Reindeer Shames
Episode 7 of One Piece season 2 starts with us back at Kureha's castle. Chopper is hiding out and both Sanji and Luffy work to wind him up.
Chopper explains that he was a reindeer back in the day and he's been alone his whole life. Chopper has a big hole in his heart and part of this stems from his heartbreaking past involving Dr Hiriluk.
In the past, Wapol enacted a Great Doctor Hunt, where he rounded up all the doctors on the island. This eventually led to there being 2 physicians left. Kureha and Dr Hiriluk.
Without their doctors, people are so desperate they're scouring the Valley of Death for a cure-all mushroom. Kureha doesn't think it exists but Hiriluk is clinging to the hopes that he can come up with a cure to save the Kingdom – with or without the Mushroom.
It doesn't take long for Hiriluk to come across Chopper in the woods. The poor little guy has been shot and is in a rough state. He helps patch the reindeer up after promising never to hurt him.
Kureha takes care of Chopper and reassures him that he's not a monster. The pair spend a year together after, with Chopper and Hiriluk hanging together like two awkward peas in a pod. They compliment one another though, playing out like a father and son, in their own eccentric way.
Hiriluk eventually even offers up the iconic red top hat for Chopper to wear after their first fight. A peace offering, as he calls it.
The flag that Luffy touched before is part of Hiriluk's desire for hope, explaining that it's a courageous symbol. Of course, Chopper has no idea about pirates, so Hiriluk helps fill him in.
The good doctor explains that a pirate is someone that has adventures and dreams. They never give up and Hiriluk is convinced that Chopper will find his destiny beyond the sea.
Unfortunately, these good times don't last. Hiriluk, knowing that he's ill, decides to push Chopper away. Chopper rushes off, while Hiriluk gets progressively worse.
Kureha heads over to help but it's clearly no use. Hiriluk wanted to give Chopper a present to show that anything is possible. He drops to his knees and pleads with Kureha to help finish his life's work and take care of Chopper.
Kureha refuses, prompting Hiriluk to work tirelessly to get the concoction he's been working on in order. He's successful too, just as Chopper returns, injured and bleeding. He's got the mushroom from the Valley of Death and wants the doctor to get better.
Hiriluk tells Chopper he has a big heart and the pair embrace. After eating his mushroom soup, Hiriluk packs up his gear and prepares to head up to Drum Castle, where he's caught wind of the other doctors needing help. He's going to help cure them but he may have to fight his way in.
However, Kureha shows up at Hiriluk's place, where Chopper excitedly shows her the book with the mushroom he picked. That mushroom though happens to be poisonous. Kureha lashes out at Chopper, who winds up crying his eyes out.
It's now clear that Hiriluk intentionally decided to sacrifice himself to try and ease the suffering of those at Drum Castle by saving them from tyranny.
He breaks into the castle and arrives to see Wapol. He requests an audience and explains how the people of Drum Kingdom will be saved in the future. Dalton is inspired and Hiriluk asks him not to kill his son, Chopper.
As Hiriluk blows himself up in the middle of the throne room, Wapol orders Dalton to kill the "monster son". When he heads outside, Dalton finds Chopper in the courtyard. Chopper transforms and Dalton tells him to head home, which was the wish of his father.
Off the back of this, Dalton decides he's no longer going to walk this path and decides to turn away from the current regime.
Back at Hiriluk's lab, Chopper returns and finds Kureha looking over the gear. He pleads with Kureha to help teach him how to be a doctor, and she eventually agrees.
That brings us back to the present, where Luffy finishes hearing the story and heads out, silently. He picks up Hiriluk's pirate flag and places it up on the wall using his Gum Gum powers.
Back in town though, there's a problem. Dalton notices smoke coming from a campfire nearby. He urges Usopp and Zoro to hang tight, while he goes to check it out. However, Vivi ends up seeing Miss All Sunday in the crowd and realizes they're not alone.
He's immediately shot down by Wapol's men, setting everything up for a dramatic finale.
The Episode Review
So the penultimate episode of One Piece sees Chopper take the limelight. Of course, his backstory is peak One Piece and one of the best parts of the manga, at least early on anyway.
Of course, it was never going to hit the heights of cuteness that the anime manages to instil, given the usual mannerisms around it, but the live action does perfectly capture all the plot beats and the most important parts of this story.
The show does a really good job of capturing that and the backstory with Hiriluk is great. The story does well to tie that into the larger Drum Island storyline, and it definitely sets everything up for a big finale to follow.
Episode Rating
4.5
Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
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