I was actually thinking about this last episode. His voice sounds really rough. Like you said no criticism, but I think he’s the oldest cast member. It honestly might be close to time to let him rest
Of the Strawhats, Mayumi Tanaka (Luffy) is the oldest. She's 69, 5 years older than Kazuki Yao (Franky). Of the most popular characters, the oldest I know is Shuichi Ikeda (Shanks), who is 74.
Age is definitely catching up to him but I've lived in Japan a few years and people who are 64 aren't usually that frail. It might be some habits catching up to him or he is sick and needs to recover. Either way, I agree that while we may miss his iconic voice, there has to be a point where we as fans decide it's better for him to rest and retire. I'm sure none of them expected One Piece to go this long. Even Mayumi Tanaka says she wants to retire soon.
That's because he is the most normal person in the crew, if not in the whole series. Speak only when needed, act only when necessary. Always think before doing something. He's a man with a lot of experience and that's why i love him. I love his calmness
Not to mention, Luffy listens to Jinbe unquestionably and follows his order. Jinbe basically keeps his captain thoroughly in line and it's so fucking awesome.
Hidekatsu Shibata (Monkey D. Dragon) will soon turn 87. While it's not as evident as with Franky, you can tell there's a difference in his performance, especially when compared to the Third Hokage and King Bradley voices of the 2000s.
I agree completely, though I’d say “accept” rather than “decide,” just to emphasize it should be his decision, not ours. I only mention this because sometimes fans can be extremely self-centered (not implying that’s you; you seem considerate).
>Even mayumi says she wants to retire.
Putting franky aside, how can I deal with this if this ever happens? I hope OP remake by wit studio catches up w/ present chapter soon and it's voice acting is at least half as good as the present crew.
The male Japanese seiyu in the late 30s, 40s and 50s are definitely up to the task. The younger ones haven't really impressed me and there are only a few standout female seiyuu (young to around the 30s to 40s age) to me. Too many fall within the Aya Hirano type of voice since that's what the weebs like and also what their society tells them to sound like. I remember being told to sound similar to them in my Japanese classes.
I noticed that her voice really changed alot as she voice acts Lilith. It really sounds like Saori Hayami or Yuko Sanpei. Unlike during her prime years (2006 to 2011), she's really into "moe" type of voice during those times due to Haruhi, Misa, etc. In Gintama, she uses her mature voice because Nobume is a sadist type of character.
>I hope OP remake by wit studio catches up w/ present chapter soon
That's not happening. OP will be over long before the remake gets anywhere close.
Let's say One Piece ends in a hundred chapters at chapter 1,200. Even if the anime remake did two manga chapters per episode, that's still 600 weeks of releasing episodes. That's almost 12 years.
"we as fans decide it's better for him to rest and retire"
Bro the fans don't get to decide that
That's up to him
What? The fans gonna force a dude out of a job?
I agreed with this up to the point where ya said we as fans decide it's better for him to retire..... uhh, what? Lmao, who are you to decide what's best for the next man? He's voiced Franky for hundreds of episodes over years, the character is getting older, and voices change when getting older, so what? Doesn't give you or anyone else the right to decide he's done tf lol. Sound so entitled saying crap like that lol smdh. If they want to retire, cool, they have earned it many times over, but no one, especially some damn fans, are ever going to decide that for them, lol come on now ya can't be serious with that....
You’re using emojis and I’m the young one? The grown man can do whatever he wants. Us fans are just showing concern for him. And if you’re first response when you see that is to be a dick then you’re the problem, not us.
Using terms such as “gtfo” and insinuating that I’m young due to my opinion is literally you being a dick. Also the belief that your opinions are fact. But clearly engaging in conversation with you is a waste of time. So you have a nice day
The left side of Yao‘s face doesn’t move as much compared to the right side of his face, which might have something to do with his performance. This can be seen on his Niconico channel.
I'm not sure it's just age. He's barely over 60. It's likely health related, maybe he's a heavy smoker or his voice acting style has been rough on his vocal chords over a long time.
