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danwhobrowses · 25 days

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One Piece Chapter 1113 - Initial Thoughts

It is time

One Piece is back again and the big announcement is almost underway. The Gorosei are circling though, much of the Straw Hats are cornered, will the revelation turn the tide?

Let's find out

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

A chess-themed colour spread this time; Robin playing chess with the crew as chess pieces

Contrary to the message the King should not be the attacking piece but other than that I did find it funny that Usopp is a Bishop with a bow and arrow, this cleric does harm!

Also lil Chopper pawns!

Picking up where we left off, Markus Mars has been stopped in awe of a sight in Punk Records

The remains of Vegapunk's humungous brain, as big or maybe even bigger than a giant, kept in a pod and still working even after his death

Mars does wonder if this is more Vegapunk's true self, which I guess if it has his brain it's probably the main part that's biologically living

People around the world brace themselves though

Syrup Village! Kaya, Merry and the old Usopp Pirates get a cameo

Despite her wealth being enough for Kuro to plan a murder/retirement spree, they do not have a Video Den Den Mushi

Though it seems like it's more size than price, and Kaya is already keen to hear what Vegapunk is saying, given his role in the medical field

Also lil' Merry details on the Den Den Mushi

The Marines are monitoring it too

Laboon and Crocus cameo!

And we even get to go to Baldimore, birthplace of Vegapunk

Some dialogue from the group that found Franky during the separation too

'I heard he's turned himself into a ship now' XD because of the bounty poster, and the bad timeline SBS image maybe, though I still think we could in the future get a Sunny mecha

Also got Chopper's bird and medic island listening in

The tribespeople even know about Vegapunk, they call him a 'king of modern science'

Even despite the Garp and SWORD attack, some pirates from Fullalead are listening in - some still wanna fight each other though

Mars tries to stamp out the Den Den Mushi, but it's of course a fake! It shatters to reveal just another regular Den Den Mushi

Fooled again motherfucker!

Vegapunk does introductions once more but now everyone wants him to get on with it XD

For the most part the more obscure world shots seem somewhat familiar, I couldn't tell what the rainy place was but it could be Water 7, the other one looked a bit familiar, the Longarm place looks like to have Brook's old talent agents too

But this campfire one, a child is hushed back to sleep by their likely mother, they're in tipi tents, what's interesting is the other person there, almost like Oda's pulling something sneaky

Through their collective telepathy, Mars announces his failure, it was a decoy so they have no leads

They wonder what Vegapunk intends to say, fearing that he'll carry on what Clover started before he was silenced

Back to Sanji and he hears a woman's scream

Bonney is being targeted by V. Nusjuro, Franky standing between them but Sanji demands to be the white knight

He jumps off the sword to kick him in the jaw

By comparison V. Nusjuro is pretty damn huge

His body sets on fire - fitting to his Yokai lore - but then the horse's head comes out to bite Sanji

Lots of crackling of bones, I wonder if his Healing Factor is still a thing

As Oimo and Kashii tackle V. Nusjuro (about the same size as them), Vegapunk's broadcast begins, admitting to committing two grave sins

Bonney turns into a giant with her fruit to attack V. Nusjuro, who has returned to his hybrid form

Vegapunk's broadcast admits that he is likely to be executed, and that this broadcast would start when his heart has stopped

Sabaody reacts first, realising that this means Vegapunk is dead

Duval has trouble processing this, since the news said that he was a hostage for the Straw Hats

Caesar's also mad, he and Judge went through that whole cover story alliance for nothing, so now they can promptly fuck off

And Morgans is angry because Vegapunk is giving BIG NEWS without him like it's not in his name

Interestingly, Vegapunk is quick to state that his killers should not be portrayed as 'evil' - because they're looking pretty damn evil to me

It seems maybe this is because he expects Luffy to have been pinned as to blame for his death, though it could be scanlations saying 'him'

Saturn faces off with the Labophase group, demanding they move away

Saturn and Robin however recognize one another, Robin from his voice back in Ohara and Saturn by her image

Seems Saturn blames Akainu directly for Robin's escape, I mean he did blow up the hostage ship but still, there were more marines out there

He goes to attack Robin, so all the other Straw Hats go into protection mode

Brook cuts a few limbs, but worryingly Chopper blocked some with his Guard Point - those limbs are poisonous remember? Though it's impressive that he could suppress a claw that could go straight through Kuma

Nami also remembers that she can use Zeus to block attacks

Mars is still on recon, but his senses can't pick up any 'telepathic waves' - wonder if that's a Haki feat or something relative to the Gorosei's shared thoughts?

York is also having trouble figuring out where the Stella would've put it, since her position as a Celestial Dragon is on the line

Vegapunk's about to deliver his mission statement, which is putting the Gorosei into a panic

Mars considers blowing up the entire place, but Saturn and Warcury are weighing it against the possible losses; men, equipment, and any chance of recreating the Mother Flame

Wait. What?

"Our World...is going to sink into the ocean!"

Well you can't deny it: Global Warming is Real.

It's not just Water Seven and Aqua Laguna then, it's all going to sink, there's a lot of thematic consequences to that when you think about it.

Did the World Government ostracize the Fish-Men because of this? Knowing that they would inherit the world? Does this have any connection to Devil Fruits and why the Ocean really saps their strength? Did the ancient kingdom like Old Wano sink to the bottom of the sea?

It begets a lot of questions, in true Oda fashion.

The rest of the chapter was a lot more jam-packed than the last, even without Luffy. The carried tension of the announcement is followed by Saturn and V. Nusjuro's confrontations with the crew, giants and Bonney. As expected, Sanji took on V. Nusjuro, the hit didn't seem to do much in the long term as expected, though I kinda wish Franky also got a hit in but the extent of his own injuries is worth wondering.

I'm glad the Labophase crew are stepping up against Saturn, at least until the expected arrival of Zoro and Jinbe, but it does show their furthered growth versus Enies Lobby if they can successfully repel Saturn from Robin - her injury being validated by this scene, though I still wish we saw a flashback of the Straw Hats vs Seraphim and them uncovering York as the traitor.

Still it's bad PR from the Straw Hats either way, they're likely to be accused of killing Vegapunk, who was last deemed their hostage by the fake news machine (is Morgans still going to Egghead? I mean with Vivi with him we continue to tease a reunion), and while Punk Records still has a chance to live on this is definitely going to be something each crewmate will have to re-evaluate given the bigger picture. Still, that can come after getting off the island; Edison and the Sleeping Giant are still at play after all, Stussy still needs to release the barrier, it's looking more likely that we might finish up around 1120.

