Shipwright: "Cyborg" Franky Cutty

Bounty: 44,000,000 Belly

Age: 34
Birthday: March 9th
Height: 225cm 7'3"
Sign: Pisces
Hometown: South Blue (raised in Water Seven)
Commonly Associated Number: Probably 08
Commonly Associated Color: ?
According to Chopper Smells Like: ?
Favorite Type of Island: ?
Favorite Foods: Hamburgers, french fries and stuff that goes with cola.




History of Franky


We use the term a lot but what does it really mean to 'take responsibility'? Perhaps it isn't something we can entirely put our finger on since what might be considered 'responsible' in one situation could be careless in another. If you break it down, the best way to describe responsibility means to think about your everyday actions, how you walk, talk and carry yourself. It doesn't mean doing your homework or doing chores, it's knowing when and how to do them best. It means monitoring your life and making choices based on your gut for the best of you and those around you regardless of what others might say. If you do this then perhaps one can say he or she has been 'responsible' and then there's only one emotion that can describe how you feel about your actions, pride. Pride in your choices and pride in what you have created. It doesn't matter what others say or how they use what you have created, so long as you hold your head high and accept what you made with pride.

Or, at least that's how Tom saw things.

Some might have said Tom was probably the greatest shipwright the world had ever known, everyone else would say he was the greatest. Sturdy as an oak and just about as big as one, Tom was a Longhorn Cowfish Fish Man. Unlike some members of his race that had 'problems' associating with humans, Tom didn't concern himself with such petty thoughts and immersed himself in human culture. One might guess although he hailed from Fishman Island, the place he called home was Water Seven, the so-called Capital of Water, a once thriving island city connected by arching waterways and brick architecture. Sadly both Tom and the island had seen better days. Despite his reknown as a skilled shipwright, due to a certain ship he had constructed Tom shunned by the people of Water Seven and his ship building company, Tom's Workers, was forced to operate out of a warehouse under a bridge on the outskirts of town near the ship junkyard known to the islanders as Shipwreck Island. It was there, just about 24 years ago, Tom happened upon a runty rotten urchin of a boy. Abandoned by his pirate 'family' for being troublesome, instead of crying or running to authorities for help the 10-year-old was doing what he loved best, building weapons from scattered junk. Impressed by the boy's ingenuity and maybe even a little moved by the lad's request to take him in, Tom accepted the boy as one of his disciples and put a roof over his head and food in his mouth in exchange for work. We don't know much about the boy's past with pirates but we do know his name, Flam Cutty, a ship-building prodigy whose was destined for something truly, well, SUPER~!

When Flam first met Tom's other apprentice, Iceburg, a boy 4 years his senior the two seemed destined for a rocky brotherly kinship. On hearing Flam's name Iceburg was instantly put off by it and nicknamed him Franky, a name that stuck with those who knew him best. Of course this was just the start of a number of nicknames the two would come up with, each trying to undermine the other. There seemed to be a gap between the two and their work ethic. As the years went by Iceburg worked hard and when Tom said, "Jump!", Iceburg asked, "How high?", but Franky was always off by himself creating fantastic battleships. Weapons and technology fascinated the boy and with Tom's knowhow he became adept at creating mobile nautical weapons by only 12-years old. He called his battleships the Battle Franky series. Since meeting Tom he had managed to build 8 such ships and wasn't afraid to go and test their potential against sea monsters. Unfortunately things usually went south fast for Franky when his ships, inevitably, proved ineffective or too weak against the beasts infestings the waters around Water Seven.

Franky's carefree attitude with his dangerous creations were a constant source of friction between him and Iceburg then 16-years-old. On the other hand, Tom encouraged the boy's inventive nature and proud spirit. With a, "TAHA......!", Tom simply laughed at Franky's spunk which only further boggled the mind of the straight-laced Iceburg. While sitting down to dinner one evening, Tom's Secretary, Cocoro, lamented at the sad state of affairs which weighed heavily on the town's shoulders. The Pirate King Gold Roger had recently been executed and on posing the challenge of obtaining the One Piece to all, piracy had skyrocketed. Water Seven's deliveries of precious lumber were being stolen by pirates which the slowly sinking crowded island could already just barely afford to import. The effects of a dangerous tide known as the Aqua Laguna had slowly been consuming the island for ages and forced it to rely solely on imported lumber and steel for the very life-blood of the island, ship-building. Tom knew too well about the hardships awaiting the island in the new age of piracy and was determined to save it. Which is exactly why no less than the fate of the island was as stake on a perfectly unassuming day when Tom was arrested for high crimes against the World Government and sentenced to death!

The original reason Tom was deemed a pariah amongst shipwrights on Water Seven was because he had designed the ship of the Pirate King Gold Roger. The ship in question, Oro Jackson, was used by Roger to reach his infamous status that ushered in the Age of Pirates. With no one left to punish for Roger's so-called crimes and piracy growing out of control, the World Government was looking for blood to set an example and this led them to Tom. Under the facade of calling him 'dangerous' for aiding the infamous pirate, a judge from the judiciary island Enies Lobby was dispatched to Water Seven to charge him. There didn't even seem to be room for a proper or fair trial as arrangements had already been made for him to be sent to Enies Lobby for official sentencing and thereafter executed. Tom never once expressed regret or remorse for creating the ship, however, he did speak out on a most unexpected topic. Tom's greatest fear was that his secret project, a grand plan to save Water Seven, would never come to life without his involvement. Before being taken away he revealed his plan to the judge. Using unconventional and innovative methods, Tom was attempting to create a system of easy transportation between Water Seven and three nearby prospering islands: St. Poplar, Pucci and San Faldo. By directly linking these islands to Water Seven it would promote tourism as well as ensuring a fast and safe way of transporting goods to and from the bountiful islands such as timber from Saint Poplar and steel from San Faldo not to mention being able to tow ships. The method of transportation would be by steam engine, a train running above the waves, a 'sea train', the Sea Express. Despite being jeered by his fellow shipwrights Tom managed to catch the interest of the judge who asked for more information. Tom explained in detail the method by which his dream could become a reality. The train wouldn't 'run' on conventional tracks, rather it would follow a free-floating ropeway below the surface that would lead to the destination completely eliminating the need for Log Poses in travel between the four islands. While the engine would work just like any locomotive in pulling the cars, the Sea Express' cars were actually boats. The wheels of each car being fitted to a ropeway reinforced by timber acting as a lead while a hollow wooden vessel rested above the water with the body of the car riding on top. And the giant sea monsters lurking below the surface prone to attacking ships? Tom was developing an audible resonance between the track and paddles of the engine that would deter sea monsters with an unpleasant sound. Upon hearing this from a shipwright who despite his 'criminal' status was what some might call the best in the business, the judge was in awe of such an ambitious idea. He wondered if Tom could add the judicial island Enies Lobby as a stop on the path of the train to which Tom said could be done. When asked how long it would take to make this dream a reality Tom replied stone-faced, "10 years.", and with the swing of his gavel, the judge granted Tom a 10-year stay of sentence during which time he was to complete Water Seven's last hope, The Sea Express.

