TheOne Piecefranchise is undoubtedly one of the most universally beloved among anime fans. Over the last couple of decades, followers of Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece have continuously shown their support at every opportunity they have. Nonetheless, even this cherished series has been involved in controversies from time to time.
One of the biggest ones isthe debate over Yamato’s gender, which has been a constant cause for arguments among fans, despitethe series being considered a champion of the LGBTQ+ community. In a recent interview published by the Gizmodo website, a translator revealed the struggles the industry faced while working on chapters of the manga focusing on Kaido’s son and his gender identity.
Yamato’s Gender Caused Issues for Several Translators
Choosing Pronouns Was a Complex Decision
On August 10, 2025,Gizmodo uploaded an interview with several manga translatorsto talk about the hurdles and complications of the industry. While talking about issues,the controversy revolving around Yamatowas addressed by Stephen Paul, the official English translator for theOne Pieceseries. According to him, deciding what pronouns should be used for the character has been a recurring issue for translators. For many years, members of the fandom have been at war over the gender identity of Kaido’s child, resulting in further complications when interpreting the story.
New One Piece Yamato Cosplay Shows the Oni Child’s Unexpected Side
One Piece’s Yamato is a fan-favorite character, and now a new cosplay shows an unexpected side of Wano’s acclaimed hero!
Paul explains that, while Yamato has always referred to himself as a man, describing him as such has often caused issues for translators. The tension comes from the topic of Kaido’s son being trans, revealing that both sides of the discussion can be quite aggressive while talking about it. The issue has often escalated due to the franchise’s inconsistent use of pronouns, as products such asthe officialOne Piececard gametend to refer to him as a woman.
Translating Into English Has Problems of Its Own
The Language’s Use of Gendered Words Makes Yamato’s Gender More Confusing
After explaining how theOne Piecemanga and its merchandise have caused Yamato’s gender to become a larger issue, Paul revealed that working in English has also created a unique set of problems. Unlike Japanese, where speakers can use genderless words when speaking about someone,anglophones need to determine the gender of the person they address. As such, even when the manga decides not to address Yamato’s gender, translators are forced to choose which pronouns to use.
Moreover, the fact that theOne Piecestory is far from over means that any decision Paul makes while working on the manga can become an issue in the future. If he decides to call Yamato a man in the present, the series could someday decide to begin using female pronouns. Paul’s words proved that translators have a difficult and stressful job, as they need to do much more than just rewrite Oda’s words into English.
Lamentably,Yamato’s gender identity might continue to be a source of controversy for theOne Piecefranchise. The interview with Stephen Paul has finally revealed how hard this topic is, not only for fans but for translators as well.
