Summary:
After unexpectedly accepting Luffy’s invitation to join the Straw Hat Pirates, Brook boards the Thousand Sunny, where he is greeted by the anger and fear of the rest of the crew. Brook continues to ask Nico Robin and Nami to show their panties (which Nami stops) while Usopp tries to imagine that talking skeletons don’t exist. Brook is invited to dinner and marvels at both the ship and the fact that he hasn’t eaten in a long time (even though he doesn’t have the stomach to digest it). Although the skeleton claims to be a gentleman, he acts like he wants to eat, angering even Sanji. He eventually becomes cordial with the crew before dinner is finally served.
After dinner, Brook explains that he holds the power of the Yomi Yomi no Mi: although he was once part of the living crew, he and all his colleagues were destroyed and the fruit’s power, which originally only prevented him from swimming, left him. his soul will return after his death. But due to the mist, when he finally returned, his body disintegrated, leaving him living as a skeleton (but still with his afro hairstyle due to his “strong roots”). Nami remains doubtful of the story and decides to use the mirror to prove she is a ghost. But when Brook looks in the mirror, no reflection appears. Similarly unusual, the skeleton also had no shadow.
After the skeleton tries to avoid the subject, he explains that his shadow was stolen, preventing him from living in the sunlight and forcing him to remain in the shadows and mists of the Florian Triangle or be burned to nothingness. Yet even in the face of adverse circumstances, Brook remains optimistic about his life as he has finally met people and mended his lonely existence on his own ship. However, down on his luck, Brook turns away from his ideas of joining the Straw Hats, stating that he cannot join unless he gets his shadow back. Luffy tries to ask for help, but Brook refuses again, knowing that they won’t meet the “shadow thief”, but he might be trump card if they meet “him”.
Changing the subject again, Brook pulls out his violin and prepares to play a tune, exciting Luffy that he was a musician. But before he can begin, a ghost appears right in front of Brook, scaring him. Soon, Sunny is shaken as she is pulled into the gate of the wandering island of Thriller Bark, drawn to them after their encounter with the barrel. Nami notes that Log Pose didn’t respond to the island, but the skeleton explains that the island is from West Blue. Joyful at arriving on the island, Brook jumps onto the ship, says goodbye, and tells them to turn around and get out of here before approaching the surface due to his light frame. While the other Straw Hats seem to want to heed the skeleton’s warning, Luffy just smiles and tells them he wants to go to the island.