Still there has to be more to the announcement, if Vegapunk was waiting for a video display it means that there are visuals to corroborate his revelation - I wonder if the Gorosei are more open to this reveal coming out than what they expected with the Ancient Kingdom reveal they destroyed Ohara for? Like did Vegapunk dupe the WG into Buster Calling Egghead over a reveal they didn't care much for? He mentioned two grave sins too so there seems to be much more to his announcement than just the opening statement.

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jasonblaze72 · 2 years

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Will Brook Die in One Piece? Can the Musical Swordsman Lose his Life?

One Piece is one of the long-running anime series to ever come out of Japan, which has taken over the world with its popularity. It is based on the manga by Eichiro Oda. The anime premiered in Japan in October 1999 on the Fuji Tv channel. It has aired over a thousand episodes and has been exported to numerous countries all over the world. The anime has been among the top five animes in Television viewer ratings since its inception. The series follows the story of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy whose body gained rubber-like qualities after mistakenly eating a Devil Fruit. Luffy sets out on a journey to find the legendary treasure left by the legendary pirate Gold Roger. His crew of pirates is named the Straw hat pirates. And Brook is the musician pirate of the crew and one of the two swordsmen in the group. He joins the group during the Thriller Bark Arc of the animated series and is the eighth person to join the pirate crew. Who is Brook? Brook is the musician and swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates crew. He is nicknamed 'Soul King' Brook because of his affinity towards music. Brook was initially a member of the Rumbar pirates crew, but he died. He was resurrected through the power of the devil fruit 'Yomi Yomi no Mi.' However, it took a number of tries for his soul to finally enter his body again, which is why his body was reduced to a skeleton. Only his afro remains from his original look. He drifted alone in the Florian Triangle for 50 years before meeting Luffy and becoming a part of his pirate crew. He currently has a bounty of 83,000,000. Brook's Appearance: Before his death, Brook was a tall, tan, and lean man with quite a distinctive face. He had a goatee and sideburns on his cheeks as well. He would always wear sunglasses that covered his eyes. His sense of style and look resembled that of rockstars like Ozzy Osborne, Slash, and Jimmy Hendrix. There was a scar on his forehead resembling a diagonal omega symbol. After his death, Brook became a skeleton that stood tall with a height of 266cm. His scar is still there as a distinctive crack across his skull. He has also retained his afro hair as it has strong roots, according to Brook. However, he could not keep any other body part as his soul took too many tries to be resurrected. His fashion changes in every arc, but his clothes usually have a similar theme. Brook always wears coats as he is very tall and they suit him very well. He is the tallest member of Luffy's pirate crew. Brook's Abilities: Before Ressurection Brook ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi to resurrect himself back to life once. He eventually learned to tap deeper into the powers of his Devil Fruit, and it gave him significant control over his own soul and the souls of others. Brook's ultimate dream is to unite with his old friend, Laboon, at the Reverse Mountain where he lives with Crocus. He is a veteran pirate as he was in a crew before his death as well. However, the time he spent in the Florian triangle has eroded his knowledge of modern society. Brook always has a comic element to his fights, like making his crewmates fall asleep during the fight, tricking his opponent, playing dead in the middle of the fight, or launching himself at the opponent without any prior thought. Brook's Abilities: After Ressurection Although he has a very silly personality, he is a formidable swordsman. Brook had proved to be an asset to the Straw Hats crew during their encounters with Thriller Bark's dangerous inhabitants. He can be quite smart and shrewd during fights, even being able to deceive his opponents to think that he was on their side. Since Brook has a skeletal body, he can perform certain acts that would otherwise be impossible for him. He will be alive as long as his skeleton remains solid and intact, and he can also easily repair any bone damage by just drinking some milk (Intermezzo: Preparation). He can even survive having his head totally severed from his body, continue to talk, smell, and see while it is detached. But he still does feel pain. Brook is also resistant to lightning strikes, high or low temperatures because he does not have any flesh left to burn. He does not age and still keeps on growing stronger despite being 90 years old by now. He can store objects inside his skull, such as a Tone Dial and Poneglyph rubbings, as seen in the anime. Brook also has the power to shield himself from Caesar's Shinokuni gas. Because of his light body, he can jump extremely high, run on water without sinking, and is the fastest member of the pirate crew. He uses this speed in battle, which allows him to easily and quickly take down his opponents. Brook was able to purify all the soldier zombies before any of them could react and was capable of catching Emperor Big Mom and her homies off guard during their battle. Will Brook die in the anime series? Brook is shown to be immortal as he has already died once. During his time with the Rumbar pirates, they travelled across the Grand line and fought all the challenges the sea had to offer. However, their captain Yorki and a few others caught an incurable disease while exploring in a forest. Yorki and the infected few decided to take the Rumbar pirates' first ship to escape the grand line by sailing through the Calm belt. Brook and the other uninfected pirates continued on their journey on a new ship, with Brook acting as the captain. Their exploration was going well till they reached the Florian Triangle. Here, they were attacked by enemy pirates who turned out to be too powerful for them. Brook and a few of his crewmates were barely able to survive the attack. They escaped, but their weapons were laced with poison, and their team doctor had also been killed. They were slowly wasting away. Brook knew his body would not be able to survive this attack, so he ate the Yomi Yomi no mi Devil Fruit. He died after some time due to the poison but got resurrected again in his skeleton form as he had eaten the Devil Fruit. But he could only retain his skeleton form as his soul took too many tries to be resurrected again. Since Brook has already died and come back to life once, I think the real question fans want to ask is, can Brook die again? The answer is yes, if his skeleton is destroyed, and if not then could live an eternal life. Also Read: Will Keisuke Baji Die In Tokyo Revengers? Read the full article

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rueririn · 2 years

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Kind of hope Brook reveals he has also come back with his memories...but after living for so long twice, he's stopped reaching the heights of piracy for the far less active, peaceful life of an international rock star and is gonna take Laboon on a round the world tour.

Oooh! Honestly that would be so warming and sweet as a way to close Brook's chapter on life. He's just a set of weary old bones, wanting to sing. Wish I thought of this before I put in some plans.

I've recently come to realize that if the ones to return weren't a very homesick Nami and Usopp, they may have taken a similar route to Coby, but with Buggy's intentions. Just doing whatever they want, because they don't really have more to wish for except happiness. A Zoro that's already the greatest swordsman has no reason to fervently look for Mihawk again, and a Chopper that already knows how to heal every disease in the world is better off building a legendary hospital than exploring the world. I could probably say the same for Robin and Sanji, who know that becoming too prominent only makes their situation worse for the people around them. It's not that they wouldn't want to stay with the crew-- just that they would bite the bullet and maybe choose to look for other reasons to live. Of course, some would stay with the crew for nostalgia's sake, but not for a pressuring reason like Nami and Usopp. Just for fun.

