Meito

Meito is the status of a sword.

12 Saijo O Wazamono Grade Swords
There are twelve Supreme Grade Swords (最上大業物). These seem to be the highest quality swords.


 * Yoru (Dracule Mihawk)
 * Shodai Kitetsu (Cursed) (Kitetsu)

21 O Wazamono Grade Swords
There are twenty-one Great Grade Swords (大業物). Their quality is one step lower than the Saijo O Wazamono.


 * Nidai Kitetsu (Cursed) (Kitetsu → Tenguyama Hitetsu)
 * Wado Ichimonji (Kuina → Roronoa Zoro)
 * Shusui (Ryuma → Roronoa Zoro)

50 Ryo Wazamono Grade Swords
There are fifty Skillful Grade Swords (良業物). Their quality is higher than the Wazamono but lower than O Wazamono grade swords.


 * Kashu (Mr. 11 → Tashigi)
 * Yubashiri (Ippon-Matsu → Roronoa Zoro → Destroyed)
 * Yamaoroshi (Billy → Tashigi)

Wazamono Grade Swords
There is an undetermined number of Grade Swords (業物). They are sharp swords, and the lowest grade possible for a named blade.


 * Shigure (Tashigi)
 * Sandai Kitetsu (Cursed) (Kitetsu → Ippon-Matsu → Roronoa Zoro)

Unknown Grade

 * Oto and Kogarashi are a pair of double-edged swords which belong to Shiki.
 * Durandal: a rapier belonging to Cavendish.
 * Shirauo: a nodachi wielded by Amande.
 * Gryphon: a saber wielded by Shanks.

One Piece
In One Piece, meito is often mistranslated as either part of the name of a sword (e.g. Zoro's Shusui is often recorded by fans as "Meito Shusui" instead of just "Shusui", ignoring the fact that meito is a status) or as a "renowned blade" (understandable given that if broken up, 名刀 gives 名 "renowned" and 刀 "sword").

Tashigi's dream is to free all the meito from the hands of criminals such as pirates. She believes the swords are crying because instead of being used for noble and honorable deeds, they are being used for criminal use. Her reason for tracking Zoro is to gain ownership of his meito, the Wado Ichimonji, which she believes is in the hands of a malicious person. As of yet, she has no victories over Zoro in her quest and, as far as readers know, while she has taken the swords Kashu and Yamaoroshi, she has taken none of the meito in her journey of justice, while Zoro still possesses Wado Ichimonji and has also acquired Shusui.

Meito is translated simply as Famous Sword in the Viz Manga and Legendary Sword in the FUNimation dub.

Trivia

 * Though there are many named swords in the One Piece world, many of which fall into the katana grades, only a few of them have been mentioned so far as "meito" when introduced.
 * So far in the series, Zoro has held the most meito to date.
 * Yoru, Oto, Kogarashi and Durandal are the only Meito that do not resemble traditional Japanese katana so far, with Yoru and Durandal's appearance being based on European blades. Oto and Kogarashi on the other hand, seem to be double-edged Asian swords.
 * Charlotte Cracker has stated that his longsword Pretzel is special and holds no equal, but the validity of his statement is unconfirmed.
 * The filler character Eric claimed that the wind scythes created by his Kama Kama no Mi powers are as sharp as a Meito.

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