Tom had dodged a bullet and as usual all he could do was laugh it off. Franky on the other hand was furious with the entire system. He couldn't understand why even though all Tom had done was build a boat, he had to pay the price for another's crimes. He didn't see it as a matter of who rode the boat, rather they should respect Tom for building a ship which was capable of traveling around the entire world. As usual he took out his frustration by swimming with Tom's giant pet frog, Yokozuna. Franky seemed to have a knack for swimming and could always be seen wearing little more than a Hawaiin shirt and a speedo. Whenever he was frustrated with the world or Iceburg he vented by teaching Yokozuna how to swim the front crawl. And if you don't mind me breaking the narrative's fourth wall for just a moment, that was the strangest segway I think I've ever written. Despite his loose cannon behavior which Iceburg abhored, Tom saw nothing but potential in the youngster who in two year's time had already become just as good a shipwright as any grown man on Water Seven. Iceburg's steady hard working nature was in direct conflict with Franky but Tom could already see that the two of them were going to become skilled shipwrights.

Upon completing intial designs Tom and Iceburg set to work selecting the best lumber for the job, measuring, carving, cutting and salvaging. Meanwhile Franky was hard at work not working. While the others worked on the sea train Franky was continuing his Battle Franky series. Of course, as most children seem to, Franky came around and begrudgingly started helping out the team. Eventually he was devoting just as much time and energy to the project as anyone else and investing just as much heart in it. Seasons went by, successes were made and failures were painful. Entire engines were lost in accidents at sea, explosions and all other manner of catastrophe. Just laying the tracks down was a dangerous process that was surely the cause of more than a few sea monster attacks, during which Tom's robust strength came in hand. In the rain, sun and snow, Tom's Workers never gave up or looked back and before they knew it, a decade had come and gone.

Water Seven was merely a shadow of its former bustling self. The population had decreased significantly from commoners moving away while laborers were losing the will to live. Rising water levels were causing panic, shipwrights were personally going to purchase raw materials and as many as 50 at a time perished at sea. Even the presidents of the seven docks were in a panic as the work force dwindlded before their eyes. Dock 4's president even comitted suicide. The entire island was standing at a crossroad between life and death and all seemed lost until the news began to spread and a sound began to fill the air. *chug....chug* Had it really happened? Had Tom's Workers really completed the seemingly impossible? A train that could run on top of the waves? People ran to Shipwreck Island to see if it was true. Young and old were astounded at the sight, Tom's Workers had done it! Cocoro called out to the speechless crowd, "LAST CALL! ALL ABOOOARD!", and with a great burst of steam the wheels groaned and sped their call *CHUG CHUG CHUG* and a great whistle blew *CHOOCHOOOO* the crowd exploded into cheer. Tom, Iceburg, Yokozuna and Franky watched as their greatest accomplishment, the hope on which they staked their entire island on became a reality. His dream accomplished the island would be given new life by Tom's gift 'The Puffing Tom' but it's not here that our story ends. Franky's story has just begun.

Having completed the Sea Express within 10 years as promised Tom was granted an extension of 4 years in order to complete the tracks between the remaining three islands, it was never made clear in what order the tracks were created. Unfortunately the atmosphere of Water Seven had only changed slightly since the neighboring islands were jacking prices fully aware that Water Seven couldn't sustain itself with domestic raw materials. Some were concerned over the issues, particularly Iceburg who was seeing their hard work seem to go to waste over the greed of traders from other islands. Again Tom offered sage advice by noting that humans were made of strong stuff and could move beyond petty problems with enough time. Despite the hiccups all seemed to be going well as Tom was awaiting his sentencing. It seemed that Tom's success with the Sea Express would be enough of a reason to give him a pardon for his 'crime' of building Oro Jackson. It was on an unassuming day that Tom's past, something he rarely if ever discussed with those he knew, started to catch up with him.

The World Government's information espionage conglomerate, known as Cipher Pol, had in recent years noted the existence of blueprints for devices spoken of only as 'ancient weapons'. Even those who whispered their names in dark corners of the world spoke little of them aside from their origin as vessels built by shipwrights of old. Containing unspeakable and unmatched power it would be a disaster should such vessels ever be reconstructed. Spandam, a conniving and venemous, but violently accident-prone agent was following his father's footsteps and rising through the ranks of the Ciper Pol groups. As head of one of Cipher Pol's 9 units, Cipher Pol 5, Spandam had managed to pass on concrete proof that blueprints for the ancient weapon known as Pluton existed. During an audience with the Five Revered Stars, the leaders of the World Government, Spandam managed to convince them that the best course of action would be to preemtively track down and obtain the blueprints by any means necessary to avoid them getting into the hands of pirates. A sociopathic power-hungry swine, Spandam also tried to convince them that once the plans were obtained, they should construct the weapon for their own use. Although the elders did not seem to see eye-to-eye with Spandam on that level, they at least agreed to grant him permission to track down the blueprints. And this is how 3 three days before his exonerration by the court for his 'aiding' Gold Roger, Tom was visited by Spandam and his entourage of government agents.