Much more, a Luffy that's already become Pirate King once may choose spend more time wandering the New World like Whitebeard, rather than spearheading toward Raftel like canon.

Just things to think of. Maybe one day I'll write an extra on these alternative possibilities.

#ariswrites #of pop greens and tangerines

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kingsragesqueal · 2 years

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u ever just. think about how Brook was alone for 50 odd years. on a huge ass ship surrounded by the remains of his dead crewmates. and he just ,, lived life ,, doing silly things and making silly jokes and talking to himself bc a ship is meant to be where nakama gather and rejoice and fight and protect each other and he just ,, sometimes thought he’d dreamt the whole thing and that his crew was alive and he had skin and flesh and he’d be so happy and then. it hit him that he wasn’t dreaming ... and he’d look down and see his hands and realize one more time that he’d been reduced to bones and that the ship was silent ,, and he couldn’t even get back to Laboon bc the rudder was broken so his one living friend would never know what happened to them ,,

bc i don’t lol why would anyone think about that haha who cries over a dumb skeleton and a whale hahaha ,,,,

#sam watches one piece #sometimes u gotta laugh thru the pain!! or sing bink's sake either one

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opbackgrounds · 4 years

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I would love it if you did a post on Brook and why he is awesome

Okay, so first things, like Robin, my love for Brook is in no way objective. I love music, and as a kid I took lessons for violin, piano, viola, and cello. I know how to sing an alto line and will listen to just about anything once, just to know what it sounds like. There are few things that give me more joy than learning about new artists or interments. I’m going to get into this more once we hit the Skypiea arc, but One Piece has a surprising musicality for a medium that doesn’t convey sound. Yes, the anime exists, but Oda has gone out of his way to make music an important part of a story that’s originally nothing but paper and ink, and I think that’s something that’s worth talking about.

More than that, I’ve been a nurse for almost ten years now, and I’ve worked that entire time in long term care. My entire career is based around taking care of old people, and in some ways Brook reminds me of some of the residents I’ve had, many of whom have passed on.

Most shonen series are focused on characters who are kids. It makes sense—they’re the same age as the target audience, and therefore easy to relate to. Heck, the first six crew members are teenagers when they’re introduced, and I’m sure that was intentional on Oda’s part.

But since then, each new Straw Hat Pirate has been an adult, with adult circumstances and problems. Brook, in particular, deals with trauma that is almost always unique to his stage of life.

There is a specific type of grief that comes with aging that’s hard to describe unless you deal with it every day. It’s quieter, less noticeable to the point other people tend to forget about it unless you bring it up. Which in turn tends to exacerbate everyone around you, because why should you still be sad that your siblings died 15 years ago, or your last surviving friend just got diagnosed with cancer, or you’re not able to do the things you once enjoyed because of your arthritis? You’re old. That’s what happens to old people.

(As an aside, I think we as a culture could stand to be nicer to the elderly, but that’s a topic for another day.)

Brook is an old man. He has literally died and come back to life and has outlived everyone he knew from Before. The tragedy of his story isn’t a punch in the gut like it is for a lot of One Piece flashbacks, but the slowly dawning horror when you realize that he was alone for fifty years.

Fifty. Years.

I wrote on my main once about how Brook’s backstory and induction into the crew is written differently than the other Straw Hats (https://creative-type.tumblr.com/post/166349846101/tragedy-without-melodrama). His flashback comes at the very end of Thriller Bark, after the climax of the story. Imagine getting Robin’s backstory after “I wanna live” or Nami’s after the walk to Arlong Park. It just doesn’t work.

That’s because Brook’s flashback is about closure. The audience already knows his connection to Laboon. We already know how he came to be a skeleton. We already know why his ‘fro is so important to him. We know all there is to know, so Oda lets the Rumbar Pirates have their swan song with grace and dignity, allowing Brook to move seamlessly into his second chance at life.

There are three Straw Hats that deal with the theme of loneliness in some way: Chopper, Robin, and Brook. Chopper was rejected, Robin persecuted, and Brook was physically isolated. There’s no doubting that sailing alone on a broken ship with nothing but the bones of his dead friends for company took its toll (I for one don’t think Brook’s completely sane) but despite struggling with his burden of loneliness the longest, Brook doesn’t have the angst Robin and Chopper suffered through during their main arcs. He has somehow remained unflinchingly, relentlessly positive and optimistic, despite having every reason not to be. He says it best during his introduction—He’s just glad to be alive.

And again, maybe it’s because I deal with the elderly almost every day, but that means something to me. Getting old isn’t for the faint of heart, and while Brook doesn’t have the same ailments that tend to plague most older people, he’s never going to be mistaken as a regular person. He’s a living, breathing (without lungs!) skeleton. He clings to the only bit of him that remains unchanged from his first life because he’s terrified of what might happen if he relinquishes that last bit of normalcy, but he doesn’t obsess about what he’s lost. Instead he tries new things, makes new friends, goes out on a new adventure. Brook isn’t content to just be alive, he wants to truly live.

It’s this mindset that helps us understand his role in the crew. There is nothing about Brook that is necessary. He’s a swordsmen whose skills pale to Zoro’s. The Straw Hats made it 400 chapters without him, and they could have gone 400 more if they had to. His dream in no way affects the main plot. But the Straw Hat Pirates without Brook is like life without music. Sure, you can get by, but he makes the good times better and the difficult times a little bit easier to bear, both with his music and by simple virtue of who he is as a person.

I want to be Brook when I’m 90 years old. Heck, I’d consider it a win if I could be half as positive as he is. I’m so thankful Oda decided to include him in his story, because I think kids need to be exposed to characters who aren’t aren’t their age.

There’s so much more I could cover here, but this is getting pretty long so I’ll end by saying I think Brook’s powers are cool as hell and I laugh at his stupid puns more often than I should. To see his progression from Thriller Bark to the confidence he displayed during Whole Cake Island was a delight, and I hope he gets more time to shine in Wano. I mean what good is getting old if you don’t use your privilege to sass Emperors?

And, no, his panty jokes to bother me. Like I said, my love for Brook is irrational, and I think he’s hilarious. I bet he’s got a collection of them hidden away somewhere from fan girls, and you know what? Good for him.

#one piece #opbackgrounds #brook #long post #the only thing that would make Brook better is if Oda gave him a photoplayer #this is the hill I have chosen to die on #Please Oda I am begging you #sarc talks

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one-piece-dumpster-fire · 4 years

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C, D, and J for Brook please?

