Does anyone else think Kuzan and Brook are related?
The similar structure of face and body is the beginning of this thought. And to consolidate that, here are the childhood photos.
They both wear glasses with inverted colors. Even more interesting, Kuzan only started drinking after being initiated by Zephyr and yet, in his childhood photo, he is seen holding a bottle of sake, a bag implying that he is on a trip (a reference to Bink’s sake delivery), and an umbrella (the color, crocheted part and slender body reminiscent of Brook’s walking stick). Brook’s Explanation Reaching the Underworld to use ice is stretched out by Oda, especially since Brook isn’t awake, but we’re guessing that’s him establishing another similarity to Kuzan.
Father and son ? Brook is 90, Garp is 78, Roger died at 53 (24 years ago), Kuzan is 49.
Brook joined the Rumbar’s crew 52 years ago (aged 38) and being Kuzan’s father means Kuzan was conceived when Brook was 41, which means the Rumbar Pirates should have existed for more than 3 years so that he had a child before he died. The age at which Brook met Laboon is vague and recorded over 50 years ago and the year the Rumbar Pirates ended is also vague (but it’s just Oda trying to hide the obvious).
Hence, there is no record of the Rumbar Pirates’ longevity, but Brook remembers Roger as a rookie. There’s a 13-year gap between Brook and Roger, which means that when Brook was a rookie at 38 (Rumbar’s crew were still in West Blue), Roger was 25. Brook would have needed years of experience to call a 25-year-old Roger a rookie.
Undeniably, it takes time depending on an individual’s threat level for a bounty to be issued and Brook’s 33 million bounty is proof and a record of longevity that the crew of the Rumbar outlasted the 3 years required for Kuzan’s birth before Brook’s death. The bounty would correspond to when Brook was in his 40s and Roger was in his 20s, which is consistent with Garp being at least a 30-something sea captain. There is a 12-year gap between Brook and Garp, which means that when Brook was a rookie still in West Blue, Garp was 26. As noted, Brook’s $33 million bounty would have been used in his early 40s, which puts Garp in his early 30s, by which time he must have been at least a Marine Captain (42 years ago Garp was pursuing Shakki ).
This proves that Garp knows the notorious pirates well, and that Brook’s bounty means Garp knows who he is. As the cases of Shakki, Chinjao, and Roger show, Garp has a propensity to pursue pirates he cares about. Hunting the famous pirate captain of the Rumbar is consistent with Garp’s character. In Chapter 319 or Episode 227, Kuzan tells Luffy, “Your grandfather helped me a long time ago.”
This could mean Garp inspired a rebellious Kuzan to become a Marine., which is only possible if Garp must have had a special interest in Kuzan (his father being a notorious pirate). This won’t be the only time Garp keeps a pirate’s son a secret. As in Ace’s case, it’s clear that Garp understands that the father’s sins don’t have to affect the son.
Kuzan idolizes Garp and, in all likelihood, Garp adopted him (Kuzan’s childhood photos show abject poverty, a sign that implies he was an orphan) as in Ace’s case, though, unlike Ace and Luffy, Garp managed to turn him into a Marine, which further aggravated Garp’s obsession and heartache when he failed with the two boys.
It could be that Garp didn’t inspire Kuzan to become a Marine but that Kuzan was denied entry into the Navy if his father was a pirate. Although X Drake was not refused, which leads us to firmly believe in the first explanation. But then again, the Fleet Admiral was different in both cases, implying different policies. In summary, Kuzan owes an unexplained debt to Garp, and it is the secret of Brook, Kuzan’s father.
