Looks like One Piece’s Luffy will be making the cross to live-action… well, sort of, because he will be appearing in a TV special alongside veteran Japanese actor, Hiroshi Abe in the semi-annual live-action TV series, Yo nimo Kimyou na Monogatari (Tales of the Unusual)

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In an unusual pairing of a live-action Yakuza gangster and an animated Pirate, Abe’s character will be a Yakuza member who finds himself hospitalized and accidentally eats the Gomu Gomu fruit which gave Luffy his rubber-like powers. His gang has now abandons him, and because of this, Luffy makes his appearance.

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Luffy will appear in the show as a “CG” character and will be supporting Abe’s character throughout the TV show, which is tentatively titled Yo nimo Kimou na Monogatari 25-Shuunen Special Haru ~Ninki Manga-ka Kyouen-hen (Tales of the Unusual 25th Anniversary Special: Popular Manga Creator Competition). Both Abe and Luffy will appear in the segment called “The Gum-gum Man”.

Abe has worked on the show before, but that was over 24 years ago. The veteran actor stated that he is quite honored to star alongside the manga and anime icon and admitted that he does not know what to expect. He then said that he is looking forward to working with an anime character.

Abe is no stranger to anime however as he once voiced another manga and anime icon in Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star. He also appeared in Godzilla 2000 and the live-action adaptation of Thermae Romaeae.

so0urce: Comic Natalie