With the mystery of GB having a Black Blade and all the discussion surrounding it with an insane amount of agenda from all sides I think we need to revisit what a Black Blade is and why GB has it (or not).
We are introduced to the Black Blade when Mihawk shows off Yoru against Zoro. However, at that point there is no emphasis on Yoru being a BB but what it signifies. Yoru is the strongest blade in the world and to surpass Mihawk, Zoro has to surpass the strongest blade too. Again the focus is not on Yoru being a BB.
Next we are introduced to Shusui and here the sword is being hyped for being a BB. We learn some of the qualities of a BB here for the first time. The main qualities are the toughness/durability of the blade and its destructive power and also being heavier and hard to control. This is an important point because it shows that not anybody can wield a BB and the BB is much stronger than blades of the same grade (Ryuma could break Wado too with Shusui).
After the TS, in Zoros first major fight we get his training FB with Mihawk where Mihawk says that any blade can become a black blade and then Zoro is forced to train his CoA. How haki protects the blade and why a nick should be treated as a sign of shame. Since then forging BB has turned into a CoA specific thing for many even after ACoC reveal.
BB is then not touched upon until Wano when Shusui is replaced with Enma (we also have that conversation with the fox about Ryumas history of battles forging Shusui into a BB) and Sukiyaki comments on how the rank of the blade can be raised by being forged into a BB which depends on Zoro. This is significant because if we take Odens story into account about him getting into fights and other situations and having Enma since his childhood and Oden having top tier haki and still not being able to forge Enma into a BB.
Lastly BB is mentioned in the Road to LT mags (which were published in Shonen Jump when OP took a month break between 953-954, last time this happened was when we got the TS). The Road to LT volumes revisit and touch on the most important overall and current story plot points. It includes Rogers Journey, RPs, World Events, Yonkos etc. In the three data sections we have one for DFs, one for bounties and one for swords. Here even though both Yoru and Shusui are shown, the focus of BB is on Yoru, where it is hailed as the strongest blade and BBs are regarded as the most elite swords. The mag notes how the Murakumogiri and Hassaikai are able to channel the full power of WB and Kaido due to their durability. The mag also clarifies that the grading is for weapons and not just swords by including WBs Murakumogiri, Kaidos Hassaikai and Katas Mole.
To summarize, a BB is a weapon (any weapon) which is forged through a history of battles (Ryuma and Mihawk both have had many battles) and it requires haki, haki should be so strong that there is not even a single nick on the sword. BBs are almost indestructible due to their toughness and can break other swords of similar rank without suffering any self damage. Because of their toughness/durability they can channel as much power as the wielder wants without breaking and their destructive power is very high (Zoros slashes being stronger with Shusui and Mihawks no named slashes cutting mountain size icebergs etc.).
The main ingredient so far seems to be haki in forging a black blade. The reason being that we can rule out the other assumed factors like becoming one with the blade/loving it/taming it etc. or requiring number of battles (this can obviously be wrong). My reasons are that of the people we have seen so far, top tier weapon wielders like Roger, WB, Kaido, Shanks, Oden, Rayleigh, Fujitora have not forged their weapons into BBs. Roger loved his sword so much he named his son after it, Shanks has a beloved weapon, Oden had his weapons since childhood and gave them to his children. The idea that these guys are not pure swordsmen seems absurd when we have manga statements of swords choosing their wielders, even more so these guys spending so much time with them and all of them having very high grade swords. We saw how Enma was acting with Zoro, why wouldnt the Supreme Grade weapons act or require just as much if not more.
History of battles also seems weird since guys like WB have lived to 70+ years and as a pirate he must have had a lot of battles. How could Mihawk and Ryuma achieve BB at much younger ages, even Roger was in his 50s at the time of his death, loved his blade, loved fighting and has one of the most hyped haki in the verse. Zoro is not going to have a history of battles at just 21 years age. He has had Wado since childhood (before that it was with Kuina), Enma was with Oden since childhood and Sandai had a history of dead owners. Of the three only Enma has a good case of history of battles with good level of haki usage. Venus is a centuries old geezer, a samurai character with top tier haki portrayal and even he couldnt forge Shodai Kitetsu in a BB.
