One Piece's Tony Tony Chopper Appointed Official Collaborator for Doctors Without Borders

With the second season of the One Piece live-action recently premiered and the new anime season, set to adapt the Elbaf arc, just weeks away, a significant piece of news has been leaked: Tony Tony Chopper has been officially appointed as a collaborator for the international organization Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières - MSF).

Oda Confirms Tony Tony Chopper's Collaboration with Doctors Without Borders

Although the formal announcement regarding Tony Tony Chopper's appointment as an official collaborator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) was originally scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2026, in issue #17 of Weekly Shonen Jump, an early leak prompted Eiichiro Oda's official profile to reveal a special illustration and confirm the news ahead of schedule.

Special illustration of Tony Tony Chopper with Doctors Without Borders — Special illustration by Eiichiro Oda for Chopper's collaboration with MSF.

This alliance between Eiichiro Oda's beloved work and MSF includes a special illustration created by the author himself, which will be featured in the upcoming Shueisha magazine. As the Straw Hat Pirates' doctor, Chopper is a character who has won the affection of global audiences for his unwavering dedication to helping the injured and sick, regardless of their allegiance. This collaboration materialized because his firm conviction to "be a doctor capable of curing everything" fully aligns with MSF's core philosophy of providing healthcare in hard-to-reach areas, such as conflict zones and disaster-stricken regions.

Promotional material for Chopper and MSF collaboration — Promotional material detailing the collaboration's activities.

The primary goal of this appointment is to increase public awareness and interest in MSF's vital medical and humanitarian activities. To achieve this, a dedicated website has been launched, informational brochures will be produced, and materials will be distributed at various conferences and events. Furthermore, new content will be developed under the "CHOPPER's" series, depicting Chopper living in our everyday world to creatively introduce MSF's initiatives. Original charity products will also be announced soon on the collaboration's official website and on "CHOPPER's" social media channels.

Release Date for Chapter 1177 of the One Piece Manga

Weekly Shonen Jump, Issue 17, 2026 Cover — Cover of Weekly Shonen Jump issue #17, where chapter 1177 will be published.

Alongside the Doctors Without Borders announcement, issue #17 of Shonen Jump will also publish chapter 1177 of the One Piece manga. It's important to note that, in Latin America — via Shueisha's Manga Plus app — One Piece chapter 1177 will be available on Sunday, March 22.

Premiere Date for the Elbaf Arc in the One Piece Anime

It was confirmed at Jump Festa 2026 that the One Piece anime will make its return on Sunday, April 5, 2026. This return will be under a new annual structure consisting of two consecutive cours (episode blocks). This means that, similar to series like Gachiakuta or Sakamoto Days, the One Piece anime will now have a total of 26 episodes annually.