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Ahead of the Rip Curl Pro top-ranked surfer Japan's Kanoa Igarashi says Bells Beach feels like a second home, counting locals as some of his best friends.

World No.1 Kanoa Igarashi is a Japanese surfer who grew up in California but feels most at home in Bells Beach, where he will hunt his second World Surf League title next week.

The 24-year-old will wear the yellow jersey in the Rip Curl Pro at the famed Victorian break as the tour rankings leader, with the competition window opening Sunday.

While his only tour win came in Bali in 2019, Igarashi's consistency through three events this year - finishing runner-up and twice fifth - has him on top ahead of 50-year-old American superstar Kelly Slater.

Australia's Mick Fanning has come out of retirement for the event, which will be run between April 10-20, looking to add a record fifth Bells title to his collection.

Queenslander Ethan Ewing is the highest-ranked local male at No.14.

Two-time world champion Tyler Wright, ranked seventh, leads the Australian charge in the women's event, chasing world No.1 Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica.

Igarashi has an unlikely connection with Bells Beach, spending a lot of down time in the area, and counts some local surfers as his best friends.

"I got on tour when I was 17 and I was so young, being on tour felt like moving schools all the time, and when I got here I met a group of people I connected with and have a relationship with," he told AAP.

"Just spending time here over the years I've now got some of my best friends here and they open their house to me.

"I just love the community here and I've always felt so at home here."

As a 15-year-old, while at Bells to watch the event, he badly broke his leg surfing at nearby Winkipop so he even knows the local hospital well.

His previous best result at Bells is ninth in 2019, the last time the event was held.

Igarashi's surf-mad dad Tsutomu and mum Misa moved from Japan to Huntington Beach in California while he was in utero with the goal of giving him and later his younger brother Keanu the best chance to become pro surfers.

With a home base in Portugal, Igarashi has always surfed for Japan and last year became a national hero by winning silver at the Tokyo Olympics the first time surfing had been contested at the Games.

Claiming the scalp of world No.1 Gabriel Medina in the semi-final Igarashi was beaten for gold by another Brazilian, Italo Ferreira, in the decider.

He said his Olympic experience had given him tools to better handle the pressure of the WSL tour.

"I pretty much had a country on my back and it was such a special feeling and a special moment," he said.

"I'm not saying that everything else feels smaller but I feel like it's prepared me better for these kinds of situations.

"I feel like at these events I'm able to cope with it a bit better and be able to block the noise and find my line."