Yesssss, of course :D!

Fluff Alphabet- Brook

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

Usually Brook instantly begins to panic as well when he notices that there is something wrong with you or that you're not feeling well, and it takes a moment for him to compose himself again so he can be (properly) there for you. Once he got his thoughts sorted out, the skeleton will go through with his three-step-plan for situations like this, which consists of A. Physical support, B. Vocal support and C. Emotional support. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable right now, and if he could he would pull you into a hug or cuddle session, but you know... because of his hard and pointy bones that's not really the smartest idea- so instead, he assembles as many blankets and pillows as possible to make it nice and cozy for you and him. The next step basically just involves talking, about whatever crosses your thoughts- his goal is to ease your mind a bit, and the skeleton has a rather soothing voice which he will use as good as possible to make you feel comforted and loved. Lastly it's the emotional support, which means that Brook will try and talk about what it is that's bothering you, all while being careful not to push you or anything! Once he’s certain that you are somewhat calm and okay again, he will rest his head against your chest and let his soft afro tickle your skin like an extra soft pillow, beckoning you to relax and think about something nice while you can hold onto your skeleton boyfriend for as long as you please.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Brook is a rather simple man with simple dreams, at least as far as his future with you is concerned- once his pirating voyage has come to a close, he would love to live at the Twin Cap with both you and Laboon, free of all worry and happy to spend the rest of his afterlife with the one person (and whale) he loves the most. Back when he was still alive Brook never thought that he might settle down one day, but the voyage with his crew as well as his blossoming love for you really started to make him think about what he should do next. Well, a peaceful life like that definitely doesn’t sound bad now, especially if you would be there by his side!

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

It's not easy to make Brook jealous, but when he goes there, he goes there HARD. The skeleton is definitely trying his best to be patient and reminds himself that getting worked up over something as insignificant as you spending time with someone else isn’t worth it, but his foot is already aggressively tapping against the ground, almost as if he is ready to rush towards you at any given moment. Watching you hang out with whomever he is jealous of simply makes Brook more desperate and jealous as time goes on, and eventually he snaps and decides to step in. Imagine: you're in the middle of a pleasant conversation when your boyfriend suddenly crawls towards you, his bones rattling and clicking as he slowly gets up and groans like a zombie in a desperate attempt to scare your acquaintance away. Brook thinks he is sneaky and that you won't catch onto his plan, but let's be real- you can tell that he's jealous as soon as he starts waving with his hands, seemingly pretending to be a ghost. If you decide to ask him about what this is all about, the skeleton will simply say that this is just who he is, and refuses to admit that he’s pretending to be scary just so he can have you all to himself... Hah, but luckily things will get better once you reassure him and he realizes that you were really just having a fun talk and that there was nothing to worry about, which will even lead to Brook apologizing to whomever he was trying to scare off earlier.

#one piece #one piece brook #fluff event #op headcanon #one piece headcanon #one piece imagine

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whirlybirdwhat · 5 years

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that Slytherin au

So remember that post a while back where I had a harry potter au for one piece where all the Strawhats were in slytherin due to their strong ambition present at an early age to achieve their dreams? No? well here it is anyway lol

Check out this post for some more reasoning behind the idea – note that I do headcanon some characters to not be slytherin, but for the sake of this au and the actual technicalities of the Sorting Hat theyre in Slytherin.

Here we go!

AU will start off with Luffy as a first year, and all canon age differences, meaning Usopp is in his grade, Nami’s one year older than them, Sanji and Zoro above her, and the rest Adults!

Save for Chopper – a special case, a mythical creature raised as human by Hiruluk in the northern mountain range. He looks somewhat more human than canon but is definitely a reindeer. When Hiruluk died and he was given to the care of Kureha, she sent him to Hogwarts (after a few years of learning from her) due to his wish to know more. He was accepted as a political ploy as an olive branch to other magical creatures – ‘ we accept you!’. He doesn’t care. He might be furry but he’s here to learn and be the best healer ever!!! Hence, Slytherin, the boys got ambition and needs some powerful families to back him up! He is in Luffy’s grade, even though he’s younger (technically)

The biggest reason for the Strawhats to be in this House is because of their ambition - but there are other reasons too!

Sanji is from a family of Gryffindors – heroes who are anything but. He wants to be the exact opposite of them in any way he can. When Zeff adopts him, he unlearns his family taught prejudices against Slytherins and when he goes to Hogwarts, tells the sorting hat in no uncertain terms that he wants to be in Slytherin.

Nami herself is cunning, and I would place her in Slytherin even if this wasn’t a Slytherin Au. She’s the perfect slytherin down to the T except for one thing – she doesn’t know her magical origin, as she was adopted at a young age. She gets a lot of shit for that, which she gives right back, as well as taking some money along the way! She also doesn’t fall in with the Magic is Superior ideology that many of her peers have – magic didn’t save her town, or Bell-mere, or her orange trees, magic isn’t superior. Magic is a tool to her, not a way of life, and science can help a lot! For instance, she made the Climatact Spell Set, with help from Usopp, which combines her knowledge of weather patterns, the environment, brief weather spells, and heat and cool manipulation spells, to create weather based attacks. For instance – it takes a lot of energy to summon and sustain/direct a storm… but if Nami can create one with use of low power cooling/heating spells and the environment – she can do a lot.

- More Below!

A zoro that is Cursed to always be lost is something that I’ve seen often and Im HERE FOR IT! If someone could direct me to the original creator of that headcanon I would love to credit them for it! To Be Clear AGAIN this idea is not mine, but I want to credit whoever’s it is because I love it.

That aside, Zoro is like Nami in that he doesn’t know his magical heritage. However, as a child he got the misguided idea that more wand equals more power, which he somehow manages to make actually work. Thus, Zoro has three wands, each with powerful beginnings. Im thinking powerful dragon heartstrings core for one wand, Thestral for Kitetsu, and Rougarou hair for the last sword – Zoro’s a bloodthirsty kid and he needs some bloodthirsty wands :/

Usopp’s a halfblood! He’s kinda scared of Hogwarts as his magical parent (Yasopp) has kinda been outta the picture for the most part, but he’s ready for this!! As soon as the kid practically vibrating with excitement to his left doesn’t explode. Usopp originally desired to be part of Gryffindor – house of the Brave, right? But after talking to Luffy, he’s not so sure. He wants to be his own hero – all on his own, not because he part of the hero, brave house. When Luffy is sorted before him into Slytherin, Usopp makes the descsion to follow him, and follow his goal. He’ll show the world he can be the best!!

He grows to be really good at herbology and potions – an odd mix, but you know whats odder? Mixing the two to chuck at people for pranks then turning it into your fighting style. Go Usopp!

