Zephyr

Overview

Zephyr, primarily known by the alias "Z," is the main antagonist of the feature film One Piece Film: Z. A former Marine Admiral once famed as "Black Arm" Zephyr for his formidable Armament Haki, he served as a master instructor who trained generations of top-ranking Marines. After a series of devastating personal tragedies shattered his trust in the World Government, he resigned from the Marines to establish the extremist group known as the NEO Marines. As its supreme commander, he wages an all-out campaign to annihilate all pirates across the New World.

Appearance

Zephyr is a towering, heavily muscled elderly man with short purple hair, dark eyes, and facial stubble. He wears a pair of sunglasses and drapes a black coat featuring the NEO Marines emblem directly over his bare torso. Attached to his right arm is a massive mechanical Seastone prosthesis known as the "Battle Smasher," designed specifically for combat against Devil Fruit users.

Personality

During his service in the Marines, Zephyr was a deeply principled figure who strictly adhered to a code of never killing captured pirates. However, experiencing the tragic loss of his family and trainees to pirates—and later seeing the perpetrator granted Warlord status—shattered his faith in official justice. Reborn as the commander of the NEO Marines, he adopted a ruthless, relentless demeanor, willing to cause massive collateral damage to achieve the destruction of all pirates. Despite his extreme cruelty toward enemies, he retains a compassionate, mentorship-oriented side toward his former students.

Abilities

Zephyr combines tremendous physical power with high-level Observation Haki—capable of perceiving attacks at light speed—and Armament Haki, which hardens his arm black. He is also trained in the Rokushiki martial arts techniques. His primary weapon is the right-arm "Battle Smasher," a Seastone prosthesis equipped with machine-gun fire, explosive blasts, long-range bombardment, and defensive capabilities. He also carries a handgun with Seastone bullets and executes signature moves like Smash Buster, Smash Blaster, and Smash Tornado. Owing to age-related respiratory decline, he must periodically use an inhaler during battle.

Background

Enlisting in the Marine Academy at age 14, Zephyr rose rapidly through the ranks to become an Admiral by age 38. After his wife and child were murdered when he was 42, he stepped down from active combat to become an instructor, shaping the careers of numerous prominent Marines. Decades later, a pirate attack destroyed his training ship and took his right arm. When the culprit was subsequently appointed to the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Zephyr severed ties with the World Government. Renaming himself "Z," he founded the NEO Marines and launched a plan to ignite the New World's Endpoints using stolen Dyna Stones. Following clashes with the Straw Hat Pirates, he gave his life in a final stand against Marine forces to allow his followers to escape.

Relationships

During his time in the Marines, Zephyr was a peer to prominent officers including Monkey D. Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru. As a master instructor, he trained key figures such as Borsalino and Kuzan. Within the NEO Marines, he commands absolute loyalty from his surviving disciples, Ain and Bins. Although he initially sought to eliminate Monkey D. Luffy upon learning he was a pirate, their repeated clashes led Zephyr to respect Luffy's unrelenting willpower.

Trivia

The moniker "Z" originates from Zephyr's childhood fantasy of a simple superhero who defeats bad guys. His favorite beverage is sherry, a detail highlighted in quiet moments shared with his former pupil Kuzan. Designed specifically for One Piece Film: Z, the character was created through a collaboration between series author Eiichiro Oda and screenwriter Osamu Suzuki.