Michael B. Jordan is heavy on anime spirit!

The anticipation will soon be at rest as the 9th installment to the Rocky and Creed franchise hits the big screen in two days. Notably, the two things that had fans on the hooks as soon as its news surfaced were: the movie is releasing after five whole years of the last installment and it marks the directorial debut of the very talented, Michael B. Jordan. And his excitement is quite visible as he revealed what inspired some of the action sequences in the film.

Jordan apparently talked about his love for anime and informed how the infamous audio-visual adaptations of Japanese manga such as Naruto and My Hero Academia came as an inspiration for the fierce fight scenes in the movie.

Be ready for an anime-inspired Creed movie by Michael B. Jordan

The 36-year-old recently had a well-informed talk with IGN Fan Fest where he talked at par about his directorial debut and everything that inspired him to create Creed III. In the Interview, the titular character alum and the director of the underdog flick acknowledged how anime has deeply inspired his course of direction for Creed III.

Jordan notably said, “I wanted to put my spin on it, you know?” to the many jaw-dropping fight scenes that already endure the franchise. The Raising Dion actor further provided passing references to the anime he referred to, including Hajime no Ippo, Megalo Box, Naruto, and My Hero Academia.

Moreover, the American actor substantiated the fact that “there’s an inherent spirit to them in how they fight…” He also talked about the moral aspect of the anime. Jordan believes that manga and manga characters have a sense of brotherhood and belongingness that made him see eye to eye with the anime and even inculcate a few ideas in the movie.

Furthermore, one particular anime he talked about was the one we have all grown up watching.

Dragon Ball Z: a straight-up reference

If you are a big fan of this anime, you will certainly be able to locate its signature fist punch. When asked about a specific name, the anime enthusiast excitedly said the Dragon Ball Z punch in his and Damian’s fight in the movie. 

As Creed enters the ring once again, he brings along some intense fighting battles straight from the anime verse. Creed III debuts on March 3rd in your nearest theatres.

Are you excited about Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut? Do let us know in the comments below.