Yoru is an ornate, cross-shaped sword with a curved, single-edged black blade; following a Western template, it vaguely resembles an oversized kriegsmesser in shape.[6] It has a total length of well over two meters, being over a head taller than Mihawk (who stands at 198 cm) when placed on his back.[7] While not in use, due to lacking a scabbard, Yoru is held upside-down against Mihawk's back by two simple holding loops integrated into the man's coat.[4]
Yoru's hilt is more than suitable for two-handed use at almost half the blade's length, though its length portrayal is inconsistent. The bandaged grip (white in the manga, light-gray in the anime) has on its top a large and round cabochon of red (blue in the anime) color set into a golden mount, serving as the pommel. The golden crossguard is extremely long to the sides, such that on Mihawk's back, especially seen from the front, the sword resembles a crucifix. In particular, the guard is a thick, continuous bar perfectly right-angled to the blade, flat on all sides with a rectangular cross-section, but on each end forked—recurved up and down like a cross moline. Centrally along the guard's front and back sides are rectangular grooves filled with a swirly sprig relief for detail. The groove on each side is broken in the middle where a rather large, red cabochon is set in (topped by a smaller variant of itself); on each forked terminal of the guard, again on both sides, are more such red stones, this time in trios (from the outer to the inner ones decreasing in size). In the anime, the stones are different: three smaller, blue ones adorning the center (plus a yet smaller one topping the middle), with in-between pairs of smaller green gems, and on the ends of the arms two unequal-sized stones, the outer and inner ones respectively blue and green (and divided by single, once again smaller gems colored purple). Otherwise, about 1/3 down each flat of the blade, centrally from the crossguard, are langets, edged the same as the crossarms.[6]
Yoru's blade (true to its name, meaning "Night") is jet-black, has an extremely sharp edge, a mirror finish with a strong sheen aslant the blade (portrayed as greenish in the anime[8]), a temper described as an "irregular double-clove pattern" (乱刃・重花丁字,midareba: jūka chōji?),[1] and a contrastively light-gray spine (mune) opposite to the edge. In shape, the blade possesses a mild, gradual widening in profile until its top-third section, from where it tapers to a sharp point and, with its spine, curves upward, with a distal taper toward the tip.[6]
As a Supreme Grade sword, Yoru is one of the finest blades ever made and a weapon well-suited for the world's greatest swordsman.[1][3] Its status as the world's strongest Black Blade (noted by Mihawk himself)[4] also bespeaks Yoru's outstanding durability.[9]
In Mihawk's hands, Yoru has proven incredibly powerful, allowing its owner to easily cleave apart massive structures, from a war galleon[5] to a mountain-sized wall of ice,[10] with single strokes. Mihawk's swings can unleash massive shockwaves (in the anime portrayed as light-greenish energy waves) that can travel hundreds of meters without losing power.[11][10] Yet, while potentially carrying such phenomenal power, Yoru is also gentle, enough for Mihawk to alter the course of bullets with a slight touch of the blade[6] or to aim flying slashes with inch-perfect precision, presenting a threat from any distance.[10] This is despite Yoru's great weight, inferable from its great size, as Mihawk brandishes the sword effortlessly with one and two hands, as though it was a mere extension of his arms.[4][10]
Techniques
Although Mihawk has so far not named any attack in the manga, there are several specific moves seen from him that have been named in various video games. Below is a description of the variety of attacks shown:
Kokuto Issen, performed horizontally.
Kokuto Issen (黒刀一閃,Kokutō Issen?, literally meaning "Black Blade Brandish/One Flash"): Mihawk swings Yoru to launch an invisible flying slash capable of cutting everything in its path, making for an extremely strong, far-reaching slice. A vertical slash version of the attack was used by Mihawk to cut Don Krieg's galleon in half crosswise,[5][6] and a horizontal version was shown much later during the Summit War in Mihawk's attempt to hit Monkey D. Luffy, which missed and instead sliced apart a mountain-sized, frozen tsunami.[10] This attack is unnamed in the manga and anime, named only in One Piece: Gigant Battle.
"The World's Strongest Slash".
