A gifted swordsman will always be an archetype in anime. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it always will be. Sometimes, the only difference between these swordsmen is simply the number of swords that they use. There’s a character who uses one cursed katana, and there’s also a knight who can summon countless swords through their magic.
Quantity may not always beat the quality, but a skilled swordsman fighting with lots of swords is definitely an incredibly exciting thing to see. With that in mind, here are 5 swordsmen who use multiple swords. But to make things more interesting, the number of swords will keep on increasing as we progress through the list.
5. Zoro from One Piece (3 Swords)
If we talk about a swordsman who uses multiple swords or even just the topic of anime swordsmen in general, then the name of Roronoa Zoro from One Piece will immediately come to mind. As most of you must’ve known already, Zoro uses three katanas as his main weapon. He bites one sword with his teeth and wields the other two with both of his hands.
Zoro can use each katana individually, or he can use three of them at the same time. It all depends on what he needs to do. Needless to say, his most powerful attack, Asura, requires all three blades at the same time. But make no mistake, he can cut a tower in half with just one katana. So, yes, he is a fearsome swordsman regardless of how many swords he uses.
4. Killer Bee from Naruto (7 Swords)
Although it is a story about ninja, there are actually quite a lot of powerful and iconic swordsmen in Naruto, such as the seven swordsmen of the Mist, the Samurai from the Land of Iron, and our number 4 for this list, Killer Bee and his seven swords.
Just like Zorro, he bites one sword with his teeth, then keeps the rest of the sword all over his body, such as his armpit, his thigh, his knee, his neck, and his forearm.
Killer Bee fights in an incredibly acrobatic way. He will launch the swords toward the enemy, and attack with his hands, and his feet, and since he is the eight-tailed jinchuuriki, he also uses his tentacles to hold the swords during combat. It seems like whether you are fighting him or simply seeing his fight, it is equally overwhelming.
3. Mifune from Soul Eater (20+ Swords)
If you think using 7 swords at the same time is ridiculous, then wait until you see Mifune and his 20+ swords. To Mifune, a sword is just a tool, and the more you have on hand, the better and easier your fight will be. That is why in the world of Soul Eater, Mifune is known as the God of the Sword thanks to his Infinite One-Sword Style.
Mifune always brings a rack on his back with around 20+ swords inside. When the fight begins, he will throw the rack into the air, and let the swords fall all over the fighting ground. After that, he will move in an incredibly acrobatic way, sort of like the advanced version of Killer Bee.
He will take one sword out of the ground and use the others as a stepping stone so he can quickly get closer to the enemy. He will slash and kick the swords to wound his opponents, pick up another sword after the enemy counter his attack, or even use one sword after the other in one continuous high-speed attack. His fighting style is chaotic yet beautifully choreographed at the same time.
2. Erza from Fairy Tail (200+ Swords)
After a measly 20+ swords, let’s pump up the number to 200+ swords, and the one character who can pull off this inconceivable feat is none other than Titania herself, Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail.
Erza uses a spatial magic called Requip: The Knight. This magic allows Ezra to summon different sets of armor and swords whenever she wants, and they will instantly be equipped for her body. She has hundreds of armors, however, the one that we’ll talk about for the purpose of this list is the Heaven’s Wheel Armor.
The Heaven’s Wheel Armor allowed Ezra to summon more than 200 swords at the same time. Furthermore, since these are magic swords, she can command them with her mind and make the swords hover and fly into the enemy. Thanks to its extreme number and maneuverability, Heaven’s Wheel Armor can easily subdue numerous enemies at the same time.
1. Archer from Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (Unlimited)
In the world of Fate/Stay Night, every servant has a unique ability called Noble Phantasm. This ability allowed some servants to unleash a powerful forward thrust that could easily destroy a building, or shoot a torrent of countless swords and spears from another dimension. But since we specifically talk about swordsmen with a ridiculous amount of swords in this list, then we have to pick Archer and his Reality Marble, Unlimited Blade Works.
You see, despite being called Archer, he actually prefers to fight with his twin saber that he created himself. After all, Archer has the ability to create anything out of thin air. Unlimited Blade Works is an extreme extension of this ability. Because when he uses this Reality Marble, he and his opponent, and other people that he chooses, will be transported into an alternate dimension, the Unlimited Blade Works.
This dimension looks like a barren wasteland with countless swords impaled to the ground for as far as the eyes can see. These are not just some ordinary swords, by the way. Every sword in Archer’s Unlimited Blade Works is the replica of real legendary swords, even some Noble Phantasm, that he has encountered over the years that no longer have their owners. Archer can simply pull the swords from the ground and fight with them, just like Mifune, or he can freely control the swords, just like Ezra. Even the mighty king of kings, Gilgamesh of Babylon, is defeated by this ability. So yes, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Archer, with his unlimited amount of swords, is one of the strongest swordsmen in anime.
Final Thought
People always say Quality over Quantity, and that is a good mantra to live by. However, the swordsman in this list proves that there is power in quantity. As a matter of fact, you can actually combine quality with quantity and dominate every fight, and decimate every enemy that dares to stand in your way.
Which of these swordsmen are your favorites? Do you know any other swordsman that uses multiple swords? Let us know in the comment section below.
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