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punderfulowl · 7 years

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10 Anime Series That Could Pull Off a Live-Action Remake

What’s more shocking than me actually updating? Why, the fact that the live-action Ghost in the Shell adaptation wasn’t complete garbage! I mean, it wasn’t the greatest movie I watched, but it sure wasn’t the worst especially in terms of adapting from anime. Despite having so much against it, the film, overall, was fine. Simply fine. But because the bar has been set so low, “fine” is actually a positive step forward for adapting anime, which is kind of bittersweet because that’ll probably hurt the chances of anything original getting on the big screen, but it’s still a positive step for the anime community. After all, there’s a live-action Death Note series for Netflix on the horizon so there still must be demand for it. Of course, it wasn’t long after I saw the new GitS movie that got me thinking about what anime series could have a legitimate chance of having a live-action movie or show.

First off, these will not be in any particular order. Second, these are hypothetical movies based off of TV series only. Third, the series I mention must not have any prior adaptations already (which means I had to do some research, oh boy). Fourth, each of these ideas must be strong enough for a stand alone movie, so if I thought an adaptation could work with a couple of sequels, it’s not on this list. And finally, these are WESTERN adaptations with a Western audience in mind, so my ideas are going to come with some tweaks to certain details of the original source material.

With all that out of the way, here are my nerdy opinions movie and series pitches.

- Baccano

Remember when after the show LOST was over and everyone tried to make a show like that? You know, like, every trailer for these knock offs tried to make their shows out like they were SUPER important while trying to ride the wave of momentum LOST created? Those shows didn’t last long, did they? The problem was that they tried to do too much too soon. LOST didn’t start out like that, but as the show went on it played up to it’s mystery and deserved its important-sounding teasers for the next episode. Since then, there hasn’t been a lot of shows like that and it’s a shame when you think about how a mystery element can be quite a lot of fun if done right and “fun” is the keyword for a live-action Baccano.

Like I said, FUN is the key for a live-action series of Baccano and it would be what separates itself from those other shows that have tried and failed. As long as you have fun in the forefront, you already of a decent foundation to reel in and hold an audience.

Another key is to be faithful to the source material and that is obvious enough, you already know that, but it’s especially important to be faithful on the very first note of mystery. You see, where LOST slowly introduced you to the possibility of mystery or supernatural elements, Baccano didn’t mess around and showed you something to ponder within the first five to ten minutes.

Something else that Baccano shared with LOST is the times skips, but don’t worry, the former does a lot better job than the latter as it contains the events within three years. A cool thing Baccano did with skipping around was each period time had a different feel as well as using different lighting and color which would let the viewer know, visually, that this is sometime else. Not to mention that the story of Baccano takes place during the Prohibition period in New York which would help an American audience connect with what’s going on.

All in all Baccano is a great time with a cast of colorful characters and couple layers of mystery. As long as you keep its spirit, an adaptation could work wonders.

- Zoids

If you just put Zoids in a nutshell, it’s basically people piloting giant robots in the likeness of various animals fighting other people piloting giant robots in the likeness of various animals. Okay, it’s not exactly “complex,” but there’s enough to work with for a fun, live-action, summer blockbuster.

Now between Chaotic Century or Century Zero (I haven’t seen Genesis and I refuse to acknowledge Fuzors) I think Century Zero would work the best considering that giant animal robots fighting each other in a grand tournament would sell better than having a story about two factions using them as instruments of war. Because Century Zero revolves around a tournament, it gives characters a goal and a competitive setting gives the audience something to be excited about. All that doesn’t matter compared to how much merchandise this movie would sell, but I believe I’m getting ahead of myself.

The story for this adaptation is interesting because I can see it going one of two ways.

Option 1: Tell a new story with new characters while using the setting of Century Zero as a template.

Option 2: Take on the task of retelling the story of Century Zero while making a few tweaks to fit into a two hour movie.

Like I said, both are good options and if someone decides to make a live-action Zoids movie, it would be a huge draw for kids and adults alike. After all, who wouldn’t want to pilot a mechanical animal?