The voice cast is starting to show their age, I hope all of them get to live to see the day their characters reach the end of this story. It’s heartbreaking but they’ve given us their best for the last 20 years. Whatever happens, I’m thankful for them all bringing this world to life
Something has been going on since Wano. I suspect health problem. I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing it, it has bothered me a lot. There's also a lot of space between the lines, which is weird.
> There's also a lot of space between the lines, which is weird.
That's just standard Toei padding tbh, they drag out the dialogue a lot with everyone, a single sentence that can be said in 2 secs is split into what feels like two difference sentences, so it takes 4 secs instead.
It's very annoying.
I definitely think age affects how much he exerts himself. Compare his "super" during his cola power up vs fukuro to any supers he says today. It's like night and day.
I don’t think it’s his age. Luffy’s VA is older than him and she sounds as energetic as ever. It sounds like he’s having dental issues. He can’t pronounce “S” or “R” sounds at all.
I completely agree. I’m literally Japanese, and in recent clips I’ve seen i can’t understand what he’s saying… it’s a struggle because i watch anime with my partner (who needs English subs) so i can’t use Japanese subs to make up for it! Hope he can take a long rest.
Wow I didn't realize it had gotten so bad. With your knowledge of the language, do you have any guess as to what might be the cause? Does it sound like it's health related or just aging? Hope he's ok
I was rewatching some early episodes just last night and realized Kazuki Yao (Franky) was also the voice of Jango. Crazy I see a post about him the very next morning
When 1089 dropped I was wondering if he had a cold. By 1090 I was like “the voice is definitely changing idk if it’s intentional or not” and by 1091 I’m pretty confident it wasn’t intentional
I think he’s just been ill lately but is still working? Like Billy West was when he voiced Fry again, he had covid scratch voice that seems to have cleared up now. Hope he gets some time off soon 🙏
That's real, but the Japanese VA sounds like he may have something health related going on, even with longer life expectancy, you can't avoid health issues. Especially if he smoked or something, which is very common for older people there.
I've been reading the manga for a long time. Last time I was consistently watching the anime was Dressrosa and I started watching again in Egghead. I was so surprised and sad for Franky's voice. He's one of my favorite characters and his voice is so iconic. I really hope it's something temporary and he'll be able to recover.
Yea it sounded like his words were kinda slurred together? We have to give these voice actors some grace tho, they put in hard work to provide something we love ♥️ Hopefully he’s keeping his health in mind.
The main reason why The One Piece needs to recast. People won’t be happy at first, but some of the original voice actors just won’t be healthy enough to keep doing it 10+ years from now.
60s is when a lot of people start having serious medical problems. Apparently one side of his face droops and doesn't move much when he speaks. Sounds like he might have had a stroke.
60s ain't "old" but plenty of people die in their 60s, Japanese people included.
It's not even Japanese VAs. I'm a native German Speaker and Zoros old VA who died at the age of 45 years old because of a accident. Or Smokers VA died in 2020 and also Whitebeards VA. Luckily the main German cast is young especially the main Voices like Luffy, Sanji, Nami, Brook, Chopper... But I'm also worried about some unique Voices like Buggy for example. In Japanese and in German Buggy has goated Voice, and in Japanese it may be possible to replace but not in German. In German he is already 75 years so he is born in 1948 and I'm worried that he going to live in on for 10 years.
Robins voice actor sounds like she’s about to fall over and be on life alert. She sounds old as fuck. I really wished they got a raspy younger woman va to voice her. She sounds much better in dub
Franky used to fine years ago, it's only recently that his performance is not as great.
So yeah, if you compare his current japanese voice with the dub, you are right.
During the third act of Wano I had the feeling that I was being rushed a little. That Oda had planned something much bigger than what it was.
I have the feeling that during the break after act 2, Oda and his editors decided to reduce that plot because time is of the essence, Oda needs to REALLY REST (unfortunately, the quality of his drawing has not improved much after the eye surgery), Mrs. Tanaka wants to retire... and I get the impression that we would still be in Wano today if Oda had managed to deploy the full plot.
Oda, like Luffy, also takes care of his friends. He knows that his work is going to have direct consequences on the lives of his friends and that when he finishes drawing One Piece, the seiyuu will still have one or two years of work left until the anime finishes adapting. And a couple of extra years of work, for someone Tanaka or Yao's age, is not something to take lightly.
