One Piece had one of its biggest years in 2023, not just thanks to the anime adaptation, but thanks to Netflix’s live-action take on the shonen masterpiece. To help bring the Straw Hats’ sniper Usopp to life, actor Jacob Romero Gibson took over the role to bring him to life for the East Blue Saga. Recently, as a part of the latest Jump Festa, Gibson was able to meet up with the voice actor who brings his character to life in animation, Yamaguchi Kappei.
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Ironically enough, Kappei was able to take on the role of Usopp for the live-action adaptation by lending his talents to the Japanese dub of the series. For decades, Yamaguchi has been playing the part of one of the first members of the Straw Hat Pirates but that hasn’t been his only role in the anime world. Kappei might be best known for playing the titular character in Inuyahsa, Kudo in Detective Conan, Feitan in Hunter x Hunter, and Ranma in Ranma 1/2. Should Gibson try to have as many live-action anime roles as the original voice for Usopp, he’ll need to take on quite a few projects in the future.
One Piece: An Usopp Crossover For The Ages
The young actors who portray the Straw Hat Pirates in Netflix’s One Piece have all shared their love of the original source material. Thanks to this, Gibson and his fellow actors have clearly had a blast when it comes to celebrating Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece. Taking part in this latest Jump Festa, the Usopp crossover created an anime crossover for the ages.
While the second season of Netflix’s One Piece has yet to receive a release date, the writers and actors are aiming to continue doing justice to the source material. Luckily, the anime adaptation and the manga are continuing to march forward with the final saga of the Straw Hats. With Jump Festa also announcing that an anime remake is in the works from Wit Studio, the future seems bright for the Straw Hat Pirates.
What do you think of this Usopp crossover? Which One Piece project are you most looking forward to seeing in 2024? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line.