to kill the eight-headed serpent Yamata No Orochi. This difference is likely due to the fact that it was previously one of only a couple of weapons that damaged Kaido in his dragon form.

This sword was specially forged by Kozuki Sukiyaki, Oden's father, who is a master. After his son's death, Sukiyaki somehow managed to retrieve Ame no Habakiri. Although Sukiyaki wants Momonosuke to use his inheritance, he does not see himself as worthy of carrying his father's sword.

4 Alone

A demonic Meito

• Current Owner: Roronoa Zoro
• Creator: Shimotsuki Kouzaburou

The Enma was Oden's second signature sword, which was somewhat of a demonic counterpart to the more celestial Ame no Habakiri, with a color scheme of dark purple and red. Like Wado Ichimonji, it was previously created by Kouzaburou and is currently owned by his distant relative, Zoro. Kouzaburou especially believed that Enma was superior even to Wado Ichimonji.

While inheriting Ame no Habakiri was supposedly Momonosuke's birthright, Enma belonged to his younger sister, Hiyori. However, Hiyori switched the blade to Zoro in exchange for Shusui.

As, Ame no Habakiri, Enma was one of two blades that scarred Kaido many years ago, resulting in the distinctive “x” shaped scar seen on his chest. The blade can release its wielder's Arament Haki, resulting in a feared reputation. Zoro's arm was emaciated until he established control with the blade, and it would apparently emaciate the entire body of a lesser swordsman. Zoro not only injured Kaido once again with the Enma, but also used it to defeat King, which is especially remarkable considering he is of the Resilient Moon Species.

Sukiyaki claims that if Zoro can turn Enma into a permanent Black Blade, it can raise a grade and possibly become a Supreme Grade sword. A strange detail about Enma is that its size seems to change to fit the more normal-sized Zoro and the larger Odin. This inconsistency is also shared with Ame no Habakiri, but is more notable with Enma, as it is specifically seen wielded by the two different great swordsmen and proportional to either of them.

3 Nidai Kitetsu

A cursed sword

• Current owner: Kozuki Sukiyaki
• Creator: Kotetsu

The Nidai Kitetsu is a supposedly cursed katana of the Kitetsu school, all of which are said to bring gruesome deaths upon their owners. It was created by Kotetsu, an ancestor of the Kozuki clan. His descendant, Kozuki Sukiyaki, is the current owner of the blade. The Sandai Kitetsu, one of the other Kitetsu Meito, is currently owned by Zoro, who discovered it in Lougetown and chose to test his luck against the blade. Notably, the Sandai Kitetsu is Zoro's only sword currently in use that is below Great Grade, as it is only a Grade Blade (the lowest grade of Meito, of which there are an indeterminate number.)

Kitetsu Meito seem to have dropped in rating the more recently they were made. Nidai Kitetsu is of lower quality than Shodai Kitetsu, a blade made before Kotetsu's creation, but is of higher quality than Sandai Kitetsu, which was created by Sukiyaki, who is still alive. Sukiyaki lent the blade to Luffy, whose treatment of the weapon was harshly criticized by Zoro. Notably, Luffy threw the sword, rather than dueling people directly with it. It later came back into Sukiyaki's possession, as it was rediscovered in Udon by Kikunojo.

2 Shusui

A black leaf

• Current owner: Amibiguous, resting in Shimotsuki Ryuma's grave
• Creator: Unknown

The Shusui was the signature sword of Shimotsuki Ryuma, a legendary samurai known as the “Sword God” who was an ancestor of Roronoa Zoro, who resembled his descendant. Ryuma notably transformed the sword into a black blade, one permanently infused with Ryuma's Arament Haki, greatly increasing its durability. Ryuma was buried with his sword, but it was confiscated next to its corpse when Gecko Moria robbed the grave.

It then appeared along with its owner's reanimated body in Thriller Bark. Zoro dueled his zombified ancestor, who eventually gave the blade to Zoro himself. Zoro thought his other blade would break it if the duel continued. Zoro became particularly familiar with the blade when trained by Dracule Mihawk, himself owner of Yoru, another Black Blade.

Shusui has a particularly strong connection to Wano Country. Zoro had the weapon stolen from him several times, or otherwise asked to return it by those from the country. Onimaru stole the blade from Zoro and returned it to Ryuma's grave. It is so highly valued that Hiyori traded Enma, her own blade, which was previously her father's, with Zoro to secure Shusui's place in the country.

1 The other sixteen large leaves

Unclear at the moment

The status of these Meito, as well as whether they will be part of the story at all, remains to be seen. Unlike the five currently known Great Grade Blades, there is at least a possibility that the second Meito of this grade is from outside of Wano Country. That said, this, along with all other details, is pure speculation at this point. What is notable is that there are a number of identified Meito of unclear grade, meaning that there is the possibility that other existing Great Grade Blades may have been seen but not currently identified as such.