One Piece star Mackenyu has officially traded his swords for dumbbells. The first look at his next live-action manga adaptation has arrived, and it perplexed me into a tsunami of obsession. What the heck is Mashle? Oh, you just wait, pal. Take a look at this dude, and tell me this doesn’t look awesome, whatever the heck it is.
Mackenyu, who brought Roronoa Zoro to life in Netflix’s One Piece, has been cast as Mash Burnedead in the upcoming live-action movie based on Mashle: Magic and Muscles.
Mackenyu shared the first teaser and poster image with fans through his official X account, giving us an early look at his transformation into the muscle-powered hero.
The movie is scheduled to open in Japanese theaters on March 19, 2027. Yuichi Fukuda, whose previous work includes the live-action Gintama films, is directing the adaptation. Warner Bros. and Fuji Television are involved in the production, with CREDEUS handling the filmmaking.
Mash Burnedead is not your typical fantasy hero. He lives in a world where practically everyone can use magic, and a person’s standing in society depends on their magical abilities. Mash, unfortunately for the people who take that sort of thing seriously, was born without any magic whatsoever. He does, however, have an extraordinary amount of muscle.
Raised in the forest by his adoptive father, Mash spends his days working out and building a physique that can take on just about anything. When his secret is discovered, he finds himself enrolled at Easton Magic Academy, where he must prove himself in a school full of gifted magic users. His goal is to become a Divine Visionary, an elite title reserved for the most powerful magicians. His approach to getting there is considerably less magical.
Rather than casting spells, Mash relies on raw strength to smash through magical obstacles, deflect attacks, and generally make a mockery of the rules governing his world. He also has a weakness for cream puffs (guilt, too), which is probably a more relatable character trait than being able to bench-press your way out of a wizard duel.
The manga was created by Hajime Kōmoto and ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2020 through 2023, concluding with 18 collected volumes. The anime adaptation helped introduce the series to an even wider audience, particularly after the second season’s opening theme, “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” by Creepy Nuts, became a massive viral hit. A third anime season is also scheduled to arrive in January 2027, giving fans another helping of Mash before the live-action movie reaches theaters.
Mackenyu has become a familiar face in live-action adaptations of popular manga and anime. Along with playing Zoro in One Piece, his credits include Rurouni Kenshin, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Knights of the Zodiac. Taking on Mash gives him another physically demanding character, although this one has a rather different way of dealing with opponents. Zoro might reach for three swords. Mash would probably just pick up something heavy.
The first teaser and poster give fans their initial glimpse of Mackenyu stepping into the role, with the March 19, 2027 release date now on the calendar. The big question is how the filmmakers will translate the series’ over-the-top comedy and ridiculous physical feats into live action. In a world where magic is supposed to solve everything, Mash has always had a much simpler answer: lift weights, eat cream puffs, and punch the problem until it goes away.
