Chopper, also known as Tony Tony Chopper, is the adorable blue-nosed reindeer, doctor, and the latest member to join the Straw Hat Pirate crew in One Piece Season 2. Luffy and the Straw Hats’ journey this season took them to new lands, new sights, and new characters. However, besides the literal giants, he might be the most unique new character to join the live-action adaptation.
Chopper’s appearance in Season 2 doesn’t just mean Luffy gains a new, unique crew member. The reindeer also brings a unique set of skills as the crew’s doctor and a dream of curing all sickness. Now is the perfect time to learn everything there is to know about the smallest and youngest Straw Hat Pirate.
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Who is Tony Tony Chopper?
Tony Tony Chopper is a 15-year-old anthromorphic reindeer, and the first non-human character to join the Straw Hat Pirate crew during the Drum Island Arc. Despite his adorable appearance and timid nature, he has quite the potty mouth, but he is also a medical prodigy.
As the doctor on board the Going Merry, Chopper treats and cares for any injuries or illnesses the other crewmates have. He brings a combination of innocence, intelligence, and emotional depth that makes him one of the most beloved One Piece characters.
Origin and Tragic Backstory
Chopper was not always the anthropomorphic talking reindeer that he is now. Originally, he was a regular reindeer, except he was born with an oddly blue colored nose. Unfortunately, his unique nose color made him stand out from the other reindeer, leading to his being shunned and treated as an outcast in his herd at birth. One day, the reindeer unknowingly found and ate the Hito Hito no Mi, also known as the Human-Human Devil Fruit.
After consuming the fruit, Chopper gained human intelligence, the ability to speak, and a more anthropomorphic form. Sadly, his newfound devil fruit powers only frightened the other reindeer around him further. And when humans would see him, they would mistake him for a monster.
This resulted in Chopper spending his early years alone, isolated, and fearing being hunted by humans. For a long time, he wandered throughout the Drum Island wilderness, unaccepted by either the animal or human world.
Dr. Hiriluk
One day, Chopper was terribly injured by humans who mistook him for a monster. Thankfully, Dr. Hiriluk, the island’s quack doctor, happened to cross paths with the injured Chopper and took him into his care, treating his injuries. Dr. Hiriluk was the first being to show the reindeer genuine care and kindness. As Dr. Hiriluk nurtured him back to full health, the two developed a close father-son bond.
Dr. Hiriluk not only gave the reindeer his name but also taught him the value of life and compassion, which inspired Chopper to become a doctor. Unfortunately, Dr. Hiriluk was suffering from a mysterious terminal disease and did not have much time left. In an attempt to protect him from having to go through the pain of watching his only friend and father figure die, Dr. Hiriluk coldly pushed the reindeer away.
More Tragedy
Eventually, Chopper learned of Dr. Hiriluk’s illness and set out on a dangerous mission to find a mushroom he believed would cure him. Unfortunately, Chopper misidentified the mushroom in the textbook and did not realize it was lethal. Despite knowing the mushroom would kill him within an hour of eating it, Dr. Hiriluk chose to eat the mushroom as a show of appreciation for his son.
Shortly after eating the mushroom, Dr. Hiriluk, not wanting Chopper to think he was the cause of his death, chose to commit suicide by exploding himself after giving a motivational speech at Wapol’s castle in hopes of inspiring the other captured doctors and citizens of Drum Island.
Shortly before Hiriluk’s death, Chopper learned from Dr. Kureha that the mushroom he fed Dr. Hiriluk was, in fact, poisonous. Distraught, he chased after Dr. Hiriluk, but it was too late; before he could reach him, he witnessed the explosion that took his father’s life. From that moment on, Chopper vowed to become a great doctor who could treat any disease.
Medical Skills & Training
Although Dr. Hiriluk inspired Chopper to become a compassionate doctor, his father’s methods were not always the most practical. Instead, it was Dr. Kureha who took the reindeer in after Dr. Hiriluk’s death and taught him everything she knew about medicine.
Dr. Kureha’s teaching style was blunt and intense, but it helped make Chopper into the medical prodigy that he is today. As one of the best doctors on Drum Island, Dr. Kureha is well-versed in treating nearly any illness and condition. Despite her stern, abrasive exterior, Dr. Kureha loves the reindeer deeply and sees him as her son.
Under Dr. Kureha’s cut-through medical training, Chopper mastered a wide range of skills, including herbal medicine, vaccine and antidote development, and even emergency surgery. As the Starw Hat Pirate’s doctor, he has saved his comrades and other lives time and time again.
Devil Fruit Powers
There is much more to Chopper’s Devil Fruit powers than what meets the eye. The Hito-Hito no Mi is a zoan-type devil fruit that granted him the ability to transform into human or reindeer-human hybrid forms, which he calls “points.” Chopper’s three main forms are Brain Point, Heavy Point, and Walk Point. Brain point is his usual hybrid form, which grants him greater intelligence.
In his Heavy Point form, Chopper has more human-like features, such as hands and feet instead of hooves, and becomes stronger and taller. While in Walk Point, Chopper looks more like a typical reindeer, and he can move faster. In addition to his transformation abilities, the devil fruit also gave him the ability to speak like a human, which he has used to learn to read and study medicine.
Rumble Balls & Transformations
In addition to these transformations, Chopper invented the Rumble Balls through his medical research to create a drug that allows him to take his transformations further. The Rumble Balls only work for a limited time, but they offer Chopper various advantages in combat. Since the Rumble Balls are still a drug, he is careful to keep track of how many he consumes, as that also affects the control of his transformations.
Chopper’s addition forms, created with the Rumble Balls, include Jumping Point, Guard Point, Arm Point, Horn Point, and Monster Point. Jumping Point extends Chopper’s legs, making him more agile and helping him reach higher places. Guard Point makes his fur into a large, protective ball to guard against the toughest attacks. Arm Point increases his arm strength, which is perfect for hand-to-hand combat. Horn Point increases the size and power of his horns for offensive and defensive maneuvers.
Chopper’s strongest transformation is Monster Point. If Chopper takes three Rumble Balls, he can turn into a humongous, super-strong beast. However, the drawback of this form is that he loses control and goes berserk on everything around him. Thankfully, after the two-year time skip, he gains complete control over Monster Point without fear of going into a destructive rampage.
From being shunned and unloved to being a highly skilled doctor surrounded by friends and family, Chopper’s story is truly one of the most emotional in One Piece. Now that he has joined the crew, it will be interesting to see how his unique skillset and powers will help Luffy and his crew in One Piece Season 3.
One Piece Season 2 is streaming now, exclusively on Netflix.
