Farewell to a Legend: Kazuki Yao Steps Down as Franky in ONE PIECE

Voice actor Kazuki Yao, who portrayed Franky in the anime ONE PIECE for over 19 years, took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to reflect on the recent Jump Festa event and his emotional farewell.

The Big Announcement

The decision for Yao to step down was first announced on December 8, 2024. During the Jump Festa Super Stage at Chiba’s Makuhari Messe, Yao revealed his reasons, citing creative differences:
"There was a gap between my ideal Franky and how I portrayed him."

Starting in April 2025, Franky will be voiced by Subaru Kimura, known for his energetic and versatile voice work. During the event, Yao personally passed on Franky’s iconic catchphrase, "Super!", to Kimura, delighting fans as Kimura practiced it repeatedly on stage, bringing laughter to the crowd.

A Symbolic Farewell

Franky is famously known for his bold personality and his signature red briefs. After the main cast left the stage, Yao returned solo to bid his final goodbye, leaving a pair of red briefs on stage—a symbolic gesture that drew laughter and applause from the audience. Kimura then appeared, picking up the briefs to signify the baton passing, earning a standing ovation.

Introducing the "Yaonky" Figure

Following the event, Yao shared a unique gift he received at the Jump Festa wrap party: a special figure with Franky’s muscular body and Yao’s face, dubbed "Yaonky." On X, Yao expressed his gratitude and excitement:
"Did you enjoy Jump Festa? I had an amazing time—it flew by! Look at this incredible gift I received: body of Franky, face of Yao… it's Yaonky!!"

About ONE PIECE

Created by Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE is a legendary manga series that debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in July 1997. It follows the epic journey of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with rubber-like powers granted by the Gum-Gum Fruit, as he forms his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, and sets out to find the legendary treasure, the "One Piece."

With 510 million copies in circulation worldwide, the series continues to captivate fans through its anime adaptation, which began airing in 1999. In 2022, the film ONE PIECE FILM RED grossed ¥20.34 billion, becoming a cultural phenomenon. Starting April 6, 2025, the anime’s broadcast time will shift from Sunday mornings to Sunday evenings at 11:15 PM.

Source : ORICON NEWS