Spandam wandered onto Shipwreck Island looking for Tom. He'd managed to trace the origin of the blueprints back to Water Seven and somehow linked them to Tom. He was just about to introduce himself when a stray canonball exploded nearby sending him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. The culprit? Franky and his Battle Franky 35. No longer a small-fry shipbuilder, Franky all grown up at age 26 had managed to create 35 Battle Franky ships and no longer was he running from sea monsters, but reeling them in for fun! On this particular day he managed to nab one over 100 meters long, and one unlucky Spandam of course. Again Franky found himself getting scolded by Iceburg for creating such dangerous ships. Franky simply couldn't understand the source of Iceburg's irritation since he never intended the ships to be used against humans. Disregarding the obvious Iceburg warned him that he had to take responsibility for creating such dangerous ships and should dismantle them immediately. Naturally it was in one ear and out the other for the rebellious young shipwright. Meanwhile Spandam managed to gather himself together, infuriated by not only being blown up but then blatantly ignored in the aftermath. He gruffly introduced himself and then pulled Tom aside to have a word with him. He revealed that he was looking for the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton and first asked politely for them but when Tom feigned having no knowledge of such things Spandam became vicious and demanded he handed them over threatening Tom with blackmail for his past crimes in building Gold Roger's ship. Tom couldn't help but laugh that a government agent supposedly working in intelligence didn't know that his crimes were already well known and he was to be pardoned in three days. Humiliated, Spandam stormed away and drowned his sorrows at a local bar where he learned the full story behind Tom and his impending pardon. Now fully aware of the situation at hand and not wanting to waste a chance with such advantageous leverage, Spandam vowed not to let Tom have his pardon.

Meanwhile the pressure from the government helped Tom decide it was time he needed to show something to his apprentices. Calling them aside he solemnly revealed the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton. Franky was in awe of such a weapon while Iceburg was appalled that such a thing could be built by human hands. Tom felt it was necessary to pass the blueprints to them since he would be under the eye of the World Government. Tom trusted them to do with it as they pleased, even destroy them if the times called for such an action. With that in mind he had one last word of advice for them. He pulled out a Wanted poster for a certain criminal. A woman known to most of the world as a 'Devil' who would stop at nothing to awaken the weapon and use it for ill purposes.

Three days later Franky woke up early to do some shopping in town for a feast celebrating Tom's vindication that was scheduled be handed down later that day by the same Judge who had almost sentenced him to death 14 years ago. The Judge, who had just arrived, was in his chambers remarking on what a marvelous invention the Sea Express was. Seeing the Court Ship at the dock Franky smiled to himself thinking about all the hardships and victories of 14 years gone by. It seemed too perfect to be true and unfortunately, it was. Without warning a series of explosions rocked the port. Someone or something was firing on the Court Ship! The injured came pouring out of the ship as the attack continued. Franky was frozen in place when he saw the source of the attack, his very own Battle Franky fleet! Someone was using his ships to carry out the assault! Word of the attack reached Tom and Iceburg in moments and they sped off to the source of the attack. They recognized Franky's ships immediately and swam out to them in order to intercept whomever was responsible but they were too late. The ones who had taken control were scuba-equipped World Government agents working under orders from Spandam and they had already vanished into the waves without a trace leaving the two baffled. Iceburg, blinded by his anger at Franky for ever building such devices was unaware of two more of Franky's creations under the direct control of Spandam. Tom called out but it was two late. A blast from the ships' cannons left them a bloodied mess riddled with shrapnel.

Franky arrived to see them lying motionless above the wreckage of Franky's former ships. Rushing over to try and help, Iceburg suddenly arose and hammered his fist into Franky's jaw. How many times had he said it? How many times had he warned Franky? Creating weapons has nothing to do with intentions. One's hand's bring weapons into the world and even if they were never made with such a purpose in mind, those weapons can hurt the ones we love. Iceburg read the scheme like a book, it was Spandam who set up the attack which would lead to their being blamed for the assault in turn forcing Tom to hand over the Pluton blueprints. Iceburg vowed never to forgive Franky if his carelessness in creating weapons led to Tom being taken away by the government. Tom finally groaned and rolled over while asking Iceburg not to put the blame on Franky. Meanwhile Franky, horrified at the gigantic barbed harpoon sticking out from Tom's side, couldn't think of what to say to express his guilt. Tom just laughed and said it didn't hurt a bit. Meanwhile the townspeople were beginning to gather around them, all at the center of the wrecked ships which moments before had succeeded in entirely sinking the Court Ship. Just as Spandam had planned they would be found at the scene of the crime and the trial of their lives was about to begin.

Bound in heavy chain cuffs, their wounds unattended to Franky, Iceburg and Tom were brought into town and made a spectacle of by Spandam. The vindictive leader of CP5 accused them of being resposible for the attack. The townspeople couldn't figure out why Tom would attack the Court Ship if he was going to be pardoned but only laughed when Franky accused Spandam of the deplorable act. The townspeople had no idea about the blueprints Spandam was after and Tom was not willing to sacrifice them just to protect his life. And then it came forward, Spandam accused Tom's Workers of being the company behind the ships used in the assault. This was too much for Franky to bear. The life of his mentor was at stake because of his own creations. He cried out in desperation, "I'd never make any ships like those!" And with those words Tom broke his bonds with ease and for the first time ever, reprimanded Franky by punching him in the jaw. The onlookers were horrified by the ferocious display of raw power and the Marines on hand aimed to take Tom down on orders. Iceburg was speechless, it was the first time Tom had ever laid a finger on Franky, even after years of his fits and attitude. Tom continued to speak to Franky as if no one else was there pulling out the barbed spear from his side with ease and without so much as a grimace. " 'Those aren't my ships!'!!? Those are the only words you can't say." Franky was shocked, he couldn't believe Tom wouldn't let him regret making such weapons that brought them where they were then. Tom continued, "No matter what kind of ship you make, it doesn't carry things like 'good' or 'evil'. From here on out it doesn't matter what kind of ship you make BUT, if that ship never harms a soul or tears apart the world, the person who brought that ship into the world has to love it! If you make it, you can never reject it! Never badmouth your ship, A MAN SHOULD BURST WITH PRIDE FOR THE SHIPS HE MAKES!" The Judge and Spandam were speechless while Franky was brought to the verge of tears. But Tom wasn't done, he told both Franky and Tom to keep their mouths shut no matter what he said from here on out.

