TV-Series
Description
Franklin Bordeau is a member of the Phantom Troupe, carrying the number 7, and is one of its original founders from the Meteor City origins of the group. He is an exceptionally large and physically imposing man, standing 219 centimeters tall and weighing 225 kilograms, with a design that consciously evokes the classic image of Frankenstein's monster. This monstrous appearance is reinforced by numerous scars and stitched wounds across his face, deep-set eyes, and notably long earlobes, which, combined with his dark skin and hulking frame, create an intimidating presence.
Despite his frightening exterior, Franklin possesses a calm, steady, and remarkably composed personality that makes him a stabilizing force within the often-volatile Phantom Troupe. He is consistently portrayed as level-headed, mature, and surprisingly well-spoken for someone of his brutish appearance. Franklin frequently acts as a mediator, breaking up arguments and diffusing tensions between other hot-headed members like Nobunaga and Phinks. This role became critical during the Yorknew City arc when the Troupe was divided after their leader, Chrollo Lucilfer, was captured by Kurapika. While others debated recklessly, Franklin delivered a pragmatic speech, emphasizing the survival of the Spider as an entity over the fate of any single member, including the head, and calmly proposed a plan to ensure the group’s continuity. This reveals his profound and unwavering loyalty is directed not to individuals, but to the Phantom Troupe as an institution, a commitment so absolute that he expressed willingness to eliminate certain members if necessary to rebuild the group.
In terms of narrative role, Franklin is a consistently present member of the Troupe during major arcs, often providing heavy firepower and a reliable, analytical perspective. In the Yorknew City arc, he was instrumental in the attack on the mafia auction, where he massacred a large number of attendees with his Nen ability. He also demonstrated a more personable, caregiver-like side, particularly in his interactions with Shizuku, as he looks out for her well-being and stops her from pursuing pointless rematches, such as after her arm-wrestling loss to Gon. Key relationships include a long-standing friendship with Uvogin, Shalnark, and Chrollo from their earliest days in Meteor City, and he is often seen partnering with Shizuku during missions. During the event leading to the Troupe's formation, he bravely fought Uvogin to allow Chrollo to escape.
Franklin's character development is shown through the flashbacks to his time in Meteor City, where his transformation from a rough youth into one of the founding pillars of the Phantom Troupe is depicted. His pragmatic and ruthless logic is consistently demonstrated, as he advocates for the Troupe's survival above all else, even when it means abandoning a captured Chrollo. Later, in the manga's Dark Continent Expedition arc, he remains a core member, boarding the Black Whale with the rest of the Troupe with the singular goal of hunting down and killing the traitorous Hisoka, while also forming tentative alliances with the mafia to achieve this objective.
Franklin is a Nen user classified as an Emitter, and his notable ability is called Double Machine Gun. To activate this power, he amputates his own fingertips at the first knuckle, transforming his hands into the barrel of a machine gun. He emits a devastating, high-speed barrage of Nen bullets from these openings. This was a self-imposed restriction; he was not required to physically remove his fingers but did so because he felt it would be "more effective". As with all Nen abilities, this act of sacrifice and commitment through a restriction greatly enhances the power of the bullets, making them capable of tearing through other Nen constructs and killing dozens of opponents in seconds. Despite his size, he is also a capable close-quarters combatant, ranking as the fourth physically strongest member in the Troupe's arm-wrestling rankings, and is quick and analytical enough to spar with Nobunaga.
Despite his frightening exterior, Franklin possesses a calm, steady, and remarkably composed personality that makes him a stabilizing force within the often-volatile Phantom Troupe. He is consistently portrayed as level-headed, mature, and surprisingly well-spoken for someone of his brutish appearance. Franklin frequently acts as a mediator, breaking up arguments and diffusing tensions between other hot-headed members like Nobunaga and Phinks. This role became critical during the Yorknew City arc when the Troupe was divided after their leader, Chrollo Lucilfer, was captured by Kurapika. While others debated recklessly, Franklin delivered a pragmatic speech, emphasizing the survival of the Spider as an entity over the fate of any single member, including the head, and calmly proposed a plan to ensure the group’s continuity. This reveals his profound and unwavering loyalty is directed not to individuals, but to the Phantom Troupe as an institution, a commitment so absolute that he expressed willingness to eliminate certain members if necessary to rebuild the group.
In terms of narrative role, Franklin is a consistently present member of the Troupe during major arcs, often providing heavy firepower and a reliable, analytical perspective. In the Yorknew City arc, he was instrumental in the attack on the mafia auction, where he massacred a large number of attendees with his Nen ability. He also demonstrated a more personable, caregiver-like side, particularly in his interactions with Shizuku, as he looks out for her well-being and stops her from pursuing pointless rematches, such as after her arm-wrestling loss to Gon. Key relationships include a long-standing friendship with Uvogin, Shalnark, and Chrollo from their earliest days in Meteor City, and he is often seen partnering with Shizuku during missions. During the event leading to the Troupe's formation, he bravely fought Uvogin to allow Chrollo to escape.
Franklin's character development is shown through the flashbacks to his time in Meteor City, where his transformation from a rough youth into one of the founding pillars of the Phantom Troupe is depicted. His pragmatic and ruthless logic is consistently demonstrated, as he advocates for the Troupe's survival above all else, even when it means abandoning a captured Chrollo. Later, in the manga's Dark Continent Expedition arc, he remains a core member, boarding the Black Whale with the rest of the Troupe with the singular goal of hunting down and killing the traitorous Hisoka, while also forming tentative alliances with the mafia to achieve this objective.
Franklin is a Nen user classified as an Emitter, and his notable ability is called Double Machine Gun. To activate this power, he amputates his own fingertips at the first knuckle, transforming his hands into the barrel of a machine gun. He emits a devastating, high-speed barrage of Nen bullets from these openings. This was a self-imposed restriction; he was not required to physically remove his fingers but did so because he felt it would be "more effective". As with all Nen abilities, this act of sacrifice and commitment through a restriction greatly enhances the power of the bullets, making them capable of tearing through other Nen constructs and killing dozens of opponents in seconds. Despite his size, he is also a capable close-quarters combatant, ranking as the fourth physically strongest member in the Troupe's arm-wrestling rankings, and is quick and analytical enough to spar with Nobunaga.