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There isn't anywhere else I can post this. Zoro is never mentioned as being the first mate in the series. He is always called a swordsman. I don't get why people say he is something that he isn't.

yea zoro isnt mentioned to be the first mate, maybe in the manga the english translation turned into first mate, but mostly people just like to label him that cause he's first to join and first mate definition is like the 2nd in command, which is true for zoro, im sure luffy trusts him the most cause he's 2nd strongest

but technically why does it even matter to you :/

2nd in command is Nami for sure..

Does it really matter? -_-

Besides Zoro has shown that he can be the leader when needed.

-After Luffy's fight with Usopp everyone was very emotional, but Zoro was able to calm them down. It's almost the same with Usopp rejoining the crew.
-For the fight against Oz Zoro made the crew realize they shouldn't just rely on Luffy defeating Moria to regain all their shadows. They were then more focused on the fight.
-I would even count their first confrontation with Kuma.

Other than Robin, Zoro is the most calm and level headed member in the crew. He's also the second strongest (no one wants a weak leader) so even if it isn't mentioned in the series he is most fit to be the first mate.

There is no actual first mate of the crew. It doesn't matter if one can be leader if something happens to Luffy. It just means they have leadership skills. Unless Oda states he is the first mate then he is just the Swordsman.

He's also the second strongest <-- he has never beaten sanji for that title tbh

He fought with Luffy eventually. Sanji could never do that.

Sanji is able to match Zoro completely when they clash. Nothing points that Sanji would do any less of a fight against Luffy

Whether or not it was mentioned it's obvious. Zoro is 1st mate. An if anything Sanji is second. Besides, One Piece is so vast even if it was mentioned you probably wouldn't remember. Anyway why does it matter if no one has made it so?

They have never seriously fought. Any time they "clash" is used in a comedy scene. Luffy and Zoro were seriously fighting each other.

Because he isn't the first mate. He is the swordsman. You would think that Oda would call him a first mate somewhere but he hasn't even done it in the databooks.

http://www.onemanga.com/One_Piece/499/17/

The Supernova - in the panel in the middle left - is talking about Zoro after Zoro attempts to attack the Tenryuubito. There is your proof that Zoro is indeed the first mate.

Wrong translation. Check Arlong Park. Besides it wouldn't matter what they say considering he isn't part of the Straw Hat crew.

Not necessarily. That particular scanlation was from Franky House, who uses C-net translations, which are pretty accurate. Who's to say AP are right (and please, provide me a link as its you that are defending this), or FH? And why does it really have to matter whether or not he is part of the Straw Hat crew. In the end, it's Oda who's writing the dialogue, so he's making the supernova say it anyway.

Regardless, I really don't understand why its such a big deal whether or not people view him as the first mate. Just because you don't doesn't mean you have to force everyone to adapt that view. It's their choice to believe that or not. Besides that one reference, sure, its never really explicitly said, but its been implied pretty much - how Zoro always seems to take command in dire situations when Luffy is absent (when Kuma attacked them in Thriller Bark, in post-Enies Lobby when the crew was deciding whether or not to let Usopp back into the crew, just a few examples).

Sure, Oda has never said Zoro is the first mate. But on the contrary, Oda has never said Zoro *wasn't* the first mate.

zoro beat sanji in like 2 seconds on that one movie with the cursed sword, i dont wanna get into a zoro vs sanji internet rawr battle, but come onnnnnn of course zoro is 2nd strongest

I'll get you the link later. I don't remember the exact page but somebody I know will have it. They are on vacation though. Anyway leadership doesn't mean anything with the Straw Hats. Every single member has given out orders at least once. There is no actual first mate in the crew.



No. Just no. Fillers never count.

As much as I hate to say it, Zoro probably isn't the first mate. No where has it ever been explicity stated and beyond that, there really is no chain of command in the Straw Hats crew. They're all very like minded, and as Drunk_Samurai even said there's been occasions where each of them has given orders or taken the reins.

However, I will agree Zoro is undoubtedly stronger than Sanji. Though I've gotta say that strength really has nothing to do with ones ranking in a crew, especially one like the Straw Hats. It's all about how useful one is and makes themself. The reason each of them are in the crew is because of that usefulness, and I doubt it'd be hard to say any one is more useful than the others. Perhaps in certain categories, but overall? Never.

This, the Strawhats are more of a family then anything else. And the simple fact remains that Zoro is just a powerful beast, so is Sanji, but we gotta take in consideration that Zoro either sleeps or trains. Then again that is all up to Oda, and thanks to that One Piece is one of the few shounens where powerlevels really don't matter much.

I think this comes down to whether you think he is or not. you can say that he is because he has the highest bounty other than luffy in the straw hat crew (might be the reason why one of the supernova called him that), or because of the similarities that luffy had with gol d rodger and how Rayleigh was the first mate of him. Rayleigh was also a swordsman and zoro is a swordsman as well, or that zoro has been with luffy the longest, etc. it's never said but it can be assumed that he is.

also can't nami or ussop be the first mate?

Zoro is just as much first mate as luffy is the captain. Seriously do you see luffy as a real captain? He lacks the "behave like a captain and give tons of orders" attitude. :/

They are more like a group of friends, than a crew with a captain.