TO all Mackenyu Arata stans, this is your chance to see the Japanese actor in person without having to go abroad.
Mackenyu, who gained immense popularity in the country for his role as the skilled green-haired swordsman named Roronoa Zoro in the live adaptation of One Piece, will headline the upcoming Manila Pop Culture Convention (ManiPopCon) in November.
ManiPopCon is known as “a Geek convention done by Geeks for Geeks,” according to its official Facebook page. The 2023 edition marks ManiPopCon’s return, following its debut in November 2019.
“Get ready to set sail! One Piece star Mackenyu Arata is among the stellar lineup heading to Manila for #ManiPopCon2023,” the event’s organizers said in a Facebook post.
Filipino fans will have the chance to meet and greet the 26-year-old actor from November 17 to 19 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
“To all my Filipino fans out there, I’m happy to share that I’ll be appearing at the ManiPopCon in Manila,” Mackenyu shared the news in a video posted by the organizers.
He also invited his local fans to join him at the event.
“See you guys there,’’ he said.
This year’s edition promises attendees “a safe space” for fun-filled activities such as cosplaying, joining tournaments, collecting toys and other collectibles, and meeting special celebrities and other geeks.
Mackenyu’s appearance at the event was first hinted at on September 5, when the organizers dropped a video that showed a silhouette of a man with three swords.
Fans were quick to guess that it was Mackenyu, as the clue refers to his character in the live-action adaptation of One Piece.
Mackenyu’s rising popularity
The 26-year-old Japanese actor has starred in numerous notable films and television series.
He landed his first lead role in the movie Take a Chance in 2015. In the same year, he got another opportunity to give life to the character of George in Tadaima. This role earned him the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2015 Asians On Film Festival.
Mackenyu has since portrayed remarkable roles in the films Chihayafuru, Peach Girl, Tokyo Ghoul S, Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar, and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Final Alchemy.
He also starred in the television series Todome no Kiss, Our Dearest Sakura, and Ichikei’s Crow: The Criminal Court Judges.
But what made him noticed by many Filipino viewers was his iconic role in One Piece. He even trended on X as netizens gushed over the Japanese actor.
Some of them said that they watched One Piece for its “plot,” but the plot they are referring to is actually Mackenyu’s character.
Zoro’s popularity also reached TikTok, with many netizens hopping on the Zoro filter trend.
Netflix confirmed on September 14 that One Piece will be renewed for a second season. Manga creator Eiichiro Oda himself delivered the news to fans through a video that Netflix posted on X.
“The adventures of Iñaki and the live-action straw hats will continue onward,” he said, as translated in the clip.
There are no details yet about the release date of the second season of the live-adaptation series, but Oda asked fans to “be patient” as the scripts will “take a while” to be readied.
