One Piece revealed Kyoshiro’s true identity and origin with the newest episode of the series! The anime has spent the past few months exploring Oden Kozuki’s life in a flashback, and with the newest episode, the anime officially put a button on these past events. Now that the anime has explored Oden’s last moments of life, and how Toki had sent Momonosuke and half of the Akazaya Nine 20 years into the future, the newest episode of the series revealed how the other members of Oden’s retainer group had struggled to hide and survive in that two-decade span.
It was a fairly transformative period for each one, but this is especially true for Denjiro. Denjiro was the one member of the group that did not have a counterpart in the present day, but rather than the flashback revealing that Denjiro had fallen in battle or disappeared somehow, the newest episode revealed he’s been hiding under our (and Orochi’s) nose. It’s revealed that Denjiro is actually Kyoshiro, the leader of the Kyoshiro yakuza family.
Episode 976 of the series revealed that after Denjiro fled from Oden’s castle, he stowed away inside of an abandoned shack. He was brimming with so much rage and despair, that it literally morphed his face. He was so crushed at the loss of his loved ones that when his mourning period was over, he emerged from the shack with the completely new face that we recognize as Kyoshiro.
Making his way back to the capital, he realizes that no one recognizes him and he soon makes himself known through black market deeds. This eventually gets the attention of Orochi too, and it’s through this that Denjiro used his new identity to get to Orochi’s side. Despising him the entire time, Denjiro had been using this new identity to bide his time until the time came for the Kozuki Clan’s revenge 20 years later.
His identity as Kyoshiro also ends up saving Hiyori’s life as well. Taking her into the geisha system and giving her the identity of Komurasaki, the two of them had been hiding in plain sight as they waited for the day they’ll be able to take down Orochi for good. With the end of the episode also teasing a return to the present day, we might get to see them get their chance at revenge soon enough.
What do you think? How did you feel about finding out Kyoshiro’s true identity? Does it explain why he helped Hiyori escape death before well enough? What do you think his hidden plan will be? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or you can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff.