Despite Tom's severe actions towards Franky it didn't mean he didn't love him, just the opposite. It's what parents call 'tough love'. Knowing the pain Franky must have felt seeing his ships used for such a twisted purpose, knowing the government was determined to seal his fate, Tom brought Franky's rage and anger upon himself and pounded a heavy blow into Spandam's face on his apprentice's behalf. On orders from Spandam the Marines fired more than ten shots of tranquilizers into the behemoth of a Fishman which brought Tom to his knees, but still wasn't enough to take him down. Spandam ordered all three of them taken to Enies Lobby to receive judgement. The crowd completely devoured Spandam's lies and were calling for blood, but above the din, Tom called out to the Judge. He took the crime of attacking the court ship onto his own head and asked for the construction of the Sea Express to clear said crime. The Judge agreed to such a condition despite Spandam's poison-laced bantering, however, absolving the attack on the ship would leave Tom where he was 14 years ago, with the crime of 'aiding' the Pirate King. Tom boomed to the crowd, "HELPING THAT MAN ROGER LEAVES ME NOTHING BUT BURSTING WITH PRIDE!" The foolish were shocked by such words and condemned him in their minds. In the commotion Tom had time for a few last words with Franky. Tom explained that helping Roger had given the government a strategic advantage he didn't foresee since he never expected them to come after the blueprints. But not able to understand why Tom could just let go he wanted to know why Tom lied for him. In his last breaths before the tranquilizers finally took effect, Tom said that with the town buzzing with promise, to that end, even if anything happened to him, his dream had already begun to charge into motion. With that the great shipwright would never say another word to those close to him as he was to be taken away to Enies Lobby and no doubt either executed or sentenced to the great prison, Impel Down. The world's greatest shipwright had fallen.

Spandam laughed sadistically as he ordered the three rounded up but the Judge stopped him. With the crime of the attack absolved only the crime of 'aiding' Roger remained and that cross to bear was Tom's alone. Freed of their bonds Cocoro and Yokozuna came to comfort Franky and Iceburg as they watched Spandam kick and harass Tom's unconscious form. The sight was too much for Franky to handle and he rushed a Marine, stole his rifle and swung the butt of it into Spandam's face so hard it would leave his face as twisted as his soul. A violent and brief skirmish ensued while Cocoro pleaded for Franky to stop, but he was beyond control. After plowing through a number of Marines Franky avoided capture long enough to recooperate for a last ditch effort to get back his mentor.

Unable to apprehend the suspect they knew only as Cutty Flam, apparently never clearly hearing his nickname Franky, with Tom in tow aboard his own Sea Express, the agents and Marines headed back to Enies Lobby. Spandam's face was bandaged and he writhed in pain cursing Flam, vowing to return after taking care of Tom to string him up by his neck. Just then a member of CP5 burst into the car to announce Cutty Flam had been spotted on the tracks up ahead of the Puffing Tom. Rushing to the window they witnessed Franky standing on the tracks wielding a giant hand-held cannon. Franky begged the spirit of Puffing Tom not to take its creator to his demise and unleashed a powerful double blast from the cannon directed at the engine. But Tom's work was too solid to be rejected by such an attack. Franky discarded the weapon and held his arms open begging the train to stop. But the chugging of the gears didn't pause for a moment. Tears filled Franky's eyes as he stood his ground on the tracks before the steel behemoth bearing down on him. It was impossible for a young man to stand against the incredible horsepower of the steam engine but he did it anyway. Even if only for a moment, tears streamed down his face as he gripped the cow-catch. The sight of the train colliding with him and sending his body flailing helplessly through the air brought a hideous smile to Spandam's face. But Franky was thinking of other things. He didn't want to make ships anymore, at least not the kinds he used to. All he wanted was for Tom to come back and teach him so that one day he could be just like his mentor. He had a new goal, to make a 'ship of dreams'. A ship that could sail through any wave with ease to the ends of the earth and back. These were his last thoughts before the darkness consumed him.

But Franky's story wasn't over just yet. His soul not yet ready to give up, when he opened his eyes he was floating at sea. His body wounded beyond recognition and burning as if on fire he felt that even if he wasn't dead, he would be soon, a soul lost at sea. It was then that a miracle occurred which would save Franky and give him the power to achieve his dream. He had managed to drift towards an abandoned scrap vessel. Using what strength he had, Franky pull himself onto the deck and saw the playground of metal and timber that surrounded him, all comforting sights to a shipwright like himself, but before he celebrated he needed to do something about the broken condition of his body. What followed signified the death of Cutty Flam and the true birth of Franky. Meanwhile in Water Seven, with the news that Cutty Flam had died during his assault on the sea express Cocoro found herself drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Unsatisfied with sitting by watching Tom's dream stagnate, Iceburg redirected his rage and set out to fulfill Tom's will and save the town. Little did both apprentices know that their determination to honor the will of their mentor is what would bring them together again one day and help them fulfill their own dreams.

Notes on Franky:


Personality

Franky's personality is a mixture of ideas coming from all around the globe. He has an intense and rough exterior that masks a gentle and surprisingly fragile disposition. The former is most certainly built on the idea of the below (Trivia, Puns & Observations) mentioned tough-guy of 1980's Japan who yearned for the 1950's-style doowop and chrome lifestyle in America. Yes, the idealistic 1950's image of America was highly regarded in Japan during its booming economy of the 80's and a number of famous TV personalities made a name for themselves by emulating cultural icons like James Dean and Elvis. Rockabilly culture hit Japan hard at a time while we were enjoying Hair Bands and the image of these young male and female performers emulating American lifestyle left a strong image on (what is now) the older generation. Such caricatures were featured in a number of mediums but perhaps one that left the strongest mark on this writer's generation of gamers/Japanese animation enthusiasts was the character Johnny from 1995's Chrono Trigger. Franky is yet another in the long line of characters created in this fashion. They tend to spout random English, frequently use the term 'Baby' and give out plenty of shouts, poses and calls like something you might expect out of a scene from West Side Story. Franky has a neverending supply of 'cool' poses which he often performs with comic results. Many of his attacks are a combination of English and Japanese which are pronounced with an elongation attempting to give them a foreign feel. This is conveyed in the comic with extended tildes not uncommonly tagged on to his own name in some attacks. Adding his name to an attack may also be a sign of foreign influence. Foreigners are commonly believed to show little restraint when it comes to speaking highly of themselves and frequently accenting what they are able to do well and how well they can do it as opposed to the more restrained Japanese form which tends to showcase self-humility. By using his name, Franky is taking possession of the move showing that only he can do it exactly like that. Also note Franky's favorite foods are hamburgers and french fries. Any American who has spent time in Japan speaking with natives can attest to the fact that many Japanese individuals assume we live on a diet of hamburgers, french fries and cola. Despite all of this, Franky's inspiration is not an American, rather it is the Japanese stereotype of Americans as portrayed by the Japanese themselves. He is a parody of a parody so to speak.

