One Piece season 3
The Straw Hats gain a doctor on Drum Island.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The third season of the *One Piece* anime, known on home video as *Enter Chopper at the Winter Island*, originally ran on Fuji Television from August 26 to December 9, 2001. Directed by Konosuke Uda and produced by Toei Animation, it covers volumes 15 through 18 of Eiichiro Oda's manga. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew as they search for a doctor after Nami falls ill, which brings them to Drum Island. There, they battle the Wapol Pirates while Nami is treated by Kureha, and they eventually recruit her assistant, Tony Tony Chopper, as their ship's doctor.
In North America and other regions, the season was first licensed by 4Kids Entertainment, which produced a heavily edited English dub. This version reduced the total number of episodes by combining multiple Japanese episodes into single ones. It aired on Fox Broadcasting from August 27 to November 12, 2005, and on Cartoon Network from February 11 to February 18, 2006, totaling just twelve episodes. After 4Kids lost the license, Funimation acquired it and released the season on home video in 2009. This uncensored release included a new English dub alongside the original Japanese version with subtitles.
The season uses three pieces of theme music: one opening and two endings. The opening is "Believe" by Folder5 in Japanese and Meredith McCoy in English. The first four episodes use the ending "Shouchi no Suke" (meaning "That's a Fact!") by Shōjo Suitei in Japanese and Stephanie Young in English, while the remaining episodes use "Before Dawn" by Ai-Sachi in Japanese and Leah Clark in English. In the 4Kids dub, the opening is an English rap-style theme (not Meredith McCoy's version) for all episodes except the final one, which uses a variation of that rap, and the ending is "Pirate Rap Instrumental."
- aired
- August 26, 2001 – December 9, 2001
- network
- Fuji Television
- director
- Konosuke Uda
- producer
- Toei Animation
- manga_volumes_adapted
- 15–18
- english_4kids_airdates
- August 27 – November 12, 2005 (Fox); February 11–18, 2006 (Cartoon Network)
- english_funimation_release
- 2009 (home video)
Lore & Background
The season follows the Straw Hat Pirates after Nami falls ill. They sail to Drum Island, where they face the Wapol Pirates while Nami receives treatment from Dr. Kureha. The crew recruits Tony Tony Chopper, Kureha's assistant, as their doctor. The season uses one opening theme, "Believe" by Folder5 in Japanese and Meredith McCoy in English, and two ending themes: "Shouchi no Suke" by Shōjo Suitei for the first four episodes and "Before Dawn" by Ai-Sachi for the remainder. In the 4Kids dub, the opening was a different English rap-style theme, not Meredith McCoy's version.
Reader's Guide
The third season is significant for introducing Tony Tony Chopper, a key crew member, and for its adaptation of the Drum Island arc. In North America, 4Kids Entertainment produced a heavily edited localization that reduced the season to twelve episodes, airing on Fox and Cartoon Network in 2005–2006. After 4Kids lost the license, Funimation acquired it and released an uncensored home video set in 2009 with a new English dub and the original Japanese version. The season's home media includes a Blu-ray release titled The Eternal Log, containing 16:9 standard definition episodes.
Did You Know?
- The season aired from August 26, 2001 to December 9, 2001 on Fuji Television.
- The 4Kids dub reduced the season to twelve episodes by combining multiple Japanese episodes.
- The opening theme "Believe" was performed by Folder5 in Japanese and Meredith McCoy in English, but the 4Kids dub used a different English rap-style opening instead of McCoy's version.
- The Funimation uncut release in 2009 included both a new English dub and the Japanese version with subtitles.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What is One Piece Season 3 about?
Season 3 adapts the Drum Island arc, in which the Straw Hats head to a snow-covered island to find a doctor for Nami after she falls seriously ill. Along the way they clash with the Wapol Pirates and ultimately recruit a new crew member.
Who joins the Straw Hats in One Piece Season 3?
Tony Tony Chopper, a reindeer who consumed the Hito Hito no Mi, becomes the crew's ship doctor by the end of the arc. He is Kureha's former assistant and the first Zoan-type Devil Fruit user to join Luffy's crew.
Who is the main villain in One Piece Season 3?
Wapol is a large, aggressive pirate captain who has seized control of Drum Island and rules the locals through his military force. He serves as the arc's antagonist before the Straw Hats defeat him and his crew.
When did One Piece Season 3 air and who directed it?
The season premiered on Fuji Television on August 26, 2001 and concluded on December 9, 2001, under the direction of Konosuke Uda and production by Toei Animation. In North America, 4Kids broadcast edited episodes on Fox and Cartoon Network between 2005 and 2006.
Why is One Piece Season 3 important to the overall series?
It permanently adds Chopper to the Straw Hat roster, giving the crew a dedicated medical specialist and a deeply empathetic character. His recruitment also kicks off one of the longest-running character development threads in the entire manga and anime.
More in One Piece seasons 1-22
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record