Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1114 of One Piece.

Summary

• Chouchou makes a surprising return in One Piece, signaling the series' impending 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 ties back to Luffy's humble origins and signifies One Piece's story coming full circle before the end.

Eiichiro Oda has often claimed to end the series within a few more years, fans have never been able to take these claims seriously as Oda has repeatedly failed to keep to these promised deadlines. However, the return of one of the series' oldest yet most memorable canine characters in the newest chapter of the Egghead Arc finally makes One Piece's gradually approaching ending feel like a reality.

Chapter #1114 of One Piece shows people around the world reacting to Vegapunk's message, including Chouchou and the mayor of Orange Town, who make a surprising yet pleasant appearance. Little has been seen of the beloved dog since the East Blue Saga save for a cover story which makes the cameo all the more nostalgic.

The fact that the series is revisiting even its oldest characters is proof that One Piece's story is finally coming full circle before its grand ending and the epic culmination of Luffy's journey. Chouchou's appearance serves as a reminder of just how far Luffy has come since he set sail, from fighting evil clowns to becoming a powerful Emperor of the Sea, who is currently fighting against the full might of the Navy and the World Government. The cameo also highlights the sheer scope of Vegapunk's message, which could impact even a dog in the smallest corner of One Piece's world.

One Piece Brings Back Its Most Nostalgic Characters as the Final Saga Takes Off

Created by Eiichiro Oda, chapter #1114, "The Wings of Icarus"

While Luffy has gone on to save many nations from tyrannical rulers over the course of One Piece, Orange Town was the very first place Luffy liberated. In fact, it may be safe to say that both Chouchou and his backstory are among 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 Chouchou has rebuilt his pet food store. As such, even though the latest chapters have shown many nostalgic locations around the world reacting to Vegapunk's message, Orange Town somehow comes as a greater surprise, as the arc is among the few in the East Blue Saga that Oda had not revisited properly until now.

Orange Town's Significance Will Be Realized in the Final Saga

Given Oda's penchant for connecting the smallest of details, the Orange Town arc may soon reveal its significance to the broader storyline. Despite being fairly lighthearted, the Orange Town arc and Chouchou's backstory tackled how the concept of treasure can be extremely subjective, which could be crucial in determining the nature of the One Piece treasure.

The cover story featuring Orange Town also reveals that the citizens have erected a statue of Chouchou holding a box of food atop a fountain, likely in memory of when Luffy took revenge on Mohji and Richie for destroying Chouchou's store. As such, Chouchou's reappearance is a reminder of Luffy's humble beginnings and also proof of his far-reaching influence, as evidenced by the statute.

Overall, One Piece's extensive world-building means that there are more characters than one person can realistically keep track of, but Eiichiro Oda somehow continues to surprise fans with heartwarming cameos like Chochou's. While there are still many more interesting locations and characters One Piece has yet to revisit, the chapters of the Final Saga will surely give fans all the closure they need before the series ends.

One Piece is available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.