Mihawk swings Yoru down in front of him, thereby launching a massive, far-travelling slash wave forward. This attack was able to rapidly cut through a massive ice sheet. Mihawk was seen using the move to attempt to strike Whitebeard, but "Diamond" Jozu was able to, in the manga, halt and dissipate the attack with his body; in the anime, the slash wave forced the diamond-bodied pirate back some distance, having him struggle for a brief while and yell from the effort while ultimately only diverting the wave upward rather than outright canceling it, causing it to dissipate on its own. It is unclear if Jozu blocking the attack was possible because Mihawk lacks the ability to cut diamond, because he did not expect Jozu blocking the attack (and thus did not waste the energy to send a diamond-cutting slash), or because of Jozu using Haki to protect himself, but ultimately Jozu was unharmed by the endeavor. Regardless, while a simple motion, the attack is extremely powerful with an immense range. Because a marine called it "The World's Strongest Slash" (世界一の斬撃,Sekaiichi no Zangeki?) when it was used, it may be mistakenly understood as Mihawk's strongest offense. Contextually however, an accurate translation shows that the marine simply meant it was a slash made by the world's strongest swordsman. Mihawk himself noted, before performing the slash, that he merely wished to "measure the distance" between him and Whitebeard (i.e., test their gap in strength), suggesting that he did not put his full power into the attack.[11]
Chi o Hau Zangeki (地を這う斬撃,Earth-Crawling Slash Attack?): Mihawk swings Yoru downward, generating a rapid slash wave that travels across the ground. In the manga, it is notably more spiraling in shape, akin to Roronoa Zoro's Sanjuroku Pound Ho. With Mihawk's outstanding eyesight, it becomes an incredibly precise attack able to tag a Gear 2-equipped Luffy in mid-motion despite being in the midst of a disorderly battlefront without hitting any of the multiple in-between combatants. First seen being used against Luffy,[10] it is unnamed in the manga and anime, named only in One Piece: Gigant Battle.
Chi o Hau Zangeki in the manga.
Chi o Hau Zangeki in the anime.
Kokuto Arahoshi.
Kokuto Arahoshi (黒刀荒星,Kokutō Arahoshi?, literally meaning "Black Blade Savage Star"): Mihawk jumps high into the air, stands with both his feet on the crossguard of his sword, and descends swiftly to impale his opponent from above. It was first seen being used against Luffy, barely missing.[10] While unnamed in the manga and anime, the attack is named in One Piece: Gigant Battle. Additionally, a variant of it is part of Mihawk's moveset in One Piece: Pirate Warriors.
Kokuto Saku.
Kokuto Saku (黒刀朔,Kokutō Saku?, literally meaning "Black Blade First Day"): A counterattack. Mihawk awaits his opponent's next move while holding his Black Blade with two hands over his back. Once the enemy does attack, Mihawk counters with an extremely swift and forceful downward slash. It was first seen as an attempted countermove against Luffy's extremely fast Gomu Gomu no Jet Bazooka, but Luffy, having a premonition of his arms being cut off, redirected his punches to the ground, giving Mihawk no chance to commit to his slice.[10] The attack is unnamed in the manga and anime, named only in One Piece: Gigant Battle.
Kokuto Kogetsu.
Kokuto Kogetsu (黒刀弧月,Kokutō Kogetsu?, literally meaning "Black Blade Arc Moon"): Mihawk swipes Yoru erratically at great speed, successively producing multiple mid-sized cutting waves to hit opponents from short-to-medium range. The attack was first seen used against Luffy, who had trouble dodging it.[10] Remaining unnamed in the manga and anime, this attack is named only in One Piece: Unlimited Adventure, Unlimited Cruise, and Gigant Battle.
Video Game-Only Techniques
Kokuto "Samidare" (黒刀「斬乱」,Kokutō "Samidare"?, literally meaning "Black Blade: Slash Riot'"): Mihawk performs a chain of slices forward, finishing with a black flying slash. The attack is used in the Pirate Warriors games, where it is localized as Black Blade: Wild Slash.[12]
Kokuto "Mu" (黒刀「無」,Kokutō "Mu"?, literally meaning "Black Blade: 'Nothingness'"): The area is blanketed in darkness, and Mihawk strikes his enemies with swiftly executed slices, cutting them down over a wide forward range. This attack is used in the Pirate Warriors games, localized as Black Blade: The Void.[12]
Yoi no Kuchi (宵の口,Yoi no Kuchi?, lit. "Early Evening") Dracule Mihawk's Full-Force Burst in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. It is called Nightfall in the English release.
Kokuto "Izayoi" (黒刀「十六夜」,Kokutō "Izayoi"?, literally meaning "Black Blade: 'Waning Moon'"): Mihawk thrusts Yoru towards his enemy at an incredibly high speed. This is one of Mihawk's special attacks in Pirate Warriors 4. It is called Black Blade: Sixteen Day Moon in the English release.
