Unexpected Connection One Piece’s Mackenyu Has with Bruce Lee Might Surprise Fans

Roronoa Zoro is one of the most iconic characters from the One Piece manga. The green-haired master swordsman was the first member of Monkey D. Luffy’s crew, following which he became the latter’s right-hand man. Fans adore him for his gritty nature and his ability to wield three katanas, with one in his mouth, that is fused with his mastery of the armament Haki.

Portraying an anime character on screen, let alone Zoro, is a challenge for any actor. Netflix entrusted the task to Mackenyu Maeda, a Japanese actor known for his role as Araya Wataya in the Chihayafuru live-action trilogy.

Mackenyu Maeda got his first lead role in the feature film Take a Chance (2015). Subsequently, he became a part of the Chihayafuru franchise. His most recent work, apart from One Piece, is Knights of the Zodiac, which didn’t live up to the hype after its release in May. However, each movie featured Mackenyu’s apex acting prowess as a lead actor.

The 26-year-old not only gave a brilliant performance to make the anime Zoro transition on screen but also did his own stunts, similar to his father.

Also Read: Mackenyu Reportedly Made Almost 4X More From Just 1 Season of One Piece Than Marvel Paid Tatiana Maslany for She-Hulk

Remembering Mackenyu’s father – Sadaho Maeda aka Sonny Chiba

Mackenyu is the son of Sonny Chiba, who is considered the Japanese equivalent of Bruce Lee because both of them were martial artists-turned-actors. Chiba first drew comparisons with the legend when he mimicked the moves of Lee but bought his own finesse in them while portraying the role of ‘Takuma Tsurugi’ in The Street Fighter (1974). He holds six black belts in martial arts, including kendo, judo, and ninjutsu.

Sonny Chiba tragically passed away in August 2021 due to complications resulting from Covid-19’s Delta variant. One Piece actor Mackenyu may not be blood-related to Bruce Lee but he carries his father’s legacy on his shoulders, who has been widely regarded as someone on par with Lee’s capabilities. The actor promised to always keep his dad in his heart, from whom he learned martial arts, and was able to pull off stunts as Roronoa Zoro so spectacularly.

One Piece star Mackenyu revealed that Sonny Chiba never pressured him into acting

Sonny Chiba rose to stardom in the 1970s as an action hero. Following his iconic role of Takuma in The Street Fighter, he bagged notable roles in Karate for Life, Doberman Cop, and The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf. Mackenyu’s father also played the role of Boss Kamata in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in 2006.

Also Read: One Piece Star Mackenyu Had a Deadpan Reply To His Co-stars Complaints About Him Sleeping At Random Places

Interstingly, Mackenyu was not forced to become an actor by his father. Instead, he took inspiration from Japanese actor and singer Haruma Miura to pursue this profession. The One Piece actor revealed more about his relationship with Sonny Chiba during an interview with Vogue.

“I have been very familiar with the industry since I was a little boy, but my father never pressured me into being an actor. It was something that slowly developed inside me over time. The most important thing I learned from him [Sonny Chiba] was to find my own path in the industry. Just to be myself.”

Mackenyu will reprise his role as Roronoa Zoro in the One Piece live-action series, with Netflix affirming that there will be a Season 2. The last time fans saw the Straw Hat Crew in the live-action was when they were headed to the Grand Line after defeating Arlong.

Also Read: 10 Things You Do Not Know About Zoro Actor Mackenyu

Source: Collider