The most relatable, humble people often possess the natural ability to become the world’s most inspirational heroes. They have defied the odds to not only pursue their dreams, but also save the world in the process. Monkey D. Luffy is one such such fearless leader in the acclaimed anime television series, .
Since debuting in Japan in fall 1999, One Piece has aired more than 1,100 episodes around the world. The show was adapted for the screen from artist Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga series of the same name.
One Piece follows Luffy (Colleen Clinkenbeard), a 17-year-old pirate whose body gained the properties of rubber after unintentionally eating a Devil Fruit. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the King of the Pirates, sets sails with his crew, named the Straw Hat Pirates.
On his adventures, Luffy is accompanied by his fellow Straw Hat Pirates, including and chef Sanji (Eric Vale), Brook (Ian Sinclair) and storyteller Usopp (Sonny Strait). Together they explores the Grand Line in search of the world’s ultimate treasure, the titular One Piece, in order to become the next King of the Pirates.
Vale, Sinclair and Strait generously took the time to talk about voicing their characters on the anime show during a panel at last month’s Fan Expo Philadelphia. The 61 episodes of One Piece‘s first season, East Blue, are now streaming on Netflix. The anime series debuting on the streamer comes before the second season of its acclaimed live-action adaptation of the same name is set to premiere next year.
Q&A with Anime Voice Actors Eric Vale, Ian Sinclair and Sonny Strait
Q: It was recently announced that a One Piece spin-off series is in development about Chopper. We’ll get to see him live daily life in our world. If that was happening for each of your characters, what do you think they would be excited to do? What would they be devastated about in our world?
Sonny Strait: I think Usopp would love to participate in airsoft competitions. For the worst thing, I would say the government that we have now, but they’re pretty used to oppression.
Ian Sinclair: Brook would be horrified that he’s living in a world where there are a bunch of different-looking people. So he would stand out in our world. People might see him and run away screaming because he’s a seven-foot skeleton!
Q: One Piece has some incredibly light moments before they pivot into something absolutely devastating. Are there any moments where you felt like you were in the pocket of comedy, but then you found out from the studio that you were actually recording something devastating that threw you off?
Eric Vale: I never know what’s coming! I don’t know how to read – the director has to speak my lines at me and I copy them!
Ian Sinclair: Sometimes we have to move his jaw.
Eric Vale: That’s true, too! I have no idea what’s happening until I walk into the booth.
Ian Sinclair: That’s the case with a lot of us. We’ve talked about it, but I refuse to know more than what Brook knows before we go into recording. If I do, it will influence how I read.
One example I give is when Laboon comes back. I was going to cry real hard when I found out, so I think you all want me in the booth at that moment. The tears are so real because I don’t have to act at that point.
Not knowing more beforehand allows the process to be super easy. In a weird meta way, we only really know what we’ve experienced as our characters.
For example, I have no idea what happened to Sanji on Whole Cake Island, and Eric has no know what happened to Brook that season. I wasn’t in the booth with Eric; I was elsewhere, doing other stuff. So we’ll sit around and be like, “I’ve been doing this!”
Ian Sinclair: Yes, and one of us will be like, “I was sitting around, watching the boat!” If people talk to me about Egghead, I’ll be like, “I was watching the boat!” I have no idea what happens because Brook doesn’t know what’s happening.
Like if Shanks shows up, Brook shouldn’t be excited. I shouldn’t be excited, but Brook should be like, “Who’s that?”
Sonny Strait: I would say that the moment that shocked me the most is that Usopp is the comic relief until Water Seven, when he gets the money stolen. He becomes angry and humiliated.
That really shocked me, but in a good way. I’ve never cried real tears for a character I’ve played until that moment. Then I thought, oh, this character is way more than comic relief; he has depth. That was a pleasant surprise.
Q: Ian, speaking about how you cried when Laboon returns, how did you come back from that without just crying?
Ian Sinclair: The entire time we were filming, we had a voice director – it might have been Mike McFarland. We were at a point in music recording where you don’t have to do it all in one take – you can do it in small parts.
I would do eight or 16 bars, and they asked, “Are you happy with that one?” I was like, “I can do better.” They were extremely patient with me until we got the final version of it that we wanted.
It was scarier because I knew that what I was recording that day would be something that all the fans would hear, and would go along with me for the rest of my life, whether I like it or not. But once I got into it, the music made me happy. It was passed the point that I was scared about it, so now I really enjoy it.
