Chouchou[5] is a dog from Orange Town, famed for his unceasing vigil over the pet-food shop founded by his deceased owner. He is classified as a Type B creature, "Small Friendly".[6]
He is an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates during the Orange Town Arc.
Appearance[]
Chouchou is a small white dog with thin ears, beady black eyes, and a short, brush-like tail. During the Buggy Pirates' occupation of Orange Town, he bore several wounds.
After the town—and particularly his master's shop—was revitalized, he donned a black bow-tie to celebrate.[7]
Gallery[]
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Personality[]
Above all, Chouchou is undyingly loyal to the memory of his late master Hocker, having dedicated the rest of his life to guarding Hocker's pet-food shop. Though generally stoic and unmoving, he will not hesitate to attack anyone who mistreats him or threatens the shop.
In rare cases, he can extend his loyalty to newcomers—as he did for the Straw Hat Pirates, helping them escape a misguided mob of townsfolk after Monkey D. Luffy avenged his shop's destruction.
Abilities and Powers[]
An ordinary dog for the most part, Chouchou's main—if not only—mode of attack is biting. Despite his small size, his physical toughness nearly equals his sheer tenacity, surviving multiple attacks from the Buggy Pirates and even the several-times-larger Richie.
History[]
Past[]
Roughly thirty years after Orange Town was founded, Hocker—with Chouchou at his side—opened its first shop dedicated solely to pet food.[8] Though business was often slow, the pair lived happily and inseparably for a decade, and became well-loved by the other townspeople.[9]
Eventually, Hocker developed an illness, and while seeking medical attention left Chouchou to watch over the shop; this would be their final interaction, as Hocker soon succumbed to the illness and died. Regardless, Chouchou kept to his assignment, spending day and night beside the shop and surviving mostly on feedings from the town mayor Boodle (who came to believe that Chouchou understood his master's fate, and treasured the shop purely as a memento).[10]
Several months after Hocker's death, the Buggy Pirates invaded Orange Town. While all its human inhabitants fled to the outskirts, Chouchou still refused to leave the shop, even enduring multiple wounds from the pirates. During lulls in their activity, Boodle would occasionally sneak back to continue feeding Chouchou, as well as (unsuccessfully) pleading with him to join the evacuation.[11]
East Blue Saga[]
Orange Town Arc[]
Luffy strangles Chouchou for eating the key to his cage.
Following their first battle with the Buggy Pirates, Nami, Roronoa Zoro and Monkey D. Luffy—the latter trapped in a cage—encountered Chouchou and his shop. When prodded by the curious young pirate, Chouchou bit Luffy, then spitefully ate the cage's only key. Fortunately, Boodle intervened in time to prevent any serious damage, and fed Chouchou while explaining his story to the Straw Hats.
Chouchou proved no friendlier to the Buggy Pirates' First Mate Mohji, immediately answering his supposed "beast-taming" skills with another bite. Enraged by this, as well as Luffy's general defiance, Mohji and his lion Richie attacked.[11] Though Chouchou fought with all his effort, he was easily defeated, and could only watch as the shop was raided, then burned to the ground.[12]
Chouchou watches as his master's store burns.
At the same time, the attack unwittingly freed Luffy, who quickly empathized with Chouchou's grief and avenged it by beating Richie and Mohji senseless. Afterward, Luffy brought Chouchou a single pack of dog-food—all that could be salvaged from the shop's ruins.[12] Chouchou accepted this gesture of friendship, and left to join the evacuees.[13]
Later in the day, concerned over Boodle (who had in fact resolved to fight the Buggy Pirates), Chouchou and the other evacuees returned to Orange Town. On finding both the Buggy Pirates and Boodle knocked unconscious, the townspeople mistook the Straw Hats for rival invaders, and attacked as a mob—only for Chouchou to block their way, allowing his new friends a clear escape.[14]
Buggy's Crew Adventure Chronicles[]
Shortly after the Straw Hats' departure, Orange Town drove out the remaining Buggy Pirates; Chouchou joined in most keenly of all, biting a fleeing Mohji on the rear.[15]
Fish-Man Island Saga[]
From the Decks of the World[]
Two years later, with Orange Town largely recovered, Chouchou became guardian—and namesake—to a rebuilt and considerably expanded pet-food shop. In further recognition, the town also erected a statue in his likeness atop a nearby fountain.[7]
Final Saga[]
Egghead Arc[]
Chouchou listened to Vegapunk's broadcast while Boodle asked him what he thought about Vegapunk's message.[16]
Translation and Dub Issues[]
- Further information: Name Variants
"Chouchou" is a French term translating roughly to "pet", though it is more often used as a term of endearment (or mockery) for humans rather than animals.