So coming back it seems that haki is the main ingredient. But then comes the question of which haki and I think this is where many people take a tumble. Some want to push CoA to protect Roger/Shanks while others push CoC to put Mihawk above. And I have to say that both sides are wrong (no I am not going to say it is CoO). To understand we have to recap what haki actually is, how it has been shown in the series and why this question is stupid.
Haki is willpower, it has main applications of sensing others willpower/spiritual energy (CoO) and to use it for offense/defense. CoC is just willpower to overwhelm others willpower. CoC is not trained directly to grow stronger but it becomes stronger as the user becomes stronger. There is no CoC only becoming stronger while CoA and CoO are not getting stronger. You cannot have stronger CoC without stronger CoA. As such the argument that Roger/Shanks have stronger CoC than Mihawk but Mihawk forged a BB due to having stronger CoA is illogical. Unless Oda comes and retcons CoC and how it becomes stronger on its own this line of argument is absurd. CoC strength is a byproduct of the users strength. Even in SBS Oda relates to Luffys ability to KO all 100K fishmen with the difference in their strength. CoC KOs show that the difference in strength between the user and the fodders is so much that they cant even stand their presence. Maybe it is because people forget how big of an amp CoC gives compared to CoA.
To understand better we should get back to Mihawks words where he comments on treating every nick as a sign of shame and Zoros fight with Pica. Why does Zoro check his sword after clashing with hakified Pica, to check if his swords got nicked anywhere. In a clash the winner is decided by whose haki is stronger, Zoro broke Kings hakified sword. The idea that Mihawk would equal or win a clash against Shanks with weaker haki is going against the manga. Swords can get nicked in clashes as well as against armor so the haki should be so strong that even against the toughest armor and the strongest clash it should not get nicked. To forge the strongest blade in the world there is no other answer than to have the strongest haki in the world (unless we get some weird secret ingredient).
Now coming to the point of contention, does GB have a BB and did he forge it himself. On face value (which @Rootbeer sama has taught us not to do) there is no question that blade is indeed colored black. Some say it isnt confirmed until Oda colors it himself in a volume cover etc. or that it is actually a black sheath (examples being given of other black scabbards and Asura Dojis sword etc.). Despite his showings if GB has indeed forged a BB then I have to rank him among the other 2 forgers, whatever the implications.
@Fleet Leader Fenaker @Dragon777 @nik87 @grey matter @Monster Zoro's Tesla Supplier etc.
We are introduced to the Black Blade when Mihawk shows off Yoru against Zoro. However, at that point there is no emphasis on Yoru being a BB but what it signifies. Yoru is the strongest blade in the world and to surpass Mihawk, Zoro has to surpass the strongest blade too. Again the focus is not on Yoru being a BB.
Next we are introduced to Shusui and here the sword is being hyped for being a BB. We learn some of the qualities of a BB here for the first time. The main qualities are the toughness/durability of the blade and its destructive power and also being heavier and hard to control. This is an important point because it shows that not anybody can wield a BB and the BB is much stronger than blades of the same grade (Ryuma could break Wado too with Shusui).
After the TS, in Zoros first major fight we get his training FB with Mihawk where Mihawk says that any blade can become a black blade and then Zoro is forced to train his CoA. How haki protects the blade and why a nick should be treated as a sign of shame. Since then forging BB has turned into a CoA specific thing for many even after ACoC reveal.
BB is then not touched upon until Wano when Shusui is replaced with Enma (we also have that conversation with the fox about Ryumas history of battles forging Shusui into a BB) and Sukiyaki comments on how the rank of the blade can be raised by being forged into a BB which depends on Zoro. This is significant because if we take Odens story into account about him getting into fights and other situations and having Enma since his childhood and Oden having top tier haki and still not being able to forge Enma into a BB.
Lastly BB is mentioned in the Road to LT mags (which were published in Shonen Jump when OP took a month break between 953-954, last time this happened was when we got the TS). The Road to LT volumes revisit and touch on the most important overall and current story plot points. It includes Rogers Journey, RPs, World Events, Yonkos etc. In the three data sections we have one for DFs, one for bounties and one for swords. Here even though both Yoru and Shusui are shown, the focus of BB is on Yoru, where it is hailed as the strongest blade and BBs are regarded as the most elite swords. The mag notes how the Murakumogiri and Hassaikai are able to channel the full power of WB and Kaido due to their durability. The mag also clarifies that the grading is for weapons and not just swords by including WBs Murakumogiri, Kaidos Hassaikai and Katas Mole.
