[One Piece] Franky’s Post-Timeskip Design Was a Mistake — And Fans Have Never Really Let It Go
Brook
Franky (2018/06/17): Did One Piece Completely Misfire With His Post-Timeskip Look?
Franky’s post-timeskip redesign still sparks arguments years later. Was it a bold evolution that fans failed to accept — or a rare misstep in One Piece character design? Japanese readers didn’t just dislike it. Many felt something fundamental was lost.
Franky’s Visual Design and Body Balance
1: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 What is this even supposed to be
456: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17
Franky: “Ultimate Hammer!!!!”
4: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 I hate One Piece’s trademark weak-ass lower bodies
6: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 There’s no way only the back half being flesh makes sense
74: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 If he’s a full-body weapon robot, he should be broken-tier strong
Hair, Face, and Lost Identity
10: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 The shaved head is absolutely not it
13: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>10 That’s what you’re hung up on?
23: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>10 You can change it by pressing his nose
12: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 I liked you better when you had that glorious pompadour
157: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 I’ll post him at his peak
162: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>157 That design was already perfect
Power, Activity, and Relevance
17: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Feels like he hasn’t done anything for almost ten years Worse than the skeleton
25: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>17 He fought that old man baby in Dressrosa though
27: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Franky and the skeleton still don’t feel like real crewmates
100: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 It’s hard to give late additions a strong “nakama” feel
118: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Yeah, the pompadour was way cooler, no doubt.
Fukurou: “Chapapapapapa!!!! That’s because I just now… figured out a way to finish you off in a single blow~~~~~~~~!!!!” Franky: “………Oh? Interesting… I was just thinking the same thing, Fukurou-kun…!!” BAM!!!
Concept Choices and Setting Complaints
68: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Honestly I hate the cola-powered setting more than the design
82: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>68 If this series started earlier it probably would’ve been beer
59: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Eventually he’s just gonna turn into Frieza’s final form out of laziness
Team Composition and Comparison
31: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Visually they should’ve made Lucci a crewmate instead
500: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17
508: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>500 They’d be Pirate King tier immediately
615: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 Bring back the outfits from this era
623: Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 >>615 Yeah I get that Why is Luffy wearing those awkward-length clothes now anyway
Miscellaneous Reactions
Anonymous Pirate. 2018/06/17 It’s for fighting big enemies Chopper alone didn’t have enough firepower
👉 Why Japanese Fans Reacted So Harshly
What stands out isn’t just “he looks bad.” Japanese commenters repeatedly point to loss of balance — visual, narrative, and emotional.
Franky’s pre-timeskip design felt complete. Post-timeskip Franky feels modular, exaggerated, and unfinished, especially compared to earlier Straw Hats whose growth felt additive rather than replacement-based.
In Japanese fandom, redesigns are expected to preserve identity first, innovate second. Franky, to many, crossed that line.
👉 What This Debate Reveals About One Piece’s Character Philosophy
This thread isn’t really about hair or shoulders. It’s about belonging.
Late-joining characters already struggle for emotional parity. When their visual identity also shifts radically, fans read it as distance — not evolution.
Franky didn’t just change. To many readers, he stopped settling in.
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