©Courtesy of Philadelphia Fan Expo

The most relatable, humble people often possess the natural ability to become the world’s most inspirational heroes. They defy the odds not only to pursue their dreams, but also to save the world in the process. Monkey D. Luffy is one such fearless leader in the acclaimed anime television series, One Piece.

Since debuting in Japan in 1999, the fantasy adventure show has aired over 1,100 episodes worldwide. The anime is adapted from Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga of the same name, which follows an ever-expanding story of pirates, freedom and adventure.

The English dub of the original anime is produced by Funimation and distributed through Crunchyroll. It features an ensemble cast of voice actors, including Colleen Clinkenbeard as Luffy, Stephanie Young as Nico Robin, Daniel Baugh as Jinbe and Brina Palencia as Tony Tony Chopper.

One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate who gains a rubber-like body after eating a Devil Fruit. He sets out to become the King of the Pirates by finding the legendary treasure known as the One Piece. To do so, he forms a crew called the Straw Hat Pirates and sails into the dangerous Grand Line, a vast and unpredictable sea filled with powerful enemies, strange islands and hidden secrets.

Along the journey, Luffy recruits a diverse team that includes Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook and Jinbe – each with their own dreams and goals. Together, they face rival pirates, the World Government and other threats while building unbreakable bonds of friendship and pursuing freedom, adventure and their personal ambitions across an ever-expanding world.

Clinkenbeard, Young, Baugh, Palencia and Rob Colletti recently discussed voicing their characters on the show during a panel at this spring’s Fan Expo Philadelphia. The original anime’s English dub continues to release new installments weekly, often shortly after they air in Japan.

A new anime adaptation titled The One Piece is also in development. Produced by WIT Studio, the show retells the story from the beginning of the East Blue saga. The series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix in February 2027.

Q: Without giving away spoilers, how are you feeling about the future of One Piece and the Elbaf arc?

Colleen Clinkenbeard: It’s pure excitement for me. There are a lot of really cool things that happen in Elbaf and beyond. A lot of questions finally get answered, but there are also plenty of new ones. I actually love that because it means we still have more story to tell. I want this series to go on forever.

Brina Palencia: I’m excited too. There are some really wonderful things coming that I can’t wait to experience in the booth. The only thing I dread is the day we stop recording – and I’m choosing not to think about that.

Q: If your character could vote in the One Piece World Top 100 poll, who would they choose?

Stephanie Young: Robin would absolutely vote for Luffy. How could she not?

Daniel Baugh: Jinbe would too. I especially love the dynamic between Jinbe and Robin lately. They feel like the responsible adults of the crew -the ones making sure everyone gets fed before handling business.

Q: What would your character look like in a villain arc?

Stephanie Young: Robin’s early life wasn’t really about being evil – it was about surviving. She was doing what she needed to do to stay alive. That’s very different from being a villain.

Brina Palencia: Chopper might have become a lot crankier if he’d never met the Straw Hats, but I still don’t think he’d become evil. Maybe he’d be the resentful doctor who keeps helping people while pretending he doesn’t care.

Colleen Clinkenbeard: I honestly don’t think Luffy is capable of becoming a villain.

Q: Which One Piece villain is your favorite?

Stephanie Young: I’ve always loved Big Mom.

Daniel Baugh: Blackbeard. He just looks like he smells bad.

Q: Which Devil Fruit would you actually want in real life?

Stephanie Young: Robin’s Hana Hana no Mi. When I became a new mom, I spent so much time wishing I could grow another arm to grab something across the room.

Q: Do you reference the original Japanese performances when recording?

Stephanie Young: Absolutely.

Colleen Clinkenbeard: We always watch the Japanese version before recording our English performances.

Stephanie Young: I had the chance to meet Robin’s Japanese voice actress, and it was incredibly emotional. At the end of our conversation she simply said “Fleur,” and after hearing that voice for twenty years, it gave me chills. She was every bit as kind as you’d hope she’d be.

Q: Rob, what has it been like joining the One Piece family through the live-action series?

Rob Colletti: It’s been amazing. I actually haven’t watched the anime yet because I promised the showrunners I’d stay focused on the manga while working on the adaptation. Eventually I’ll watch everything – once I have about seven months of free time.

Q: Have you met your live-action counterparts?

Stephanie Young: I haven’t met Lera Abova in person, but we’ve talked online. She’s incredibly sweet.

Colleen Clinkenbeard: We’ve met several members of the live-action cast, and they’ve all been wonderful.

Q: What’s been the funniest scene to record?

Colleen Clinkenbeard: Gear Five is probably the most fun I’ve ever had recording. There’s so much freedom in those scenes, and our director encourages us to play with the comedy.

Q: The friendships among the cast seem genuine. Have you always been this close?

Stephanie Young: We were friends before One Piece.

Brina Palencia: Stephanie sang at my wedding, and Colleen was one of my bridesmaids. Our off-screen friendships have become one of the greatest gifts of working on the series.

Q: After all these years, how have these characters influenced your lives?

Colleen Clinkenbeard: Luffy has become part of my family’s life. We’ve watched the series together, and now there are little Straw Hats and Devil Fruits all around my house. Watching One Piece with my son has honestly been one of the highlights of my career.

Stephanie Young: Robin reminds me to stay calm and grounded. Even seeing a One Piece sticker on someone’s car makes me smile.

Daniel Baugh: Jinbe inspires me to be a more honorable person. I don’t always succeed – especially in traffic – but I try.

Brina Palencia: Chopper is such an inherently good character. Every time I voice him, he makes me want to be a better person. Now that I’m a mother, I also see a lot of my son in Chopper, which makes the role even more meaningful.

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Check out more of Karen Benardello’s interview.