Mackenyu from One Piece
Which One Piece character did Mackenyu play? Learn all there is to know about the famous actor’s One Piece character.
As fans eagerly await the live-action rendition of the beloved manga and anime series One Piece, fresh developments have emerged. Netflix is currently in the throes of crafting this adaptation, promising to bring the enthralling tale of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates to life as they embark on a quest to unearth the fabled treasure, One Piece.
Within the ranks of the Straw Hat Pirates, one figure stands out – Roronoa Zoro, the indomitable swordsman with a singular ambition to ascend as the world’s paramount swordmaster. The role of this enigmatic character falls to Mackenyu Arata, a Japanese actor and accomplished martial artist.
Mackenyu’s roots trace back to the esteemed lineage of his father, the actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba.
The Japanese actor’s acting journey commenced in 2016 and has since adorned screens with his presence in productions like Pacific Rim: Uprising, Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, and The Last Samurai. Besides his acting prowess, Mackenyu’s mastery in martial arts has earned him recognition and awards.
Mackenyu embodies a fitting choice for Zoro’s character, combining physical attributes and acting prowess harmoniously. His towering frame and well-built physique befit the persona of a skilled swordsman. As a seasoned martial artist, his capacity to accurately portray Zoro’s combat skills is evident. Mackenyu’s acting acumen further enables him to encapsulate Zoro’s essence – a resolute, stalwart, and loyal individual.
As it turns out, this is not Mackenyu’s first time playing an anime character.
Mackenyu Arata has had plenty of experience playing anime characters in live-action series. He’s best known for Chihayafuru but has prominent roles in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Tokyo Ghoul, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Rurouni Kenshin. 2023, in particular, presented this actor with a couple of chances to make it big in the U.S. market.
Mackenyu played two iconic Shonen Jump figures in anime adaptations this year. The first was Pegsasus Seiya in Knights of the Zodiac, an American-Japanese version of Saint Seiya. The second is Roronoa Zoro in the One Piece Netflix series coming this August. KoTZ didn’t pan out for Mackenyu, but One Piece could be a different story.
Knights of the Zodiac failed for several reasons, starting with its quality.
The effects were nothing special, the dialogue was stilted, and the acting was forced. The story was also a dull, unfaithful mess of the source material (a similar statement can be made about some of the characters). The best thing anyone could say about this movie is that it’s not as bad as Dragon Ball Evolution, which isn’t saying much. Mackenyu’s fight choreography was his best contribution, but that wasn’t enough to save the movie.
KoTZ’s shortcomings became readily apparent when it hit theaters. Saint Seiya was never as popular as it should have been in the U.S., but even countries where it was successful weren’t rushing to see this movie. Thus, it only earned $6.8 million of its $60 million budget. This box office bomb solidifies KoTZ as an utter failure.
Fans are optimistic that Netflix’s One Piece will be a better adaptation overall. Eiichiro Oda himself helped with the production of this project to ensure it was faithful to his manga. On top of that, One Piece is a commercial success worldwide, including in the U.S. This series should at least gather a larger audience than KoTZ ever could. If this One Piece adaptation does succeed, it will finally give Mackenyu a chance to show what he’s got to a broad audience. Not only will this increase his following, but it will also open the doors to other big projects for him. Of course, all of this depends on his acting ability.
As for Mackenyu’s ability to play Zoro, he has some big shoes to fill.
The Pirate Hunter is one of the most popular anime characters of all time, according to MyAnimeList. If he misrepresents this character at all, he’ll be annoying a lot of fans. Roronoa Zoro is often stoic, but he does know how to cut loose and have a good time. This is especially true at the start of One Piece.
If Mackenyu’s KoTZ performance is anything to go off of, he has stoicism down pat but could use some work on looking happy. Fans of either One Piece or Mackenyu should hold out hope for the Netflix series. Just because KoTZ didn’t do well doesn’t mean the same thing will happen again. That said, if the One Piece live-action series doesn’t put Mackenyu in the American public eye, nothing will.
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