One Piece pays homage to Franky's voice actor in chapter 1134

One Piece chapter 1134 will be the latest installment of Eiichiro Oda’s pirate-themed manga in 2024. Set to be officially released on Monday, December 23, 2024 on Shueisha’s MANGA Plus website and app, the chapter will continue focusing on the Straw Hat crew’s exploration of Elbaph following the emotional reunion between Nico Robin and her savior Jaguar D. Saul.

To the delight of fans, One Piece chapter 1134 will feature one of Oda’s special double-page color spreads. To this day, Oda has realized countless different color spreads, each one being a work of art in itself as the author uses these drawings to depict group shots of the Straw Hat Pirates and other characters within the framework of imaginative environments and settings.

Once again, Oda didn’t disappoint, as the color spread for chapter 1134 is a heartfelt, colorful homage to Kazuki Yao, the iconic voice actor of Franky. For nearly two decades, Yao has brought Franky’s energetic and whimsical character to life, brilliantly capturing his uniqueness.

Yao is a living legend to all One Piece fans, and the fact that the franchise’s creator Eiichiro Oda has honored him in the latest manga chapter only emphasizes this.

Eiichiro Oda pays tribute to Franky’s voice actor Kazuki Yao on the cover of One Piece chapter 1134

Kazuki Yao will always be Franky in the hearts of fans

Franky as seen in the series (Image via Toei Animation)

One Piece will never be the same after the legendary voice actor Kazuki Yao announced his official retirement. This marks the end of an era, as Yao has been voicing one of the franchise's most iconic characters, the Straw Hat crew’s shipwright Franky “The Cyborg”, since 2005.

Kazuki Yao’s performance as Franky has been instrumental in the character’s rise to fame. Franky’s unusual design and ingenious resourcefulness have been a staple since the former’s debut in the series, but it is Yao’s distinctive voice that has helped increase Franky’s appeal among fans.

Just as Franky became an integral part of the Straw Hat Pirates, Kazuki Yao has become a living legend in the One Piece fandom, being cherished for his ability to bring Franky’s multifaceted personality to life.

A flamboyant individual who literally built himself, Franky is one of those unconventional characters that best represent Eiichiro Oda’s creative genius.

Expand Tweet

Franky is the seventh member to join Monkey D. Luffy in his pirate adventure after Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, and Nico Robin. Always ready to assist his comrades, Franky is extremely reliable when it comes to his tasks as the crew’s shipwright, and he is also quite good as a fighter.

But what really makes Franky popular with fans is his free-spirited, eccentric behavior which often pushes the boundaries of outright goofiness.

An exhibitionist who has a series of strange mannerisms and running gags, Franky already distinguishes himself for his looks, but nothing channels his over-the-top personality more than the combination of his catchphrase and signature pose.

Over the past 20 years, fans have often heard Kazuki Yao shout Franky’s unmistakable “SUPER!!” in the One Piece anime adaptation.

One of Franky's coolest moments in the series (Image via Toei Animation)

Yao’s voice is also inextricably linked to Franky’s other running gags, such as the character’s extreme sensitiveness to touching stories or emotional moments, which causes him to burst into uncontrollable tears only to later sing a song about the poignant feelings that he has just experienced.

That said, on December 8, 2024, the official account of One Piece’s staff has announced that Yao would be stepping down as Franky’s voice actor. After nearly 20 years of upholding Franky’s unorthodox charisma, Kazuki Yao will leave someone else to portray the blue-haired cyborg shipwright’s steadfast loyalty, grotesque humor, and hilarious antics.

Oda’s beautiful homage on the cover of One Piece chapter 1134

Expand Tweet

Following the recent news of Kazuki Yao’s retirement, Eiichiro Oda couldn’t help but pay tribute to the voice actor whose energy and talent magnified one of the main characters in his story. Oda did this with the color spread that serves as the cover of the latest chapter of the manga.

Looking forward to see the drawing in all its glory when the issue is officially released, it’s already possible to take a look at it thanks to the first alleged raw scans.

According to the leaks, the cover of chapter 1134 features Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Brook, and Jinbe riding on Franky, who is depicted as a giant robot flying over the sea as he points his fist forward and towards the reader.

The Straw Hats are holding big futuristic weapons, and Luffy in particular is ready to spring into action while Nami holds onto his right leg.

Expand Tweet

The giant Franky robot looks like an enormous Astro Boy, as the former’s pose evidently resembles the signature one from the main character of Osamu Tezuka’s masterpiece.

Astro Boy is a series set in a technologically advanced world where robot and humans co-exist, which ties in nicely with Franky’s character. Franky is a master craftsman and scientific genius who has rebuilt his critically damaged body to turn himself into a full-fledged cyborg.

In addition to his bionic enhancements, which Franky has further improved after merging his own technology with that of Dr Vegapunk, the shipwright has created an enormous, super-tough mecha named “General Franky”.

He can operate from inside this mecha to perform even more devastating attacks. Compared to the General Franky, however, the robot depicted on the cover of chapter 1134 looks like a large-scale replica of Franky’s own body but with the addition of blue wings.

The "General Franky" (Image via Toei Animation)

On the left shoulder of the robot is written “We Are Eternal”, a clear homage to Kazuki Yao’s unforgettable work as Franky’s voice actor. Most likely, the phrase is meant to honor Yao while referencing to We Are!, the most iconic opening theme of the One Piece anime.

Kazuki Yao himself expressed his sadness at the decision to step down as Franky’s voice actor, acknowledging the connection he had with the character and the entire One Piece community.

Yao’s replacement to dub Franky will be announced on December 22, 2024, during the Jump Festa. In the same event, Kazuki Yao will also receive an emotional tribute for his huge contribution to the One Piece franchise. Concerning his successor, Yao himself declared:

“It hurts!! I’m really sorry!! But don’t worry – I’ve lined up a SUPER awesome replacement!”

In addition to Franky, Kazuki Yao also voiced Bentham "Bon Clay" and Jango (Image via Toei Animation)

Kazuki Yao, who recently turned 65, has dedicated almost a third of his life to dubbing Franky, making his eccentric character popular among fans. He has also dubbed other One Piece characters such as Jango and Mr 2 Bon Clay (real name: Bentham), all of whom are quirky individuals much like Franky.

The passage of time cannot be stopped, making the transition inevitable, but neither can the emotions rooted in the souls of people. Kazuki Yao’s performance as Franky will never be forgotten, and he will always have a special place in the hearts of fans as Franky’s original voice.

However, if “Inherited Will” is a core concept of the One Piece story, it’s safe to say that Franky’s character will live on, thanks to a new voice actor stepping in to carry on Yao’s legacy.