- Canaan

It’s a story about a hero that is fighting against a terrorist group that’s using deadly virus. Seems like a basic action/thriller that’s been done before, but this time the cast is mostly women. Not only that, the characters are actually taken seriously. No joke, Hollywood, if you make this with the intent of giving these characters the proper respect they had in the anime, you will not fail.

- Eden of the East

Imagine yourself coming into a large sum of money, let’s just say, 10 billion dollars in electric currency found on your phone, and with all that you’re tasked with “saving the country.” Not only that, there are eleven others (one of which is the mastermind of this whole thing) that have been given the same task as you and thus you have been thrown into a game of life or death.

There are two reasons why this could work really well as a live-action Netflix or HBO show. First, because it started as an anime, we learn about what a Japanese perspective on this situation would be, which then asks what a Western take would look like. Second, it was interesting to see the variety of characters. Each person involved in this game had a different background, social standing, personality. Given that a Western society like America is a melting pot, I can’t help but think of what different kinds of people would do with all that money to throw around. It’s a show I would definitely binge.

- Psycho-Pass

In my humble, honest opinion, this would be THE easiest anime to adapt. You don’t need to add anything, the narrative is fine by itself.

Anyway, Psycho-Pass takes place in the near future where a system dictates most things like what job you’re going to have via aptitude tests. It also keeps track of your mental well-being which then predicts the likelihood of you committing a crime. If your mental state reaches a certain level, you’re hauled off to jail till your level goes down. However, there’s a mysterious individual that has a rare mental state that bypasses the system no matter what heinous acts he commits. If his mental state can’t change, then this new system sees no reason to arrest him.

There are other pieces to the plot I’m leaving out, but go and see the anime for yourself, that way you can see why this would make a cool live-action sci-fi movie.

- Desert Punk

I’ve been pretty serious with these ideas, so why not include something a bit more silly?

Desert Punk is a show that follows the life of a bounty hunter named Kanta. His reputation may lead most to thinking he’s a man of a mercenary, but actuality, he’s quite the shrewd and skilled teenager with average teenager, um, “urges.” That last part doesn’t become known until he’s bested by another mercenary who just so happens to be a grown woman. Hijinks, as they say, ensues.

The anime is a action, comedy show with a raunchy side to it. Personally, this can work well as a movie that’s directed by someone like a Shane Black or Quentin Tarantino. This would most likely be a hard PG-13 to light R, but it would still be pretty entertaining.

- Mobile Suit Gundam

Despite me thinking this idea could work, this would be the hardest anime to adapt. Why? Because there are so many different Gundam series out there and I’ve only seen three or four of them! If you want a rundown of most Gundam series, here it is: War is happening with robots that involves young pilots controlling more special robots (for any big Gundam fans reading this, I’m sorry).

I always thought of the Gundam franchise as a property that floats idly by waiting for someone to make a live-action adaptation of it. Like, it’s just there, waiting! But alas, it has yet to happen. If I were to make a live-action Gundam movie, it would be similar to the Wing series, only because of the cool designs and weapons of the main Gundams, but I would make up a new story. I don’t know, other than that and having a guy wear a cool mask, I don’t have much, unfortunately.

- Yu Yu Hakusho

Except I would call it something else like “Spirit Detective,” just so we don’t have a title that would scare off possible viewers, but I digress (even though this is a new thought and didn’t stray away from anything).

Despite having to change the name of the show and even some of the character names, I would make this live-action series follow the adventures of a character named Yusuke Urameshi. I would make the slight tweak of Yusuke’s family being Japanese-American immigrants. The setting would still be American, but it would still be cool to have an action/adventure show led by an Asian actor.

I would make the first season be based on the first episode all the way to the Saint Beast arc. It would be mostly be beat for beat with the anime, but with the addition of Yusuke’s family moving to America and because he was an immigrant he got bullied in school which then started his delinquency that we all know.

This could be good, but it HAS to be a project of passion.

- Kino’s Journey

You know what I learned from projects like Stranger Things and Logan? Little girls can freakin’ act, man!