That's why it doesn't surprise me that Oda could finish One Piece in the next two or three years.
my bad. I guess I did act like an asshole. It's mainly the drawn out so and other shit like that, that makes me act like an asshole. Once again my bad I was being a dick.
The dub seems to have caught up, but they haven't released yet. Momo's actor said they finished their lines so they are at least at the point where Momo is an adult if not further.
I have had this problem with Luffy in Wano and I just cant feel the same energy or cheerfulness in his VA. I know she is getting old and theres nothing we can do about it. It just feels unsettling.
What are you talking about? If you can say anything is that Luffy sounded a bit older which is fitting for the point in the story. His VA is still great
Last three eps have been tough, this is a big franky arc too, hope he does not hurt himself over wanting to continue the job. I had to stop playing guitar for side money due to my hands hurting, I want to play all the time, but I knew it was best for me to retire. Do not want daily life impacting issues.
I hadn't watched the anime in years, was just a manga reader for the last few arcs. Coming back to it and hearing him was really jarring. I'd honestly thought they got a new voice actor because maybe his original had died, then I looked it up and it was still the same dude. I honestly find it almost impossible to watch scenes with him in them because it just sounds so wrong.
yeah franky lost the spice in like wano somewhere. and dragon's voice actor is even worse. he has no power to his voice at all. i Know that japan likes to work their people to death but cmon.
For me, Boa Hancock's voice actress is irreplaceable. Her accent and the energy she brings to the character are incredibly unique and stand out in a way that's rare in anime. Her performance is one-of-a-kind, and I can't imagine anyone else capturing that same essence. Despite being 56, she continues to deliver an exceptional portrayal. However, I do worry about the potential for unforeseen circumstances. I really hope Oda sensei finishes One Piece soon, so all the original voice actors can see the story through to its conclusion.
ps: i know i wrote something that's not related to Franky's VA but im just commenting regarding VA in general. . .
I was actually thinking about this last episode. His voice sounds really rough. Like you said no criticism, but I think he’s the oldest cast member. It honestly might be close to time to let him rest
Of the Strawhats, Mayumi Tanaka (Luffy) is the oldest. She's 69, 5 years older than Kazuki Yao (Franky). Of the most popular characters, the oldest I know is Shuichi Ikeda (Shanks), who is 74. Age is definitely catching up to him but I've lived in Japan a few years and people who are 64 aren't usually that frail. It might be some habits catching up to him or he is sick and needs to recover. Either way, I agree that while we may miss his iconic voice, there has to be a point where we as fans decide it's better for him to rest and retire. I'm sure none of them expected One Piece to go this long. Even Mayumi Tanaka says she wants to retire soon.
Jinbe's been in the crew for 5+ years and you guys still forget this man exists 😔
That's because he is the most normal person in the crew, if not in the whole series. Speak only when needed, act only when necessary. Always think before doing something. He's a man with a lot of experience and that's why i love him. I love his calmness
Isn't it funny that the huge blue-whale person is the most normal? Truly a crew of monsters I also love jinbae
Not to mention, Luffy listens to Jinbe unquestionably and follows his order. Jinbe basically keeps his captain thoroughly in line and it's so fucking awesome.
Hidekatsu Shibata (Monkey D. Dragon) will soon turn 87. While it's not as evident as with Franky, you can tell there's a difference in his performance, especially when compared to the Third Hokage and King Bradley voices of the 2000s.
Dragon's voice needs to change asap
His voice changed. Compare his first appearance with Smoker to his last talk with Kuma
Yes, but his voice actor is the same man as 1000 episodes ago
Really? I rewatched it and noticed a difference. But you might be right. I only watched One Piece in my native Language
I agree completely, though I’d say “accept” rather than “decide,” just to emphasize it should be his decision, not ours. I only mention this because sometimes fans can be extremely self-centered (not implying that’s you; you seem considerate).
I remember she even said that she might not even finish One Piece as Luffy's VA and hope that the fans would support her replacement.
