In a shocking update, the official X (formerly Twitter) account for One Piece revealed that Kazuki Yao, Franky’s voice actor, would be stepping down from his role, marking an end to a legendary run. Not only did he voice Franky, but he also served as the voice actor of Bon Clay and Django.

After learning Kazuki Yao’s decision, fans were concerned about his health, so the voice actor took to Instagram to ease fans’ fear. In the post, Kazuki Yao said he was overwhelmed by the support and also expressed shock over fans’ love for Franky. Kazuki Yao revealed that he started an Instagram account, which fans can follow to learn more about his life.

Kazuki Yao Has Been Dealing With Health Issues

Earlier this year, Kazuki Yao stepped down from his position as Django’s voice actor. Fans were stunned by the announcement but were hopeful that his condition would improve. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as he was eventually forced to call it quits. With Kazuki Yao stepping down from his position, the focus is on Oda and his staff to find a replacement.

According to a report, Kazuki Yao’s replacement has already been lined up and will be disclosed at the upcoming Jump Festa. The replacement has big boots to fill. Not only do they need to have the same level of commitment as Kazuki Yao, but they should also have an eccentricity in their voice that makes Franky unique.

The Jump Festa Could Be Big For One Piece

Jump Festa will have a lot of announcements for One Piece

Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer will also release new updates

One Piece has a stage at the upcoming Jump Festa. Fans already know that Franky’s new voice actor will be announced at the event, but there is a lot more to look forward to. For starters, One Piece might reveal new information regarding the Wit Studio remake. The studio has been working diligently to remake the One Piece anime to make it more appealing to the audience.

Wit Studio’s remake will have better pacing, new visuals, and sound effects. At the Jump Festa, the studio might reveal a trailer to give fans a glimpse of what they can expect from the remake. One Piece could also announce a completely new project.

Aside from One Piece, the Jump Festa will have stages for other noteworthy series, like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer. MAPPA has already confirmed that it is adapting the Culling Game arc, but there is no release date yet.

Demon Slayer will also make an announcement regarding the upcoming film that covers the Infinity Castle arc. It has been slated to release in 2025, but fans still don’t know when the other two films will come out.