Mackenyu Arata has taken over the world with his portrayal of Roronoa Zoro in One Piece live-action series. The actor became a household name and a popular figure in the otaku community, with a fan following that is growing with each passing day.
The role of The Pirate Hunter brought him immense fame that not only made him a massive name in Japan but also innumerable countries around the world. However, this is not his first bad*ss role, as he had played a similar role, where he enjoyed being a swordsman in the show.
During an interview, the actor shed light on how Zoro was not his first memorable role because he had played another swordsman role that made him enjoy his craft.
Mackenyu Is All About the “Cool Character” Vibe in His Roles!
The success of the One Piece live adaptation of the show was a daunting task in itself, but the stellar cast consisting of Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, and more did the task with ease.
Though Godoy played the role of Monkey D. Luffy, the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Mackenyu got the spotlight for playing the Moss Head as he embodied the role in real life as well.
During an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan, Mackenyu was asked about his preference for portraying the “bad boy” in his roles. The actor stated how the characters are “cool” and everyone is drawn to them if they are done right.
He said,
Bad boys, they’re cool. You get drawn to them more than lead characters sometimes, and they’re fun to play as well. One bad boy I did was this cool character named Enishi from Rurouni Kenshin, and he’s a bad*ss swordsman, too. I don’t know; people cast me as bad boys.
The actor emphasized that he enjoyed playing such roles because they are polar opposites of who he is and he finds it easier to portray. He said,
They are opposite from who I am, and it’s fun to play characters that are far apart from yourself. I think it’s easier.
While Mackenyu is having a great time, he finds it extremely difficult to work, and he is surprised by one intriguing trait in the United States that he did not see in Japan.
Mackenyu Was Impressed By The Work Ethics in the USA
Before Mackenyu made a name for himself, he had already acted in several projects, including one called Knights of the Zodiac and Saint Seiya.
During an exclusive interview with GQ Japan via Tumblr, the actor opened up about the work culture between the USA and Japan. Mackenyu explained how one aspect in the Western countries. He said,
I wonder if I was scared when I accepted the role back then… I don’t remember (laughs). Anyway, working abroad was fun. The scale of the work is different from Japan. A huge number of people risk their lives to make a series with a budget that is 100 times bigger than that in Japan, and the degree of their commitment is just incredible.
Nevertheless, the actor was immensely delighted as he mentioned how the “working environment” was in full force, where at the same time both the cast and crew had ample time to rest whilst working on the project.
One Piece’s live-action show can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
