The anime of OnePiece it has just closed a poetic circle that has excited the most veteran fans. The voice actress Urara Takano she revealed this Sunday that she is in charge of giving life to Joy Boy in the current series. What makes this casting legendary is that Takano it was the original voice of the protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, in the special One Piece: Defeat The Pirate Ganzak! from the 1998 Jump Super Anime Tour, a year before Mayumi Tanaka he took on the iconic role in the television series.
The choice is not a coincidence. Joy Boy he is a character who not only shares physical similarities with Luffy, but he also ate the same Devil Fruit centuries ago. That the "first voice" of Luffy returning to play his spiritual predecessor is a detail that Toei Animation he has been careful. The actress confirmed her participation by reposting the official publication of the franchise on X about episode 1,151.
Important changes in production
In addition to this news, the producer Ryuta Koike he announced drastic changes for the future of anime. Starting in 2026, the series will reduce its annual production to a maximum of 26 episodes to improve quality and pacing, moving away from the uninterrupted weekly format. Following the conclusion of the Egghead arc this year, the anime will take a three-month hiatus (January-March 2026) before returning in April with the long-awaited Elbaph arc.
