Kohei Horikoshi was shocked that Eiichiro Oda did not made Roronoa Zoro the main character of One Piece.

SUMMARY

Roronoa Zoro is one of the rare supporting characters in the anime and manga world with a fan base as large as the main character.
His charisma and attributes have caused fans to fall in love with him to the point that many believe Zoro may have been a better main character.
Kohei Horikoshi, the popular manga artist and My Hero Academia creator, also believed Zoro was the primary character.

Roronoa Zoro is one of the few characters in the entire anime and manga world who may not be a main character but has a fanbase that is as big as the main character, Monkey D. Luffy’s, in One Piece. His personality and characteristics have made fans fall in love with him to such an extent that they sometimes think that Zoro could have been a better main character.
Roronoa Zoro – One Piece | Toei Animation
His fight scenes, his dialogues, his physical attributes, etc. give the main character energy, and if someday Eiichiro Oda plans to make a sequel or a spinoff series where the story follows Zoro as the main character, fans will be excited to watch it. Although it would not be as big as One Piece, it would certainly attain great numbers.

However, One Piece fans may not be the only ones who think that Zoro is the main character. Popular manga artist and creator of My Hero Academia, Kohei Horikoshi, also believed Zoro was the main character, but when he delved deeper into the series, he was shocked by Oda’s decision.

Kohei Horikoshi Was Shocked By Eiichiro Oda’s Decision

A few years ago, Horikoshi honored Oda and paid tribute to One Piece by drawing a sketch of Roronoa Zoro for One Piece magazine Volume 9. The sketch looked a lot like the original Zoro, but it also had a little similarity to the characters of My Hero Academia. Along with the sketch, Horikoshi left a comment about the character of the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates, which was shared by @sandman_AP on X.

The comment stated:

I had a preconceived notion from watching Dragon Ball and Final Fantasy that main characters had sharp haircuts. Hence I was shocked by Zoro’s hairstyle.

According to Kohei Horikoshi, prominent anime and manga series like Dragon Ball and Final Fantasy have created the stereotype that the main character or protagonist has sharp haircuts, which alludes to their role in the series.
Roronoa Zoro using Conqueror’s Haki | Toei Animation

This is why Horikoshi initially thought that Roronoa Zoro was the protagonist of One Piece, as he certainly fit the description. However, when he read the manga series, he came to know that Luffy is the main character and Zoro is his supporting character. He was shocked by the decision of One Piece’s creator.

Would Zoro be a Better Main Character Than Luffy?

Although Luffy is one of the best main characters in all of anime and manga history, there are certain moments in One Piece where Zoro might have proved himself to be a better protagonist. Most of these moments revolve around his battles in the series, where he showcases his true strength and courage against powerful enemies like the King of the Beast Pirates.
Luffy and Zoro | Toei Animation
Also, while Luffy’s battle scenes may be entertaining and unique, they are not as intense as Zoro’s fight scenes, which is why fans feel Zoro might be a better protagonist for One Piece. Additionally, Zoro has proven himself to be a little more mature than Luffy on multiple occasions and helped Luffy understand the role of a captain of a pirate crew.

However, Zoro has no desire to find the One Piece, and his dream to become the strongest swordsman in the world might not be as difficult as Luffy’s dream of becoming the Pirate King. As a result, Eiichiro Oda made the correct choice in selecting Luffy to be the main character of One Piece.