Following the tragic enemy attack in the One Piece anime series that kills the Rumbar Pirates, of which Brook was a member, he becomes stranded alone on a ship for decades in the form of a skeleton. His revival from death was a result of the effects of the Yomi Yomi no Mi, which, when Brook harnesses it, gives him the remarkable ability to control his soul.

Related

One Piece: 10 Most Memorable Brook Moments

Brook may not be the strongest or smartest member of the Strawhat crew, but he's definitely still had a few of his very own standout moments.

Brook was alone for many years before crossing paths with the Straw Hat Pirates. Amid conflicted emotions from the crew members, he eventually accepts the invitation to join the crew of pirates, who come to learn that despite his appearance, Brook is very well-mannered and polite. As the One Piece series develops, the undead music lover is seen making good friends, never again being lonely.

4 Roronoa Zoro

Brook's Fellow Swordsman

Zoro is one of the main supporting characters in the One Piece anime series and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Despite genuinely caring for his crewmates, Zoro prefers solitude, preferring not to interact much, and is often seen sleeping or training when they are not fighting. He is a skilled swordsman and a valuable member of the pirate crew. Zoro comes off as stern and severe, but beneath that is a chivalrous and selfless man.

Like the rest of his crew, except Luffy, Zoro was initially confused by Brook’s appearance. It also did not help that Luffy invited Brook to become a part of their crew, which made him hesitant towards the latter for more reasons than his appearance. Zoro is usually wary of new crew members because of the history of betrayal and distrust among pirate crews. However, this changed when Brook earned Zoro’s trust. With subsequent interactions and their mutual inclination toward swords, both pirates become friendly towards each other, engaging in chats and light banter.

3 Luffy

Brook's Captain

It is no wonder that Luffy invited Brook to become one of his crewmates. The two characters are eccentric and find each other utterly hilarious, kicking their friendship off on the first interaction. Monkey D. Luffy is the protagonist in the One Piece anime franchise and the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. While the rest of the Straw Hat pirates find Brook terrifying, Luffy finds him fascinating and favors him because of his appearance and love for music. Despite his initial hesitance, Brook eventually accepts to join Luffy’s crew, where he greatly respects his captain.

Related

One Piece: Luffy's Best Friends, Ranked

Luffy's journey to become the Pirate King in One Piece is a long one, but having these friends at his back makes it easier.

It does not help that both pirates share childlike antics, constantly goofing around and laughing their heads off at simple-minded things. Luffy is selfless, and despite his penchant for recklessness, he is kind-hearted and respected by many characters in the anime. Brook’s loneliness, which spanned decades, only ended because of Luffy, to whom the undead pirate became immensely grateful and loyal. Brook plays significant roles in some of the crew’s feats, earning Luffy’s respect and his place on the ship.

2 The Rumbar Pirates

Brook's First Pirate Crew

The Rumbar Pirates are a deceased pirate crew in the One Piece anime series. In their lifetime, they were a group of pirates with a mutual love for music, singing, and playing instruments. The pirates shared a close familial relationship and cared deeply for one another. Such was the life of the Rumbar pirates before their captain, Yorki, and a number of the crew took ill from a deadly disease. Brook was a member of the Rumbar pirates before the painful separation split their group in two to avoid spreading the disease to the unaffected crewmen.

Brook was held in high esteem by his crew, who appointed him as their new captain in the absence of Yorki. They continued their journey through the Grand Line before meeting an unfortunate end at the hands of enemies. Brook’s saving grace was the devil fruit that revived him. Despite being brought back to life, Brook was greatly affected by the deaths of his crewmen and was alone in the Florian Triangle for decades. The Rumbar Pirates live on in Brook’s memory, and he is finally able to give them a befitting funeral with the help of his new crew, the Straw Hat Pirates.

1 Laboon

Brook's Best Friend

At the entrance of the Grand Line, there is an enormous whale awaiting the return of his old friends. As a baby, Laboon got lost and separated from the rest of his family, making the young whale travel the seas alone in sadness. He caught the interest of the Rumbar pirates, who began taking care of the whale, feeding and singing to him to raise his spirits. Laboon found a new family. As the young whale traveled with the pirates, he became attached to them and a member of the crew.

When the Rumbar Pirates die, save Brook, they can't reunite with the whale, who, after decades, still waits for them at the entrance of the Grand Line. Brook lives his days vowing to reunite with Laboon and fulfill the rest of the crew’s promise to the whale. When Brook joins the Straw Hats, who befriend Laboon, there is renewed hope for both characters, who yearn for one another. Brook is still determined to meet Laboon, who is still waiting for his old friend.

One Piece (1999)

One Piece is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. The series follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirate crew as they explore the Grand Line to find the King of the Pirates' ultimate treasure, the One Piece, in order to become the next king. The manga's popularity helped it spin off into a larger media franchise, including an anime with more than 1,000 episodes.

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Story By

Eiichiro Oda

Number of Episodes

1082+

MORE: One Piece: Best Flashbacks, Ranked