I would definitely make this a series that carries the same laid back atmosphere like the anime did. Each episode of the anime was basically Kino going through a town or city that acted as a parable of sorts and I think that’s pretty doable. Like I mentioned before, I’ve been wildly impressed by young acting talent (boys and girls alike) and I can see both young and old audiences appreciate the mood the storytelling comes with despite the age of the actors.

- Sword Art Online

Anyone that has followed for awhile knows that I have a few issues with SAO. I have had my fair share of criticisms and jokes toward SAO. But with all that aside, I can’t help but acknowledge that a live-action movie would actually be pretty decent. HOWEVER! However, some things need to be done to make this adaptation not only bearable, but BETTER than the anime.

To start things off, we need to keep run time in mind so in that case I would only focus on the movie being about the first story arc of the first season, cut out the episodes with Lizbeth and Silica, and you got yourself enough for a two hour movie. Even though the ending of that arc transitions into the next one, the ending was satisfying on its own.

Next, and it goes without saying, to understand the source material proper, you have to watch the show. After that, watch the abridged series by Something Witty Entertainment. Watch the original for the basic concept, but watch the parody for characterization. Combine the two, and you got yourself a movie with a really cool idea that’s not full of itself.

That’s all I got, what anime series can you come up with that could have a legitimate shot at live-action?

#anime #live-action #sword art online #kino's journey #yu yu hakusho #mobile suit gundam #desert punk #psycho-pass #eden of the east #canaan #zoids #baccano!

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sejinpk · 7 years

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Top 5 pre-2000 manga/anime, for the ask meme?

Thanks for the ask! I’ve read almost no manga, so this is gonna be all anime. Instead of just making a list, I thought I’d go into more detail on what I like about these shows that makes them my top 5. I actually keep going back and forth about which I like more between my #1 and #2 picks, so you can probably consider them a tie for #1.

1. Great Teacher Onizuka

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Great Teacher Onizuka is easily one of the funniest things I’ve seen, whether animation, live-action, Japanese, or non-Japanese. Onizuka’s faces and the noises he makes are absolutely priceless. Uchiyamada’s (the Vice Principal) faces can be equally priceless. The English dub isn’t *good* (and they have a handful of VAs doing multiple roles), but that just adds to its charm for me in this case (I haven’t seen the Japanese dub). I like how Onizuka helps his students through their problems by teaching them how to become good people, not just good students, even though he’s not necessarily a good role model himself. I like how he views them as people, not students. I like how the show keeps its characters around, and doesn’t sideline them after they’ve had their feature episode(s), so we can see how they interact differently with each other as they grow and change.

FWIW, Urumi Kanzaki and Onizuka are tied for my favorite character from the show.

2. Belladonna of Sadness

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Belladonna of Sadness (Kanashimi no Belladonna in Japanese) is an absolute visual treat. Its visuals can be incredibly surreal and metaphorical/symbolic, which I tend to find inherently interesting aesthetically. They can also be pretty psychedelic/mind-trippy at points. The movie was released in 1973, and had never had a U.S. theatrical release until last summer (apparently it had a limited screening here in 2009), when it was restored and shown in 4K. Unfortunately, no theaters in my area showed it, which is a huge shame, as I think it would’ve been incredible to see on the big screen.

I like how the movie handles misconceptions of sexuality as inherently bad: The setting of the story is feudal, so its world’s ideas about sexuality, especially for women, are incredibly limiting. The main character, Jeanne, has internalized that mindset, so she views her sexual awakening as being brought on by the devil. There’s a lot that I’m leaving out, but eventually she makes a pact with the devil, and expects to be thrown into a world of fire and darkness and evil, etc. etc. as a result, but she wakes up and it’s springtime, and it’s lush and green and vibrant. I love that way of conveying Jeanne’s misconceptions about (her own) sexuality and her realizations that her previous mindset was wrong.

Jeanne’s journey and growth and change over the course of the story is something I really enjoyed watching and found very gratifying, both emotionally and thematically/ideologically.

