Mackenyu

Mackenyu
真剣佑
Mackenyu in 2023
Born
Mackenyu Maeda (前田 真剣佑)

November 16, 1996
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names Mackenyu Arata
Mackenyu Chiba
J.J. MacKenyu
Occupation Actor
Years active 2005–present
Agent Asian Cinema Entertainment
Parent
Relatives Juri Manase (half-sister)
Gordon Maeda (brother)
Website www.mackenfamily.jp

Mackenyu Maeda (前田 真剣佑, Maeda Makken'yū, born November 16, 1996), known professionally as Mackenyu Arata (Japanese: 新田 真剣佑, Hepburn: Arata Makken'yū) or simply Mackenyu, is a Japanese actor. He is the son of actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba. Mackenyu rose to fame after portraying Arata Wataya in the Chihayafuru live-action trilogy in 2016, which earned him the 40th Japan Academy Newcomers of the Year Award in 2017. He has since portrayed characters in many other adaptations of popular manga series, including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I (2017), Tokyo Ghoul S (2019), the villain Yukishiro Enishi in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021), the protagonist Pegasus Seiya in Knights of the Zodiac and Roronoa Zoro in the Netflix series One Piece (2023).

Early life

Mackenyu Maeda, known as Mackenyu Arata, was born on November 16, 1996, in Los Angeles. He is the son of Japanese parents, Tamami Chiba and Japanese action movie star Sonny Chiba, and has two siblings, a half sister named Juri Manase (his father's daughter from previous marriage) and a brother named Gordon. He attended Beverly Hills High School in their Advanced Placement Program and appeared in a few films and TV shows while growing up, including the TV mini-series Team Astro (Astro Kyūdan) (2005), and the Japanese feature film Oyaji (2007), as he devoted most of his time to school and graduation. As a young child, Mackenyu had many interests. He learned horseback riding and Yabusame at the age of 7. He practiced Kyokushin Karate since he was eight years old, and he was placed third at the US kyokushin Karate Nationals in middle school. In high school he did gymnastics, water polo, and wrestling, becoming the school representative for the latter. He was also into music, playing piano since he was 10 years old, and later participated in the brass band of his high school in Beverly Hills, playing saxophone, and flute.

At the age of 15, Mackenyu watched a Japanese movie and the actor who starred in it inspired him to pursue acting professionally in Japan. He held on to the dream of co-starring with the actor once he established his acting career in Japan. He later revealed that it was the late Haruma Miura after he co-starred with him in the movie adaptation of Gunjō Senki. Mackenyu landed his first feature film lead role in Take a Chance (2015) and was featured in an acclaimed short movie depicting a Japanese family suffering the aftermath of the World War II in Tadaima (2015) in which the movie won The Best Narrative Short in Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. He moved to Japan later in the same year, stating that Japan would be the best place for him to learn due to the variety of roles that are available for young actors.

Career

In 2013, Mackenyu turned his full attention to acting—including roles in the feature film Buzz (So-On: The Five Oyaji) (2014) and TV movie Yo nimo Kimyō na Monogatari (2014). His acting quickly expanded to include three supporting roles in TV Mini-series including The Kindergarten Detective (Hanasaki Shin'ichirō wa Nemurenai!!) (2015), Yume o Ataeru (2015), and The Hatsumori Bemars (2015). His fame grew dramatically in Japan after landing the role of Eiji Tomari/Kamen Rider Dark Drive/Paradox Roidmude in Kamen Rider Drive: Surprise Future; the film Tie-in to the 2014-2015 Entry in the Kamen franchise, Kamen Rider Drive, based on the popular series created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori

In 2015, he also landed his first lead roles in two USA film productions, Take a Chance (2015) and Tadaima (2015); for the latter he won a best supporting actor award at the Asians of Films festival. In January 2016, he made his stage debut in the Japanese musical Boys Over Flower (Hana Yori Dango: The Musical) (2016). He had a prominent role in the two part feature film Chihayafuru Part I & II (2016) which was released back-to-back in March and April 2016. Japan's AM magazine featured him on the front cover of their 14 March 2016 edition and included an interview with him. One of his most challenging roles in his career to date was Shōjo (Little Girl). Having completed his lead role as "Makise" in the feature film Night's Tightrope (Shōjo) (2016), Mackenyu started to expand his acting opportunities in Hollywood with a supporting role of Cadet Ryoichi in the science fiction film Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018). 2018 was a busy year with series Kiss That Kills and movies Chihayafuru Part III, manga-based Impossibility Defense and speed-drive action-drama Over Drive.