Brook’s a cursed ghost – he’s bound to his living body, but the body’s just bones and bones lol. He makes it work – people know him first as the Soul King after all! He can barely remember his school days, but hes vaguely sure he was in slytherin – he remembers many parties held in dungeons, looking out to the lake for sightings of a curious aquatic beast (Laboon!)

Franky’s still a shipwright, but of ~magic~ ships. His brother’s ships are better known, but his are more sought after by… certain people (more on that later.) When he was a kid, he walked straight into Hogwarts, looked for the table that had the people who would buy his stuff, and told the sorting hat he wanted to go there. Later, he runs more with the Gryffindor crowd, regretting his choice, but when he makes friends with a first Year who tells him where to find some Adam Wood in the Forbidden Forest, he stops regretting it so much.

Robin has a very shady past, and she’s only at Hogwarts for a year before disappearing into the world. She has an odd type of magic, somewhat like pareseltoungue, that allows her to read coded and ancient languages with some studying (our girl still puts in a lot of effort though!) She reappears many years later during Luffy’s first (possibly second) year, and becomes the new history teacher (sorry professor Binns!) People find her scary and suspicious, but Luffy likes to talk to her after class, when she tells him history more like a story than a lesson! She’s very good at duplication magic.

LUFFY. This boy. Where to start – he’s from a pureblood family, not that he cares, and has some serious magic talent – which he plans on using to travel the world and find the mysterious One Piece – a fabled artifact said to have one’s wishes granted. Luffy wants it to be free (his home life with Garp isn’t very good.) He has a couple famous brothers who have been through Hogwarts – Ace and Sabo, both Gryffindors and pretty big shots around Campus. No one knew they were brothers til Luffy busted into Gryfindor Dorms one night and looked for them. Luffy is exetremly good with nonverbal magic (something in this universe that will be elaborated on, as it features into Nami’s magic as well), not so much with verbal as the pronunciation trips him up. Potions is also hard and if it were not a required class he’d have been kicked out.

Will touch on Jimbe later once I figure him out

Now. Perhaps you are wondering – why do a bunch of kids have developed fighting abilities? Well – take a look at the plot.

This takes place not only in a Harry Potter setting, but in Harry’s own world as well. Meaning – Voldemort is rising, Harry’s still the chosen one, yadda yadda yadda. But do you honestly think that Voldemort is the only magical evil? That there isn’t a magical underworld not involved with his horrible schemes?

Cause there is one – and Luffy and crew are neck deep in it. While Harry and co. are off fighting Voldemort, Luffy is ‘sneaking’ around fighting big time criminals.

Imagine – this eleven year old child comes up to you, a big mob boss, and absolutely destroys you. That’s Luffy.

Underage Magic? You think Garp, head of something or other in the Ministry of Magic, is going to stop that from training his criminal grandsons to be the best Aurors they can be? He knows how to undo the spell (there must be something at Hogwarts that blocks the ministry from being informed of spell use during the school year!) and Luffy has been casting magic like it was second nature since he was real young. He’s taught it to his friends too!

So plotwise, its basically the school reacting to the Straw Hats, who don’t seem to be friends but are, the odd noticings of what their doing while Canon plot goes on, and the inevitable suspicion from Harry.

But oh? What about the ship thing? What’s Franky Doing with that?

Luffy is forever a pirate – and the sea is one magical thing I have yet to be seen explored in the Harry Potter Universe. Therefore – free realestate!!! Luffy’s going to be a magic pirate when he grows up, he’s been telling everyone this since he first met Shanks, and maybe no one believes him now but it’ll happen! Magic Pirates!! Yay!!!

That’s all I have for now, so send me questions if you have any! I might make this into (another) drabble series, or maybe just one big one shot. We’ll see!!!

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guilty-lights · 5 years

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Straw-Hat Pirates Death Headcanons

So someone on one my fics took up on my enthusiastic invitation in my end-author notes to ask me about my death headcanons for the Straw-Hat Pirates. (Shoutout to Jeanne-Crab on ao3 for that comment!) I was typing out my answer to that question and realised that I had Way More To Say About It Than I Thought, so I thought i might as well put it up as a post on my tumblr!

I’ll split this into two parts; my headcanons for SHP’s deaths as I think it could happen in canon, and then specifically in how it would happen in the universe as set in my fic, like the seas, you live on (in me). (Shameless plug here: If you like zosan, and also appreciate angst and hurt/comfort, read my fic? It’s zosan-but-kind-of-not-but-also-kinda-is, it’s complicated, but it’s 30k and I worked Super Hard on it and I personally think it’s pretty good so if please give it a shot! Do Read The Tags Before Reading It, Though, because I would never want to cause people unnecessarily extreme distress. And read my other fics too if you want WHOOP) Anyway, without ado, here’s my headcanons for Straw-Hat Pirates’ deaths. This is a very very Very Long post, so buckle up:

AS PER CANON

First off: Everybody, by the time of their death, has achieved their life’s dreams, because of course they have. (I won’t hear of anything otherwise, go away!!)

Luffy: Luffy dies in the war on Raftel, or wherever the final battle for being Pirate King happens. He definitely becomes Pirate King, don't get me wrong, but he dies very soon after because of his injuries and because of the amount of his lifespan he has traded in using his Gears. This is the one headcanon I think (FEAR) will happen - Oda's constant allusion to Luffy's lifespan in his use of Gears and things like that just feels so suspect to me in this regard...

Luffy is buried near where Ace is, because that's what he would've wanted and so that's what the Straw-Hat Pirates did. Not right next to Ace (because that would mean Luffy’s also buried right next to Whitebeard and that doesn't feel right to me for some reason), but somewhere close by, either on the other side of the same island or on an island very, very close by. His emblematic pirate flag is erected on his grave, and its symbol flaps ceaselessly in the wind, always in the direction of where the sea is closest to. (And next to a village called Foosha, however, deep in the heart of a mountain called Mt. Colubo, a monument to a boy is erected posthumously by the mountain bandits and villagers who live there, at the base of a tree where a dilapidated treehouse still stands despite all the years.)

Luffy is the only one to die so young; the rest don't die until years later. By that time, though, they've long stopped sailing together as the Straw-Hat Pirates. Think of it like how Gol D. Roger's pirates split themselves off after the death of their captain; they're still friends for sure, and they hold each other as very precious, but there is no point or need to sail together as pirates anymore after the death of their captain, whom they have rallied themselves with.

