One Piece Season 2's Live-Action Chopper Teased By Roronoa Zoro Star: "He Was The Cutest"

With One Piece season 2's filming having recently wrapped, Roronoa Zoro actor Mackenyu teases how Netflix handled the design of beloved Straw Hat newcomer Tony Tony Chopper. The Netflix fantasy series is based on Eiichiro Oda's iconic manga series, following the tale of an optimistic young pirate captain setting sail to find a legendary treasure that will earn him the title of King of the Pirates. Set to make his debut in One Piece season 2's adaptation of the "Drum Island Arc", Chopper is a young reindeer and hopeful doctor whose encounter with a Devil Fruit gave him human qualities.

After leaving behind filming on One Piece season 2, Mackenyu opened up to Varietyabout his experience with the new season's most ambitious character additions. While the actor was incredibly careful not to reveal too much about the new season and its cast additions, he did feel confident in talking about its previously-announced "Drum Island Arc" adaptations. Mackenyu stated that he found Netflix's adaptation of Chopper to be the "cutest":

I’m trying not to spoil anything, but there’s a lot of new characters coming out. The arc — [“One Piece” creator Eiichiro Oda,] Oda-sensei announced it — we’re going to cover till Chopper comes out. And I met Chopper! He was the cutest!

Despite his coyness with details, the actor explained that, as a fan of the character, he was honored to have had the opportunity to share the screen with him. Check out Mackenyu's response below:

Oh, my God, I’m a Chopper fan. So just being able to act beside him is crazy. It was something special to bring home.

What Mackenyu's Tease Means For Chopper's One Piece Season 2 Appearance

The Character Is A Major Step For The Show's Production

With Mackenyu's tease, the star has perhaps offered some hope for one of One Piece's biggest season 2 challenges. The young reindeer has been teased in previous promotional materials, but the short glimpse of the character from behind in a filming start video suggested that the character has primarily been created by digital special effects. As such, many fans have been left eager to see their first full look at the character's design.

One of the most beloved aspects of Oda's manga is his distinctive character designs, with each player both major and minor having a distinct silhouette and defining features. While many have celebrated how season 1 translated its cast into live-action, most of them were still humanoid characters that could be created through a blend of practical make-up and digital VFX when necessary. As such, Mackenyu's approval is a positive sign for not only Chopper, but how the Netflix series will approach other characters who are heavily stylized and outside human proportions.

Our Thoughts On Mackenyu's Chopper Tease

Hollywood Has A Complex History With Similar Characters' Live-Action Translations

Hollywood has had a difficult history of bringing animated character designs into the realm of live-action, with Sonic the Hedgehog's heavily humanized and uncanny original design being the most notable example in recent years. However, as seen through Sonic's heavily reworked redesign and in feature films such as Detective Pikachu, it is clear that studios are taking much more care at bringing these creatures to life, be it through hearing public scrutiny or bringing on fan designs.

While purposefully hiding Chopper in the early phases of One Piece season 2 is undoubtedly a method to build anticipation, it is also hard to deny that there may be some caution surrounding revealing the character too early. If he is largely a digital creation, they could spend additional time until nearer to the season's release to perfect his design. However, Mackenyu's approval does suggest at the very least that Chopper's base design is one that will leave One Piece fans pleased.

Source: Variety