Known as the Humming Swordsman during life, Brook is accomplished in battle long before he enters the story of One Piece. When he comes back as a bare skeleton, he gets a new moniker as the Soul King, but his swordsmanship hasn’t fallen in that time. Brook remains one of the best swordsmen in the Straw Hats, and can go up against anyone with his signature attacks.
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What is Brook’s Fighting Style?
Brook relies on a mix of abilities to fight, from swordsmanship, to musical ability, to his Revive-Revive Fruit. The man is a maestro in battle and out, using his music on the fly to make his foes dance or even fall asleep. While they’re distracted by the melodies, Brook will go to work with his sword, named Soul Solid, and slash his enemies down. It’s incredibly powerful when he’s introduced, and after the time skip becomes even more ridiculously powerful.
With his enhanced Revive-Revive Fruit, Brook is able to take control of his soul. This is used to exit his body, scouting out areas, or just generally scaring the crap out of his foes. As if it’s not enough, he eventually learns to combine his own soul and his music, infusing Soul Solid with a deadly chilling aura. This can also be radiated around him now, freezing entire crowds of foes if need be.
Painter Song: Bamboo Fruit Slice
When Brook and the others are attacked aboard Sunny by Giolla, things look bleak. Her Art-Art Fruit has turned them all into ridiculous pieces of visual art, with any attacks being totally useless against her. Thankfully Brook has a thing for schmoozing older women, and starts to get around Giolla’s good side by playing on her love of music. Brook’s compliments eventually persuade her enough to set him free, at least enough to play his violin for her.
Big mistake for her, because when she does Brook breaks out the Painter Song: Bamboo Fruit Slice. Giolla is cut down before she even realizes it, and the Straw Hats hand her off to Law as a hostage before splitting off. Brook manages to free Chopper and Nami while opening up a chance for the Straw Hats to have some collateral with the Doflamingo Family. Of course, it doesn’t work out quite as planned.
Three Verse Hum: Arrow Notch Cut
It’s always a safe bet when introducing a new character to have them be a total badass. Brook gets just that in his first combat introduction too, slicing straight through a huge spider zombie on Thriller Bark. His Three Verse Hum: Arrow Notch Cut involves Brook seemingly standing still in front of his enemy completely motionless, barely unsheathing his sword. Only seconds pass before Brook finally resheaths Soul Solid, resting the cane back at his side while his enemy stands in confusion.
They’ve already been cut straight through, with Brook delivering a killing blow before they’re aware. This is enough to take down the massive spider zombie, and allows Brook to toss a bit of salt in its mouth to free the helpless shadow inside. His first fight is one hell of an introduction, and Brook only grows stronger as he continues sailing with the Straw Hats.
Lullaby Parry
The maestro that he is, Brook is constantly incorporating his music into his fighting style. The Lullaby Parry is his greatest asset, allowing him to play a simple tune on his violin that will lull enemies to sleep. Most anyone who hears it will doze off as long as they’re not the resilient type. Or if they’re like Luffy, who will fall asleep at the instant there’s a moment of peace and quiet that he can’t devolve into chaos.
It’s an insidious attack that waits until foes are attacking, thinking that Brook is wide open with no weapon out. Little do they know about his other powers, and the music was easily able to dispatch most of Duval’s Flying Fish Riders. He’s even better at it after honing his Revive-Revive Fruit powers, with his range and duration of the sleep both greatly extended.
Party Music: Third Fifth Fantasia
A much more raucous approach to the abilities Brook applies through his music, Party Music is meant to make everybody dance. It’s partially because the music is so damn good, but also because Brook flying into the battlefield playing his violin is just a hilarious sight. He spends the entire time prancing along the battlefield, playing his violin louder and louder while conjuring up the fireworks and images of a parade.
It’s honestly hilarious that Brook can just dive in so absolutely carefree, start playing a sea shanty on his violin, and suddenly everyone is good. Even during Fishman Island when the entire country is ready to turn on Princess Shirahoshi, Brook makes all the New Fishman Pirates throw their weapons down and dance. Then reveals that he’s slashed through them all during their revelry.
