Ubisoft’s launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been marred by controversy. A few days ago, Ubisoft faced accusations of stealing a flag from a Japanese historical re-enactment group, and now they are being accused of copying the sword of Zoro from Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga.
Recently, Ubisoft participated at the Japan Expo in France, where various items from the Shadows game were put on display, including Yasuke’s mask and sword. However, fans noticed an uncanny similarity between Zoro and Yasuke’s swords.
Upon further investigation, people discovered that the sword showcased at the pop-up can be purchased online and is officially marketed as a replica of Zoro’s sword. While many would initially chalk this off to a mere coincidence or influence, the Kanji on the sword makes the case infinitely worse for Ubisoft.
The Kanji, which is the same on both swords, stems from Buddhism, and a few of Zoro’s attacks are based on Buddhist values, too. On the other hand, Yasuke was brought to Japan by an order of Catholicism and might have followed Islam, making the sword an ill fit for Yasuke.
Ubisoft has not yet responded to the sword controversy, although they did apologize for using the stolen flag and promised not to use it for any other artwork or promotion.
Many fans are also speculating that a lawsuit may be imminent, as Sueisha is notorious for enforcing their copyrights wherever possible, even against content creators. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Ubisoft’s newest title for the Assassin’s Creed franchise, releasing on November 15, 2024. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, PC (including macOS), and Xbox Series X/S.
