So a few people, myself included, have theorized that the latest Numbers introduced, Inbi, Fuga, and Zanki are not just unlike the other Numbers but are in fact the three Samurai (one of whom is Shimotsuki Ushimaru who is thought to be related to Zoro and is a direct descendant of Shimotsuki Ryuma) chained in a cave with Yamato in Chapter 1024.
I haven’t, however, seen anyone really do much to back this up other than they look alike. That part is a bit thin, but for the sake of completeness.
Fuga, who would possibly be Shimotsuki Ushimaru
Fuga and Ushimaru have the least similarities to be sure. The other two however.
Zanki
Unknown’s silhouette
Inbi
The other unknown’s silhouette
We do get to see all three without such scary shadowing over them.
The person that may be Zanki has Shimenawa on their head and Zanki has it around his neck like a necklace. He also is the only Number we’ve seen with face paintings and while they’re not the same as the first unknown person in the cave, it’s still face painting. Their faces are likewise the same sort of shape. Same goes with Inbi. Both the Number and second unknown man sport a mustache and have similar facial structure.
However there is a larger clue, and one Oda has possibly placed in plain sight. The three were introduced in Chapter 1030 with the following name cards.
However when the other Numbers were introduced they were all (save one but it was fixed in the anime) with a unique nameplate. One with horns which all the Numbers have. It looks like this.
Now you’re thinking so what? Different name plates may just be Oda showing that they’re the strongest or the most special of the 10 Numbers. That may well be the case except that the name plates we see with Inbi, Fuga and Zanki have shown up before. In fact, a lot of times before.
They’re the nameplates used for people from Wano.
The only difference is the white boarder, instead of the black boarder.
Plus there is a connection between these three and Yamato . Fuga instantly recognizes Yamato. That can mean multiple things, but seems like a very interesting turn of events, if true.
We’re also told that the experiement took place 20-ish years ago. The date’s only given with those Numbers. Yamato is 28, they were 8 when Wano fell and imprisoned around that time. The timeframe syncs up or close enough.
Is this definitive? No. Is it interesting? Yeah. What do you think?
*Theory by Delver_Razade
