Zoro, the three-sword style swordsman, presented a unique set of challenges. This was an ambitious project from the start, with a massive model, a ridiculous number of parts, and the client’s desire for manga accuracy, right down to the color palette. The biggest challenge was the sheer number of parts. Zoro has nine swords and nine hands, which meant a lot of individual pieces to print. To manage this, I had to split the model into smaller parts and create a printing schedule. It took a whopping five kilograms of filament and five months of printing time.
The Pirate Swordsman
Once the printing was done, the real work began: sanding, polishing, and priming. With so many parts, this was a monumental task. Every seam had to be perfect, and the surface had to be smooth as glass.
Another issue was the inaccuracy of the original file. Zoro’s Asura form should have three heads, but the file only had one. I had to make some adjustments to the model to make it more accurate.
Despite these challenges, I was excited to tackle the skin texturing. Zoro’s muscular physique provided a great canvas for adding detail. I decided to go with a realistic color tone instead of the anime palette, which I think gave the model a more grounded look.
In the end, this project was a huge learning experience. I’m grateful to Abhishek for commissioning it, even though I didn’t charge him. I hope to one day complete a full set of One Piece characters for him.
