Kazuki Yao, the veteran voice actor who has portrayed Franky in the One Piece anime series since 2005, has announced his retirement from the role. The news was shared on the official One Piece social media channels, confirming that Yao will be stepping down from his iconic character after nearly two decades.
In a translated tweet, the One Piece account stated: “Yao Kazuki, who has been voicing Franky in the ONE PIECE TV anime, will be graduating from the Straw Hat Pirates. This decision was made after careful and lengthy discussions.”
Yao’s retirement marks the end of a long tenure as Franky, a character who debuted in the series in 2005. Throughout his career, Yao has voiced several other notable characters in One Piece, including Jango, Mr. 2 Bon Clay, and Mounblutain.
The anime production team revealed that a replacement voice actor for Franky will be announced on December 22 at Jump Festa 2025. Fans eagerly anticipate the reveal of the new voice behind the beloved character.
Yao also shared a heartfelt message via social media, expressing his emotional departure. “The time has come for me to say a tearful farewell to a character I’ve spent nearly a quarter of a century with,” he wrote. “It feels surreal, but I feel there is now a gap between me and my ideal Franky, so I’ve decided to leave the Sunny for now. It’s frustrating and sad! I can only apologize… however! We are preparing for a super successor, to be revealed at Jump Festa on December 22. Please look forward to it!”
The announcement comes at a time when the One Piece anime is on a hiatus. Earlier in October, it was revealed that the series would take an extended break and would not return until April 2025, with the debut of Egghead Arc Part II. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the newly released One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga, a re-edited version of the Fish-Man Island arc with updated visuals. The special saga began airing in November and is currently in its sixth episode, available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
Additionally, Crunchyroll has announced a shift in its streaming policy for One Piece. Starting December 23, certain arcs of the anime will be moved behind a Premium Membership paywall. While the first 206 episodes, covering the East Blue to Sky Islands arcs, will remain free, subsequent arcs will require a subscription.
One Piece, based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga, continues to be a global phenomenon. The anime’s live-action adaptation, released by Netflix, has also received positive feedback, and fans are eagerly awaiting news of the second season, expected to premiere sometime next year.
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