To summarize, a BB is a weapon (any weapon) which is forged through a history of battles (Ryuma and Mihawk both have had many battles) and it requires haki, haki should be so strong that there is not even a single nick on the sword. BBs are almost indestructible due to their toughness and can break other swords of similar rank without suffering any self damage. Because of their toughness/durability they can channel as much power as the wielder wants without breaking and their destructive power is very high (Zoros slashes being stronger with Shusui and Mihawks no named slashes cutting mountain size icebergs etc.).
The main ingredient so far seems to be haki in forging a black blade. The reason being that we can rule out the other assumed factors like becoming one with the blade/loving it/taming it etc. or requiring number of battles (this can obviously be wrong). My reasons are that of the people we have seen so far, top tier weapon wielders like Roger, WB, Kaido, Shanks, Oden, Rayleigh, Fujitora have not forged their weapons into BBs. Roger loved his sword so much he named his son after it, Shanks has a beloved weapon, Oden had his weapons since childhood and gave them to his children. The idea that these guys are not pure swordsmen seems absurd when we have manga statements of swords choosing their wielders, even more so these guys spending so much time with them and all of them having very high grade swords. We saw how Enma was acting with Zoro, why wouldnt the Supreme Grade weapons act or require just as much if not more.
History of battles also seems weird since guys like WB have lived to 70+ years and as a pirate he must have had a lot of battles. How could Mihawk and Ryuma achieve BB at much younger ages, even Roger was in his 50s at the time of his death, loved his blade, loved fighting and has one of the most hyped haki in the verse. Zoro is not going to have a history of battles at just 21 years age. He has had Wado since childhood (before that it was with Kuina), Enma was with Oden since childhood and Sandai had a history of dead owners. Of the three only Enma has a good case of history of battles with good level of haki usage. Venus is a centuries old geezer, a samurai character with top tier haki portrayal and even he couldnt forge Shodai Kitetsu in a BB.
So coming back it seems that haki is the main ingredient. But then comes the question of which haki and I think this is where many people take a tumble. Some want to push CoA to protect Roger/Shanks while others push CoC to put Mihawk above. And I have to say that both sides are wrong (no I am not going to say it is CoO). To understand we have to recap what haki actually is, how it has been shown in the series and why this question is stupid.
Haki is willpower, it has main applications of sensing others willpower/spiritual energy (CoO) and to use it for offense/defense. CoC is just willpower to overwhelm others willpower. CoC is not trained directly to grow stronger but it becomes stronger as the user becomes stronger. There is no CoC only becoming stronger while CoA and CoO are not getting stronger. You cannot have stronger CoC without stronger CoA. As such the argument that Roger/Shanks have stronger CoC than Mihawk but Mihawk forged a BB due to having stronger CoA is illogical. Unless Oda comes and retcons CoC and how it becomes stronger on its own this line of argument is absurd. CoC strength is a byproduct of the users strength. Even in SBS Oda relates to Luffys ability to KO all 100K fishmen with the difference in their strength. CoC KOs show that the difference in strength between the user and the fodders is so much that they cant even stand their presence. Maybe it is because people forget how big of an amp CoC gives compared to CoA.
To understand better we should get back to Mihawks words where he comments on treating every nick as a sign of shame and Zoros fight with Pica. Why does Zoro check his sword after clashing with hakified Pica, to check if his swords got nicked anywhere. In a clash the winner is decided by whose haki is stronger, Zoro broke Kings hakified sword. The idea that Mihawk would equal or win a clash against Shanks with weaker haki is going against the manga. Swords can get nicked in clashes as well as against armor so the haki should be so strong that even against the toughest armor and the strongest clash it should not get nicked. To forge the strongest blade in the world there is no other answer than to have the strongest haki in the world (unless we get some weird secret ingredient).
Now coming to the point of contention, does GB have a BB and did he forge it himself. On face value (which @Rootbeer sama has taught us not to do) there is no question that blade is indeed colored black. Some say it isnt confirmed until Oda colors it himself in a volume cover etc. or that it is actually a black sheath (examples being given of other black scabbards and Asura Dojis sword etc.). Despite his showings if GB has indeed forged a BB then I have to rank him among the other 2 forgers, whatever the implications.
@Fleet Leader Fenaker @Dragon777 @nik87 @grey matter @Monster Zoro's Tesla Supplier etc.