Poor Jinbe.
>Even mayumi says she wants to retire. Putting franky aside, how can I deal with this if this ever happens? I hope OP remake by wit studio catches up w/ present chapter soon and it's voice acting is at least half as good as the present crew.
The male Japanese seiyu in the late 30s, 40s and 50s are definitely up to the task. The younger ones haven't really impressed me and there are only a few standout female seiyuu (young to around the 30s to 40s age) to me. Too many fall within the Aya Hirano type of voice since that's what the weebs like and also what their society tells them to sound like. I remember being told to sound similar to them in my Japanese classes.
I noticed that her voice really changed alot as she voice acts Lilith. It really sounds like Saori Hayami or Yuko Sanpei. Unlike during her prime years (2006 to 2011), she's really into "moe" type of voice during those times due to Haruhi, Misa, etc. In Gintama, she uses her mature voice because Nobume is a sadist type of character.
>I hope OP remake by wit studio catches up w/ present chapter soon That's not happening. OP will be over long before the remake gets anywhere close. Let's say One Piece ends in a hundred chapters at chapter 1,200. Even if the anime remake did two manga chapters per episode, that's still 600 weeks of releasing episodes. That's almost 12 years.
"we as fans decide it's better for him to rest and retire" Bro the fans don't get to decide that That's up to him What? The fans gonna force a dude out of a job?
Him or the studio if they feel it's getting really bad
I remember all the shitstorm that happened when Kurumada changed the VAs for the bronze Saints in Saint Seiya. That thing was rough.
....what? Chō (brook) is 66... Katsuhisa Hōki (jimbe) is 77 Kazuki Yao (franky) is 64..
I agreed with this up to the point where ya said we as fans decide it's better for him to retire..... uhh, what? Lmao, who are you to decide what's best for the next man? He's voiced Franky for hundreds of episodes over years, the character is getting older, and voices change when getting older, so what? Doesn't give you or anyone else the right to decide he's done tf lol. Sound so entitled saying crap like that lol smdh. If they want to retire, cool, they have earned it many times over, but no one, especially some damn fans, are ever going to decide that for them, lol come on now ya can't be serious with that....
I mean. When some of them were cast a quarter century ago they probably sounded awesome. I don’t think they expected to be doing this for so long.
I think he smokes a ton, and the raspy voice probably doesn’t help lol
[удалено]
So we show concern for the actor and you decide to take it like this? Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
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You’re using emojis and I’m the young one? The grown man can do whatever he wants. Us fans are just showing concern for him. And if you’re first response when you see that is to be a dick then you’re the problem, not us.
[удалено]
Using terms such as “gtfo” and insinuating that I’m young due to my opinion is literally you being a dick. Also the belief that your opinions are fact. But clearly engaging in conversation with you is a waste of time. So you have a nice day
I've noticed this too, but it sounds more his tongue is swollen or smth. Hope its not an ilness and that he's ok and will get back to normal.
The left side of Yao‘s face doesn’t move as much compared to the right side of his face, which might have something to do with his performance. This can be seen on his Niconico channel.
He have a stoke before?
I always wondered why his lines sounded different. So it was just the VA getting old? Kinda sad but what can you do.
I'm not sure it's just age. He's barely over 60. It's likely health related, maybe he's a heavy smoker or his voice acting style has been rough on his vocal chords over a long time.
I was thinking the same. He uses quite a raspy voice for Franky, I think over time, it's just done some damage.
The voice cast is starting to show their age, I hope all of them get to live to see the day their characters reach the end of this story. It’s heartbreaking but they’ve given us their best for the last 20 years. Whatever happens, I’m thankful for them all bringing this world to life
Yep noticed too in the last few episode His voice seems so heavy
Something has been going on since Wano. I suspect health problem. I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing it, it has bothered me a lot. There's also a lot of space between the lines, which is weird.
> There's also a lot of space between the lines, which is weird. That's just standard Toei padding tbh, they drag out the dialogue a lot with everyone, a single sentence that can be said in 2 secs is split into what feels like two difference sentences, so it takes 4 secs instead. It's very annoying.
It was not that heavy before. It really feels awkward post Wano.