For the rest, I'm not sure who will die first, because within the One Piece canon literally So Many Things can happen, but here’s their burial arrangements:

Brook: Brook was interesting to figure out, because he's technically already died once before. I was trying to work out what the implications of his devil fruit is (is he immortal? But given the reverence given to Law's Immortality Surgery, that doesn't seem likely), and I decided that users of Brook's devil fruit will go once they decide it's time to just...go. So that's what Brook did. He lived until Laboon finally passes on, to make sure Laboon is never left behind again, and then he gathers the rest of the Straw-Hat Pirates in one place, says his goodbyes, and simply...leaves. His bones collapse on the ground with no spirit to hold them up, and per his request his bones are scattered over West Blue. His violin and sword cane are erected as part of a monument next to Luffy’s grave.

Robin: I’m not precisely sure HOW Robin would die, but probably for her she would die quite peacefully, of old age. Frankly speaking, after all she’s been put through from childhood to adulthood, she deserves a little peace at least at the end of her life. Robin’s monument next to Luffy’s grave is a simple pair of crossed arms made of pale marble (one of the hands holds a book). Her body isn’t buried there, however; in the West Blue, on a barren stretch of scorched land that people say used to be called Ohara, a singular grave can be found in the centre of it.

Franky: His monument next to Luffy’s grave is of his blue metal forearms (one of which is holding a little hammer). Franky's grave of his human parts, however, are buried on Water 7, at the spot where him and Iceburg and Tom used to work on trains together. A mini replica of Sunny shaped out of metal is on top of it, to tell everyone that the shipwright that built the second pirate ship that ever sailed to Raftel lies here.

Usopp: Unlike everybody else, Usopp asks to have his burial place split into two places. To make this easier, he’s cremated. One half of his ashes is buried in Syrup Village, next to his mother’s grave, and the other half of him is buried under a monument next to Luffy’s. On his monument are the words, “The Bravest Warrior of the Sea, Sniper Usopp, A Giant Among Men” (or words to that effect). His crewmates chose those words for him. His Sogeking mask is hung on his monument. His grave in Syrup Village, however, is much simpler; his original green slingshot is fastened to it (and will slowly wear down, over the years, to an unrecognisable sun-bleached stump), and on it are the words “The greatest liar of Syrup Village that has ever lived”.

Nami: Nami also gets a monument next to Luffy’s grave. (Okay right at this point just assume that every Straw-Hat Pirate has a monument next to Luffy’s grave!!) However, like Robin and Franky, her monument doesn’t have her body. Nami is buried at Cocoyashi, at the cliff overlooking the sea where her mother Belle-mere was (and where her sister is/was buried too, depending whether Nami dies before or after Nojiko does). With her in the grave is the original copy of the world map she has made, her greatest triumph.

Zoro: Zoro probably dies the most second most violent death after Luffy, what with being the world’s greatest swordsman and all. Probably he is killed/ mortally wounded by someone who comes to take his title, as he probably did to Mihawk before him. He’s cremated, and his ashes are buried next to Luffy’s as Luffy’s first mate and right-hand man (Zoro is first mate even if it was never officially stated!!!). His swords, however, are a different story; Wado Ichimonji I believe Zoro requests to be brought back to Shimotsuki, and put next to Kuina’s grave. As for the other two swords, I don’t know HOW precisely it will happen but it’s left out in the wide world for whoever is worthy to wield them again, because I think Zoro wouldn’t believe in keeping the blades for himself post-mortem.

Sanji: He also gets a monument next to Luffy. His body, however, is not there; when Sanji dies he is cremated and his ashes are scattered throughout All-Blue, where a floating restaurant called the Baratie now stays; the most famous restaurant there is in the entire world, and it’s unique in that no matter who you are, if you are hungry and come through the door, you get to eat.

Chopper: He’s probably the last one to die, I think. Not only because he’s the youngest but also because he’s a doctor, I’m sure he knows how to heal himself up whenever he gets sick. His body is buried next to Luffy’s grave, but on Drum Island, there is a monument with a distinctive hat design erected underneath the base of a sakura tree; the tree, despite the wintry climate of the island, blooms pink and full all year round. (Chopper worked with Usopp on genetically developing a sakura horticulture that could do that, before their deaths).

Jinbe: Jinbe buried underneath the sea, but close to where sunlight will always shine bright because that has always been the fishmen’s dream. His underwater grave bears his past as a Sun Pirate and all the contributions and sacrifices he has made for his people, but his monument on land, he is noted (like all the others), as a most dearly and beloved member of the Straw-Hat Pirates, one whose loyalty never wavered, up until the end.

Monuments of Going Merry and Thousand Sunny are erected, because ships are crewmates too.

AS PER MY FIC’S UNIVERSE

In terms of burial arrangements, everything I said about all the Straw-Hats above are applicable here (unless stated otherwise below), PLUS what I will say here below:

Robin and Franky: I think in my fic, Robin and Franky would be the first to die, because they're the oldest (save for Brook). In my fic’s universe it is Never Mentioned but Franky and Robin are as good as married, and had spent their whole lives together (I'm sorry but Frobin is Real to me and you can pry it out of my cold dead hands). Their monuments are side-by-side next to Luffy's. On top of their monuments holding their respective items, their monuments' hands hold each other's.

Chopper: Chopper has yet to die at the time of my fic, but when he does, whatever I described above will apply. At the point of the fic he has already worked out the horticulture of the ever-blooming sakura tree and it has already been planted in Drum Island, and has been growing steadily for years.

Zoro and Sanji: Zoro and Sanji have yet to die at the time of my fic. Their burial arrangements would be the same, however. As for HOW they might die, I recommend you read my fic to find out! (I can’t give away all my cards, obviously.)

That’s all! This has become an awfully long post, and I commend you if you managed to reach this far to the end. Let me know what you think of this: do you agree? Disagree? I would love to discuss this with people, it would be very fascinating, no matter how thoroughly sad. In the meantime, if you’d like to read any one piece fanfiction, feel free to check out my ao3 :)

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fuckusernamemes · 5 years

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Don’t look so down for tomorrow the moon will rise again

Read here on AO3

In the fifty years Brook aimlessly wanders the fog-covered waters of the Florian Triangle, he listens to the tone dial countless times.

He plays it over and over, sings along with the voices of the deceased, and finds meager comfort in his misery.

On this ship, half tortured and half consoled by the apparitions and mirages of his former crew, Brook sometimes forgets he’s human. He no longer requires food or water—he’s a skeleton now after all. He no longer has organs that demand sustenance, no longer has skin to care for, doesn’t even have lungs with which to breathe air. He can’t even feel pain anymore.

Because of this, coupled with the haunting sight that greets him every time he catches sight of his reflection, Brook almost forgets he’s person.