Despite his rough exterior Franky is extremely emotional. He works extremely hard to hide his warm-hearted inner self, but usually fails miserably being moved to waterfall-like tears if anyone does something kind out of the goodness of their heart. His futile attempts to hide his tears usually amount to him holding his forearm over his face shouting, "I'm NOT crying stupid! Not crying at all!", between sobs, sometimes without even being asked first.

Although nowhere near as severe as Sanji's, Franky seems to have a chivalrous streak as well. This is best seen in his dedication to the Square Sisters, two of his subordinates who he keeps by his side at all times. Although one might have first assumed he used them for certain purposes, it later became clear that he was actually protecting them and had no interest in them sexually. They were essentially his own personal Fly Girls that mimicked his poses and dances. A sure way to cut Franky's fuse short is to lay a finger on either of them.



Characteristics

The Japanese term for a cleft chin is 'ketsu ago' literally butt-chin for obvious reasons. Franky's upgrades left him with a double cleft chin which Oda has lovingly dubbed a 'butt-butt-chin'.

Franky is the oldest member of the crew at a whopping 34-years old. Some fans were surprised to learn of his age thinking he was much younger but Oda insists that being that age is what makes him so cool, since it means he's a nutcase perv.

The fuel that powers Franky's mechnical components is actually the carbonated beverages, cola, which he stores in a refrigerator he installed in his stomach. There's enough room to store 3 bottles.

According to Oda, Franky's fuel is cola because cola, "TASTES FREAKIN' GREAT!"

Franky's catch-phrase is 'super'. Depending on his mood he may describe whether he's feeling 'super' this week or not.

Franky has been known to burst into melancholy song on a guitar he whips out from seemingly nowhere. These extemperous songs typically have elaborate titles and even though he usually gives a needlessly complex introduction to his songs before revealing said title, he has yet to sing a single lyric or continue beyond the title as of volume 48. He has 'composed' the following songs thus far: 'Falling Out of Friends, North Wind Chop' (Chpt.350) 'Honor and Humanity of a Pirate' (Chpt.350) & 'Steely Sentiments of a Travelled Cyborg' (Chpt.452)

Franky's dream is to create a 'Ship of Dreams'. Completing such a ship goes far beyond just building a ship. Once the ship is built it must travel the seas overcoming danger until it goes 'beyond the sea', at that point Franky's desire is to continue to ride it until they grow old together and then he believes it will become a real 'Ship of Dreams'.



Trivia, Puns & Observations

Following the tradition of Luffy's crew being composed of one-of-a-kind crew members who stand out as remarkable or unorthodox in their respective fields, Franky is certainly no exception. After the confrontation with Puffing Tom, Franky actually reconstructed his broken body with parts of an abandoned industrial-type ship. He essentially made himself a cyborg which is what he refers to himself as. In Japanese he's described as a 'kaizouningen' which is essentially the same thing literally meaning 'remade human'. Fans were spared the process by which he reconstructed his body and despite being a hard to swallow concept, author Eiichiro Oda has managed to imbue the character with tiny twinges of reality that make the entire idea an interesting joke on itself. For example, only his ventral side contains metal and upgrades because, in his own words, "I remade myself alone and there's no way I could reach around to my back!!"

Upon his return to Water Seven Franky found himself unable to associate with his former peer Iceburg since he had become the Mayor of Water Seven and was under close watch by the World Government which was waiting to steal the ancient weapon blueprints from him. But without a desire to go anywhere else Franky found himself wandering the back alleys and questionable districts of the island. It was there he came to meet a number of societal outcasts and 'failures' not unlike himself. He took control of the thugs and drunks who wandered those dark streets and united them under one roof, Franky House, a haphazard headquarters for his gang the Franky Family. His gang was composed of prospective shipwrights that were either rejected by failing tests for entry into Galley-La or ended up turning to crime before they even had a chance. Instead of conducting typical criminal activities, the Franky Family existed in a grey area of anti-heroic activies. They weren't against stealing money from outsiders when offered the chance persay, but they also worked for the better of Water Seven by doing on-the-side bounty hunting, reaping the rewards and then dismantling pirate ships to sell the materials. They tended to cause a general air of nausea among the townspeople, especially when they went gallavanting around town in a theatrical display best described as awkward and loud.

Franky's design is an interesting combination of themes associated commonly associated with Japanese gangsters or wise-guys of varying eras and rank. He assumes the role of 'aniki' or big brother in his gang. Interesting to note the somewhat familiar inner structure the gang holds. Not being a 'proper' or 'established' gang, they merely call their boss 'aniki' or big brother which is not uncommon in smaller gangs. Meanwhile, outsiders refer to him as the 'kashira' or head of the gang, also a term used for less structured crime syndicates. His 'regent' hairstyle is a staple of Japanese punks known as 'chinpira'. The hairstyle is known as a pompadour in many English-speaking countries but the Japanese adapted the name 'regent' after a street in England known for its curvacious nature. In England the style was typical but after Japanese rock bands took on the style, many young punks of the 1980's mimicked it and it became a staple of youth with questionable relations. Franky's choice in colorful Hawaiian shirts also stems from chinpira of the early 1990's who donned them frequently in public. And then of course his speedos. Franky despises wearing pants and a trademark of his are his precious speedos which he can be seen wearing in all kinds of weather. The origin behind his speedos is...well...he's a weirdo.

Continuing the birthday pun trend, Franky's birthday, March 9th, is a play on the Japanese term for 'cyborg'. Pronounced saaiboogu, taking the 'sa' to mean 'san' and the 'gu' to represent 'ku' you'll get 3 and 9 or March 9th.

According to Oda, anyone can perform a Coup de Poo if they eat a potato.

Franky's bounty nickname is read as 'Cyborg' but the kanji for his name reads, tetsujin or iron man.

Interesting to note that functions of Franky's body are area specific. For instance, while his massive right forearm contains a long chain which can be shot out or retracted at will, his equally large left hand contains an assortment of ammo which may be fired from that arm.

