This Actor Played Three Massive Anime Characters In Live-Action Within A Year

Summary

• The quality of live-action anime adaptations has improved due to increased scrutiny in writing, directing, and acting.
• Mackenyu has played diverse roles in live-action anime adaptations, showcasing his versatile acting abilities.
• Mackenyu’s portrayal of Zoro in One Piece stands out as his best performance in a live-action anime adaptation.

The quality of live-action anime movies and TV shows has improved significantly through the years, and one rising star has made prominent appearancesin three entries in the medium back-to-back. Although there are plenty of bad live-action anime adaptations, the improved quality of live-action anime adaptations owes a great deal to the writing, directing, and acting being held under more scrutiny than in the past. Additionally, many of the actors who are cast in live-action anime movies and TV shows not only resemble their characters better, but they also better embody the essence of what makes them special.

With well-received anime adaptations like Netflix’s One Piece season 2 happening, it’s safe to say the live-action anime renaissance is in full effect. While things like better special effects and more faithful interpretations of some of the most widely recognized anime’s most significant characters and arcs are all crucial to a successful live-action adaptation, so is the quality of actors and actresses hired to portray the characters. While there are some actors notable for playing multiple characters in anime movies, one actor in particular has developed an impressive track record in one year alone.

Mackenyu Played Scar, Pegasus Seiya, & Roronoa Zoro Within A Year

The projects were Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar, Knights of the Zodiac, and One Piece

Within a single year, rising star Mackenyu played Fullmetal Alchemist‘s Scar, Knights of the Zodiac‘s Pegasus Seiya, and One Piece‘s Roronoa Zoro to exceptionally great effect. What’s more impressive about Mackenyu’s track record is that, between all three characters, each one requires a vastly different approach to ensuring as accurate a depiction as possible is applied to them. Although Scar, Pegasus Seiya, and Zoro are all taciturn individuals compared to their allies, they each require Mackenyu to be able to convincingly express the nuances that make their terse nature unique.

Scar is a mysterious warrior who’s first introduced in the series as a villain before becoming one of protagonists Ed and Al’s closest allies. Pegasus Seiya, on the other hand, is much more in line with a traditional hero, as he initially denies and then accepts the call to become the series’ hero. Zoro is arguably the quintessential foil archetype character as he’s first introduced in One Piece as something of a loner before evolving into a compassionate friend and warrior. While Mackenyu’s recent work is great, he’s portrayed many other anime characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar
,
Knights of the Zodiac
, and
One Piece
are all available on Netflix.

Mackenyu’s Other Anime & Manga Roles Explained

Some of Mackenyu’s other notable appearances are in Tokyo Ghoul S and the Chihayafuru series, among many others.

In an even greater display of his range, Mackenyu’s career has seen him take on more traditional heroes, as seen in Kamen Rider Drive: Surprise Future as Eiji Tomari and as Arata Wataya in the Chihayafuru franchise to more nuanced anti-heroes like Okuyasu Nijimura in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable Part I and to menacing antagonists like Yukishiro Enishi in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final. While each character is vastly different from Mackenyu’s more recent work, the commonality between the characters is that each of them possesses a magnetic indomitable will.

Similar to Mackenyu’s work as Scar, Pegasus Seiya, and Zoro, his work in Tokyo Ghoul S as Sōta and as Arata in the Chihayafuru movies see the actor display a serious side while also endearing himself with his incredible intellect. Regarding Pegasus Seiya and, to a greater extent, Enishi in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, Mackenyu has demonstrated on multiple occasions his ability to also be convincing when matters of combat are concerned. Mackenyu’s earlier work saw the actor deliver more action and stunt-based work, but his turn as Zoro in One Pieceis arguably his most recognizable.

Why One Piece’s Zoro Is Mackenyu’s Best Anime Character

One Piece’s popularity combined with the quality of the adaptation make Zoro Mackenyu’s best.

Mackenyu’s work as Zoro is his best regarding live-action anime adaptations as One Piece is arguably the biggest intellectual property that he’s taken on, and the show’s overall quality is heightened by his work as Zoro. While the character of Zoro himself isn’t too dissimilar from Mackenyu’s earlier work, he excels in the role largely because he’s able to balance the amount of nuance that Zoro possesses in the anime perfectly with the dynamics of his co-stars. What could have ended up being another disappointing performance in an anime adaptation instead ends up being one of the best.

A major element ofan actor’s work in a live-action anime adaptation being significant lies in their ability to faithfully capture the essence of what makes the character special, all while adding nuances and subtleties that help make the depictions distinct. In the One Piece source material, the earlier depictions of Zoro lean heavily into his lone wolf archetype, but in the live-action version, Mackenyu brings a necessary and compelling vulnerability to the role early on. Many actors and actresses in live-action anime movies and TV shows are good, but Mackenyu’s work ethic is almost second to none.