The first fight
A few days after Brook’s shadow was stolen and he had found out the weak point of the zombies, he searched on the Thriller Bark for the zombie who possessed his shadow and wanted to defeat him. One night he then met Ryuma, who immediately attacked Brook and could also hit. Brook was surprised that the latter had mastered his techniques and executed them even better than he did. Ryuma tried to cut off Brook’s afro, but Brook begged him not to cut it off because it wouldn’t grow back. Brook successfully defended his afro, but had lost the fight. He begged Ryuma to let him go, which Ryuma granted. Brook’s shadow inside him said that it was a shame that such a weakling used to be his master.
Brooks revenge

Brook encounters Samurai Ryuma again in Dr. Hogback’s lab, who is standing guard outside the gate to Mario’s refrigeration chamber. Brook wants to fight Ryuma again to get his shadow back and take revenge on Ryuma for the humiliation 5 years ago.
Ryuma says that Brook doesn’t stand a chance against him, but the latter doesn’t care at all, Brook attacks Ryuma, which surprises the latter a lot. Brook is convinced that he has become stronger in the last 5 years, which seems to be the case. However, Ryuma tells him that he has gotten stronger as well and is able to quickly gain the upper hand again in the fight. However, this time Brook doesn’t give up and keeps trying to defeat Ryuma in order to see his friend Laboon again and keep the promise that his old gang once made. Brook manages to successfully fend off all of Ryuma’s attacks that could damage his afro.

Final for the Afro
Brook tries to defeat Ryuma with the Yahazu Giri. Both execute it, but after a few seconds it shows that Ryuma was able to use the technique faster, which is why Brook thus lost the fight.
