One Piece : Épisode de Chopper - Le Miracle des cerisiers en hiver

A beautiful adaptation of the original with some added/changed scenes. The animation is really nice to look at and the art direction one of my favorites of the whole series.

Robin and Freaky don't really show much to develope the plot but it is nice to see them in that twisted plot.

To me it is the definitive way to see Choppers flashback.

The music is also one of my favorites. It adds much to the winter-like athmosphere.

Wapols brother is more of a second Wapol than a villain with an unique twist but I like his devilfruit power because it fits with the theme of an ill country.

I don't know why they make this movie.

There's no twist to the original plot, no new jokes to make you laugh (far less, mind you), and no new moves the characters will make.

Oh, there's differences between the movie and the TV episodes, though. Nico Robin and Frankie have already joined the crew (as you could tell from the poster), and their ship is (of course) the Thousand Sunshine. Since princess Vivi Ayame has already returned to Alabaster, part of her dialogs and act is taken over by Nico Robin, which is a pity, because Nico and Vivi are definitely different kind of persons. It's very weird to see Nico doing all those things.

And their appearances looked strange, either. Especially for Nami, I couldn't even recognize her in the poster.

The whole movie was in a hurry, so they don't even have time to make Wapol the ultimate bad guy! No, please. Don't waste your time on this one.

One Piece: Episode of Chopper Plus is a 2008 alternate retelling of the Drum Island Arc, one of the most emotional storylines in One Piece, reimagined with elements from later sagas. While it attempts to capture the heart-wrenching origin of Tony Tony Chopper and his journey with the Straw Hat Pirates, the film takes creative liberties that both enhance and detract from the original arc's impact.

THE STRENGTHS ON THIS STORY IS 1. The Emotional Core The film maintains the emotional weight of Chopper's backstory-his tragic connection with Dr. Hiriluk and the theme of self-acceptance remain poignant. The scene where Chopper embraces his identity as a doctor, inspired by Hiriluk's dream, is still one of the most powerful moments in One Piece.

2. The Updated Animation & Character Inclusion Compared to the original anime arc, this film benefits from modernized animation. The visuals are sharper, the action scenes flow more smoothly, and the snowy landscapes of Drum Island are beautifully rendered. Additionally, Nico Robin and Franky, who were not part of the original arc, are integrated into the story. Their presence adds fresh interactions and expanded fight sequences.

3. The Villain Adaptation Wapol remains a despicable antagonist, but the film intensifies his villainy. His tyrannical rule over Drum Island and his fights with the Straw Hats are more dynamic, making his eventual defeat more satisfying.

The Weaknesses 1. The Inconsistencies & Pacing Issues By reworking the arc to fit a movie format, the pacing feels rushed. The emotional buildup of Chopper's bond with Hiriluk is not as deeply explored as in the original series, making some moments feel less impactful. Certain conflicts and character developments are also condensed, which may leave fans of the original arc feeling unsatisfied.

2. The Unnecessary Character Additions While it's fun to see Robin and Franky, their presence feels somewhat forced. Since they had no role in Chopper's original journey, their inclusion disrupts the narrative's emotional weight rather than enhancing it. Fans of One Piece might find this an odd revision, as it alters the continuity in a way that doesn't always make sense.

3. The Lack of Surprise for Existing Fans As a retelling rather than an original story, Episode of Chopper Plus doesn't introduce many new elements beyond the inclusion of later crew members. For those already familiar with the Drum Island Arc, this version might feel unnecessary since it lacks the same depth and pacing that made the original so beloved.

Final Verdict Episode of Chopper Plus is a visually appealing and emotionally resonant retelling of one of One Piece's most touching arcs, but it sacrifices depth for the sake of fitting within a movie's runtime. While it serves as a decent introduction to Chopper's story for newcomers, longtime fans may prefer the original series version for a fuller, more impactful experience.

Score: 6.9/10 - A heartfelt but imperfect retelling.

The original storyline featured only five primary characters: Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, and Usopp. The filmmakers of this film made much of Franky and Robin's appearance, but most viewers are aware that they don't actually join the Straw Hats until much later. Now that those two were involved, I thought it would be fascinating to observe how the adjustments would be made!

Naturally, I watched the film, and despite my excitement, it was nothing like I had anticipated. Although they weren't even the "Main" characters in the film, Franky and Robin were present but didn't really do much.

There isn't much to see here if you have already watched One Piece. In a nutshell, episodes 78 through 91 are simply packed into two hours while Franky and Robin remain in the background.

That in no way implies that it was a terrible thing. Though there wasn't really anything new, I still enjoyed seeing it. With the exception of the very end. Alright, who is everyone's favorite "bad guy" from the anime, Wapol? It turns out that this film features a character by the name of Mushul, his brother. And that's the point of differentiation. Instead of only taking on Wapol, Luffy also needs to take down Mushul. Which, despite being brief, is actually quite an amazing fight.

Basically a condensed version of the tv series arc which introduces my not so favorite character of Chopper. Now I am not a fan of One Piece in general for a number of reasons, one being it's immense length with it's one major redeeming factor (it's epic fights) being so drawn out and continuously interrupted by unnecessary side stories and goofy slapsrtick antics and gross emotional revelations. So as opposed to when other anime series like Demon Slayer come out with their condensed versions of arcs where I'm like why not just watch the series with all it's fun bits, for one piece I welcomer condensed versions in the hope of watching the important bits and hopefully a fluent, uninterrupted fight sequence. 2/3 of this movie is the rushed retelling of Chopper's sobby story and only like 9 minutes of fights so I was disappointed there but it cut through a lot of the nonsense and the new animation was..good(?) mostly interesting and kept me watching.

This is a good alternative to watching the hundreds or so episodes to get pretty much the jist without some of the eye-rolls and it has some flashy (?) animation BUT hardly any Zoro (my main qualm) Not really a terribly must watch thing even for fans. I'm still flabbergasted as to how I managed to sit through this waiting for a nine minute fight scene so I guess it was pretty okay.