Kokuto "Yasokyoku" (黒刀「夜想曲」,Kokutō "Yasōkyoku"?, literally meaning "Black Blade: 'Nocturne'): Mihawk slashes the air itself numerous times with Yoru, creating massive fissures that expand into shockwaves. This is one of Mihawk's special attacks in Pirate Warriors 4. It is called Black Blade: Nocturne in the English release.
Kokuto "Mikazuki" (黒刀「三日月」,Kokutō Mikazuki?, literally meaning "Black Blade: 'Crescent Moon'"): Mihawk jumps into the air, and then sends out 3 crescent moon shaped air slashes in a row towards the ground with Yoru. This is one of Mihawk's special attacks in Pirate Warriors 4. It is called Black Blade: Crescent Moon in the English release.
Dai Kengo no Zangeki (大剣豪の斬撃,Dai Kengō no Zangeki?, lit. "Master Swordsman's Slash"): Mihawk creates a massive air slash that splits into 3 air slashes of equal size somehow, all of which travel through the ground while destroying it. This is the Skill 2 of the "Strongest Swordsman in the World" Mihawk unit in One Piece Bounty Rush. It is called The Master Swordsman's Slash in the English release.
History
Past
At some point in the past, Yoru was turned into a permanent Black Blade.[13]
Anime and Manga Differences
The cabochons on Yoru's hilt are red in the manga while, in the anime, they are blue, green, and purple. Further, in the anime and video games, Yoru's blade is quite wide while, in the manga, it is portrayed as comparatively more slender. The latter seems to have changed in the anime around Episode 489, as since then the sword appears thinner like its manga counterpart, including post-timeskip episodes.[14]
In the One Piece Yellow: Grand Elements databook, the temper of Yoru's blade is described as an irregular "jūka chōji" (double-clove) pattern,[1] a type of temper line or "hamon" found on Japanese swords. In the anime, during the Marineford Arc when Mihawk first prepared to enter the battle, Tashigi, in observing Mihawk's sword, offers that same description of its temper being an irregular double-clove pattern (though such a temper line is not readily discernible from the way the blade is depicted);[3] the said description does not occur in the manga.
Otherwise, a difference noticeable in the anime is that Yoru's blade emits purple streaks when swung during its first use against Zoro, which much later, during the Marineford Arc, changes to green, as portrayed by Mihawk brandishing Yoru and the various flying slashes he sends out with it.
Trivia
Yoru's edited appearance in the 4Kids adaptation.
S-Hawk with his sword resembling Yoru (anime concept art).
A humandrill that imitates Mihawk with a sword near-identical to Yoru (anime-only).
"Yoruko" and "Omakeko".
Crafty Transformer's cardboard Yoru.
For the 4Kids adaption of the anime,[15] the sword's crossguard was significantly shortened because it too much resembled a crucifix.
In Episode 970, a 19-year-old Mihawk is depicted with Yoru on his back while watching Roger's execution, though the blade is absent in his depiction in Chapter 0 and Episode 0.
S-Hawk, Mihawk's Seraphim clone, wields a sword that is similar to Yoru, albeit being far less ornate, as the guard is a simple rectangular bar while the bandage-wrapped hilt does not have a cabochon at the pommel; the blade follows a nihontō template and is, unlike Yoru, not pure black.[16]
In Episode 515 (anime-only), Mihawk has Zoro battle a humandrill wielding a sword near-identical to Yoru, the only differences being the light-silver blade as opposed to black, and red cabochons adorning the guard (as opposed to the anime-specific blue/green).
In Volume 95's SBS, Oda drew a joke rendering of Yoru, alongside Mihawk's Kogatana, personified as humans. Yoru, named "Black Blade Yoruko (黒刀よる子,Kokutō Yoruko?, VIZ: "Black Blade Night Lady"), took the form of a "cool older sister" with dark hair in twintails, wearing a skirt.[17]
Shueisha's VJump Play worked with cardboard-crafting influencer Tsuruku "Crafty Transformer" to make a cardboard Yoru and a downloadable template of the craft.[18]
YouTube Channel AWE me's show Man at Arms: Reforged created a realistic version of the sword, although the guard was made of wood with a sheet of brass covering it rather than made fully of metal, to lighten it as much as possible.[19]
