Thanks to the massive success of Netflix’s One Piece live-action series, the actors and actresses playing the beloved characters based on the anime of the same name are also getting unfathomable stardom. One character that stood out from the rest is the three-sword-wielding swordsman, Roronoa Zoro. Surprisingly, the actor who plays Zoro is someone we have already been watching in various movies and shows. Find out more about this handsome young man who portrays one of the most influential Straw Hat crew members in the live-action adaptation of One Piece.
Who plays Roronoa Zoro in the One Piece live-action adaptation?
Netflix’s One Piece has become more popular with the general public since its release on August 31. Those who have been fans of the One Piece manga and anime since day one know the main characters such as Monkey D. Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Roronoa Zoro. Although the story would be about Luffy’s dream of becoming the Pirate King and finding the One Piece, the other members of the Straw Hat crew had also taken the spotlight as the plot progressed. In the live-action adaptation, one character stood out and quickly became a fan-favorite amongst viewers – Roronoa Zoro. That is not because of his powers or out-of-this-world fighting abilities but because of the actor behind the character.
The actor who portrays Zoro is no other than famous Japanese actor and pop icon Mackenyu Maeda.
Famously known as Mackenyu Arata or just Mackenyu, the Japanese heartthrob is now a worldwide sensation following his performance as Roronoa Zoro in One Piece. Mackenyu has been active since 2005 and has also been in many live-action anime adaptations. Aside from One Piece, the 26-year-old budding young actor also appeared in live-action adaptations of famous anime series such as Fullmetal Alchemist: Final Chapter – The Last Transmutation, Fullmetal Alchemist: Final Chapter – The Avenger Scar, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Final.
his job is live-action anime adaptations#onepiecenetflix #onepieceliveaction #onepiece #rurounikenshinthefinal #fullmetalalchemist #mackenyu pic.twitter.com/nYFsgVmjWc
— Netflix Philippines (@Netflix_PH) September 5, 2023
Mackenyu isn’t new to acting or fighting as his father, Sonny Chiba, is an action movie star and a martial artist. Not only is Mackenyu a very talented actor, but he’s also a graceful singer. Unfortunately for women drooling over this young man, Mackenyu is already married. He just tied the knot earlier this year. Right now, it seems that Mackenyu will be more available in Hollywood and international projects after leaving his former agency in Japan.
Trivia: Mackenyu’s name, when translated into Japanese, makes sense as to why he really fits his character. Mackenyu or Makkenyu consists of three Kanji characters – truth (shin, ma), sword (kken), and save (yuu). If put together, Mackenyu means “a person who wields the sword of truth and stands on the right of mankind.” Mackenyu is really meant to become Zoro. Mindblown!
Fans are “simping” over Mackenyu’s portrayal of Roronoa Zoro
Mackenyu’s name has been making rounds on the internet and has since gone viral after appearing as Roronoa Zoro in Netflix’s One Piece. Even those who haven’t seen a single episode of One Piece anime or manga have been drawn to the live-action adaptation because of this handsome actor. Probably the reason why Mackenyu is so trending right now is because of how gracefully he handled the character. It’s as if he was born to play the part. If the anime version of Zoro was a ragtag swordsman, Mackenyu simply took the live-action version to greater heights after he made it everybody’s crush. Because of this, the internet went wild each time Mackenyu appeared on the screen.
https://twitter.com/yeon2chive/status/1697027493113286829
https://twitter.com/chofornal/status/1697938313880207835
The groups I'm in on Facebook right now is just simping and thirsting non stop for Mackenyu as Zoro 🤣 every other post there's always one of him#OnePieceNetflix #OnePieceLiveAction pic.twitter.com/pV8mwBNQq6
— Woof woof (@kk_romeow) September 6, 2023
visual representation of me seeing mackenyu whenever he showed up pic.twitter.com/z5A8PGsxxm
— ren¹²⁽⁷⁾ 🇲🇽 (@ktlchanyeol) August 31, 2023
My mom became a Zoro fan 😭 pic.twitter.com/g5es24DFtA
— Artur – Library of Ohara (@newworldartur) September 5, 2023
What do you think of this article? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
