Episode 1123 of the TV anime One Piece aired on April 5 on Fuji TV, marking a major change for one of its beloved characters. The voice of Franky, previously performed by veteran voice actor Kazuki Yao, has officially been taken over by Subaru Kimura. The broadcast introduced Kimura’s version of Franky for the first time, and the internet lit up with reactions such as, “Subaru Kimura as Franky! His voice changed, but it sounds great! He’s a cyborg after all, so it makes sense his voice could change!” and “Subaru Kimura’s Franky is a really cool big bro! I want to hear him yell ‘Super!’ with even longer lines soon!”

Also airing on the same day was the Special Compilation: One Piece – Egghead Arc, which featured Yao’s final performance as Franky. His last line, delivered in his signature voice, was: “Petrification is bad news! (JP:石化はまずい！, Sekika wa Mazui!)”

Following that, episode 1123 featured Kimura’s debut line as Franky: “How’s Robin’s injury? (JP: ロビンのケガは、どうなんだ？, Robin no Kega wa Dounanda?)” The long-anticipated moment drew emotional and enthusiastic responses from fans online, including: “Subaru Kimura’s voice for Franky was so natural,” “Looking forward to your Franky, Kimura-san!” and “Today we got to hear both Yao-san’s and Kimura-san’s Franky. It was a day full of Franky love—thank you so much!!!!!!”

Kazuki Yao had voiced Franky since the character first appeared in the anime in May 2005, holding the role for an impressive 19 and a half years. In December 2024, he announced his decision to step down, citing a growing disconnect between his personal ideal for Franky and the direction of the character’s development: “A rift has formed between me and the Franky I envision.” As a result, Subaru Kimura was chosen as his successor and officially began voicing Franky in the April 2025 broadcast.

One Piece is based on the manga of the same name, which began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump on July 22, 1997. The story follows a grand ocean adventure as Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who gains rubber-like powers after eating the Gum-Gum Fruit, assembles a pirate crew called the Straw Hat Pirates and sets out in search of the legendary treasure “One Piece” left behind by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.

The manga boasts over 510 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it one of the most successful series in history. The anime adaptation has been on air since 1999. The 2022 film One Piece Film Red became a social phenomenon in Japan, grossing over 20.34 billion yen domestically.

Starting April 6, the One Piece anime will return with new episodes every Sunday at 11:15 PM, marking a historic move to a late-night time slot—the first such change in over 18 and a half years.

Source : ORICON NEWS