As a longtime enthusiast of One Piece, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for me lately. The announcement of Kazuki Yao’s retirement from his iconic role as Franky has left a significant void in the heart of every fan. Despite the bittersweet feelings, I can’t help but feel a wave of gratitude towards Yao for the countless hours of joy and laughter he’s brought to us through his portrayal of Franky.
For One Piece enthusiasts, the past few months have been a mix of excitement and sadness. There are still many thrilling prospects on the horizon for the series, such as the second season of the live-action remake and the ongoing Egghead storyline in the anime. However, fans recently bid farewell to a well-known voice actor. Kazuki Yao, who lends his voice to Franky the Cyborg in One Piece, announced his retirement from the role earlier in December. Yao admitted he felt sad about leaving, but also felt he could no longer meet the required quality for Franky’s portrayal. At Jump Festa 2025, it was revealed that Subaru Kimura would be taking over from Yao, with the latter also making an appearance at the event.
At a farewell gathering during Jump Fest, Yao was surprised with an amusing goodbye present – a statuette modeled after the character Franky, but with Yao’s face instead. This thoughtful gift highlighted the close bond between Yao and Franky, as well as their striking similarity. Given Yao’s likeness to Franky, the statuette featuring Yao’s image wasn’t entirely unexpected. In jest, they nicknamed it “Yaonki” at the party.
Are you enjoying it? I finished quite quickly, feeling rather pleased… More details about the archives will be shared later!
— 矢尾一樹 (@yaochan_defu) December 23, 2024
Kazuki Yao’s History With One Piece
Despite not making his first appearance until 2005, Kazuki Yao was already a well-established cast member for the One Piece anime. He had previously voiced the secondary antagonist Jango in the early arcs of the series, a role he continued to play as Jango recurred throughout the show. Later on, Yao also provided the voice for another villain in the series, Bon Clay, who went by the alias Mr. 2 and gained significant popularity among fans.
Franky ultimately played a significant role in the franchise. Originally depicted as an adversary due to his cybernetic enhancements, he later became a member of the Straw Hat crew, serving as their shipwright. Yao imbued Franky with lots of quirky energy, most notably through his catchphrase “SUPER!” Despite his retirement being a sad blow for the anime, fans worldwide appreciate Yao’s long-term commitment to developing the character and wish him an exceptionally memorable retirement!
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2024-12-25 00:39