Anime series, especially the boy demographic, are packed with action and combat, which is one of the reasons this medium is as big as it is today. For these exciting battles, writers usually arm their characters with a variety of weapons to not only build an exciting fighting style but also deliver enthralling battles. The most common weapon of choice in anime is often the sword. There are so many powerful swordsmen in the anime that it can be difficult for some to stand out from the rest.
With that said, animation! Japanese cartoon movie! We conducted a new survey to find out who the first person that comes to mind when fans think of a two-handed swordsman, and to the surprise of many, the number one answer was none other than Kirito, the protagonist of the popular anime isekai. sword art online. Kirito has certainly established himself as a legend in the world of animation, and while his story comes to an end, the creators are back with a new hit that will captivate fans.
The new ‘Annie! Japanese cartoon movie!' A survey has revealed that Sword Art Online's Kirito is Japan's favorite two-handed swordsman.
Japanese cartoon movie! Japanese cartoon movie! is a popular Japanese website that specializes in all types of new anime. It was first founded by Sudo Tadashi in 2004 and has been around ever since. The website also regularly releases surveys that viewers can participate in, and recently released the results of a new survey of Japanese readers, asking, “Who comes to mind when you think of 'Two Swords Ryu' characters?”
This is definitely an interesting question. Especially since there are so many swordsmen. While many dagger wielders stand out, dual sword wielding swordsmen have their own charm and present a unique fighting style. Hundreds of fans answered this question during the survey, which ran from June 2nd to June 9th. The results of this survey were published on Anime! on Monday, June 22, 2026. Japanese cartoon movie! The website, and its top pick, certainly surprised some people.
It turns out that the dual-wielding swordsman that first comes to mind for Japanese fans is none other than Kirito, the protagonist of the isekai series Sword Art Online. Specifically, it was revealed that Kirito received a large chunk of the vote with 19%, receiving a total of about 84 votes.
Other iconic dual swordsmen including Zoro from One Piece and Inosuke from Demon Slayer
It was definitely surprising that Kirito took first place. Especially since he received the majority of the votes. Considering that Sword Art Online ended a long time ago, it's certainly impressive that Kirito is still ranked like Zoro. Nonetheless, other very popular dual wield weapons also made the cut after Kirito. Overall, the top 10 characters from the anime have been revealed! This is Anime!'s June 22nd article covering the survey.
Right behind Kirito was a character named Inosuke Hashibira from Demon Slayer. Demon Slayer is one of the biggest anime IPs out there right now and has an unrivaled presence in theaters that has completely defined a generation. Inosuke is technically one of the main characters, part of the main trio along with Tanjiro and Zenitsu. He wields two serrated Nichirin Swords that he uses in conjunction with Beast Breathing. This makes Inosuke a very unique dual user, relying particularly on agility and flexibility, despite his sword skills themselves not being the best in the story. Inosuke's time to shine will come in the next Infinity Castle movie. In this survey, Inosuke recorded 10% of the votes, taking up about 44 votes overall.
To round out the top three after Insouke, we feature one of the most iconic swordsmen of all time, Roronoa Zoro. one piece. Zorro, origin one pieceHe is the first character to join Luffy's Straw Hat Pirates as a swordsman. Zoro may be the most iconic character on this entire list, but I can see why he hasn't been on everyone's mind. The question is specifically related to dual wielders, so Zoro wouldn't be my first choice. This means he is a very versatile swordsman, capable of wielding one, two, or even three swords. Because of that, most fans associate him with his iconic Santo-ryu style. The Santo-ryu style shows him using three blades in combat. Zoro received 8% of the votes, or about 35 votes. This figure is certainly not bad for a guy who has more up his sleeve than the Two Sword Style.
In particular, the top 3 best swordsmen are comprised of iconic characters from the anime, and the remaining swordsmen will also be revealed in order through the anime! Anime!'s own report:
-
Kirito (Sword Art Online)
-
Inosuke Hashibira (Demon Slayer)
-
Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)
-
Youmu Konpaku (Touhou Project)
-
Aoshi Shinomori (Rurouni Kenshin – Romantic Story of a Meiji Swordsman -)
-
Tengen Uzui (Demon Slayer)
-
Miyamoto Musashi (Bakido)
-
Kyoraku Shunsui (BLEACH)
-
Ryo Sanada (Ronin Warriors)
-
Kei Tachikawa (World Trigger)
Obviously, this list has determined the most iconic dual weapons in anime among the various resistances from different genres.
Kirito's adventures in Sword Art Online are officially revived in the new 'Sword Art Online: Integral Domain' movie.
Sword Art Online won big in the polls, with Kirito considered by Japanese fans to be the most iconic dual wielder. This is thanks to the story's creator, Reki Kawahara, who published his work as a novel from 2002 to 2008. His work received great attention, especially after A-1 Pictures' TV animation adaptation, which began on July 8, 2012. This TV animation became so popular that it became the gateway to popularizing the isekai genre outside of Japan. Sadly, sword art online It ended with season 3 a few years ago, on September 20, 2020.
Technically, the series briefly returned in Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad on July 5, 2026. But more importantly, it was officially announced on July 6, 2026 that Sword Art Online is set to make a comeback with a new movie from A-1 Pictures and Aniplex, 'Sword Art Online: Integral Domain'. This new film features both Kirito and Asuna as main characters, and is scheduled for release in 2028. The exact release date is unknown, but it is highly likely that more information will be released next year as the release date approaches.
With Kirito's return, his popularity as a powerful swordsman in the anime will only increase. Kirito has already established himself as a popular figure, but with anime being as mainstream as it is today, he will likely gain even more fame.
