‘Swapped’ Star Michael B. Jordan Says He Might “Quit It All” to Make Anime Full-Time

Michael B. Jordan has spent this year firmly cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s most in-demand names, fresh off his Best Actor Oscar win for ‘Sinners’ and now directing and starring in ‘The Thomas Crown Affair.’ But behind the packed schedule and awards season victories, there’s a much older passion that has quietly been shaping his career all along.

That passion traces back to his childhood in Newark, New Jersey, where Jordan would sneak into his church basement just to catch episodes of ‘Dragon Ball Z.’ Decades later, that habit has grown into a defining creative influence, one he’s leaned on repeatedly throughout his filmmaking career, most notably when shaping the boxing sequences in ‘Creed III’ using fight styles pulled from ‘Naruto,’ ‘My Hero Academia’ and ‘Hajime no Ippo.’

Now, in a new conversation with Vogue, Jordan revealed just how far that anime obsession might take him. “I might just quit it all and make anime the rest of my life,” he told Vogue, a playful declaration that comes with a surprising amount of weight behind it, given that he also confirmed some anime-related projects are already in early development.

That admission suggests Jordan’s anime ambitions have moved well past passing fandom into something closer to an actual creative pivot. He has previously spoken about wanting to find an anime property he could adapt into live action and direct himself, describing the process in a past interview as a way to “cleanse the palette” between other projects.

Jordan’s connection to anime runs far deeper than just influencing his fight choreography. He lent his voice to Rooster Teeth’s ‘gen:LOCK,’ an anime-style sci-fi series where he played lead character Julian Chase alongside a cast that included Dakota Fanning, Maisie Williams and David Tennant, earning a 90 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes along the way.

He’s also brought his passion directly into the ‘Creed’ franchise itself, working with TMS Entertainment on a special anime short that played in Japanese theaters following ‘Creed III,’ created specifically as a gift for the film’s Japanese fanbase. Between that project, his voice work, and his repeated public praise for shows like ‘Bleach’ and ‘My Hero Academia,’ Jordan has built a genuine track record within the anime space that goes well beyond typical celebrity fandom.

With new anime projects already taking shape behind the scenes, Jordan’s comments to Vogue may end up looking less like a throwaway joke and more like an early hint at where his career heads next. Given how much he’s already blended anime into his existing filmography, a full pivot doesn’t seem entirely out of the question.

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