Roronoa Zoro has been one of the most interesting and discussed points in regards to Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece. In the series, Roronoa Zoro will be played by Mackenyu, a Japanese actor mostly known for his roles in various anime and manga adaptations into live-action. Mackenyu's acting as Zoro receives wide acclaim; he seems to have been born to play the role of the iconic swordsman.
In the live-action series, he still retains the basic characteristics in the original manga and anime. It introduces the pirate hunter with a pure heart and a dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman. His basic motivational factor remains the same, along with the pledge to his old friend, which keeps him moving on the seas in this adaptation. The live-action version depicted an adaptation of Zoro's determination and dedication to his goal, which forms a very significant part of his character.
Specifically, what stood out the most in this one was the acting of Mackenyu as Zoro. A lot of people came to praise him in One Piece, saying he did way better than in other live-action adaptations, such as Knights of the Zodiac. Such a big win in portraying Zoro has contributed much to the highly acclaimed live-action series, for it has turned out to be one of the greatest adaptations among anime-to-live action translations.
One of the major factors that will bring Zoro to life for the live-action adaptation is, of course, physical preparation by Mackenyu. The actor has shown great commitment to his role, going for hard-core physical training to get him to look like Zoro's powerful build and develop his talents in swordsmanship. Several photos uploaded by Mackenyu show how intensive his workout regime has been, particularly on the arms, which now look much more muscular. It becomes physically more real, therefore accrediting the character of Zoro, who is physically mighty and has a strictly disciplined regimen of training.
The live-action series perfectly represents Zoro's position in the Straw Hat Pirates crew. Much like in the original story, he is the very first member to be recruited by Luffy, thus becoming the one with whom the foundation of the pirate crew would start. That part of Zoro's character—being Luffy's very first and most trusted crewmate—carries so much importance in terms of the way the Straw Hat Pirates function, making his translation to the live-action format quite accurate.
The three-sword style, Santoryu, is adopted for the live-action adaptation, which is one of Zoro's signature moves. He can be seen yielding three swords in some shots, much like Zoro's bizarre fighting style that turned him into a fan favorite. According to this production team, this unusual form of swordsmanship has been apparently brought to life in a live-action setting.
However, it has not quite been a smooth ride for Zoro in terms of his live-action adaptation. Indeed, fans have reacted to some things about the portrayal, mostly involving his appearance. Some viewers say this live-action Zoro is too polished and groomed, massively contrasting with the character who is basically rugged and into training in the source material. It is a point of criticism that underlines the problem of devolving anime characters into live-action: how to balance visual appeal with authenticity of character can be very complex.
Despite these critiques, reception of Mackenyu's Zoro has been largely positive. One credits his performance with capturing his loyalty, determination, and, of course, his skills as a swordsman. Some people mentioned the chemistry between Mackenyu's Zoro and Iñaki Godoy's Luffy; it worked magic to bring across the buddy elements between these two central characters onto the screen.
It has also been careful to hold on to a few of the major moments in Zoro's early story, such as his first encounter with Luffy at the Marine base. These scenes are very important in the characterization of Zoro and in showing his relationship with Luffy, thus setting up the action for future adventures.