TV-Series
Description
Choco Love, known as Chocolove McDonell in the original Japanese version and as Joco in some English adaptations, is a main character who joins the narrative as a late but vital member of the group surrounding the protagonist. Born on October 2, 1985, in New York, he is an African American shaman with a distinctive appearance that includes black hair styled into an afro and a preference for colorful, tribal-inspired battle attire given to him by his mentor.
His background is marked by deep tragedy. His parents were murdered on Christmas Day, an event that filled him with rage and led him to a life of crime where he became the leader of a gang called Shaft in New York. During this period, he committed a grave sin by killing a man, an act that would later haunt him. This dark path was interrupted by his mentor, Orona, who miraculously stopped a robbery simply by making the criminal laugh. Inspired by this, Orona took Choco Love in and taught him the way of the shaman, passing down the belief that laughter is the best medicine and can save the world. Choco Love inherited his guardian ghost, a spirit named Mic the Jaguar, from Orona after his mentor died of an illness.
Personality is the most defining aspect of Choco Love, characterized by his relentless and nearly always unsuccessful attempts at comedy. He constantly tells corny jokes and puns that often make no sense, leading his companions, particularly the hot-tempered Ren and Horohoro, to physically attack him in annoyance. Despite this constant rejection, he never gives up, displaying a remarkable courage in the face of mockery. His ultimate motivation is twofold: to become the Shaman King and to become a great comedian. He genuinely believes that laughter can heal the world and make it a better place, a goal directly inherited from his master. This cheerful, joke-telling exterior serves as a mask for a character wrestling with profound guilt.
Choco Love's role in the story is complex. He first appears seeking to join the team to compete in the Shaman Fight, but his true narrative purpose is to explore themes of sin, redemption, and the power of joy. His character undergoes significant development when he is confronted by Redseb and Seyram, the children of the man he murdered. In a moment of atonement, he allows them to fatally wound him. He then experiences a journey to Hell, where he reunites with the spirit of his master Orona and gains a new, immense power: a second spirit named Pascal Avaf. Upon returning to life, he has gone blind as a self-imposed penance for his past sins, but his other senses have sharpened to superhuman levels to compensate. By the end of the story, he matures into one of the most powerful characters, becoming the strongest of the Five Elemental Warriors and attuning his furyoku, or spiritual power, to the element of wind.
Key relationships define his journey. His bond with his master, Orona, is the foundational one, providing his moral compass and life's goal. He forms a strong friendship with Yoh Asakura, whose non-judgmental and forgiving nature helps Choco Love confront his past. His relationship with Redseb and Seyram is one of guilt and eventual, hard-won peace as he accepts responsibility for the pain he caused. He is also known for his comedic, though often one-sided, rivalries with teammates Ren and Horohoro.
In terms of abilities, Choco Love is a powerful shaman whose techniques are uniquely tied to his comedic theme. His primary medium is a pair of metal claws he calls Shaft. His initial oversoul fuses his body with Mic the Jaguar, transforming him into a Black Jaguar that possesses incredible speed, agility, and enhanced senses. His signature offensive technique is Gag Wind, where by telling a joke, he unleashes a force that forces enemy spirits to laugh uncontrollably, making them vulnerable. After obtaining Pascal Avaf in Hell, he creates a powerful armor-type oversoul named Jaguarman, which grants him the ability to fly and immense defensive and offensive capabilities. Ultimately, as the warrior of wind, he wields the Spirit of Wind, allowing him to use his furyoku to erode matter itself. Between his starting power level of around 1,975 furyoku, he rises to a staggering 197,500 by the final arc, representing his immense growth.
His background is marked by deep tragedy. His parents were murdered on Christmas Day, an event that filled him with rage and led him to a life of crime where he became the leader of a gang called Shaft in New York. During this period, he committed a grave sin by killing a man, an act that would later haunt him. This dark path was interrupted by his mentor, Orona, who miraculously stopped a robbery simply by making the criminal laugh. Inspired by this, Orona took Choco Love in and taught him the way of the shaman, passing down the belief that laughter is the best medicine and can save the world. Choco Love inherited his guardian ghost, a spirit named Mic the Jaguar, from Orona after his mentor died of an illness.
Personality is the most defining aspect of Choco Love, characterized by his relentless and nearly always unsuccessful attempts at comedy. He constantly tells corny jokes and puns that often make no sense, leading his companions, particularly the hot-tempered Ren and Horohoro, to physically attack him in annoyance. Despite this constant rejection, he never gives up, displaying a remarkable courage in the face of mockery. His ultimate motivation is twofold: to become the Shaman King and to become a great comedian. He genuinely believes that laughter can heal the world and make it a better place, a goal directly inherited from his master. This cheerful, joke-telling exterior serves as a mask for a character wrestling with profound guilt.
Choco Love's role in the story is complex. He first appears seeking to join the team to compete in the Shaman Fight, but his true narrative purpose is to explore themes of sin, redemption, and the power of joy. His character undergoes significant development when he is confronted by Redseb and Seyram, the children of the man he murdered. In a moment of atonement, he allows them to fatally wound him. He then experiences a journey to Hell, where he reunites with the spirit of his master Orona and gains a new, immense power: a second spirit named Pascal Avaf. Upon returning to life, he has gone blind as a self-imposed penance for his past sins, but his other senses have sharpened to superhuman levels to compensate. By the end of the story, he matures into one of the most powerful characters, becoming the strongest of the Five Elemental Warriors and attuning his furyoku, or spiritual power, to the element of wind.
Key relationships define his journey. His bond with his master, Orona, is the foundational one, providing his moral compass and life's goal. He forms a strong friendship with Yoh Asakura, whose non-judgmental and forgiving nature helps Choco Love confront his past. His relationship with Redseb and Seyram is one of guilt and eventual, hard-won peace as he accepts responsibility for the pain he caused. He is also known for his comedic, though often one-sided, rivalries with teammates Ren and Horohoro.
In terms of abilities, Choco Love is a powerful shaman whose techniques are uniquely tied to his comedic theme. His primary medium is a pair of metal claws he calls Shaft. His initial oversoul fuses his body with Mic the Jaguar, transforming him into a Black Jaguar that possesses incredible speed, agility, and enhanced senses. His signature offensive technique is Gag Wind, where by telling a joke, he unleashes a force that forces enemy spirits to laugh uncontrollably, making them vulnerable. After obtaining Pascal Avaf in Hell, he creates a powerful armor-type oversoul named Jaguarman, which grants him the ability to fly and immense defensive and offensive capabilities. Ultimately, as the warrior of wind, he wields the Spirit of Wind, allowing him to use his furyoku to erode matter itself. Between his starting power level of around 1,975 furyoku, he rises to a staggering 197,500 by the final arc, representing his immense growth.