Veteran voice actor Tetsu Inada, known for voicing the landlord in the adaptation of Yani Neko, recently shared a surprising behind-the-scenes encounter with ONE PIECE creator Eiichiro Oda. The interaction has sent waves of excitement through the manga and anime community, highlighting the far-reaching appeal of the chaotic, nicotine-fueled feline comedy.
Based on the manga by Nyanyan Factory serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine, Yani Neko follows a group of penniless, shiftless beast-people living out their flawed daily routines with an unfiltered charm. The anime adaptation brought the chaotic antics of佐藤ヤニ子 (Yaniko Sato) to life, drawing widespread attention for its unapologetic brand of humor.
The Oda Connection
Taking to X, Inada recounted meeting Oda after a long hiatus. According to the voice actor, Oda immediately shouted, "It's Yani Neko!" upon spotting him. Inada jokingly lamented that he should have shaved his head and beard to fully embrace the landlord persona for the meeting, noting that despite having plenty of other catch-up topics, their conversation revolved entirely around the nicotine-addicted feline series.
The revelation quickly rippled through the industry. Mikiro of Nyanyan Factory expressed utter disbelief after spotting Oda referencing the series in his weekly Weekly Shonen Jump author comment section. Meanwhile, Tensho, the head of animation studio Bibury Animation Studios, which handled the anime production, simply chimed in with astonishment.
Fans across social media flooded the threads with humorous reactions, marveling at the sheer absurdity and delight of one of manga history's most iconic creators being deeply invested in the grungy, endearing escapades of Yani Neko.
