Chapter 489

The Eighth
Chapter Info
Volume:	50
Chapter:	489
Japanese Title:	８人目
Romanized Title:	Hachininme
Viz Title:	Eighth Person
Pages:	19
Release Date:	February 25, 2008[ref]
WSJ Issue:	2008 Issue 13
Anime:	Episode 381 (p. 2-19)
Chapter Chronology
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Chapter 489 is titled "The Eighth".

Cover Page

Color Spread: Usopp and Franky build a treehouse atop a tree coiling into a sea of clouds. While the rest of the Straw Hats are content to rest there, Luffy, Chopper, and Brook (their newest crewmate) notice all the goldfish floating around the clouds—and step into the air to see if they can float as well.

Short Summary

Brook becomes the newest crew member of the Straw Hat Pirates. The crew rejoices over having a musician join the crew. Brook reminisces about the Laboon. At the same time, in Twin Cape, Laboon seems to be unusually filled with joy, as noted by Crocus. Brook bids his crew a final farewell at a grave that Franky built. Zoro also joins him as he says goodbye to his old katana. Luffy announces that the crew will be heading to Fish-Man Island next. Lola gives Nami a piece of her mother's vivre card. She tells Nami that it will come in handy for them in the New World. Luffy then remembers that his brother gave him a vivre card back in Arabasta. He takes out the card and notices that it is burning and smaller than before. Lola, alarmed, tells Luffy that his brother's life force is fading away and that he is in danger.

Long Summary

Brook stopped playing the piano, revealing the historical reason for the Sound Dial. He states that it was the Rumbar Pirates final song and that he heard it so many times during the 50 years he was alone. He looks into the Sound Dial and has a flashback to one of the Rumbar parties. Brook goes on to say that the song made him feel alive and seals away into his head by lifting the top part of his cranium, shocking Sanji and Usopp while amazing Luffy.

Brook states that he is overjoyed that Laboon was still alive, saying that now he had a goal in life, to deliver the Sound Dial to the whale. He shouted that he was glad to be alive. He then asks Luffy the question: if it was alright if he could join the Straw Hat Pirates. Luffy simply replies with a "sure". This shocks Usopp, Sanji, Franky and Chopper, horrifies Nami, makes Robin laugh and there is no response from Zoro as he is unconscious. Nevertheless, the men from the crew welcomed their new musician, saying that he was interesting. While Robin seems to enjoy the loudness, Nami comments that the Straw Hats have gathered weird crewmembers. Brook leans up against a wall at a 45 degree angle, calling it his "45 degrees", creating laughter.

Brook has a flashback to Laboon, silently talking to Laboon, that he would return and deliver the Tone Dial to Laboon.

At the Reverse Mountains, Laboon suddenly cries out in joy, making Crocus happy as Laboon was in such good spirits.

Back to Thriller Bark, Brook kneels down and shows everyone a bounty poster for Dead Bones Brook, himself. He reveals that he has a 33,000,000 bounty and that he once was a leader of a battle convoy in an unknown kingdom and later became captain of the Rumbar Pirates. Brook then kneels in front of Luffy, pledging his allegiance.

Two days later, Brook is in awe of the workmanship of Franky and Usopp as they had made a grave for the Rumbar Pirates. Franky states the Rumbar Pirate corpses could not be taken aboard the Thousand Sunny, so they constructed the grave. Brook also reveals that Thriller Bark came from the Rumbar Pirates' home seas, and with that, maybe the fallen pirates could be at peace easier. As Brook plays some music in front of the grave, Zoro sits down next to him, plunging his sword, Yubashiri, into the ground, stating that he was holding a small funeral for a dead katana. Brook tells Zoro that he has joined the crew. Zoro comments that Brook had bad luck and that the crew was varied. Brook simply laughs and says that he would devote everything.

The Straw Hat Pirates begin to leave and say their goodbyes. Franky tells Lola that he had fixed Brook's ship, so they could use that to sail. Lola asks Franky to marry her, but Franky says that he is too super and it would not be a good match. Luffy gets excited at the prospect of going to Fish-Man Island while Brook and Sanji have their own perverted views. A person reveals that mermaids did not wear panties but their beauty was even greater than a pirate empress named Hancock. Usopp asks how they knew so much and it is discovered that Lola's pirates had passed through Fish-Man Island as they had originated from the New World. Lola says that her mother was a pirate. Remembering something, Lola rips apart a piece of paper and hands one half to Nami, saying that it was a Vivre Card and she gave it to Nami as they were like sisters. Apparently, Lola's mother is a famous pirate in the New World and Nami is advised to look after the Vivre Card.

Nami asks what a Vivre Card is. Lola tells her that they only worked in the New World and that it would never burn or get wet.. Lola states that if you took a fingernail to a certain shop, they would create a special paper. She goes on and says that you tear the paper up and give it to a special person. Lola places the Vivre Card on a desk and it jumps. She reveals the main point of a Vivre Card, saying that it would allow you to meet with the special person. Lola says that if they ever had a problem, they could go to her mother for help.

Luffy, in deep thought, states that he had a similar sort of paper and Nami agrees. In a flashback, Ace is seen saying that the paper would let them meet again. Luffy retrieves the card from his hat and notices it burning and getting smaller. Lola then says that the paper was a representation of the person's life. Luffy tells her that it came from Ace and she states that his life was vanishing by the minute.

Quick Reference

Chapter Notes

• Brook officially joins the crew and becomes the ninth crew member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
• Brook's bounty is revealed to be 33,000,000.
• The Rumbar Pirates finally rest in peace at a gravesite on Thriller Bark. Zoro also puts his old sword, Yubashiri, to rest there as well.
• The Pirate Empress Boa Hancock is mentioned for the first time.
• Franky repairs the pirate ship for the Rumbar Pirates and gives it to the Rolling Pirates to sail from Thriller Bark.
• Lola and her crew are revealed to be from the New World.
  • Lola mentions that her mother, a great pirate, will help out the Straw Hats when they meet in the New World.
• Vivre Cards are explained for the first time.
  • Lola gives her mother's Vivre Card to Nami.
  • The piece of paper Ace gave to Luffy during the Arabasta Arc is revealed to be a Vivre Card as well. It is shown to be burning out, signaling that he is dying or in great danger.
• This is the last chapter of the Thriller Bark Arc and the Thriller Bark Saga.
• This chapter continues the motif (last used in Chapter 439) of titling select chapters after the Straw Hat Pirates' joining order.

Characters

Pirates		Citizens
Straw Hat Pirates Monkey D. Luffy Roronoa Zoro Nami Usopp Sanji Tony Tony Chopper Nico Robin Franky Brook	Rolling Pirates Lola Risky Brothers Rumbar Pirates Yorki (flashback) Whitebeard Pirates Portgas D. Ace (flashback)	Twin Cape Crocus Laboon

Author Comment

Author Comment
Translation Original I'm really sorry about that. I used my break last week to work on something you're all gonna love next year. It's going to knock your socks off. I'll do my best. 申し訳ないです。先週のお休みは来年のみなさんの興奮の為に使いました。凄い興奮にします。頑張る。 —Eiichiro Oda
English translation by Greg Werner. For comprehensive translation credits, see here.

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