One Piece: What Happens to Kozuki Sukiyaki? Is He Still Alive?

One Piece has an amazingly large number of secondary characters that have appeared over the series’ two-decade run. Many have been forgotten because they appeared early in the story, while some have remained secondary characters closely related to the lore’s past. The character who will be the focus of this article is a character who was initially known as Tenguyama Hitetsu but who was later revealed to be Kozuki Sukiyaki, the father of Kozuki Oden and the grandfather of Kozuki Momonosuke and Kozuki Hiyori. In this article, we will tell you where Kozuki Sukiyaki is now and what happened to him in the series.

Kozuki Sukiyaki revealed his true identity after the alliance’s victory

While Sukiyaki’s story is exceptionally interesting, we will just briefly review his history, as we need to focus on the events from Wano. We know that Sukiyaki was a member of the Kozuki family, a descendant of the legendary Kotetsu, and the father of Kozuki Oden.

His hobby was crafting swords, and he has created both Sandai Kitetsu and Ame no Habakiri. When Orochi usurped the rule in Wano, he was imprisoned but escaped during his son’s execution. Taking on the false name Tenguyama Hitetsu, he resided in a nearby village, caring for the orphaned O-Tama. And this is where his story begins.

At one point, Luffy ends up in Tama’s house in the village, where he also has the chance to meet Hitetsu. Luffy informs Tama of Ace’s death, causing her to pass out in shock. Hitetsu rails against the pirate for not having shown tact in communicating the news and then explains the current situation in Wano: Kaido’s men have devastated the entire nation, except the thriving capital where the shogun Kurozumi Orochi resides.

The next day, Tama tells Hitetsu that her group found Big Mom on the beach and is heading to Udon. A few days later, she overhears the allies discussing the plan to reach Onigashima, and Kikunojo gives him back the Nidai Kitetsu.

Then Hitetsu shows Oden’s swords that he has kept for twenty years: Ame no Habakiri, which Momonosuke does not want to wield, and Enma, which is delivered to Zoro as promised. The following day, Hitetsu reveals to Zoro the link between his swords: while the Sandai Kitetsu is one of his creations, Enma and Wado Ichimonji were both forged by Shimotsuki Kozaburo, who left Wano fifty years earlier.

During the final moments of the Fire Festival, Toko asks him for confirmation that his father was an important man who knew that if they caught him, they would kill him, so he doesn’t understand why he let himself be captured on purpose. Hitetsu replies that Yasuie has given the country a new opportunity since, without her sacrifice, the light of hope would be extinguished, explaining that she gave her life to give their nation a future in which she could live serenely. He then listens to the speech broadcast throughout Wano, in which Momonosuke introduces himself as the new legitimate shogun.

When Robin reaches the castle’s basement and observes her collection of dolls, Hitetsu joins her, calling her name. Robin then asks him who he is since he thought he was a simple blacksmith; the man replies that that is the hobby he does best and that governing is exhausting.

He, therefore, takes off his mask, revealing that he is Kozuki Sukiyaki, father of Oden and grandfather of Momonosuke and Hiyori, to whom, however, he does not want to let them know, even if his son’s servants may have guessed it because he feels guilty for having left the country in the hands of Orochi, which is why he would be ashamed to let it be known that he is alive.

He then explains that when he escaped, Oden was dead, and the nation was different, which led him to consider committing seppuku. Robin then mentions Pluton, which the Arabasta Road Poneglyph reports is in Wano, which Sukiyaki confirms. The latter then shows her a secret passage and goes down the stairs with her and Law. Seeing a glimmer of light, Robin asks for clarification, and the old man reveals that there is a block of glass at the end of the conduit and tells Robin to look ahead, explaining that they are on the seabed. The two notice many submerged ruins, and Sukiyaki explains that it is Wano of eight hundred years before.

Sukiyaki explains that Wano was much larger and was at the same level as the sea until very high rock walls were built around the island. Over time, rainwater accumulated until it overflowed, creating the current waterfalls on borders, and the country was rebuilt halfway up Mount Fuji.

The three reach the end of the staircase. Sukiyaki opens the door that leads to the room where the Road Poneglyph is located, and Robin comments that only one is missing to reveal the route to Laugh Tale.

The former shogun reveals that Pluton is located deep beneath the platform they are on, but that you have never seen it in person and can’t even show it to them as it requires breaking down the walls around the nation to do so, i.e., ” open the borders.” Robin wonders why Oden wanted to do this, and Sukiyaki replies that he told them everything passed down to him, and he doesn’t know what his son learned during his journey.

Subsequently, Hitetsu reveals that he is Kozuki Sukiyaki and asks for forgiveness from his nephews, who hug him while he tells Momonosuke that he is identical to Oden. The nephew admits that having lost his parents, he is heartened by the fact that he still has a living relative, which Hiyori also agrees with, adding that he does not have to apologize.

The former shogun realizes that some of his son’s servants had immediately realized his identity as he thought, which they confirm; he then asks to be hosted there, but without disclosing the news of his survival, explaining that they will be the ones to forge the new era. Kin’emon thus agrees on behalf of the group.

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