One Piece Episode 343

Storyline

Thriller Graveyard: The Straw Hats have defeated the zombies. Now Luffy asks them about Nami, Usopp and Chopper. They reply that although three scaredy-cats have passed through the graveyard, they have not harmed them. Nevertheless, a zombie blabs that they did attack the three of them and they are already stuck with their heads in the ground. The straw hats then continue on to the castle. An old man has run after them, whom the Straw Hat Pirates mistakes for another zombie. He asks them to take down a man for him to save the many victims on Thriller Bark and him, as they have all lost their shadows. The man’s name is Gecko Moria, whose former bounty exceeds even Luffy’s. He is also one of The Seven Warlords of the Seas. The old man cries because before he dies in darkness, he wants to feel the sunlight on his skin one more time. Franky gets sentimental and agrees, howling. Luffy also wants to fight Gecko Moria and casually mentions that they will help the victims then along the way. More voices come from the forest, cheering the Straw Hats on in their quest.

Hogback’s Lab: Nami, Usopp and Chopper are transported to the lab by an unknown man with an attack. The trio realized the resemblance of this unknown man to Brook. He laughs just like the skeleton, but has flesh and bones. Only now do they realize they’ve been busted and discovered by Hogback. Usopp immediately defends himself, saying that they didn’t see him just make a zombie. Hogback doesn’t really care that they saw anything, because the night attack of the zombies starts in a few minutes.

The zombies, who have been stuck with their heads in the ground by Luffy’s group, are discovered by Absalom, the Invisible Man. When they notice him, they come out of the ground and gather in front of their leader, who gets them in the mood for the zombie night to come. These also immediately refer to him as Perverse Alom. The ghosts also fly back into the castle and fly into a woman. A zombie named Kumashi greets them, but is admonished to be quiet because his voice is so deep not sweet.

It has struck 12 midnight. Three little zombies wake up Gecko Moria, who has slept for four days, and tell him that the pirates who destroyed Enie’s lobby have appeared. In the meantime, they have reached the gate to the castle. Outside, it begins to rain, clearing the dense fog of the island somewhat, and the Straw Hats can now make out the sails of the Moria pirate gang. The old man who has been following the party tells them that the Thriller Bark is the largest ship in the world.

Absalom, the zombie commander, commands the zombies to take care of the pirates. The strange woman named Perona, who rules over ghosts, also gets ready for the night with her animal zombies. Meanwhile, Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Robin, and Franky enter Hogback’s castle. Let the zombie night begin.

Miscellaneous

• The scene in which the zombies praise Absalom is played back with Ode to Joy (disambiguation).