With Mackenyu traveling to Manila this November, it’s time to get to know more about this fast-rising actor.
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Whether you know him as Roronoa Zoro from Netflix’s highly successful One Piece live-action series or Takauji Namiki from Todome no Kiss, Mackenyu Arata has been on everyone’s lips as of late. For years, the Japanese-American actor has been steadily making a name for himself as one of the hottest young actors in Japan. It’s a reputation that has since exploded thanks to One Piece and his praised turn as the green-haired swordsman Zoro.
Now, with his star reaching the stratosphere, the talented thespian is a worldwide household name, and for good reason. If you made a list of breakthrough actors of 2023, Mackenyu would be near the top of that list. Whether you’ve been a fan for years or just newly obsessed, here are some fun facts about Mackenyu that might just make you stan harder.
HE’S A FAMILY MAN
While many are crushing on Mackenyu hard, he only has his eyes on one girl. ICYDK, Mackenyu is married and has a child. And even if the actor is on the fast lane to superstardom, he still makes it a priority to keep his private life exactly that, private, and keep his family out of the public spotlight. Fame and fortune aside, we love how Mackenyu is keeping his boundaries and not subjecting his family to unwanted media attention.
HE KNOWS ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE THIRSTING
Depending on which side of TikTok you’ve been on recently, you’ve probably come across one or multiple edits of Mackenyu, either from One Piece or his many other projects (with Over Drive being a particular fan favorite). And if you’re wondering if Mackenyu knows about all this crushing, yes, he does, as seen in this promotional video for One Piece when Netflix sat the actor down to react to thirst tweets.
HE’S A MULTIHYPHENATE
On the acting front, the 26-year-old has been on the rise in Japan thanks to his movies and shows, some of which include live-action anime productions even before One Piece like Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Tokyo Ghoul S, Knights of the Zodiac, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Final. He’s also worked on a major Hollywood movie with his role as Cadet Ryoichi in Pacific Rim: Uprising.
And if that wasn’t enough, he also has a passion for music. He began playing the piano when he was 10 years old and learned how to play the saxophone and flute in high school. Oh, and he has a great voice too as he’s done a few covers and even dabbled in musical theater. Looks, acting, and vocals? Mackenyu has got it all.
HE’S HAD FILIPINO FRIENDS
Yes, you read that right. In an interview with Lyn Ching at the end of 2022 to promote Dragons of Wonderhatch, Mackenyu was asked where he would go if he could ride a dragon. Without hesitation, the actor said that he would like to go to the Philippines as he’s had friends from the country, but he’s never been. Imagine being friends with Mackenyu Arata. Sana all. And it seems that Lyn Ching’s invite to be his personal tour guide may come true because…
HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE THIS NOVEMBER
In an announcement that had Filipino fans talking on social media, the Manila Pop Culture Convention, which is set to take place this November 17-19 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, revealed that Mackenyu is traveling to the country to attend the convention as well as meet his Pinoy fans.
As far as we know, this will be the first time Mackenyu has been to the country, so it’ll be exciting to see what he can get on his itinerary. While the entrance is free to ManiPopCon, getting up close to the actor is going to cost, with an autograph costing 5,500 pesos, a photo with him at 6,000 pesos, and the VIP experience at 12,000 pesos. You can get your tickets here.
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