Warning: Contains spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning.Following the premiere ofMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning, fans are worried about the possible retirement of Shuichi Ikeda i.e. the voice ofOne Piece’s Shanks. Long before Shuichi Ikeda was cast as Shanks, he made a name for himself as Char Aznable inMobile Suit Gundam, and with the popularity ofGundamand how often he’s reprised the role, it’s easily the most iconic role of Ikeda’s career.
Few voice actors are as iconic as Shuichi Ikeda, but his time as a voice actor might be ending. Char Aznable appears intheMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginningcompilation filmas part of the reveal that it takes place in an alternate timeline where Char won the war, but rather than be voiced by Shuichi Ikeda, he’s voiced by Yuuki Shin ofTokyo Revengersfame.Shuichi Ikeda not voicing Char in his latest appearance hasGundamandOne Piecefans alike worried that he’s planning to retire, but even then, it might not be as certain as people think.
GQuuuuuuX Isn’t The First Time Someone Else Voiced Char Aznable
As surprising as it might be for Shuichi Ikeda to not voice Char Aznable, this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Long beforeGQuuuuuuX, Char was voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi inMobile Suit Gundam-san, a parody ofMobile Suit Gundam, and in Char’s brief appearance inGundam Build Fighters: Battlogue, he was voiced by Toshihiko Seki, as well.Shuichi Ikeda, despite how closely associated he is with Char Aznable, hasn’t voiced him in everyGundamproject, so his not reprising the role forGQuuuuuuXdoesn’t necessarily mean he’s retiring.
That being said, there is a clear difference in circumstances. The previous examples were either a one-off appearance or a largely unserious parody anime, so Ikeda not returning as Char wasn’t a big deal, butGQuuuuuuXis the latest mainlineGundamanime, and as such,Shuichi Ikeda not reprising his role as Char Aznable inMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXis seen as a much bigger deal because of the importance of the project. There has yet to be an official statement on anything, but overall, it makes sense that people would be so concerned.
Why Shuichi Ikeda’s Retirement Would Be Such A Tragic Loss
If Shuichi Ikeda really is retiring, then it’s hard to see it as nothing but a tragedy forOne PieceandGundamfans alike. ForOne Piece, not only has Shanks been part of the story since day one, but this would be coming far too soon afterKazuki Yao’s retirement as Franky, an equally tragic loss for the anime.Shuichi Ikeda retiring would be another example of aOne Piecevoice actor unfortunately not getting to see the story through to the end, and that’s not something anyone would want to see when it’s finally heading toward its conclusion.
Naturally, Shuichi Ikeda’s retirement would be even worse forGundamfans. Ikeda’s performance as Char Aznable is a big part of why he becameGundam’s most iconic villain and one of anime’s most iconic villains, in general, and as such,Shuichi Ikeda’s retirement would meanGundamfans would lose one of the biggest reasons whyGundamhas been so great for over 40 years. If Shuichi Ikeda really is retiring, there will likely be an announcement soon, but forOne PieceandGundamfans alike, that hopefully won’t be happening for a long while.
One Piece
Cast
The One Piece anime began in 1999 and follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with rubber-like abilities, as he embarks on a journey to find the legendary treasure “One Piece.” Inspired by the pirate Shanks, Luffy aims to become the King of the Pirates, accompanied by a diverse crew.
