Summary
Mackenyu’s Roronoa Zoro was one of the best things about Netflix’sOne Piece, and it made a different live-action anime adaptation much worse in hindsight.One Pieceseason 1 was a game-changer forHollywood live-action anime adaptations, as it proved that even the most fantastical fictional worlds and colorful characters can be brought to other media if done right. That said, there are still disappointing live-action remakes of beloved anime and manga properties.
WhatOne Pieceseason 1 accomplished cannot be taken for granted. The highest-selling manga of all time,One Piecehas a massive fanbase all over the world and has been around since 1997.Additionally, whereas previousNetflix live-action adaptationstackled relatively grounded anime likeDeath NoteandCowboy Bebop,One Piecewas set in a universe where giants and fishmen exist. Fortunately, the result was incredible. The series was one of Netflix’s most-watched in 2023, setting the stage for Mackenyu and the rest of the cast to return inOne Pieceseason 2.
One Piece Live-Action’s Roronoa Zoro Shows How Knights Of The Zodiac Wasted Mackenyu
Mackenyu played Pegasus Seiya in Knights of the Zodiac.
Having watchedKnights of the Zodiac(2023) shortly after Netflix’sOne Piece, it is difficult not to notice how the former wasted Mackenyu’s talent compared to the latter. WhereasOne Piecelive-action allowed the actor to accurately bring one of the most popular anime characters of all time to life,Knights of the Zodiacplaced Mackenyu’s performance in the middle of a deeply flawed movie that could not live up to the source material.Mackenyu plays Pegasus Seiya inKnights of the Zodiac, an iconic character who has been the face of the franchise for decades.
Knights of the Zodiac
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August 12, 2025
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Even though Zoro is technically not the lead character inOne Piece– Monkey D. Luffy is the story’s primary protagonist –Mackenyu shined much more inOne Piecethan inKnights of the Zodiacdespite playing the movie’s lead character. Not only wasKnights of the Zodiaca poor adaptation of the source material that barely resembledSaint Seiyain some aspects, but it also had a lot of problems as a movie.One Piece, on the other hand, was both a great series and a very faithful adaptation of Oda’s manga.
What Makes Netflix’s One Piece So Much Better Than The Live-Action Saint Seiya Movie
Knights of the Zodiac failed as an adaptation and as a movie.
Despite being released in the same year,Knights of the Zodiac and One Piecerepresent very different ways of tackling an anime adaptation. TheSaint Seiyamovie makes little to no effort to be a worthy adaptation of the popular manga and anime series, opting instead to loosely cover the CG-animatedKnights of the Zodiacreboot from 2019. From questionable visual effects to strange story decisions,Knights of the Zodiachas very few redeemable qualities, if any.The film did not even include or reference the other Bronze Saints, focusing solely on Seiya and Athena.
Mackenyu gives a subtle performance as Zoro, channeling different sides of the character and delivering a great take on the pirate hunter-turned-pirate.
One Piecemay have changed some aspects of the manga, including the exclusion of a couple of characters and arcs, but it was still a very faithful adaptation. The Netflix series was not afraid of embracing all the “weirdness” ofOne Piece, from the costumes to the creatures.One Piece’s castwas a particularly fantastic aspect of the live-action show, with each actor perfectly bringing their character to life. Mackenyu gives a subtle performance as Zoro, channeling different sides of the character and delivering a great take on the pirate hunter-turned-pirate.
One Piece’s Roronoa Zoro Is The Anime Role Mackenyu Was Meant To Play
Zoro is by far Mackenyu’s best live-action anime role.
One Piece’s Zoro andKnights of the Zodiac’s Seiya were not the only majorlive-action anime roles played by Mackenyu. The actor played Scar in the Japanese live-actionFullmetal Alchemistmovies, neither of which quite captured the magic of the fan-favorite anime. An older character who has seen a lot of horrors, Scar was arguably not the ideal character for a 23-year-old Mackenyu to play. Likewise, while he gives great performances in films likeRurouni KenshinandJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I, none of them were as big worldwide asOne Pieceseason 1.
One Piece’s Zoro Actor Shows Off Workout Transformation Ahead Of Season 2
One Piece’s Zoro actor Mackenyu shows off his workout transformation ahead of season 2, teasing a new look going into the next episodes.
After playing so many characters in movies and shows based on anime and manga properties, some of which were better than others, it is most fitting that Mackenyu got to playOne Piece’s Roronoa Zoro. The popularity ofOne Piece, particularly in Japan, is immeasurable, which is why it deserved a great live-action adaptation. Zoro is a fascinating character who becomes even more interesting as the series goes by. As such, I cannot wait to see what Mackenyu’s take on the green-haired swordsman will be like inOne Pieceseason 2 and beyond.
One Piece
Cast
One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