He’s also alone. Isolated from the rest of the world. Surrounded on all sides by thick, impenetrable fog. It feels as though he may be the only one creature in existence.

His only solace of sanity is the tone dial. The voices of his old friends and him, joyfully singing even in their last moments. It reminds him of who he is. Reminds him of what he has left. Reminds him that he exists.

For fifty years, it is all he has.

For all accounts, the last song of the Rumbar Pirates is lively and upbeat. Their voices are strong and cheery, the music their instruments produce is beautiful and carefree, and the way they sing and play is warm and jolly. But as the song continues, it’s obvious that this is a final ballad. The voices and instruments fading away one by one, coupled with the faint sound of bodies hitting the floor.

Towards the end, there’s Brook’s voice as well. No longer singing but talking. Joking and light then heavy and sorrowful as he counts down.

“Where is everyone? This has turned into a quartet.”

Thud.

“A trio…”

Thud.

“…A duet.”

Thud.

“…A solo.”

The music doesn’t falter even once. It remains as lively as it was when the song started.

“What is this? Why is the accompaniment the last to go?!”

The piano fades out slowly. It’s followed by a thud. After that a long, empty silence follows.

Luffy has only heard the last song of the Rumbar Pirates once. It was beautiful and jolly and was stopped right as the voices started to lessen. There’s more to it, he knows. It was their last song in their last moments. It was gift to their final friend.

The only thing Luffy knows about the old crew is what Brook has told them and what he has heard from the song. But he knows that the song only ends because there is no one left to sing it.

Luffy has never heard the end of the recording and he’s fine with that. Brook is his crewmate now. His friend—his family. But this is something special to Brook. Between him and Laboon—the last remnants of a long dead pirate crew.

Still though, when Brook reunites with Laboon, he hopes he’ll be able to hear the rest of it. It’s a beautiful song. The Rumbar Pirates really were master musicians.

In their own way, the Straw Hat Pirates are a lot like the Rumbar Pirates. A jolly crew of good, if somewhat odd people. A lively, rowdy bunch of people traveling carelessly across the seas in search of adventure and freedom.

That being said, there are a lot of differences. The Straw Hats are a much smaller crew with practically no hierarchy or order. The Rumbar Pirates, while sometimes lax with status, were still a pirate crew. Friends and brothers in arms but still deferring to the hierarchy of every pirate crew. The Straw Hats, on the other hand, are as much a family as one can get. Brothers and sisters nagging and tussling with one another. Disorganized and chaotic. Had he not seen them in action, he might doubt how well they could work together. That being said, there is no hiding how close-knit they all are.

The Straw Hats are crash and often rough with each other, but never mean. They care, aggressively and wholeheartedly, for one another. They are loud, and vibrant, and lively, and in the short time Brook has sailed on their ship, there has never been a dull moment.

Brook has not felt this happy in years.

No longer is there quiet that his voice strains to banish. No longer is there darkness he can’t see the end of. No longer is there stillness that he desperately wishes to be rid of.

Brook is alive. He feels alive. For the first time in fifty years, Brook is happy.

(It brings tears to his eyes—ah! Not that he has eyes anymore! He’s all bones after all! Skull Joke!)

#op #monkey d. luffy #one piece #dead bones brook #soul king #brook #thriller bark #strawhat pirates #mine

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onepiece-imagines-bartoloclub · 5 years

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(Decided to work on a different headcannon while I fix the first one, been getting writer's block with that one and I don't wanna leave yall empty handed. Still trying to figure out how to write these headcannons so bare with me if this one seems like a weird mix of a headcannon and scenario. Thank you @bootyshakerkegrimm for the request, I hope you enjoy! 💖❤💖❤💖❤💖❤)

~ How Brook would propose to his fem s.o ~

•The day, a year beforehand, when his s.o asked him "Hey Brook, how do you feel about marriage?", his response may have consisted of a skeleton joke and a tiny bit of denial in his mind about the possibility, the numbers of months afterwards left him pondering and considering the question. Now, he knows that now is the right time and he wants to make it great.

•It would start off as a long and strenuous set of days planning and coming up with ideas in his room. He'd spend most of his days there, except for when he wants to play something for his crew to ease his nerves, with his floor full of balls of paper with unfinished sheets.

•An idea comes to his mind and he asks Robin for help, since she can keep a secret much better than the rest of the crew. She goes and talks to Nami and Jinbei about the the specific location they're at and their responses left Brook much more hopeful about how well his plan will be executed.

•A few weeks pass by an Brook's confidence skyrockets as he Sanji and Franky's help. Nami finds out and surprisingly offers him her assistance with keeping Luffy, Zoro, Chopper and his s.o busy, but while the service may be free there are some future "fees" that he'll have to repay.

•Robin takes her to the main deck while having her wear a blindfold. With slight confusion, she goes along with this since she knows not to question the archeologist. When they reach the grassy deck, it was unsually quiet, save for some idle chattering she can hear; Robin unties the blindfold and his s.o was confused by the sight that greeted her.

•The lights Franky installed made it easy to see the crew during the night as the strawhats were scattered around the deck, with Usopp, Luffy and Chopper sitting on the floor and talking to each other with Robin reading a book next to them. Sanji was nowhere to be seen and Jinbe and Franky were near the helm on top of Robin and Brook's s.o and Zoro was sleeping near the door.

•But in the middle of the deck stood Brook, clad in a white suit and hat, his violin was in one of his hands while his other arm was behind his back, he stood tall and proud as the chatter quieted down when they notice his s.o walk onto the grassy deck. She goes to Brook, confused about what the suprise was.

•He puts his violin down and grabs one of her hands in his, while keeping his other arm behind him.

"Y/N, having been a guard of a royal family, I know this occasion should've been much more formal, but I know these standards don't apply to pirates. But, for years you've made me feel like I'm worth more even with my... physical limits. In all of those years with you, I've never felt more alive, even though I died! You stayed with me for so long, and I just want to stay with you for as long as my old bones stay active and play music for you, so.... I wanted to ask you this." He kneels on one leg, lowering to their height, and removes his arm from his back.

•She gasps when he pulls out a gold ring, his gaze never leaving hers. "Y/N, will you give this skeleton the honor of--" "YES!" She tackles him with a hug, almost knocking him to the ground and the audience chuckles, give it a strawhat credit for breaking the moment. He hugs her close while giving Franky a nod.

•Even while covered in tears, Franky presses a button and a lot of speakers come out and more lights turn on. She looks around and at Brook, whose hair is covering their view. He slowly stands up while hugging them and lead them to the railing of the deck.

