One Piece has provided fans with countless memorable characters. However, few are as instantly lovable as Tony Tony Chopper. The Straw Hats' doctor and the crew's most adorable member, Chopper's design, has the feeling of having always meant to be cute. However, Eiichiro Oda had very different plans for him initially.In fact, Chopper's design only came to be the way that it is due to Oda's influence from the anime. If this went unnoticed, the cutest member of Luffy's crew may have looked far less charming than the one fans recognize today.How Chopper might not have looked the way fans know him today in One Piece, exploredsandman @sandman_APLINKOda(2007): I transformed Chopper into a mascot character when I heard his anime voice. I had the belief that I didn't want to draw a mascot character that would flatter readers, but the VA's voice was so cute that I changed Chopper's design.🥺While Tony Tony Chopper is one of the most well-known characters in One Piece, his iconic design was not Oda’s original intention. When Oda first created Chopper, he didn't want a "mascot character" designed to charm audiences through cuteness alone.In fact, Oda has completely gone on record to say he was against making a mascot that felt like he was pandering to fans. This means the Chopper that fans love and adore today, the small, round, cute reindeer, would have looked rather different if Oda had followed through with his original idea.Eventually, Oda changed his mind about Chopper when the manga was adapted for television. Oda indicated in an interview that once Chopper had a voice actor, he suddenly started to think about Chopper differently. The voice was so warm and innocent that it was the opposite of the darker version of Chopper's design that Oda originally had in mind.It was so cute that Oda decided to redesign Chopper's whole look, making it a lot smoother and going completely in the opposite direction with a look that fits the nice, kid-like characteristics as conveyed by the voice.This choice not only influenced how Chopper looked but also how fans would find his design relatable. Large round eyes, small size, and an expressive face made him instantly likable; a character who brought innocence and compassion to balance the often kooky energy of the Straw Hat crew.What could Chopper have looked like without this decision? Arguably, he could have looked more like a serious or even scary hybrid of a reindeer, and he certainly would not have been as appealing.Oda initially designed Chopper with a different look in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)It also demonstrates how unique Oda's flexibility as a creator is. Oda felt so strongly against mascots that he went to the extent of changing his intention when he began to see and accept that the anime displayed a side to Chopper that Oda had never considered.That reflexive ability to adapt changed Chopper from just a doctor on the Straw Hats to the symbolic heart of the crew. Without that ability to adapt, Oda's initial cute Straw Hat might have never earned such a title, and One Piece would have missed one of its most iconic and commercially successful designs.Also read: 10 OP characters with better pre-timeskip designsFinal thoughtsChopper's evolution from Oda's original design to the lovable mascot fans recognize today illustrates how small creative adjustments can impact an entire series. By letting the influence of the anime be a part of his design, Oda gifted One Piece not only the cutest Straw Hat but also one of the most iconic characters.Chopper's warmth and charm have been inherent in the Straw Hats' charm, and provide further evidence that Oda's flexibility as a creator helped Chopper find a permanent home in anime.Related links:A hidden awakening could explain why one Marine is considered a legend in One PieceThis long-ignored detail in One Piece could rival the importance of swordsOne Piece chapter 1158 confirms Oda's release schedule for early September 2025