Exactly how much of Franky's body is original has not been explored. For particularly strong attacks, Franky removes a skin-like covering on his right hand revealing a hard metal appendage beneath. Whether or not more of Franky's body is covered in this fashion is not known.

Although he was not a crew member at the time, he had displayed a number of techniques in the series so it's worth noting that Franky did not have any techniques in the Top 30 from the 2005 'Your Favorite Techniques' vote.

Franky's resemblance to a certain spinach-gorging cartoon icon from America. Note their massive foreams, what seem to be tattoos on Franky's arms in similar to proximity to Popeye's anchor ink job and of course, gaining power from a form of nourishment. Franky's source of power may be the polar opposite of something nutritious like spinach, cola, they both 'power-up' after putting some of said consumables in their body. A side character named 'Blueno' was also introduced around the time of Franky's debut who happened to be a bearded 'tough-guy' similar to Popeye's nemesis, 'Bluto'.

Franky's last name, Cutty, is a reference to the famous clipper ship Cutty Sark, the name which was in turn a reference to a character in the popular late 18th century Scots and English poem, Tam o'Shanter. The term 'Cutty sark' was a nickname conjured up by the main character of the poem for a witch, Nannie, whom he sees dancing late at night in a festival of dark magic. Nannie was proceeding on is tight-fitting chemise which inclined him to call her Cutty-sark or 'short chemise'. I probably should have stopped at the ship since that's probably what Oda was going for but now you know. The ship itself is fairly popular amongst Japanese ship fanatics and replicas of it are readily available in many model shops. Such a famous vessel makes the perfect namesake for one of the greatest shipwrights in the world.

Franky 'officially' joined the crew in Chapter 439 - 'The Third and Seventh'.


Strengths and Weaknesses


Being a cyborg, Franky is impervious to a number of attacks that could kill other members of the crew. Perhaps most impressive is his entire ventral side. Since he recreated much of his body using steel parts, Franky is essentially a walking bullet-proof steel plate. He is also able to shrug off powerful blows that would otherwise rattle the soul of most other crew members. However, using a bit of comic book logic, Franky has a very large weak point, his back. The reasoning for this is since he reconstructed his body alone, there was no way he could work on his own back. Even something like a pin prick can make him cry in pain while bullets can be stopped dead by his chest. Curiously enough he still bleeds from his front. Go figure.

Franky's job as a shipwright aids the crew in far more ways than just keeping their ship in proper condition. He can use his skills for constructing ornate pathways, bridges, stairs, etc. at a moment's notice to aid in attacks or progression and escape. Furthermore, similar to Usopp, he can use on-site materials to create weapons from otherwise normal materials. His knowledge of archictecture and construction makes the world around him a malleable weapon.

As mentioned above, Franky runs on carbonated beverages, specifically cola. Although specifications have not been given on what size bottles he takes, given his size, he seems to take 1.5 liter bottles, a standard unit in Japan. Since he takes up to three bottles, this means at full he contains 4.5 liters of cola. Again, this figure is an estimate. As Franky uses his special attacks he uses up cola and while his standard attacks seem to consume a menial amount of the beverage, he can use up to 1.5 bottles in a single Coup De Vent attack. When Franky runs out of cola he does not 'shut down', he's still human after all. Instead his attacks become comparably weaker or may not work at all. It is possible to tell if he's out of cola by looking at his regent. When he runs out his regent flops down resembling a devilock and will remain flacid until he recharges.

Somewhat unique in the Grand Line filled with Devil's Fruit users, Franky has the advantage of special abilities like shooting fire or nails from his mouth, extending his body, deflecting bullets, etc. all without sacrificing his ability to swim. Whereas people with abilities like Franky's that stem from their Devil's Fruit powers are dead-weights in water, Franky has no such weakness. In fact, he actually a powerful swimmer.

Franky Spoilers


Since it's a chore making additional spoiler pages, if for some odd reason you DON'T want to know these spoilers, then just don't highlight the text below. They cover material through Volume 48.


In Chapter 323, just before entering Water Seven, Luffy and his crew were excited about the prospect of adding a shipwright to their crew. Luffy took it upon himself to create a rendering of what he wanted the new crew member to look like. Luffy is famous for his terrible child-like squiggly drawings but who would have expected the shipwright to bear a passing resemblance to Luffy's sketch. The oversized forearms, regent hairstyle and what appeared to be eyes but could just as easily be Franky's shades, are very close to the man himself. He wasn't quite 5 meters tall like Luffy wanted though. Win some lose some I guess.

By trade, Franky is a shipwright but it's a path he gave up after remaking his body. Upon completing his new body Franky carved BF and 36 into his right and left shoulders respectively thereby making him the final 'ship' in his Battle Franky series. After that Franky dropped being a shipwright and became a ship dismantler, the symbolism runs thick.

Although they appear to be just a bunch of rag-tag ruffians, Franky Family is actually comprised of failed shipwrights. For one reason or another many of the members gave up on their dream of building ships or failed at it and when they hit rock bottom, Franky was there for them. He took the seedy back alleys into his own two fists and formed the drunks, thieves and punks into an organized group of ship dismantlers. Again, note the sybolism running like molasses.

