It was announced on March 20th that Tony Tony Chopper, a popular character from Eiichiro Oda's popular manga "ONE PIECE" (Shueisha), has been appointed as an official supporter of Doctors Without Borders. As the ship's doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates, Chopper's actions and beliefs in helping those suffering from injury and illness without discrimination amidst adventures and battles resonate with the philosophy of Doctors Without Borders, leading to his appointment as an official supporter. This initiative aims to broaden understanding of and interest in Doctors Without Borders' medical and humanitarian aid activities.
An illustration of Chopper from Doctors Without Borders, drawn by Eiichiro Oda, has been released. The illustration depicts Chopper wearing a T-shirt with the Doctors Without Borders logo, with a stethoscope around his neck, and running while holding up the Doctors Without Borders flag. His bulging emergency medical backpack is modeled after one actually used by Doctors Without Borders. His running pose evokes a sense of kinship with the "Running Person" logo, which represents Doctors Without Borders' spirit of rushing to the aid of those who cannot receive medical care.
A special collaborative website has opened to showcase Chopper's support activities. A booklet will also be produced that allows users to learn about Doctors Without Borders' activities through Chopper. The completed booklet will be available for viewing on the special website and will also be distributed at various Doctors Without Borders lectures and publicity events.
Dr. Javid Abdelmonaym, President of Doctors Without Borders International, commented: "Dear Chopper, thank you for joining Doctors Without Borders to save so many lives around the world! The belief in helping people in need of medical care, regardless of race or nationality, is something that Chopper and Doctors Without Borders have in common. We hope you will visit Doctors Without Borders' work sites and share what you see with many people. Doctors Without Borders needs many more members. We hope that through Chopper, the number of Doctors Without Borders members around the world will increase."
Hiroyuki Nakano, the media editor for "ONE PIECE," said, "We are very pleased that Chopper, the ship's doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates, has been given the opportunity to be active on the world stage. He is a reindeer who ate the Human-Human Fruit and gained human abilities. Nevertheless, he strives to heal all those who are injured or ill, regardless of whether they are human, animal, friend or foe. We believe that he is truly the right person to become a supporter of Doctors Without Borders, which conducts medical activities on the front lines around the world, transcending race and religion. We ask for your support. Congratulations on your appointment, Chopper! Hey, you look a little happy?"
Ikue Otani, the voice actress for Chopper in the anime, sent a message saying, "Congratulations to Chopper on becoming an official supporter of Doctors Without Borders! I'm so happy that Chopper, the ship's doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates, will be supporting the activities of Doctors Without Borders. This is Chopper's year, so please check out both the live-action and anime versions!"
Author Seiichi Ito said, "I am delighted that Doctors Without Borders has found such a wonderful helper. I have been covering Doctors Without Borders' activities since 2016, and have visited eight countries or regions so far, compiling what I have seen and heard into books. In this increasingly chaotic world, both I and Chopper will continue to watch the activities of people who come together on the axis of medicine and humanitarianism."
"ONE PIECE" depicts the adventures of Luffy, a young man wearing a straw hat whose limbs can stretch like rubber, as he and his crew sail the high seas in pursuit of becoming the Pirate King. The manga began serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha) in 1997 and reached its 1000th chapter in January 2021. It celebrated its 25th anniversary in July 2022.
The 57th volume of the manga, released in March 2010, set a new record for the highest initial print run in Japanese publishing history with approximately 3 million copies. The 67th volume, released in August 2012, broke that record with an initial print run of approximately 4.05 million copies. In June 2015, it was recognized by Guinness World Records as the "most published comic series by a single author." The total worldwide circulation of the manga exceeds 600 million copies.
The TV anime series began airing in October 1999 and reached its 1000th episode in November 2021. Season 2 of the live-action drama series is currently streaming on Netflix.
