Well, we didn't get a new trailer, and we didn't get an actual release date for One Piece Season 2 at Tudum 2025. But that's not to say there weren't some exciting announcements.
After taking the stage in L.A., the Straw Hats — Iñaki Godoy (who plays Luffy), Mackenyu (Zoro), Emily Rudd (Nami), Jacob Romero (Usopp), and Taz Skylar (Sanji) — introduced fans to their newest pirate member, Tony Tony Chopper! The fan-favorite reindeer will join the crew in Season 2, and tonight we got our first look at him in "live-action" form.
One Piece fans who have read the manga or watched the anime are quite familiar with Tony Tony Chopper. But for those whose first experience with the franchise was through Netflix's live-action series, here's how Tudum described the reindeer.
A blue-nosed reindeer-boy hybrid, Chopper is as smart as he is cute. With the ability to treat various illnesses, he aims to travel the world and accomplish his dream of curing any disease — which would certainly come in handy for our Straw Hat pirates. He’s also fiercely loyal, loves compliments (but doesn’t want you to know it), and wears his heart on his sleeve. But don’t let his sweet face fool you. This fan-favorite character is a lot tougher than he looks. And whatever you do, don’t call him a raccoon! He’s a reindeer!
Chopper is voiced by Mikaela Hoover (Beef, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Superman), who also performed facial capture for the character.
“What excited me about playing Chopper is the tug of war between his standoffishness and his huge heart,” Hoover told Tudum. “He tries so hard to hide his emotions and put on a tough exterior, but underneath, he’s a big softy, and his love can’t help but come out."
“I believe there is a little Chopper in all of us,” she added. “We all want to be loved and accepted. We go to great lengths to keep the people that we love safe. There’s a purity to his nature that reminds us of what’s good in the world.”
Chopper is animated by visual-effects company Framestore with a design based on One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda’s manga drawing. Visual-effects supervisor Victor Scalise had this to say about adapting the character for the series: “It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve got a great team leading that process with Chopper … I think the audience, when they see him, they’re going to be very happy.”
And now for the disappointing news. One Piece Season 2 will not release until 2026. This honestly surprised me, given all of the hints that suggested a 2025 release for Season 2.
Disappointing release window aside, Chopper looks absolutely fantastic and is even cuter than I imagined.
It's just unfortunate we didn't get a proper trailer, and even more unfortunate that we have to wait until next year to continue our journey to the Grand Line.