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We’ve been waiting a long time to see exactly how Netflix was going to tackle the adorable monstrosity that is Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece season two. Fortunately, at the end of May 2025’s Tudum event, they finally gave us all what we wanted and introduced us to the live-action version of Tony Tony Chopper, and it was all there: the weirdly childlike behavior, along with a face that was both cute and terrifying. Yes, everything was there... except for the rest of the cast, which might explain why One Piece Season 2 got pushed back to 2026.

See, there is nothing wrong with the way Chopper looks in live-action. At least, not in the short clip we saw. However, it was clearly put together to be a monologue from the character with none of the other Straw Hats around because they are still trying to crack having the human cast interact with the CGI character. The best character model in the world won’t save them if we don’t believe that Chopper really exists in that world.

Think back to the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns that had The Rock’s lifeless face plastered on it. Or Wolverine’s weirdly shiny claws that didn’t quite touch his hand in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Or the awkwardly weightless dinosaurs in the Jurassic World trilogy. Even if he looks good on his own doesn’t mean Tony Tony Chopper will feel like he has weight when Luffy and the other Straw Hats talk to him or pick him up. They fact they didn't show Chopper with any other characters in the reveal tells me they still haven't quite cracked it.

It is a difficult thing to get right and is going to be crucial for One Piece Season 2 to work in the same way that season one did. I’d wager that a big reason for the new season getting pushed back into 2026 is that they want to spend that extra time making sure Chopper feels real when he interacts with the rest of the cast. It is going to cost a mountain of money to animate every scene he is in - Netflix want to make sure it is worth the cost.

THE ONE PIECE IS REAL...ly important to Popverse! That's why we've put together the key articles to keep your fandom of the manga-turned-anime-turned-live-action-show alive:

• How to watch One Piece One Piece in chronological and release order (All 1,100+ episodes plus the movies!)
• When the next episode of One Piece is coming
• The One Piece English cast shared the life lessons they've learned playing the Straw Hats for nearly 20 years
• Why One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy is the perfect hero for the dark times ahead
• Every difference between the live-action One Piece and the original manga
• One Piece Gear 5 Form: Everything we know about Luffy's latest transformation
• Wondering what ethnicity and nationality the One Piece pirates are? Here is what Oda himself has to say
• Ranking the One Piece anime's arcs, from best to worst
• Why is One Piece more popular now that the anime is 25 years old? We asked around and found out
• The English cast of One Piece explain what they love about Eiichiro Oda's storytelling - "He's a genius!"