Franky’s Voice Actor Changes After 19 Years

It was announced during the Jump Festa 2025 stage event that Subaru Kimura, known for voicing Gian in Doraemon, will take over the role of Franky in the ONE PIECE anime starting April 2025. Kimura succeeds Kazuki Yao, who voiced the character for nearly 19 years since Franky’s debut in May 2005.

Yao revealed that his decision to step down stemmed from a growing gap between his ideal portrayal of Franky and the character’s evolution. Subaru Kimura, also recognized for roles like Hanamichi Sakuragi in The First Slam Dunk, brings a wealth of experience from anime, movies, and TV appearances to his new role as Franky.

A Historic Change in the Straw Hat Crew

Franky’s voice actor change marks a significant moment as it is the first within the main Straw Hat crew since the anime’s inception. Previous voice actor changes, such as Jimbei’s role being taken over by Katsuhisa Houki after Daisuke Gouri’s passing, occurred before Jimbei officially joined the crew.

Franky, the shipwright of the Straw Hats, is a master craftsman and the creator of the Thousand Sunny, the crew’s current ship. A former apprentice of legendary shipwright Tom from Water 7, Franky dreams of taking his “dream ship” to the end of the sea alongside his friends.

ONE PIECE: A Global Phenomenon

Based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 1997, ONE PIECE has become a cultural cornerstone. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew as they search for the legendary treasure “One Piece” while striving to fulfill their dreams. With over 510 million copies of the manga sold worldwide, the series remains a beloved global hit.

The ONE PIECE anime, airing since 1999, is also a massive success. The 2022 movie ONE PIECE FILM RED grossed ¥203.4 billion domestically, becoming a social phenomenon.

Time Slot Change for the Anime

Starting April 6, 2025, the ONE PIECE anime will move from its current Sunday morning 9:30 AM slot to Sunday night at 11:15 PM.

Source : ORICON NEWS