Why they changed it to Zolo: ANSWER

[Hitokiri_Sama]

In japanese our "R" is pronounced like an "L". Sometimes that it, in japanese One Piece, if you listen closely, Luffy is calling Zoro "Zolo" when you pronounce it.
And also notice in naruto episode 17 when kakashi first does the raikiri he pronounces it "LAIKILI"
They just changed the spelling to what it sounds like, there's your answer

[Molekage]

thanks! but even though what you said makes sense, it still doesn't mean using the word zolo isn't gay. :wink

[crazymtf]

Yeah, fuck that shit, ZORO is his true name...fucking zolo...that's like saying goku is "GAKO" in english, wack correct?

[Nico]

I liked Zoro better but Zolo isn't that bad.Though I do understand in a way why after wthat you said.

[Ai_Kotobuki]

so how bout his bounty that says zoRo in clear english

[Code]

I think the problem is that the letter L (or rather the sound since hiragana and katakana are phonetic) doesn't exist in the Japanese language. So it'd be written in Japanese with an RO either way in the manga. Due to the lack of existence of L, it would most likely be pronounced with an R even if the author's intended it to be an L, as opposed to vice versa. But I believe that Roronoa Zoro was written in English by Oda, if not by Oda, at least in plenty of official One Piece products. Therefore that would the correct spelling.

Though in regards to 4kids changing it, I think it was probably due to a similarity to Zorro.

[Kisame]

Nope romanization of his name is still ZORO no matter how it sounds.

Luffy wasn't changed to Ruffy..

[Zukuru]

Any logical answer still doesn't remove any hate from me towards them. The fact that they changed it still pisses me off.

God damn 4kids.:mad

[Pimp of Pimps]

That's not the reason...

Oda made it clear to the world that he intended it to be zoro not zolo. they did it because they wanted to, nothing more.

[Molekage]

i've said it before, but there is still the potential copyright infringment. whoever owns zorro's name is a big movie company. as a crappy little american studio, i'd want to avoid confrontation. doesn't mean its right though. zoro pwns zolo

[Hype]

Zolo is one of the less annoying name change's. I cant stand

Smoker > Chaser
Ace > Trace though

fair enough smoke > cigs > kids >bad

but wtf is wrong with Ace :S

[Kisame]

Zolo is one of the less annoying name change's. I cant stand

Smoker > Chaser
Ace > Trace though

fair enough smoke > cigs > kids >bad

but wtf is wrong with Ace :S


ace > cards > gambling

[Hype]

ace > cards > gambling


Oh dear god they are picky :nod

[BakaKage]

I'm agreeing with Code on this one...
I always thought, that the reason they changed it to Zolo is that it might cause copyright problems since Zoro is too similar to Zorro i.e. also the similarity: swordsman with covered eyes and all that jazz

[Kisame]

I'm agreeing with Code on this one...
I always thought, that the reason they changed it to Zolo is that it might cause copyright problems since Zoro is too similar to Zorro.


that was exactly the reason.

A gay one however. Zoro with one r is definitely far enough away not to be sued.

he doesn't carve a letter z on people or ride horses or wear a hat and mask.

Its clear to see its a totally diferent person. hate copyrights.

[Lord Yu]

I heard it was because of similarity to Zorro. Its still damn stupid. HOW DARE THEY FUCK WITH GOD ZORO!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pimp of Pimps]

that was exactly the reason.

A gay one however. Zoro with one r is definitely far enough away not to be sued.

he doesn't carve a letter z on people or ride horses or wear a hat and mask.

Its clear to see its a totally diferent person. hate copyrights.

thats not the reason either. No matter how much the creators of zorro wouldn't like it, you can't copywright names. So 4Kids couldv'e changed it to Zoro if they want.

I think it might have something to do with zorro. 4kids probaley though kids would think zoro and zorro are related or some tuupid shit like that. But 4kids had every right to keep zoro they are just dumb enoughf to change his name for no reason.

[QBnoYouko]

And yet, before the One Piece anime was licensed, in Shonen Jump, Viz had his name under "Zoro" but after that, they changed it to "Zolo."

[Gyroscope]

Its the other way around actually. They pronounce every phonetic "L" sound with the "r" sound.
I cringe everytime i see Zolo written. I stay away from the OP dub so i don't get the occassion to hear it.

[Gunners]

They called Ace trace :huh. Man 4kids screwed up the show.

[Not A Hero]

It's just one of those things lost in translation.

Like in Dragon Ball GT how they call gill giru. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, does it? But it's just one letter difference. It's not like they changed his name to Roy or some shit like that.

[Molekage]

@ octagon

pretty sure you can trademark names like zorro that are part of a franchise. thats wht mizuki's (naruto) name isn't tony the tiger

[azuken]

That and so thier asses wouldnt get sued.

[Ai_Kotobuki]

not that they're not getting 'sued' everyday by angry fans

[Geese]

LOL, people are going to these kind of lengths to defend the "Zolo" thing? His name change has NOTHING to do with the "R-L" thing because Zoro is not a Japanese name and has been written in English in two very prominent places (on his sheath and on his bounty). He was NAMED AFTER Zorro (a swordsman and clearly it's pronounced as "Zoro" phonetically in the original Japanese anime. If they translated every "L" as an "R" then we'd be seeing Monkey D. Ruffy, Clocodile and even "Lolonoa" in Zoro's name. They just wanted to avert a lawsuit. Why's that so hard to get?

[Code]

LOL, people are going to these kind of lengths to defend the "Zolo" thing? His name change has NOTHING to do with the "R-L" thing because Zoro is not a Japanese name and has been written in English in two very prominent places (on his sheath and on his bounty). He was NAMED AFTER Zorro (a swordsman and clearly it's pronounced as "Zoro" phonetically in the original Japanese anime. If they translated every "L" as an "R" then we'd be seeing Monkey D. Ruffy, Clocodile and even "Lolonoa" in Zoro's name. They just wanted to avert a lawsuit. Why's that so hard to get?
Well I recall reading somewhere that he was named after a real French pirate François l'Ollonais (Family name reflects that), and Zoro has something to do with his birthday and some Japanese word for that number structure.

[Jones]

i always thought it was changed to "zolo" in america to not screw with the copyright of "Zorro or Zoro" with Antonio Banderas.

[Shiron]

@ octagon

pretty sure you can trademark names like zorro that are part of a franchise. thats wht mizuki's (naruto) name isn't tony the tiger
You can't trademark the actual name. What they trademark is their Zorro (the actual character). What the trademark means is that other people cant use the character Zorro in books, movies, TV shows, ect, without their permission. People can feel free to use the name Zorro as much as they want for their characters, as long as they aren't using it to refer to a character who is obviously a clone of Zorro. It's just that some Trademark owners like to think that they own the actual name too (but really, they don't).

[Molekage]

^ah, thats for the clear up.

[Wrath]

I want to see them rename Robin to Lobin.