Chopper Star Breaks Silence on Joining the Series for Season 2

One Piece has officially introduced their new live-action version of Tony Tony Chopper ahead of Season 2, and the new star behind the character has shared their reaction to joining the live-action Netflix series. One Piece Season 2 is now in the works with Netflix, and the live-action series has been steadily sharing some updates about all of the new additions to the cast. But the live-action series has finally dropped one of their biggest updates yet with the first reveal for how Tony Tony Chopper was going to look in motion. But that’s not all as the star behind them has been fully revealed as well.

Netflix has officially announced that Mikaela Hoover (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Superman) will be bringing Tony Tony Chopper to life in Season 2 of the live-action One Piece series, and will also be providing facial motion capture in the process. Now that the star has been fully revealed, Hoover has also provided her first reactions to joining the series with the upcoming season as she teases how excited she is to take on such a lovable character.

Mikaela Hoover Joins Netflix’s One Piece for Season 2

“What excited me about playing Chopper is the tug of war between his standoffishness and his huge heart,” Hoover shared in a statement with Netflix’s 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.” As for what makes Chopper stand out as a character, Hoover explained, “I believe there is a little Chopper in all of us,” she stated. “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.”

In another comment to fans on social media following the announcement, Hoover stated, “I am so honored, and so excited to bring Tony Tony Chopper to life for Netflix’s One Piece. Guys this is a dream. Thank you so much Oda, for trusting me with this precious little guy. I love him so much, he’s so adorable. Do not tell him that. Thank you guys, so much. I’ll see you in season two.” From these statements alone, it’s clear that Hoover has a deep understanding of Chopper so far.

RELATED: One Piece Season 2 Reveals Release Window (And Fans Might Be Disappointed)

One Piece’s Creator Approves of Live-Action Chopper

One Piece franchise creator Eiichiro Oda also shared his seal of approval for the live-action Tony Tony Chopper design, “The key to Season 2 is, of course, our weird talking animal,” the creator stated in a message following the reveal. “After extensive trial and refinement by the entire team, the day has come to finally unveil him!! From his form and furs to his expressions and face, and even lighting and gravity simulation – a world – class team brought their skills together in bringing Tony Tony Chopper to life, and now he’s ready to be introduced to the world!! Check him out!!” 

One Piece Season 2 will be coming to Netflix some time in 2026, but has yet to confirm a concrete release date as of the time of this publication. Chopper’s going to be a very important piece of the live-action adaptation’s future, so there’s definitely a hope from fans that the team behind the scenes can help to pull it all off when Chopper makes his full debut. Especially when considering everything that comes after Chopper shows up too.