Even if you haven’t been an ardent One Piece fan for over 25 years, you might have become intrigued by one particular character thanks to his adorable Chibi appearance: Tony Tony Chopper. The global phenomenon manga and anime series can be a daunting task to get into, given the sheer volume of pages and episodes, but Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s epic has opened up his pirate world to wider audiences. And after Chopper’s live-action hybrid animation reveal at Tudum last weekend, his popularity will no doubt skyrocket based on the cuteness teased through Mikaela Hoover’s instantly endearing performance.

Don’t be fooled, though; this future member of the Straw Hat Crew is more than an adorable pet mascot medic, he’s one of their greatest fighters and fiercest friends.

Here’s a quick primer on just who Chopper is ahead of One Piece season two’s premiere in 2026 on Netflix.

Who is Tony Tony Chopper?

Chopper was an outcast reindeer with a blue nose who ate the Human-Human Fruit, which turned him into a reindeer-human hybrid. This Devil Fruit bestowed him with consciousness, a high level of intelligence, and the ability to pick up on human languages. After he consumed the fruit, Chopper was fully rejected by his herd, a lot like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, except if he had suddenly mutated and could get real jacked.

Where did Chopper come from?

Alone in the wilderness of Drum, Chopper eventually crosses paths with the mad scientist Dr. Hiriluk, who is intrigued by his transformation and asks Chopper to be his assistant. Actor Mark Harelik (Preacher), who was cast as the wild-haired doctor for the Netflix series, described Tony Tony Chopper’ first friend on Instagram as filled with “passion and persistence” and teased that maybe the doctor shouldn’t be “so eager to try untested experiments” on his patients.

This bit of foreshadowing echoes his grim fate, which propels Chopper to learn more about medicine under Dr. Kureha when she takes him in. Katey Sagal (Futurama) plays Kureha, the One Piece favorite who would go on to teach Chopper everything she knows. The team-up between Kureha and Chopper is something we’re really looking forward to in season two.

How does Chopper meet the Straw Hat Crew?

Nami falls ill near the Drum Kingdom, and Luffy and the crew seek out help in the frozen expanse. Luckily, they meet Dr. Kureha and Chopper. In exchange for helping cure the Straw Hat’s navigator, the crew assists in freeing Drum Kingdom from its tyrannical ruler. Chopper is reluctant to join the Straw Hats but after being snatched by the Foxy Pirate Crew as a member against his will, Luffy liberates him from that by winning a battle against them.

He then gives Chopper the choice to join the Straw Hats of his own free will—and eventually, after a lot of his trademark reluctance at being perceived, he gives in. Much like the preview we saw on Tudum, Chopper has his quirks, like hiding the wrong way or breaking out into a dance when complimented, something he gets visibly ornery over (but secretly loves). We can’t wait to see him visibly struggle to hide his excitement when he finally finds a family with the Straw Hats.

What are Chopper’s powers?

In addition to his intelligence, Chopper becomes bi-pedal and stays in the form of a cute pet for the most part. However, he can evolve into three forms (kind of like Pokémon evolutions) and can go back to the one of his choosing, which happens to cause a lot of cuteness aggression. The other forms come in handy when the Straw Hats are in battle. Chopper uses “Walk Point,” which heightens his reindeer agility and animalistic senses; “Brain Point,” which is the humanoid pet form he stays in with a big head for the smarts it grants along with a small body; and “Heavy Point,” which is when he looks like a jacked human with reindeer features that helps him beat the crap out of enemies. With the use of a drug called the “Rumble Ball,” which looks like a yellow gum ball, Chopper can access even more transformation points and becomes an uncontrollable monster if he’s not too careful.

What is Chopper’s dream?

Luffy’s tendency to recruit Straw Hats always comes down to their dreams and Chopper’s is one of the sweetest ones. After losing Dr. Hiriluk and seeing death spread in ways that existentially changes him, Chopper’s dream is to cure the world of all diseases. It makes him perfect for the Straw Hat Crew as their doctor on board and trusty secret weapon in battle.

One Piece season two will be released sometime in 2026 on Netflix.

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