I want more people to talk about the women on/of Thriller Bark.
Thriller Bark is one of my favourite arcs, and not just because it introduces my boy Brook. But because of Cindry, and the friendship of Lola and Nami.
((Long ass post warning))
Cindry was an idol Hogback was obsessed with, but she rejected his advances. So when she died in an accident, he reanimated her corpse without consent and kept her as a slave. For years. And Cindry, fought with everything she was for all of it. She insulted that man constantly, tried to fight his orders when she didn't like them, and hated Hogback with every second she was forced to be near him. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper find his creepy ass shrine to her and all three lambast him as the worst of the worst. Especially Chopper, who is fucking horrified at Cindry's story especially. We see her finally set free near the end, and I cried for her.
Then would be the friendship between Nami and Lola. The second, just as shitty man on Thriller Bark is Absalom the Rapist. He gropes, grabs, and fuckings kidnaps Nami to force her to marry him. At the same time, there's a pig zombie with the soul of a woman named Lola in it who wants Absalom, but he only wants a real human. Lola takes it out on Nami, who lies to Lola saying shes a cross-dresser and encouraging Lola to go after Absalom. Her genuine encouragement makes Lola genuinely happy, and later when Absalom tries to forcibly marry Nami, Lola interrupts. Absalol assaults Lola, and Nami runs to help, confessing she isn't a cross dresser, she just doesn't like Absalom. And Lola says, she knew. She just wanted to help Nami. And then Nami turns around, and saves them both. It is genuinely one of my favourite Nami moments, and I think she herself may be at her best throughout Thriller Bark. We get to see two women defend each other, save each other, from a scumbag pervert.
Happy birthday, Cindry! She was 42 at the time of her death.
Happy birthday, Ishilly of Fish-Man Island!
Happy birthday, Shimotsuki Koushiro of Shimotsuki Village! He is 51.
