By Brianna Adkins
After the much anticipated release of the major motion picture, Pacific Rim Uprising, it was clear that strength through diversity was the key message throughout the entirety of the film. With a diverse cast that celebrated numerous cultures appropriately, it was a clear step in the right direction for Hollywood. Mackenyu Arata, a young Japanese-American actor who was casted as Cadet Ryoichi in the film is proof of this.
While talking to Arata,—who was promoting the home entertainment release of Pacific Rim Uprising—it was clear that spreading a message of unity was important to the entire cast and crew. While the plot focused on using the resilience of the young cadets to pilot Jaegers in order to save the world from Kaijus once again, the bigger picture was painted with strokes of inclusivity and solidarity.
“One of the messages from Pacific Rim Uprising is that no matter where you come from, what color skin you have, [none] of that matters. Working together means everything,” Arata emphasized this message with sincerity.
Arata expressed his appreciation for working on a film that celebrated his culture so graciously. With the transformation of the film industry through call-outs of cultural appropriation, it’s refreshing to see that movies are being produced with more thought than ever.
As a Japanese-American actor, most of Arata’s film credits come from Japan, but his career is quickly shifting into Hollywood territory—something he’s proud to talk about. With the Pacific Rim sequel under his belt, he’s hoping to inspire that same message of inclusivity in his home country.
Arata explained his intent; “I wanted to just tell Japanese actors that they can be a part of Hollywood films. I just wanted to become a role model for them.”
This will be possible for Arata with such an incredible movie to credit towards his growing success. While working on this project, he had the opportunity to work alongside industry titans like John Boyega and Rinko Kikuchi. While explaining his experiences with the cast, he noted how inspired he was by Boyega in particular.
“John [Boyega] was actually one of the producers for Pacific Rim Uprising. I though that was really cool. Maybe one of my goals is to be one of the producers in a movie in the future,” Arata stated.
Becoming a producer in the future isn’t his only goal, though. His heart is set on inspiring others and becoming a role model for up and coming actors of Asian descent.
Although his career is just getting started in the United States, keep your eyes peeled for the name of Mackenyu Arata. You’ll be seeing it up on the big screen when his next feature debuts soon. Until then, watch it roll through the end credits after the final scene in Pacific Rim Uprising.
You can now purchase Pacific Rim Uprising on Blu-ray and DVD in stores.
Check out the entirety of the interview with Mackenyu Arata below:
Brianna Adkins: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Mack. My first question is what drew you in to become a cast member in this film? Did you watch the first movie before you auditioned to become a cadet in the second [film], or was it something else?
Mackenyu Arata: Yeah, I watched the first film before auditioning and meeting the studio.
Adkins: What else about the movie drew you in to really want you to become part of the project?
Arata: Just being a Japanese actor, I wanted to just tell Japanese actors that they can be a part of Hollywood films. I just wanted to become a role model for them.
Adkins: That’s incredible. The cadet cast was really a group of incredibly diverse and talented actors and actresses, so what was your experience like acting with that kind of setting?
Arata: One of the messages from Pacific Rim Uprising is that no matter where you come from, what color skin you have, [none] of that matters. Working together means everything.
Adkins: The cadets were a group of impeccably strong young adults who—at a very young age—had to assist in saving the world from the Kaijus. Have you ever thought about what it’d be like to save the world at that young of an age?
Arata: I think that it’s every child’s dream to ride a robot and save the world. It was an awesome experience just riding a jaeger.
Adkins: Did that mindset help you create the character of Cadet Ryoichi?
Arata: Yeah, I think it was Ryoichi’s dream from the beginning to ride a jaeger. In this world, [riding] a jaeger means everything to them.
Adkins: Besides just getting the experience of riding the jaeger, what was your experience in general like whilst being on the set of this film? You had the opportunity to learn from powerhouse actors in the film industry. What was it like to work along side industry titans like John Bodega, Rinko Kikuchi, and Charlie Day?
Arata: Oh, Rinko! I’ve done dramas and movies with Rinko in Japan, so it was a new feeling and experience on a Hollywood film with her, so I was very happy about that.
Adkins: That’s phenomenal. Did you learn anything specific from these actors that you’ll carry on throughout your acting career?
Arata: John was actually one of the producers for Pacific Rim Uprising. I thought that was really cool. Maybe one of my goals is to be one of the producers in a movie in the future.
Adkins: That’s really cool. I have a more fun question for you now. Feel free to think about this one for a couple of seconds. Pacific Rim really has loads of incredible technology, ranging from bio-tech that merges with the Kaijus, to mechanical tech displayed through the jaegers. So if you had to create some kind of technology to defeat something like the Kaijus in the real world, would you build a jaeger, or do you have an idea for something else that would work best?
Arata: I think it would be nice to get together a group of engineers and smart people to build a jaeger. I think that would be cool.
Adkins: Yeah, that would. Have you thought of anything else, like a defense mechanism, that would protect cities better? Maybe something like a dome? Or do you think that’s not a good idea in general?
Arata: I’ve got to think about that for a second. I think domes would be one of the first things that’s attacked by the Kaijus.
Adkins: That’s really true. Didn’t think about that actually, so good quick thinking. I do have just one last question for you, so thank you for your patience throughout this interview. What projects do you see in your future? You moved from Team Astro in 2005, and I’m sure you did forms of acting or theatre throughout your whole life, and now you’ve acted in a major motion picture. What comes next for you?
Arata: I’m based in Japan, but you know, in the future, I want to be an actor who can act in Japan and Hollywood and have fans there. Like I said before, I want to be a role model for Japanese actors and Asian actors who really want to come to Hollywood.
Adkins: Of course. That’s a really awesome goal. I really cannot wait to see how your career progresses after this movie. I look forward to seeing more amazing things from you. Thank you for your time, Mackenyu.
Arata: Thank you. Have a great day.