In 2019, he was cast as the final villain, Yukishiro Enishi, in the last two movies of the Rurouni Kenshin live-action adaptation.

In December 2020, Mackenyu announced that he would be leaving his agency, Top Coat, in April 2021 as well as suspending his Japanese activities for the time being. He announced that he wants to focus on global activities in 2021.

In 2021, he starred as the lead in the manga adaptation of Brave: Gunjou Senki. He is now in Asian Cinema Entertainment. In November 2021, Mackenyu was cast as Roronoa Zoro in the American Netflix live action series adaptation of One Piece.

In March 2022, he was cast as Scar in the live-action sequel of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Personal life

Mackenyu married a non-celebrity woman, whose name was not disclosed. The marriage was announced along with his younger brother's marriage in January 2023.

Brand endorsements

In 2018, Mackenyu became the brand ambassador for Japanese men's grooming brand GATSBY. He starred in the TV commercial "GATSBY Cop", together with popular Japanese actor Yuya Yagira.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
2015 Tadaima George
Kamen Rider Drive: Surprise Future Eiji Tomari
Take a Chance Masa Lead role
2016 Chihayafuru Part 1 Arata Wataya
Chihayafuru Part 2
Night's Tightrope Hikaru Makise
Bittersweet Atsushi Babazono
2017 Let's Go, Jets! Kōsuke Yamashita
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I Okuyasu Nijimura
Peach Girl Kazuya "Tōji" Tōjigamori
2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Cadet Ryoichi
Chihayafuru Part 3 Arata Wataya
Over Drive Naozumi Hiyama Lead role
Impossibility Defense Asao Momose
Code Blue: The Movie Akio Kishida
2019 12 Suicidal Teens Shinjirō Lead role
Tokyo Ghoul S Sōta
NiNoKuni Haru (voice)
2020 Kaiji: Final Game Minato Hirose
Our 30-Minute Sessions Aki Miyata Lead role
Tonkatsu DJ Agetarō Guest of VIP room Cameo
2021 Brave: Gunjō Senki Aoi Nishino Lead role
The Master Plan Makoto
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final Yukishiro Enishi
2022
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar Scar
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Final Alchemy
2023 Knights of the Zodiac Pegasus Seiya Lead role

Television

Year Title Role Network Notes Ref(s)
2015 Yume wo Ataeru Masaaki Wowow Miniseries
2016 Sakurasaku Ippei Lead Role, Miniseries
Tomorrow, I'll Surely Love You Again Shouta Fuji TV
Brass Dreams Ren Kitora TBS
2017 Fugitive Boys Ichihashi Tetsuto Fuji TV
2018 Kiss that Kills Takauji Namiki NTV
2019 Two Homelands Yu Amada TV Tokyo Miniseries
Our Dearest Sakura Aoi Kijima NTV
2020 Remote de Korosareru Nomura Yusaku NTV Lead role, Special
2021 The End of the Tiny World: Half A Year Later Makoto dTV Lead role
Ichikei's Crow: The Criminal Court Judges Bunta Ishikura Fuji TV
2023–present One Piece Roronoa Zoro Netflix Lead role

Awards

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, nominee(s) of the award, award category, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Nominee/work Category Result Ref(s)
Asians On Film Festival 2015 Tadaima Best Supporting Actor Won
Hochi Film Award 2016 Chihayafuru Best New Artist Nominated
2018 Overdrive Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Japan Academy Film Prize 2017 Chihayafuru Newcomer of the Year Won
Mainichi Film Awards 2017 Best New Actor Nominated