After Mackenyu played Roronoa Zoro in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, the actor also provided the motion capture and voice for Gennojo in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. His involvement was announced on February 6, 2025, a month before its release.
Gennojo wasn’t very popular among players who experienced Assassin’s Creed Shadows. He is incredibly tricky to recruit, and in the canon mode of the game, his character dies. However, there is much to be said about Mackenyu’s performance. If not for his likeness, you would refuse to believe the same actor who played One Piece’s Zoro played Gennojo.
Mackenyu’s Portrayal of One Piece’s Zoro Is Leagues Above Gennojo
One Piece fans were initially skeptical of Mackenyu as Zoro since he was an immensely beloved and popular character. The expectations were high, and the teaser image didn’t give a ton of hope. However, when Season 1 of Netflix’s live-action series came out, the doubts were quickly dispelled.
Before getting the role, Mackenyu had spoken about his love for One Piece, so he was familiar with the source material. The actor is also proficient in Kyokushin Karate and Yabusame. Because of his expertise, performing Zoro’s swordsmanship and stunts is a breeze for him. The only struggle he faced was with keeping the third sword in his mouth.
Mackenyu was a natural at playing Zoro. He effortlessly fought against the various enemies, and his cool attitude made it even more convincing, even if it was quite exaggerated. He embodied the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates, down to the emotional parts. His chemistry with Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Jacob Gibson, and Taz Skylar also feels familiar to the original.
Overall, the Japanese-American actor is a man of many talents. Other than Zoro, he has many roles that deserve more attention. Here’s a list of ones that you must check out:
Mackenyu is far more familiar with TV series and movies. Assassin’s Creed Shadows was his first role in a video game. Despite how perfect the role seems for him on the surface, Gennojo was a terrible character with little substance other than being a flirt. The poor motion capture done by Ubisoft leaves much to be desired. While that isn’t Mackenyu’s fault, it makes it his worst performance so far.
Should You Recruit and Romance Gennojo in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
The short answer is no. Gennojo might be the worst character in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with a rude and creepy personality. He’s described as a charismatic thief, but the players were not convinced by Mackenyu’s good looks.
To top it all off, there were plenty of scenes where Gennojo attempts to flirt with the protagonist, Naoe. All of them were highly uncomfortable, and he quickly became disliked in the community. We have no idea who thought it was a good idea to keep those scenes in.
If you successfully romance him, he flirts with another woman to make the player jealous. Moreover, he’s portrayed as a crass, drunk thief who just pities himself. There’s nothing attractive about his character, to the point that even the video game characters judge Naoe for choosing him.
In terms of recruiting Gennojo as a companion, he isn’t the worst choice. First, the player has to not be in canon mode, or he will blow himself up. If you successfully recruit him, when a player is caught by an enemy, he can distract them with bombs. He also prevents servants from reporting crimes. He is especially helpful when infiltrating bases.
That being said, there are far better options available in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Gennojo is disposable as an ally; he even died in the game and was used as plot development for Naoe rather than being his own character.
Were you surprised by Mackenyu’s appearance as Gennojo in the latest Assassin’s Creed game? Let us know in the comments below!
The One Piece live-action series can currently be streamed on Netflix.