Cold Soul
One of the greatest uses that Brook found for his Revive-Revive Fruit powers is when they get more powerful. Cold Soul releases Brook’’s soul from his body, allowing it to flow freely through the world without obstacles. Initially, he just uses Soul, which i mainly for scouting and recon work for the Straw Hat Pirates. It’s also great at just scaring the opponents silly, often making them pass out from fright believing he’s a Yokai.
Later on, Brook learns to more finely tune and control his soul, directing it as a weapon. This creates the Cold Soul, where Brook will pass through his enemies in order to freeze them, sometimes solid. He’s also able to manipulate the soul, making it look larger and more monstrous with a massive aura boost. It’s one of Brook’s go-to attacks after the time skips, and shows his growing mastery of his Devil Fruit.
Song of Scratches: Blizzard Cut
Fishman Island ends up being a fantastic arc for Brook to show off his skills. Especially when he goes up against Octopus Fishman Zeo. Everyone who tried to fight him before has failed and is begging Brook to not fight him. That’s no big deal for the Soul King though. Crown and sunglasses on he steps forward toward Zeo, humming along for his signature Three Pace Hum. It’s something Brook has done time and time again, but this time there’s something a little extra to it.
When he starts to hum the temperature around the battlefield drops. Cold fog appears, blanketing both combatants, and as Brook walks past his foe, sheathing his sword once more, they burst. As soon as their blood sprays from Brook’’s slice, it freezes in the air. Then it spreads, immobilizing the enemy throughout their entire body. Quite literally one of the coldest moves ever created for the series, made by one of the smoothest swordsmen.
Lightning Bone Sword: Gavotte Leap Forward
A team-up attack between Brook and the others on Thriller Bark that only he could pull off. When Gecko Moria is controlling Oars like he’s in a Gundam War, Brook requests Usopp to launch him forward. A massive electrical cloud in front of Moria is the prime target, and Usopp aims carefully before firing off. While he’s flying through the air, Robin reaches out and wraps a slalom vine around the skeleton, spinning him like a top as he continues forward.
As Brook goes through the air spinning rapidly, his afro picks up the static electricity. He channels that massive lightning into Soul Solid while still flying rapidly forward, piercing his enemy with the speed and intensity of a lightning bolt. The attack doesn’t necessarily take the Mecha-Oars down, but it is able to deliver the blow they need and dump the salt while doing some good damage.
Soul Parade: Ice Burn
Brook combines all the best aspects of his moves. Each taking advantage of their fight against Black Maria and her strange Gifter friends. When Black Maria sets the entire damn place on fire, it looks bleak. Robin and Brook are caught up on the ceiling with no seeming escape. Until Brook asks Robin to keep his body safe for a moment before promptly puking up his soul. That’s just the beginning too, because parades his massive aura through the flames around them, freezing the flames out.
Then he pierces straight through the foe, his soul freezing them from the inside out. It’s one of the coolest uses yet of this ability. He shows that his soul is more than a slow-moving recon drone. After they’re frozen solid Brook returns to his body. From there, he quickly slashes straight through, chopping off the Gifter’s head in the process. It’s a badass moment, and Brook easily shows just how strong he is.
Three Pace Hum
The greatest intro for any character with some of the most badass animation when it’s originally shown. Brook simply walks past his foe, humming a tune while seemingly ignoring the enemy in front of him. Of course that leaves them confused, constantly resulting in enemies wondering what the hell is going on with the weird skeleton just strolling by. Then Brook explains the move to them, and the real fun begins as the battle is already over.
The foe will burst into a splash of blood, with Brook simply returning Soul Solid to his cane. It might not be the most powerful move he has in his repertoire. Still, it sets up right off the bat just how dangerous Brook is with a sword, as well as his speed. It’s one of the classic first moves from a character that sets their tone in battle, and sells the greatness that is Brook.
His powers are constantly expanding too, with amazing skills forming from combinations of his skills. Whether it’s learning some new songs, honing his sword skills, or just vomiting out his soul to scare foes, he’s getting even stronger. There are no bones about how strong Brook can be, even though he’s all bones! Yohohohoho!