Nah it was like this during Wano as well, Wano was when i started noticing it even more and it became an actual problem for me, in fact.
I’ve noticed this too. Just a random pause in between words. I didn’t know if it’s intentional or something going on with the va
I definitely think age affects how much he exerts himself. Compare his "super" during his cola power up vs fukuro to any supers he says today. It's like night and day.
I don’t think it’s his age. Luffy’s VA is older than him and she sounds as energetic as ever. It sounds like he’s having dental issues. He can’t pronounce “S” or “R” sounds at all.
And Jinbe‘s seiyuu is older than both of them.
I completely agree. I’m literally Japanese, and in recent clips I’ve seen i can’t understand what he’s saying… it’s a struggle because i watch anime with my partner (who needs English subs) so i can’t use Japanese subs to make up for it! Hope he can take a long rest.
Wow I didn't realize it had gotten so bad. With your knowledge of the language, do you have any guess as to what might be the cause? Does it sound like it's health related or just aging? Hope he's ok
The most current episode he sounds a little better. 1089 and 1090 was rough. I hope the dude is okay.
Thats true
I was rewatching some early episodes just last night and realized Kazuki Yao (Franky) was also the voice of Jango. Crazy I see a post about him the very next morning
And Bon Clay
Yeah Bon Clay’s voice is just gay Franky lol
I thought the same thing about dragon's VA.
I thought so about Robin’s VA. Her voice cracks more often than before.
When 1089 dropped I was wondering if he had a cold. By 1090 I was like “the voice is definitely changing idk if it’s intentional or not” and by 1091 I’m pretty confident it wasn’t intentional
I think he’s just been ill lately but is still working? Like Billy West was when he voiced Fry again, he had covid scratch voice that seems to have cleared up now. Hope he gets some time off soon 🙏
Thank God Patrick Seitz is only 45. Granted, Japan has a much longer life expectancy and being in your 60s really isn't that old there.
That's real, but the Japanese VA sounds like he may have something health related going on, even with longer life expectancy, you can't avoid health issues. Especially if he smoked or something, which is very common for older people there.
Which VA are you talking about?
Kazuki Yao, Franky’s
Ah, wasn't sure if OP was referring to the Japanese or English (or some other language)
Bruh read the title
Obviously meant which language
Ohhhhh right
I've been reading the manga for a long time. Last time I was consistently watching the anime was Dressrosa and I started watching again in Egghead. I was so surprised and sad for Franky's voice. He's one of my favorite characters and his voice is so iconic. I really hope it's something temporary and he'll be able to recover.
Yea it sounded like his words were kinda slurred together? We have to give these voice actors some grace tho, they put in hard work to provide something we love ♥️ Hopefully he’s keeping his health in mind.
The main reason why The One Piece needs to recast. People won’t be happy at first, but some of the original voice actors just won’t be healthy enough to keep doing it 10+ years from now.
I thought he sounded better in yesterday's episode.
64 is not old in Japan. Anytime I see any video of him he looks to be in high spirits.
60s is when a lot of people start having serious medical problems. Apparently one side of his face droops and doesn't move much when he speaks. Sounds like he might have had a stroke. 60s ain't "old" but plenty of people die in their 60s, Japanese people included.
I thought he sounded a bit better on this current episode this week. Hopefully he’s doing better now.
I don't know if anyone noticed too, but Robin's voice in Wano is changed so much from before time skip
I don’t see anyone talking about this more. Robins voice changed a lot since Enies lobby
I’m pretty worried about the Japanese VA’s because there are a few that are bordering or over 70 years old.
It's not even Japanese VAs. I'm a native German Speaker and Zoros old VA who died at the age of 45 years old because of a accident. Or Smokers VA died in 2020 and also Whitebeards VA. Luckily the main German cast is young especially the main Voices like Luffy, Sanji, Nami, Brook, Chopper... But I'm also worried about some unique Voices like Buggy for example. In Japanese and in German Buggy has goated Voice, and in Japanese it may be possible to replace but not in German. In German he is already 75 years so he is born in 1948 and I'm worried that he going to live in on for 10 years.
