One Piece Will Replace A Main Character's Voice Actor

Due to health issues, voice actor Kazuki Yao is stepping aside from the Grand Line and the Thousand Sunny.

By Evan Valentine

There hasn't been a better time than now for the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece. As the final saga takes place in both its manga and anime adaptation, Luffy and his crew have become household names as the Grand Line continues growing in popularity. Thanks to Netflix's live-action One Piece series, even more fans around the world are coming to know the creations of Eiichiro Oda. Unfortunately, some recent news might throw Straw Hat fans for a loop as it has been confirmed that a voice actor responsible for one of the shonen's biggest characters is taking a step back due to health issues. 

Kazuki Yao has spent years playing the role of Franky, the cyborg who joined Luffy's crew to become the Straw Hat Pirates' shipwright. While the anime adaptation has not stated that Yao will be leaving the part of Franky temporarily, Kazuki is taking a break from another character he gave life to, Jango. The One Piece anime did not state that this would be true for the cybernetic shipwright but it seems like a safe bet that Yao's health issues might make it so. The swap will begin with the next anime episode, Episode 1121.

Kazuki Yao Takes A Break From One Piece

In an official statement, the One Piece anime stated the following, "The anime " #ONEPIECE " will be broadcast on Sunday, October 6th at 9:30am. Django appears in episode 1121, "Garp and Kuzan: Master and Student's Conflict of Justice." Due to poor health of Kazuki Yao, who plays Jango, Wataru Takagi will be taking over the role. We hope you will continue to support the anime "ONE PIECE."

Alongside playing Jango and Franky in One Piece, Kazuki Yao also played the parts of Mr. 2, aka Bonclay, the Baroqueworks villain who would come to be a brief ally to the Straw Hats. In his anime career, Yao has had quite a few roles under his belt outside of the Grand Line. On his resume, Yao's roles include Berserk's Gaston, Fullmetal Alchemist's Yoki, Bastard's Dark Schneider, and Super Robot Wars' Judau. Having been a part of the anime world since the 1980s, Kazuki will be sorely missed from One Piece and the anime industry. 

Who is Replacing Kazuki Yao?

Taking over for Jango will be voice actor Wataru Takagi. Anime fans might know the voice actor best for his roles as Obito in Naruto, Gohei in Rurouni Kenshin, Ganju in Bleach, and Okuyasu Nijimura in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable. As of the writing of this article, it hasn't been confirmed if Takagi will also take on the role of Franky or if a new voice actor will be taking on the part of the Straw Hats' shipwright. 

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One Piece Replacements

While Kazuki is stepping aside for health-related issues, there has been another major voice actor who took a step back from the Grand Line. The voice of Sabo, Luffy's brother, Toru Furuya was a part of a long-running affair with a fan, causing him to step back from the anime industry and this particular role. Much like One Piece, Furuya was also replaced in the upcoming Dragon Ball Daima when it came to his role as Yamcha. Being a part of Akira Toriyama's anime adaptation since it first premiered in the 1980s, Toru's departure makes for quite the shake-up in both shonen series. 

Want to stay up to date on the Grand Line? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest updates on the Straw Hat Pirates. 

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