©Courtesy of Toei Animation
Q: Many actors can be critical of what they do. Do you all support each other during recording?
Ian Sinclair: This is actually one of the most tight-knit casts I’ve ever worked with. We have a group text, and it’s weirdly the most sappy stuff you’ve ever seen! We’re like, “You did the best!” That group text is wonderful, and I love it. Eric occasionally contributes to it, but the rest of us are more involved in it.
Eric Vale: Yes, I do contribute! Go back in and check! I actually have all of the notifications turned off because if they’re on, they never stop. One thing will be said, and then there will be about 30 replies. So I had to mute it at some point. While it’s very supportive, there are so many responses.
Sonny Strait: Found it! Eric’s last response was on April 16! Stephanie Young (who voices Nico Robin) probably responds the most. I just send different emojis!
Q: There’s a debate over which character has the saddest backstory. In your opinion, who has the saddest one?
Sonny Strait: I have to say Brook’s story is the saddest because I have this weird fear of immortality. The idea of living forever really creeps me out. Also, the way that he lost all of his friends was so sad. Ian’s so much younger than us, so he’s also going to lose all of his friends when we die, so it’s sad all around.
Ian Sinclair: Yes, I was going to say that Brook was going to have to bury a second crew. Am I going to have to? One of you has to outlive me – please don’t let me be the last Straw Hat!
Eric Vale: I’d also have to say Brook’s backstory is the saddest. It started with casting Ian Sinclair, which is a tragedy! But to clarify, these are my two best friends! I love these guys.
Sonny Strait: I’m going to say one thing about Ian that nobody knows – he always hangs up on me! He does not know how to end a phone call. You know how many people will wind down a conversation? They’ll be like, “Okay, I’m going to have to get going.”
But Ian will just hang up before he says that. There will be a beep, and he’s gone.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a whole wind down ready, and was going to say, “Okay buddy, I’ll see you this weekend.” But he just hung up before I got to say that.
Q: The show has taken a six-month break. During that time, did you continue recording new episodes while the previous episodes were being animated?
Eric Vale: We can’t tell you stuff like that! The fact that we can talk about far we are and what’s been released already as is is amazing. We’ve never been this caught up! But we can’t tell you those kinds of things because we’d get in trouble.
Ian Sinclair: I can say whatever I want! But what I have to say is, I have no point of reference while we’re recording. We’d have to ask if we want to know. I don’t know what episode we’re on, the arc of where we are, or really anything.
©Courtesy of Toei Animation
Q: Which one of you improvises the most?
Eric Vale: I don’t know if we get to improvise that much. But we will add a word or two in our dialogue that makes it feel a little bit more natural. But we don’t really get to do something totally random because the stories are already so good.
Q: Eric, there are certain lines you’ve had as Sanji that were changed from the manga to the anime. Are there any times that you were really laughing when you were filming those lines?
Eric Vale: I don’t laugh! I’m a very serious actor and take my shots very seriously. So I don’t bring humor into my performances at all.
But in all seriousness, honestly, no, I don’t really improvise. When I’m dialed in, I’m dialed in to the moment.
Working in anime is weird; you’re always working on the punchline and never the joke. You work in these tiny little increments to make sure the performance is good. You have to keep the knowledge of what’s happening in the scene, and what your character did before this moment, in your head. So it’s a lot of mental gymnastics.
So I don’t really loose myself in the comedic moments. You’re not going for laughs, but what you’re saying is still funny to the audience.
Sonny Strait: That’s the best comedy – when the character 100 percent believes the truth of what they’re saying or doing. That’s funny to everyone else.
Ian Sinclair: If you sit there laughing, then you take the responsibility off of the audience. You have to believe it and let the words feel genuine.
Eric Vale: I think I laugh more when I have to do a serious scene. You have to get the silliness out of you and focus.
Q: Is it true that you don’t know what the One Piece is?
Eric Vale: They won’t tell us actors! They don’t want us to say, oh yes, the One Piece is…! Then it will be ruined.
Ian Sinclair: We do speculate what it is sometimes. It will come up over dinner.
Sonny Strait: I was thinking earlier today that Luffy wants to be the king of the pirates. But Shanks is probably the next guy in line to do it. So don’t they have to battle for it? If so, Usopp is going to have to meet his father. So is he going to have to meet his father fighting, sniper versus sniper?
Eric Vale: That’s a great question! We’ll have to check into that for upcoming seasons.
©Courtesy of Toei Animation
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Check out more of Karen Benardello’s interview.
Here’s the trailer of the series.