Michael B. Jordan’s Passion for Anime: Insights and Future Projects
Michael B. Jordan, the acclaimed star of the psychological thriller Sinners, has once again drawn attention to his well-known love for anime. Recently, he expressed excitement over the announcement of Black Clover Season 2 on Crunchyroll, using a starry-eyed emoji to convey his enthusiasm. This reaction serves as a reminder of Jordan’s longstanding connection to the world of anime.
In the Spring of 2025, Jordan took on a challenging role in Sinners, where he portrayed twin brothers, Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore. Following the film’s success, he sat down with New York Magazine in June for an interview where he discussed his future endeavors. Among these projects is the highly anticipated 2027 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, which will see him not only directing but also starring alongside Taylor Russell. During the conversation, he hinted at a potential interest in exploring opportunities within the anime genre, stating, “Maybe find an anime, you know, maybe do a live-action version of that… I love animation and anime. So maybe something around that space to kind of cleanse the palette.” Jordan also mentioned his current viewing habits, which include the latest season of Fire Force and his admiration for Fate/stay night, particularly praising its stunning animation and action sequences.
When asked by the BBC about his favorite anime, Jordan revealed his preference for shonen titles, listing iconic series such as ONE PIECE, Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter. His enthusiasm for anime continues to flourish, as evidenced by a TikTok interaction in April 2025, where he was asked about his favorite anime during the airing of Solo Leveling Season 2. Jordan enthusiastically responded, “Right now, Solo Leveling,” and when probed further about his favorite shadow character, he answered, “Igris.”
Jordan has repeatedly acknowledged the significant impact anime has had on his creative vision. While promoting Creed III, he specifically referenced anime as a key influence on the film’s narrative structure. He drew inspiration from several anime series, including Naruto, Hajime no Ippo, Megalo Box, and My Hero Academia, particularly when crafting the fight scenes. He also touched on the challenges of adapting anime for live-action, stating, “You know, anime hasn’t really been adapted in live action well, so I think I tried to find the right balance. To make it not cheesy.” This statement was made in March 2023, prior to the release of the live-action adaptation of ONE PIECE in August 2023, which may have altered his perspective on the potential of live-action adaptations.
In interviews with Deadline and Variety, Jordan elaborated on how anime influenced the climactic fight sequence in Creed III. He described a stylized “void” scene designed to visually express the emotional tension between characters through choreography and imagery alone. “That ‘void’ scene came from my love of Japanese animation… There was a moment where there were subtitles in the void, and we were like, no audio. Just subtitles and them punching…” he explained to Deadline. He further emphasized his dedication to incorporating anime aesthetics into his work, stating, “I’m looking at anime every day… This is the essence of what we’re trying to pull from.” Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau, who collaborated with Jordan on the film, echoed this sentiment, noting, “We took that anime language and integrated it in a way that was 100% MBJ’s vision.”
Jordan’s admiration for anime dates back to his childhood. In a 2018 interview with GQ, he mentioned his long-time following of Naruto Shippuden, which he started watching when he was around 12 or 13 years old. He reflected on the emotional journey of the series, stating, “I’ve literally seen Sasuke and Naruto grow up. At the end of it, it was pretty sad. I dropped a couple tears.” He also expressed his fondness for Samurai Champloo, although he admitted he was not familiar with FLCL at the time.
In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan discussed the unique blend of action and emotional storytelling that anime offers, highlighting its often underrated character development. “Action sequences? Yeah, for sure. I think the action and the story. A lot of the stories and the character development on these anime series are incredible. They are so underrated. I really dove into a lot of the emotional beats of these characters. I remember dropping a tear or two. I’ve definitely cried little man tears over anime before,” he shared.
When prompted to discuss specific moments that touched him emotionally, he acknowledged that not just Dragon Ball Z’s Goku had moved him to tears: "I think I dropped a tear or two toward the end of the series. I can admit that."
As he continues to build his career and explore new creative avenues, fans are excited to see how Michael B. Jordan’s passion for anime might manifest in his future projects. Given his track record of drawing inspiration from this art form, the prospect of him developing a live-action adaptation of an anime series excites many. His evident enthusiasm and understanding of the medium suggest that he could bring a unique perspective to any project he chooses to pursue within the anime genre.
The world of anime has found a passionate advocate in Michael B. Jordan, a star who not only appreciates the art form but also actively seeks to incorporate its influences into his work. As he embarks on new creative endeavors, fans and anime enthusiasts alike will be watching closely to see how his love for the medium continues to shape his artistic journey. With his track record, there is no doubt that he will bring a fresh and authentic voice to any anime-related project he undertakes, further bridging the gap between Eastern and Western storytelling traditions.
