Japanese actor Mackenyu Arata brought plenty of excitement to Indonesia Comic Con 2026 as he opened up about his experience playing Roronoa Zoro in Netflix’s live-action ONE PIECE.

Mackenyu appeared at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Sunday, October 4, where he met Indonesian fans and shared behind-the-scenes stories about playing one of the most beloved characters in the ONE PIECE universe.

The 29-year-old actor admitted that he particularly enjoyed filming Zoro’s action sequences—and that performing the fight choreography was not especially difficult for him.

“I really enjoy doing the fight choreography. It wasn’t really much of a challenge,” Mackenyu said during the Beyond Zoro session at Indonesia Comic Con 2026.

Mackenyu Says Martial Arts Are in His Blood

Mackenyu’s comfort with sword fighting comes as no surprise. The Japanese-American actor has been practicing martial arts and sword-related action since he was young.

“I grew up with martial arts. Karate, a lot of sword action. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, so it’s already in me, in my blood,” he explained.

His background in physical performance proved especially useful when portraying Zoro, a character whose fighting style revolves heavily around swordsmanship.

One of the action sequences that has attracted significant attention is Zoro’s battle with Dracule Mihawk. For Mackenyu, however, performing such sequences was more enjoyable than intimidating.

He credited his experience and training for allowing him to approach the choreography with confidence.

Mackenyu Says He Is Very Different From Zoro

During the Q&A session, Mackenyu also opened up about his connection to Zoro and whether the character shares similarities with his own personality.

Mackenyu revealed that he has known ONE PIECE since childhood and has always been particularly fond of Zoro.

“I grew up with ONE PIECE, and I really love Zoro. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out, but do you guys like it?” he asked the crowd.

The question was met with loud cheers from the Indonesian fans.

Despite his love for the character, Mackenyu admitted that he is actually quite different from Zoro in real life.

“I’m usually a quiet person, but I can’t stop laughing. I try not to be myself when I’m Zoro. I really become a different person when I’m acting,” he said.

The revelation offered fans a glimpse into the actor’s approach to the role. Rather than simply playing a version of himself, Mackenyu deliberately tried to leave his own personality behind when stepping into Zoro’s shoes.

What Makes Zoro, Zoro?

Mackenyu was then given a fun challenge: what makes Zoro unmistakably Zoro if his signature green hair and swords are taken away?

His answer immediately had the audience laughing.

“He likes drinking alcohol, he has a very good sense of direction, and he’s very handsome,” Mackenyu joked.

The comment about Zoro’s “very good sense of direction” was an obvious joke for ONE PIECE fans, as Zoro is famously terrible at finding his way and is frequently portrayed getting lost.

When the host turned the question back on Mackenyu and asked about his own sense of direction, the actor gave a modest response.

“I’m not too bad. Not too bad,” he said.

From Fight Choreography to Creating His Own Moves

Mackenyu was also asked what separates a good fight scene from a truly great one, especially after working with professional stunt and action teams.

According to the actor, much of the process begins with the choreographer. His role is to learn and execute the movements.

“It’s all up to the choreographer. I just memorize the steps that person gives me to do,” Mackenyu explained.

However, he also revealed that his experience has allowed him to create fight choreography himself.

When asked whether he could choreograph a fight sequence on his own, Mackenyu answered confidently:

“Yes, of course. I can.”

His answer drew another enthusiastic response from the audience.

Mackenyu on Playing Established Characters

Beyond Zoro and the demanding action sequences in ONE PIECE, Mackenyu also reflected on the challenge of portraying characters who already have huge fan bases.

The actor has taken on several established characters throughout his career, including Yukishiro Enishi in the live-action Rurouni Kenshin films.

Playing a well-known character comes with a different kind of pressure, as fans already have their own expectations and interpretations of the role.

When asked whether creating a character from scratch would be easier, Mackenyu offered a surprisingly straightforward answer.

“From the beginning, one hundred percent easier,” he said.

The candid response captured the relaxed atmosphere of his Indonesia Comic Con appearance. Between discussing his martial arts background, joking about Zoro’s infamous sense of direction, and sharing his approach to action choreography, Mackenyu gave Indonesian fans a closer look at the actor behind Netflix’s live-action Zoro.