For Michael B. Jordan, Creed III’s anime influence goes way beyond the fights

polygon.com:

Michael B. Jordan has never been shy about his love for Japanese animation, from Naruto and Dragon Ball Z to Bleach and <a href=«https://twitter.com/EddyETrinh/status/1023395866315386880?ref_src=» https:>My Hero Academia

. A decade’s worth of endearing press appearances spread across his 25-year career attests to that fact. But for the 36-year-old actor-turned-director, the love goes deeper than fandom.

For Creed III, his third time embodying the role of heavyweight boxing champion and Apollo Creed scion Adonis Creed and his first time in the director’s chair, Jordan drew on his keen understanding of the distinctive aesthetic and emotional storytelling of his favorite anime series for inspiration in not only the film’s fight scenes, but in the storyline between Creed and Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson. The mysterious childhood friend from Adonis’ past, played by Jonathan Majors (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), returns to make his own bid for the title of world heavyweight boxing champion. Their inevitable match in the ring feels more like a battle between superpowered titans.

Polygon had the opportunity to speak to Jordan about the many anime nods and references in Creed III, what it was like imbuing his most iconic role to date with his longtime passion, how he bridged the divide between anime fight choreography and live-action boxing, and what sort of life lessons he’s gleaned from watching anime over the years.

Polygon: While doing press for Creed III , you’ve said there’s a punch in the fight between Adonis and Damian that’s a reference to Dragon Ball Z . So let’s start there: Was that punch the shot of Adonis and Damian landing a cross counter blow at the same time, and was it a nod to the fight between