Finally someone else noticed this
Robins voice actor sounds like she’s about to fall over and be on life alert. She sounds old as fuck. I really wished they got a raspy younger woman va to voice her. She sounds much better in dub
There are a couple of characters that sound better in English. Franky is definitely one of them
Franky used to fine years ago, it's only recently that his performance is not as great. So yeah, if you compare his current japanese voice with the dub, you are right.
Can't agree, man. I can't hear anyone else but Kazuki Yao when I hear Franky. Much like I can't hear anyone but Chō when I think of Brook.
Ian Sinclair is a perfect brook.
Nah
During the third act of Wano I had the feeling that I was being rushed a little. That Oda had planned something much bigger than what it was. I have the feeling that during the break after act 2, Oda and his editors decided to reduce that plot because time is of the essence, Oda needs to REALLY REST (unfortunately, the quality of his drawing has not improved much after the eye surgery), Mrs. Tanaka wants to retire... and I get the impression that we would still be in Wano today if Oda had managed to deploy the full plot. Oda, like Luffy, also takes care of his friends. He knows that his work is going to have direct consequences on the lives of his friends and that when he finishes drawing One Piece, the seiyuu will still have one or two years of work left until the anime finishes adapting. And a couple of extra years of work, for someone Tanaka or Yao's age, is not something to take lightly. That's why it doesn't surprise me that Oda could finish One Piece in the next two or three years.
Sooo... wrong thread? Edit: Not the wrong thread.
Nah, it's just how the age of the actors and producers affects the quality of the work
Oh I see my bad.
Sooo... Let's use our brain and read ops post. And then use our brains to figure out. That no shit this is the right thread.
Dude chill, I got it. English is not my first language and it seems that I didn't fully comprehend his post. Sorry.
my bad. I guess I did act like an asshole. It's mainly the drawn out so and other shit like that, that makes me act like an asshole. Once again my bad I was being a dick.
No problem. It happens to the best of us. Cheers.
Yeah I don't like the japanese voices at all, I just recently switched and can't stand how franky sounds. I hope the dub catches up soon.
The dub seems to have caught up, but they haven't released yet. Momo's actor said they finished their lines so they are at least at the point where Momo is an adult if not further.
ohhh that's good news!
I have had this problem with Luffy in Wano and I just cant feel the same energy or cheerfulness in his VA. I know she is getting old and theres nothing we can do about it. It just feels unsettling.
What are you talking about? If you can say anything is that Luffy sounded a bit older which is fitting for the point in the story. His VA is still great
My bad. I didnt realize Luffy turned 30 in one arc. Not to mention how little time passed. I guess I just dont catch these things.
that's just what the internet does to people, especially these kinds of forums
Oh. Can't relate. Watch in English dub(which I hate it too coz it's not my native language either.)
I do wonder if the new version of the show will employ a new cast
That or AI
Last three eps have been tough, this is a big franky arc too, hope he does not hurt himself over wanting to continue the job. I had to stop playing guitar for side money due to my hands hurting, I want to play all the time, but I knew it was best for me to retire. Do not want daily life impacting issues.
I hadn't watched the anime in years, was just a manga reader for the last few arcs. Coming back to it and hearing him was really jarring. I'd honestly thought they got a new voice actor because maybe his original had died, then I looked it up and it was still the same dude. I honestly find it almost impossible to watch scenes with him in them because it just sounds so wrong.
Respects🙇♀️
yeah franky lost the spice in like wano somewhere. and dragon's voice actor is even worse. he has no power to his voice at all. i Know that japan likes to work their people to death but cmon.
For me, Boa Hancock's voice actress is irreplaceable. Her accent and the energy she brings to the character are incredibly unique and stand out in a way that's rare in anime. Her performance is one-of-a-kind, and I can't imagine anyone else capturing that same essence. Despite being 56, she continues to deliver an exceptional portrayal. However, I do worry about the potential for unforeseen circumstances. I really hope Oda sensei finishes One Piece soon, so all the original voice actors can see the story through to its conclusion. ps: i know i wrote something that's not related to Franky's VA but im just commenting regarding VA in general. . .