Mothers Are Strong! Zoro's Hectic Household Chores!

Turned away by one sword shop after another when he tries to have Yubashiri restored, Zoro ends up cornered by two boys, Michael and Hoichael, who insist he is now their new older brother because they once helped him. He flatly rejects the title, telling them that a single rescue does not make them family. After the blade is finally worked on, the children corner him again, and he tries to slip away, even disguising himself among a pile of watermelons. The boys' mother, referred to as Auntie, arrives and squares off with him over her kids, but Zoro keeps her from coming to blows. The youngsters then proudly present him to the whole family as a renowned swordsman and their fresh new brother, a claim he denies outright, and the mother hauls him off to share tea regardless.

The premise locks Zoro into an unwanted role as caretaker for Auntie's large brood, a situation he never agreed to. Beyond the housework, he winds up shielding the household from a pack of loan sharks hounding the family for money. Throughout, he keeps trying to avoid being seen by the rest of the Straw Hats while the comedic chaos plays out around him.

This installment is anime-original filler, not drawn from the manga. It marks the debut of several one-off faces, including Aunt, Yoko, Yuya, Sho, Ayako, and Akihiro, along with Aunt's signature move, the Bam Bam Tornado. Animators slipped up in one shot where Zoro attempts to throw off Michael and Hoichael, leaving his earrings absent from the frame.