Due to the fickleness of romanizing katakana, some early fan translations render his name as "Shushu". However, the proper spelling was confirmed in Volume 9's SBS[5] and on the cover page of Chapter 619,[7] and is used in all professional English translations. Contrary to this, his named is spelled "Shushu" in his entry in the Vivre Card databook,[3] as well as on Shueisha's English edition of the 7th popularity poll.[1]
Merchandise[]
Video Games[]
Playable Characters[]
Non-Playable Appearances[]
- One Piece: Become the Pirate King!
- Set Sail Pirate Crew!
- Aim! The King of Berry
- Dragon Dream!
- One Piece (Game Boy Advance)
- One Piece Treasure Cruise
Trivia[]
- Chouchou's unwavering devotion parallels many mythical and real-life accounts of dogs' faithfulness to long-dead masters, most famously Hachikō and Greyfriars Bobby.
- Chouchou's age of 14 would be remarkably old for a real-life dog, even those from the longest-lived breeds. However, given that the world of One Piece features humans (e.g. Kureha) able to surpass 140 years without issue, it is possible that dog lifespans are also significantly longer.
- Chouchou's favorite food is dog food.[3]
- Chouchou was ranked 100 out of the top 100 characters in the 7th One Piece Poll.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 See One Piece World Top 100's East Blue section.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 12 (p. 5) and Episode 6, Chouchou makes his debut.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Vivre Card - One Piece Visual Dictionary (Card #0051), Information about Chouchou is revealed.
- ↑ SBS One Piece Manga — Vol. 87, https://one-piece.com/news/detail/20171102_6345/, Chouchou's birthday is revealed.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 SBS One Piece Manga — Vol. 9, Volume 9's SBS header depicts "Chouchou" on the doghouse.
- ↑ One Piece Blue: Grand Data File (p. 88-89), Classification of animals by dangerousness.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 One Piece Manga — Vol. 63 Chapter 619, cover story: From the Decks of the World Vol. 6, The post-timeskip Orange Town features Chouchou and Boodle beside a rebuilt pet-food store, as well as a fountain-statue in Chouchou's likeness (wearing a Straw Hat).
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 12 (p. 11) and Episode 6, Boodle states that Hocker opened his shop "about ten years ago"—three decades after the forty-year-old Orange Town.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 13 (p. 4-6) and Episode 6, Chouchou recalls his past with Hocker, from the day they opened the shop to the day Hocker left for the town doctor, never to return.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 12 (p. 12-13) and Episode 6, Boodle elaborates on Hocker's fate.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 12 and Episode 6.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 13 and Episode 6, Seeing they have burned down Chouchou's treasured shop, Luffy defeats Mohji and Richie, then gives Chouchou its last surviving piece.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 2 Chapter 14 (p. 4) and Episode 6, Chouchou finally joins Orange Town's evacuees.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 3 Chapter 21 and Episode 8, Chouchou helps the Straw Hats escape from the townspeople.
- ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 5 Chapter 36, cover story: Buggy's Crew Adventure Chronicles Vol. 2 and Episode 47, Chouchou and the rest of Orange Town chase out Buggy's disorganized crew.
- ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 110 Chapter 1114 (p. 12).
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