6 Fascinating Facts About Mackenyu — The Hot Stud From Netflix's 'One Piece'
More than just a good-looking face.
By Tamara Jayne — 13 Sep 2023, 02:38 PM
Mackenyu Arata is the latest talk of the town following his role as Roronoa Zoro in the highly popular Netflix adaptation of One Piece
Captivating audiences worldwide, the eight-episode Netflix series, which made its debut on 31 August, reached Top 10 in 93 countries while securing the coveted number one spot in 46 of them.
Within its first week alone, the live-action series garnered millions of views, and among its stellar cast, one particular actor soared to fame.
This Japanese-American star has taken the spotlight by storm as the charming and skilled three-sworded green-haired swordsman, Zoro, also known as the 'Pirate Hunter'
Beyond his perfectly chiselled face and incredible bod, here are some facts to know about the 26-year-old heartthrob:
1. He's the son of the late Sonny Chiba, an actor and legendary martial artist
Long before Bruce Lee, there was Shinichi Chiba, known internationally as Sonny Chiba.
He starred in films such as The Street Fighter (1974), Karate Bearfighter (1975), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006).
Unfortunately, COVID-19 reportedly took his life at the age of 82 in 2021, leaving behind three children.
2. Acting seems to run in the family, as all of his siblings have also ventured into the world of entertainment
Mackenyu's older half-sister Juri Manase was the trainer and stunt double for Lucy Liu in Kill Bill.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Gordon Maeda played Takashi Mitsuya in the live-action movie adaption of the popular Japanese anime, Tokyo Revengers (2021).
3. While it might appear that Mackenyu catapulted to stardom through his role in One Piece, the actor has graced the screens in other anime-live action adaptations and English films
He starred in the Chihayafuru trilogy (2016 - 2018), Peach Girl (2017), Tokyo Ghoul S (2019), Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021), and Knights of the Zodiac (2023).
You might have even spotted him in Pacific Rim: Uprising, where he played Cadet Ryoichi alongside John Boyega.
Also, how does he look good in every single hairstyle?!
4. He's fluent in both Japanese and English
Having been raised in both the United States and Japan, Mackenyu is bilingual, which has probably contributed to his involvement in both Japanese and international projects.
5. Just when you thought he couldn't get any more charming, Mackenyu can also sing!
A man of many talents, Mackenyu can play musical instruments like the piano, saxophone, and flute. Besides being proficient in karate, water polo, and horseback riding, he was also a member of his high school's wrestling team.
Watch this video of him singing a Japanese remix of Closer by The Chainsmokers:
In this interview, it was revealed that Mackenyu has a cute habit of randomly breaking into song (awww):
6. He got married in January this year
Sorry to burst your bubbles, ladies, but he's taken.
There's not much info regarding his wife, other than the fact that she's not in the show business and they dated for quite awhile before settling down earlier this year.
"From now on, we will continue to support each other while spending precious time together. It would make me happy if you would watch over us warmly," Mackenyu wrote in his official statement announcing their marriage, as reported by 8days.