"With Nami and Jinbe's help, I knew this would be the perfect moment to ask. Look." She looks out into the ocean and see large bodies sprout from the water, loud droaning can be heard as she sees the backs of large whales around the ship. The speakers turn on and out comes a slower version of Bink's Sake, a version that she recognizes was done by Brook.

•He places the ring into her finger and steps away from her and offers her his hand, she grabs it and they interlock as their feet move automatically while the music plays. They slowly dance in each other's arms while the whales harmonize, enjoying the music. The moment was perfect, they didn't even notice that they've been in each other's arms and dancing even after Sanji brought out a large cake for the crew.

•Nobody thought to disturb them as they hugged each other close. It took until the deck was only occupied with a few sleeping crewmembers and the song to end for them to stop slow dancing. They look around at the nearly empty deck and laugh.

"It seems we got too caught up in our little world. Though I wouldn't mind if that were the cause, ain't that right Brook?"

"I might agree with you, but how would I play music for my crew?"

"Speaking of playing, why did you bring your violin if you weren't going to play it?"

"Presentation, I wanted to dance with you AND play a special song, but I can only do so much. I'm a skeleton but not as handy as Robin, yohoho!"

"What about the whales?"

"They sing beautifully, and it reminds me of Laboon. It made me feel like I was with my the two most important people in my life."

"What did I ever do to get someone like you?"

"Yohohoho! I should be the one to ask you that! You've given this old man so much, it just makes my heart soar out of my ribcage, and I don't have a heart! Yohoho! No amount of paper in the world can fit a song about everything that I love about you."

"Thank you Brook, for everything."

"No, thank you giving me life."

•Their night is sealed with a kiss, his proposal might not be as extravagant or traditional, but she loved it regardless and still chose to be with him of all people. If they decide to make a proper wedding, he hopes they get to Laboon or have it be live so that Crocus and Laboon can see it. He's just happy that starting now and onwards, it'll be the best second chance he's been given and he'll make sure to keep it that way.

#one piece #one piece headcannons #brook

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creative-type · 7 years

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Tragedy Without Melodrama

Webster defines melodrama as “a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions” and tragedy as “serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (such as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or terror”.

These two categories tend to overlap, but they don’t have to. It can be difficult to hit the sweet spot between genuine emotion and wangst, and it’s generally pretty easy to tell when an author has ham-fisted a tragic backstory for the sake of cheap drama.

One Piece has its fair share of exaggerated characters, and no one can deny that it’s meant to appeal to emotion over critical thought. When Oda has his audience feel pity over a boat you know you’re at least dabbling in the melodramatic, but there’s one particular backstory that stands out from the rest with its lack of melodrama, and that’s Brook’s.

The vast majority of the time Oda uses his backstories to help the audience recontextualize a character’s motivations and actions. Backstories in One Piece lay out dreams, clarify important historical events, and give the reader a reason to care. Most often they’re placed in high leverage situations to help raise the tension for later parts of the arc. Hell, in the manga Chopper’s backstory comes mid-punch.

Brook’s backstory is different. The important bits are sprinkled out throughout the Thriller Bark arc. The audience learns the pertinent pieces of information when they’re most relevant, and by the time he’s formally introduced to the crew his past with Laboon, his promise, and his preoccupation with his ‘fro are already explained.

Unless one counts Luffy (I don’t), then Usopp is the only other Straw Hat whose past is fully revealed at the end of their recruitment arc, and Merry’s (the character, not the boat) explanation to Kaya takes approximately three pages to get through.

(Pictured: Franky echoing the reader’s reaction for the benefit of those who forgot the random whale from 400 chapters ago)

When talking about all the ridiculously tragic backstories in One Piece, I feel like Brook’s sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. The guy spent 50 years alone on a boat with nothing but the remains of his dead companions for company. He lost his shadow and his pride when he was twice bested by Ryuuma. Sunlight harms him. He’s a walking, talking skeleton desperately clinging to the last vestiges of his humanity for the sake of a friend he’s not sure is alive, let alone willing to see him again.

And let’s not forget that Brook was the acting captain of the Rumbar Pirates at the time of their demise. He was responsible for their health and well-being, and he wasn’t strong enough to protect them any more than he was able to protect his former captain when he contracted a deadly disease.

Brook is so unflinchingly optimistic that it’s easy to forget how much his life sucks. There’s a fairly popular fan theory that he’s a few bones short of a skeleton, and canon shows some evidence to support that he might have - for lack of a better term - cracked under the strain of isolation.

But this tragedy doesn’t feel like tragedy, and that’s because Oda frames it within the context of victory. The Straw Hats have won the day. Everyone has had their shadows returned, and despite Zoro’s best efforts no one died. In true Straw Hat fashion there’s a party. Past and present are linked with a rousing rendition of Bink’s Sake, and I think it’s important that Luffy has already heard of the song through Shanks.

Also, here’s a cover of Bink’s Sake by a professional violinist. It’s awesome.

youtube

The lyrics of Bink’s Sake parallel Brook’s backstory. The first couple of stanzas talk about going out to sea and facing stormy seas, but then there’s a line about “the dawn will surely rise”, and that’s exactly where Brook is at this point in his (second) life. The upbeat, peppy tune the anime adds doesn’t hurt one bit with the overall tone Oda is going for.

As the Rumbar Pirates die off one by one, Brook remarks that all that’s left is the accompaniment, leaving the song incomplete. It is perfectly fitting, then, when this final swan song is intercut with Luffy and co. singing along while Brook plays the piano in the present day.

Coming in at approximately two chapters, Brook’s backstory doesn’t overstay its welcome. Oda isn’t concerned with dropping mind-blowing plot twists or adding cheap drama for the sake of an emotional response. Since the audience has already been given the broad details of his past, these two chapters are more for Brook’s sake than the reader.

Brook is the only Straw Hat who lived a relatively normal life into adulthood. The Rumbar Pirates were just as dear to him then as the Straw Hats are now. Brook’s backstory is about closure, and that’s why it’s framed the way it is. Oda allows the Rumbar Pirates to bow out with dignity and grace, lessening the blow of their deaths with the knowledge that the Straw Hat Pirates are a second chance to go along with his second life. This is punctuated when the Straw Hats build the Rumbar Pirates a memorial before setting off for Fishman Island while getting confirmation from Luffy that Laboon is still waiting for him.

Brook suffers just as much as anyone within the Straw Hat Pirates, but where other backstories are presented as the deepest lows that a character must climb out of, Brook’s is the story of the hope of a new dawn after a darkest night.

But that’s enough of me rambling. I think I’ll just let Brook speak for himself

#One Piece #Manga #Brook #Backstory #Rumbar Pirates #Writing #Analysis #creative-type analyzes

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