Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1114 of One Piece.
Summary
Chouchou suddenly returns in One Piece, signaling that the series is about to end. Chapter #1114 features Orange Town reacting to Vegapunk's message, reminding fans of the first leg of Luffy's journey. Chouchou's reappearance in the series is tied to Luffy's humble origins and signals the end of the One Piece story.
A pieceLatest chapter of there is one A surprise appearance from one of the most nostalgic characters, proving that the series truly has finally come to an end. Although Eiichiro Oda often stated that he would end the series within a few years, fans were never able to take these statements seriously because Oda repeatedly failed to keep his promised deadlines. However, the return of one of the oldest yet most memorable canine characters in the latest chapter of the Egghead Arc finally makes the gradual ending of One Piece feel like reality.
One Piece chapter #1114 shows people around the world reacting to Vegapunk's message, including Chouchou and the mayor of Orange Town, who has a surprising yet pleasant appearance. The beloved dog hasn't been seen much since the East Blue Saga save for a cover story which makes the cameo even more nostalgic.
The fact that the series is returning to even its oldest characters is proof that One Piece's story has finally come full circle before its grand finale and epic climax to its journey. Luffy. Chouchou's appearance serves as a reminder of how far Luffy has come since he set sail, from fighting evil clowns to becoming the mighty Emperor of the Sea, who is now fighting against the full might of the Navy and the World Government. This appearance also highlights the vast scope of Vegapunk's message, which can impact even a dog in the smallest corner of the One Piece world.
One Piece brings back its most nostalgic characters as the Saga finally begins
Created by Eiichiro Oda, chapter #1114, “Wings of Icarus”
While Luffy continues to save many countries from tyrannical rulers in One Piece, Orange Town is the first place Luffy liberated. In fact, it's probably safe to say that both Chouchou and his backstory are the most memorable aspects of the East Blue Saga and the exact point at which many fans fell in love with One Piece. Even so, the latest chapter marks Chouchou's first appearance in One Piece's main story since the beginning of the series.
Chouchou's only other appearance is in the cover story of chapter #619, which reveals that Chouchou has rebuilt his pet food store. As such, although the latest chapters have shown many nostalgic locations around the world reacting to Vegapunk's message, Orange Town somehow comes as a bigger surprise, as this part is of the few in East Blue Saga that Oda has not reviewed until now.
The importance of Orange Town will be realized in the final Saga
With Oda's penchant for connecting the smallest details, the Orange Town arc may soon reveal its importance to the broader plot. Although quite fun, the Orange Town arc and Chouchou's backstory addresses how the concept of treasure can be extremely subjectivethis could be crucial in determining the nature of the One Piece treasure.
The Orange Town cover story also revealed that the residents had built a statue of Chouchou holding a box of food on top of the fountain, possibly to commemorate when Luffy took revenge on Mohji and Richie for destroying Chouchou's shop. Thus, the reappearance of Chouchou is a reminder of Luffy's humble beginnings and also proof of his far-reaching influenceas evidenced by statute.
Overall, A pieceEiichiro Oda's vast world-building means there are more characters than one could realistically keep track of, but Eiichiro Oda somehow continues to surprise fans with cameos touching invitation like Chochou's. While there are still many interesting locations and characters that One Piece has yet to revisit, the upcoming chapters of the Final Saga are sure to give fans the closure they need before the series ends. .
A piece available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
