Country of origin Japan Original network Fuji Television | No. of episodes 15 | |
Original release August 26 – December 9, 2001 | ||
The third season of the One Piece anime series, The "Enter Chopper at the Winter Island" chapter, was produced by Toei Animation, and directed by Konosuke Uda based on Eiichiro Oda's manga by the same name. It was originally licensed for a heavily edited dub by 4Kids Entertainment. This editing included removing some of the episodes from the list. Later, Funimation acquired the licensed to release the season uncut and mostly unedited, as well as releasing an English subtitled version along with the redubbing. The third season deals with the Straw Hat Pirates trying find a doctor after Nami falls sick. They sail to Drum Island where they face off against the Wapol Pirates. There they meet Chopper who joins the crew.
The third season originally ran from August 26, 2001, through December 9, 2001, on Fuji TV and contained fifteen episodes. The season aired on August 27, 2005, though November 12, 2005, on the Fox Broadcasting Company and February 11, 2006, through February 18, 2006, on Cartoon Network, consisting of only twelve episodes.
Three pieces of theme music are utilized by the season's episodes: one opening theme and two ending themes. The opening theme is "Believe" by Folder5, and Meredith McCoy in Funimation's English version.. The ending themes are "Shouchi no Suke" (しょうちのすけ, lit. That's a Fact!) by Shōjo Suitei until episode 81 and "Before Dawn" by Ai-Sachi (Leah Clark in Funimation's English version) for the remainder of the season. The 4Kids dub uses Russell Velasquez' "Pirate Rap V2" as opening for the whole season, except for episode 60, which uses his "Pirate Rap V3", and "Pirate Rap Instrumental" as ending theme.