There’s no doubt thatOne Piecehas some of thebest character designsin shōnen, and among the many pirates,Chopper has had the biggest number of designs and emblematic transformations throughout the series. This reflects the nature of Chopper’s zoan-type Hito Hito devil fruit, where he develops new forms when trying to reach a bigger strength.
Chopper had several modifications from his initial concept art that shared hardly any resemblance to the cute little character later redesigned bythe author Eiichiro Odadue to his stylistic drawing changes during the years. This way, either achieving them artificially thanks to the use of his Rumble balls or thanks to arduous training, each of Chopper’s transformations is iconic. However,Chopper’s many forms and designs make it easy for fans to mix them up or miss some of their key details.
14Chopper’s Earlier Design
Chopper’s Initial Concept Art
Chopper’s initial concept design wasn’t like the small and adorable mascot that fans loved, but he was bigger with an angry and gloomy expression and blue streaks all over his body. While his appearance resembles more of a reindeer, Chopper was originally designed as a grown-up, unlike his current version, who is only 9 years old, equivalent to 17 in human age.
This stripped Chopper was also much more mature as he is portrayed smoking a cigarette, even though One Piece’s author stated that he had a bouncy side and liked to play with Luffy. Fortunately, like the other Straw Hat members, Chopper’s design evolved, and he leaned more on the cuter side.
13Swordsman Chopper Preliminary Design
Eiichiro Oda’s Straw Hats Concept Art
In the second Chopper’s concept art, he was still grown up and smoking a cigarette, but he had a much taller figure and was depicted as a swordsman, wearing a more traditional shirt and wide pants and with a broad sash or cloth around his waist where he carried his sword.
Since Sanji also has a sword, this was before Oda’ decided to introduce different types of fighting styles, so the crew’s abilities resemble more real pirates. This version of Chopper is also more reminiscent of a hybrid between a reindeer and a human, like Chopper’s current human form, but slimmer, and while he could have had a great dynamic with the rest of the crew, he wasn’t particularly memorable, which explains whyOne Piece’s authorwent with more cartoonish design.
12Chopper’s Original Design
First Appearance:One PieceChapter #139
Contrary to what some fans think,Chopper’s design during his introduction during the Drum Island Arc wasn’t the same until post-time skip. Chopper’s introduction design was chubbier with a round belly; his head was smaller, and he had a more prominent nose.
Later on, Chopper’s appearance started to change subtly in the manga in Arabasta and became more evident during the Sky Island Saga as he became progressively slimmer. Chopper was less plump due to Oda’s stylistic changes, which were mirrored in the One Piece anime adaptation. This design is also the favorite of many fans despite also being considered uglier as it resembles more of a reindeer. Also, it’s believed that he lost body fat due to the change of climate.
11Chopper’s Redesign Evolution
From Water 7 Saga to the End of Pre-Time Skip
WhileChopper’s design had already changed by Water 7, it took a more drastic change during the Enies Lobby arc, yet he still had traces of his original design. This is something that also happened toPikachu from Pokémon, which was originally shorter and stout, but his design changed because it was easy to animate and was subsequently modified in the games.
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However,Chopper’s change wasn’t due to the anime adaptation but came from the manga artist itself. It was revealed by Oda that even though he didn’t want to turn Chopper into a mascot, he decided to redesign him after hearing his voice actor, Ikue Otani, whose voice made the author change his mind and modify him to be cuter. This change progressed to the Sabaody Archipelago Arc, where Chopper was really similar to his post-time skip design.
10Chopper’s Post-Time Skip/Brain Point
First Appearance:One PieceChapter #598
Chopper Post Time Skip’s design is more like a stuffed animal than a reindeer, with a rounder and less proportional head, bigger eyes, and he was skinnier. Chopper started wearing a shirt and had another hat to protect his original pink one, as it meant so much to him.
This makeover sets up Chopper as an adorable mascot and is often mistaken for a tanuki. This appearance is also the same as the one Chopper has while using his Brain Point form. Although it’s his base form, it’s not characterized by its strength, but it’s a hybrid version of his nature of a human and a reindeer, and it’s also his smartest point, because he is able to combine his intelligence with his animal instincts. Chopper can also use scope to determine his opponent’s weak points, which explains why he is constantly in this form.
9Walk Point
First Appearance:One PieceChapter #134
Chopper’s Walk Point would have been his current appearance if he hadn’t eaten the Hito Hito Devil Fruit, since with this version it acquires a shape more similar to that of a reindeer, in addition to increasing its size and strength. It also gives Chopper a greater speed, being an advantage when he needs to travel long distances or move quickly.
The difference between Chopper’s walk point pre- and post-time skip is that, since he is still growing, his current 17-year-old version looks much bigger and more resistant; he has more fur around his shoulders, and his antlers are larger. Additionally, even though Walk Point isn’t very useful in combat, it is one of Chopper’s most commonly used forms; it gives him great mobility and allows him to easily track or transport someone.
8Heavy Point
First Appearance:One PieceChapter #138
Heavy Point is Chopper’s most human-like form, since he doesn’t have his antlers and hooves, but he still maintains some of his reindeer features, like his fur and blue nose. This form is focused on strength with special emphasis on the upper part of his body and is often used for fighting. In this form, Chopper could be mistaken for a gorilla because of his large body, and he gains great offensive power, allowing him to deliver powerful blows.
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This is also Chopper’s second-biggest form, reaching a size larger than an average person, which caused him to be rejected and considered a monster when he tried to blend with humans. Chopper’s Heavy Point has longer arms, a bigger head, and thicker fur around his neck and also looks considerably stronger post-time-skip, as he has gained more muscle mass.
7Jumping Point
First Appearance:One PieceChapter #149
Jumping Point is one of the forms that Chopper artificially induces by eating a Rumble Ball pre-time skip. In this form, Chopper had a slenderer upper body, and his reindeer legs gained more strength, which could even rival Sanji’s abilities to some extent. Like other forms, this emphasizes one of Chopper’s physical traits by letting him execute longer jumps and move a long distance at a high speed, being perfect for evading sudden attacks and maneuvering in midair.
Unfortunately, while the Jumping Point form has a great design, it was rarely used originally since it isn’t fitting for combat, which explains why it has yet to appear post-time skip, as Chopper could have scratched it completely, replacing it with other more versatile options.
6Arm Point
Another one of the forms that Chopper obtained from eating a Rumble Ball is the Arm Point, whose design is similar to his Jumping Point, but instead of bigger legs, his arms are more defined with marked triceps and biceps. Unlike Heavy Point, this form doesn’t increase the muscles of its upper part, but only the muscular mass of its arms, gaining exaggerated strength that gives it a greater advantage in combat.
Arm Point was one of Chopper’s strongest forms, having greater offensive power, and he often resorted to it to deliver the final blow to his enemies. Unfortunately, Chopper has not resorted to the Arm Point post-time skip, which could mean that he no longer has access to it, as he only used the Rumble Balls for his monster form.
5Guard Point
One of Chopper’s cutest designs is the Guard Point, which is also really useful in a pinch situation as it strengthens his defense and allows him to repel or resist a direct attack. In Guard Point, Chopper is surrounded by a very thick clump of fur that absorbs damage and makes him appear rounded with only his head and legs visible.
This was also one of Chopper’s forms that he mastered, and he no longer needed a Rumble Ball to use post-time skip. Also, after only two years, Chopper’s Guard Point reached a much bigger scale as he can grow a lot of fur compared to his younger version, even enough to cover the Thousand Sunny’s deck. However, despite looking adorable, it also limits his movements, so it does not allow him to counterattack in this way, making it entirely defensive.