Franky's Special Attacks

Name of AttackTranslation Villains Used Against Location in Manga Special Notes
Sutorongu Raito
Strong Right
Luffy, World Government Agents, Fukuro, Franky Family, General Zombie 847
Vol.35 pg174. Vol.39 pg20. Vol.42 pg123. Vol.44 pg121. Vol.47 pg51, pg83.
Franky's first spoken attack, this is a powerful right-handed punch. It seems Franky uses his right arm exclusively for punching. Most often this is a long-distance attack shot at an opponent via a retractable chain stored in his right forearm, however, sometimes it may be at close range punch. In this case, the only stipulation is that his hand must be covered with his fleshy glove for the attack to be classified as Strong Right. Furthermore, if Franky removes said glove and shoots out his hand, it is still classified as Strong Right instead of Strong Hammer (see below).
Ueponzu Refuto
Weapons Left
Luffy, World Government Agents, Fukuro, Marines, General Zombie 847, Odr
Vol.35 pg182. Vol.41 pg19. Vol.42 pg92 & 119. Vol.44 pg78. Vol.47 pg53. Vol.48 pg25, pg153 & pg220
Franky's left hand hinges open revealing his left forearm to be a cannon. It seems Franky uses his left arm exclusively for firearm attacks. He can fire explosive rounds from his arm while using a sight that opens on the palm of his left hand to aim at targets.
Ku~ Do Van
Coup de Vent
Galley-La Shipwrights, Chopper
Vol.36 pg39. Vol.42 pg66. Vol.44 pg200-201. Vol.47 pg80.
Using a T-shaped pipe he calls 'Connector Set' Franky uses the arms of the pipe to link his forearms and grasps the long end of the pipe with his left thumb and pinky. He aims at an opponent while gathering air in his forearms which expand to an unnatural size before unleashing a fantastic blast of air capable of knocking down sturdy stone or steel structures. The amount of fuel Franky consumes for the attack varies and is not always mentioned. If Franky performs the attack without mentioning how much fuel he consumes for the attack, it will be listed here. For attacks where he has given specific amount of fuel consumed, please look below.
Sutorongu Hanma~
Strong Hammer
Nero, Fukuro, Lucci
Vol.39 pg62. Vol.42 pg94, 104 & 122. Vol.43 pg179.
By removing a fleshy glove from his right hand, Franky exposes his true metal hand. Unlike his normal punches which are 'cushioned' by the glove, this merciless blow can bring enemies with hardened defenses to their knees.
Furesshu Faia
Fresh Fire
Nero, Negative Hollow, General Zombie 860 and Others
Vol.39 pg64. Vol.46 pg54. Vol.47 pg61.
Franky spews fiery breath from his mouth.
Hoshi Shiirudo
Star Shield
Nero, Fukuro, General Zombie 847
Vol.39 pg89. Vol.42 pg100*. Vol.47 pg51* & pg53*.
Franky widens his forearm into a circle to give him increased area for blocking wide attacks. The star in the name of the attack comes from the star marks on his forearm. This appears to be a left arm-only defensive move.
Masuta~ Neiru
Master Nail
Nero
Vol.39 pg89.
Franky shoots nails from his mouth at a target.
Bi~nzu Refuto
Beans Left
Nero, Fukuro
Vol.39 pg91. Vol.42 pg100.
Possibly first performed in Vol.36 pg16. but not named until Chapter 372, Franky's left hand shifts down revealing a series of small openings on his wrist that shoot ball-bearing-like bullets. Why Franky calls them 'beans' is unknown. It is possible Oda does not want one of the heroic (and thereby role-model) characters in the series firing real bullets.
Auchi Finga~
Ouch Finger
Nero
Vol.39 pg92.
The first joints of Franky's left index finger flips open revealing a barrel which he can shoots successive rounds of small projectiles from. Attack may be so named because of the thought of bending one's index finger back like Franky.
Furanki~ Inbinshiburu
Franky Invincible
Nero
Vol.39 pg94.
When Franky's back is threatened he plops down to the ground on his back unmoving. Since his ventral side is covered in steel he is theoretically invincible. The kanji reads 'muteki' which means invincible. NOTE: In the original JUMP printing, the attack was incorrectly named 'Franky Invisible'. This was fixed in the volume printing.
Furanki~ Kentauros
Franky Centaur
Nero, Fukuro
Vol.39 pg95. Vol.42 pg130.
Franky's legs split in half length-wise from the hip down to his feet. The front half juts out making him something of a reverse centaur with his torso in the back instead of in front. To confuse his opponent as to the true nature of the attack Franky pretends to fumble in combat but reveals the usefulness of the transformation when a chance presents itself. Using his 'four' legs, Franky wraps each around one of an opponent's four limbs and completely restrains them while giving him a free shot anywhere to his opponent's trunk or face. With his opponent helpless, Franky is free to unleash any number of devastating attacks. Sometimes before transforming into this form he shouts, "Hentai!", which he intends to mean 'Body Transformation' but when written with different kanji could also be understood as 'Freak'. Clearly a joke on Oda's behalf referring on his eternally speedo-clad nether region.
Arutimetto Hanma~
Ultimate Hammer
Nero
Vol.39 pg112.
After fully restraining an opponent with Franky Centaur, taking away any chance of defense they might have had against him, Franky can take his time winding up for this upgraded version of Strong Hammer which is easily one of the most painful-looking attacks in the series. Removing his fleshy glove on his right hand, Franky pulls back his steel fist and with all his might practically drives it into the grey matter of the poor soul below him. The force of the hit is enough to drive a grown man's body through wood and steel.
Ku~ Do Bu~
Coup de Poo
Vol.41 pg15. Vol.42 pg121.
Similar to Coup de Vent, Franky uses his cola fuel to build up pressure in his colon and then releases it in a massive fart. Rather than an offensive attack like Coup de Vent, this has been used mainly as a manuever ability to get from one place to another quickly. The 'buu' from the Japanese name is the sound effect of passing wind. Like Coup de Vent he appears to have a generic form and a form where he mentions the exact amount of fuel it consumes. See below.
Furanki~ BOXING
Franky BOXING
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg63.
A series of quick boxing-style jabs. Boxing is written in English for this attack.
Furanki~ Toraianguru Jyakka-
Franky Triangle Jacker
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg90.
Frankyy pulls off his sideburns which are really metal triangles that can by thrown at an opponent like ninja stars. There's no need for Franky to retrieve them since a new pair automatically shoot out from underneath his face. So what's 'Jacker'? Tough to say, I've been unable to come up with a weapon that shares a similar name. After discussing the issue with Japanese fans they were of the opinion that he's turning a triangle, as in the mathematical tool, into a weapon by adding what sounds like a verb to it. If I come across a better explanation I will add it here.
Oyasai Pa-nchi
Vegetable Punch
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg101.
A pathetically weak and slow punch resulting from Franky mistakenly loading his refrigerator with vegetable juice.
Furanki~ Desutoroi Hou
Franky Destroy Cannon
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg111.
Slipping back his Hawaiian shirt, Franky exposes his shoulders and actually dislocates them (causing him some pain) to raise them up into 'seeking-missile' turrets. How do Franky's 'seeking missiles' work? By Franky seeking out his opponent running after them wherever they go.
Furanki~ Batafurai
Franky Butterfly
Vol.42 pg118.
Franky performs a powerful butterfly stroke to fight against strong currents.
1.0 Ko-ra Hou: Ku~ Do Buu
1.0 Cola Cannon: Coup de Poo
Vol.42 pg130.
A version of Coup de Poo that uses up one bottle of cola.
70mirikoukei 0.2 Ko-ra Hou: Chotto Ku~ Do Van
70mm 0.2 Cola Cannon: Mini Coup de Vent
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg130.
A weak form of Coup de Vent that is strong enough of a burst to help change momentum when spinning in mid-air
70mirikoukei 1.5 Makkusu Ko-ra Pawa-: Ku~ Do Van
70mm 1.5 MAX Cola Power: Coup de Vent
Fukuro
Vol.42 pg131.
Franky's most powerful Coup de Vent to date. Using a whopping bottle and a half of cola, half of Franky's fuel supply, this attack packs enough punch to drive a grown man into several feet of solid earth.
Hebi- Nunchaku
Heavy Nunchuck
Tararan
Vol.47 pg99.
The first of Franky's 'on the job' weapon creations, Franky drives two chain-linked barbed steel cylinders into stone columns and creates a giant pair of stone nunchucks. Each blow is powerful enough to stun even the biggest giant and pure overkill for anything less.

*Not said but unmistakably performed.

Franky's Recharging Methods

As mentioned above, Franky's battle power and operations rely on cola for power. Whenever Franky refills his cola and locks them into the refrigerator in his stomach he undergoes a Popeye-like power up which always ends with him shouting, "SUPER!", not to mention his regent restored to its upright glory. However, putting different kinds of drinks into his system results in Franky shouting completely different phrases, different hairstyles, a completely different personality and even new attacks. Thus far the possibilities have only been exercised to comic extent but it remains to be seen whether a certain beverage may work even better than cola for him someday.

Name of RechargeTranslationProductLocation in Manga Special Notes
SU~PA~!!!
SUPER~!!!
Cola
Vol.36 pg61. Vol.42 pg104.
Franky's typical recharging method. Restores Franky's regent to normal and allows him to perform his normal set of attacks.
FURE~SSHU!!!
FRESH~!!!
Vegetable Juice
Vol.42 pg101.
Franky turns into a vegetable freshness fan and his hair turns into a tomato shape (even though it's a fruit). He has one attack seen in this form.
EE KOKORO MOCHI DA!!!
SOOTHES THE SOUL!!!
Hot Japanese Tea
Vol.42 pg102.
On putting bottled Japanese tea in his system, Franky gets a thick Northern Japan farmer's accent and his hair turns into the wavy-lined Japanese ideogram for something steaming hot. He has no attacks seen in this form and seems to have no will to fight as he's tired from his 'day of work in the fields'.


    Officially Listed Battles Fought

  1. No Officially Listed Battles


Yet to be Listed Conflicts


The last published One Piece guide that contained specific conflict listings (Grand Data File Blue) covered events through Volume 24. The following are my opinion of battles that occurred post Volume 24. As soon as an accurate official list is published, I will alter this data to reflect what is acceptable. The criteria for determining what I use to define a conflict has been linked to in this space on the Luffy Profile page.
  • Franky VS Usopp [Chapter 329 & 350-351]
  • Franky VS Luffy [Chapter 336]
  • Franky VS Blueno & Lucci [Chapter 352]
  • Franky VS Lucci [Chapter 352]
  • Franky VS Calipha [Chapter 353]
  • Franky VS Sea Monster [Chapter 353]
  • Franky VS Iceburg [Chapter 356]
  • Franky VS Spandam [Chapters 357, 379, 399, 419, 423]
  • Franky VS Marines [Chapters 357, 375, 419, 423 & 424]
  • Franky VS Puffing Tom [Chapter 357]
  • Franky, Sanji & Sogeking VS Marines, World Government Agents, & T-Bone [Chapter 368]
  • Franky, Sanji & Sogeking VS Government Agents [Chapter 368]
  • Franky, Sanji & Sogeking VS Wanze [Chapters 368-369]
  • Franky VS Nero [Chapters 369-370 & 372-373]
  • Franky VS Pirates [Chapter 385]
  • Franky VS Marines & Government Agents [Chapter 389]
  • Franky VS Kaku [Chapter 389]
  • Franky VS Fukurou [Chapters 402, 404-406]
  • Franky & Chopper VS Fukuro [Chapters 404-405]
  • Franky VS Chopper [Chapters 408 & 412]
  • Franky & Luffy VS Lucci [Chapters 416 & 418]
  • Franky & Robin VS Marines [Chapter 420]
  • Franky VS Spandam & Funkfried [Chapter 423]
  • Franky, Zoro, Nami, Robin, Franky & Sogeking VS Marine HQ Captains [Chapters 426]
  • Franky VS Marine HQ Captain Berry Good [Chapter 426]
  • Franky, Zoro, Nami, Usopp & Robin VS Marine HQ Captains [Chapters 427-428]
  • Franky VS Marine HQ Captain Sharinguru [Chapter 428]
  • Franky & Crew VS Buster Call [Chapters 428 & 429]
  • Franky VS Franky Family [Chapter 436]
  • Franky VS Robin [Chapter 437]
  • Crew VS Garp [Chapters 438 & 439]
  • Franky, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji & Robin VS Absalom [Chapter 444]
  • Franky VS Perona [Chapter 448]
  • Franky, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji & Robin VS Soldier Zombies (767 & 629) [Chapter 448]
  • Franky, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji & Robin VS Surprise Zombies (260) [Chapter 450]
  • Franky VS General Zombie 847 [Chapter 452]
  • Franky, Luffy & Robin VS General Zombies [Chapter 452]
  • Franky & Robin VS Tararan & Other General Zombies [Chapters 453]
  • Franky & Robin VS Tararan [Chapter 454]
  • Franky & Robin VS Spider Mice [Chapter 454]
  • Franky & Robin VS Soldier Zombies [Chapter 457]
  • Franky & Zoro VS Soldier Zombies [Chapter 460]
  • Franky & Zoro VS Odr [Chapter 460]
  • Franky, Zoro, Usopp & Sanji VS Perona & Wild Zombies [Chapter 461]
  • Franky, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin & Brook VS Odr [Chapters 469 & 470]


Unlisted Conflicts


The requisites for some battles are questionable. It appears that if only one punch (or kick or whatever) is thrown, then it does not count as a battle (except in the very first bout listed). There are also different types of conflicts, (meaning other than throwing punches or kicks), which are not listed. These are my opinion and were not officially listed.




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