I feel like there’s a lot more I could say about the stuff I mentioned above, including about the movie’s source, and how that informs the movie. I’ll probably write a post about it at some point.

I should also mention that this movie is INCREDIBLY sexually explicit. It had a red band trailer, and is rated Rx on MAL (that’s the rating they give to hentai). I’ve heard it also inspired Kunihiko Ikuhara, one of my favorite anime directors, to work in anime, though I don’t think that’s something he’s confirmed.

3. Mega Man

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Mega Man is the first anime I ever saw, well before I even knew what anime was. I remember getting up super early before Sunday school literally every week when I was a kid (I wanna say it was like 5 a.m.), just so I could make 110% sure I was awake when Mega Man started. Like, it was usually about an hour early, because I distinctly remember watching episodes of two other shows before Mega Man came on.

I don’t think it holds up well in terms of “objective” quality, but at the same time, I also don’t think there’s really anything bad about it. It’s a very average, typical, episodic kids’ show. The animation and (especially) art quality can vary wildly from one episode to the next. The one-liners can be pretty bad, though I have a massive tolerance for (read: love of) bad puns, so that doesn’t really bother me. XP

It’s simple fun soaked in nostalgia, but I also love some of the really silly/doofy absurdities here and there. For example, in one episode, a vampire robot created by Dr. Wily hypnotizes a human character into believing she’s a vampire robot. And she actually turns into a vampire robot somehow, even shooting lightning from her fangs. XD In that same episode, Dr. Wily creates a werewolf robot that actually transforms based on moonlight. In another episode, a robot dinosaur lays an egg, which hatches. And in yet another episode, there are lion men who shoot eye beams that turn humans into lion people.

This isn’t the case anymore, but when I was a kid, my favorite episode was the one where Mega Man X, Vile, and Spark Mandrill from the Mega Man X video game make an appearance. As a kid, the Mega Man X games (at that point it was just the first three on Super Nintendo) were my favorite, so I thought that the episode with Mega Man X was the best thing ever. :’D I still want a full-fledged Mega Man X cartoon/anime, preferably based on the earlier games (up through X4 at the latest).

My favorite bad robot used to be Elec Man, because I thought he looked really cool, and also Vile and Spark Mandrill when they had their one-off appearance. More recently (yes, I do still re-watch this show from time to time), I’ve come to really like Proto Man. In general I enjoy his attitude, and I find it amusing that he compliments Mega Man from time to time. I’ve also come to like Roll quite a bit.

4. Yu Yu Hakusho

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Of the really long-running (70 to 80+ episodes) shounen stuff I’ve seen, Yu Yu Hakusho is easily my favorite. I love the English dub (I’ve never seen it in Japanese), as well as the English-dubbed versions of the OPs and EDs (man, I miss when companies did that). I really like how much character work and moments there are in the relationships between characters. For a show that has the oft-used theme of friendship that so many shounen shows have, I like how Yu Yu Hakusho handles it, where it’s not just characters supporting each other, but it actually feels a bit more…real? Like, I can easily see these characters hanging out or interacting in very normal circumstances. It’s not just, “Yeah, you can do it! Keep going!”

These are the relationships that have stuck out to me the most:

Yuusuke and Kuwabara

Yuusuke and Keiko (mainly in the 4th season)

Yuusuke and Genkai

Yuusuke and Younger Toguro

Genkai and Younger Toguro

Yuusuke and Raizen

Kuwabara and Shizuru

Kurama and Yomi

There are just so many good moments, too. Some of my favorites are Genkai’s “final” words to Yuusuke in season 2 about having to fight with time to find your place in the world; the stuff between Genkai and Younger Toguro (especially in Spirit World) and their backstory; the stuff between Yuusuke and Keiko before he leaves for Demon World in season 4; Sensui’s final moments; the stuff between Yuusuke and Raizen.

I love how the characters all have such distinct voices and perspectives. Like, Genkai’s views of Toguro, what he did, and why he did it are different than Toguro’s views of those things, and both characters’ views of their own past and present are surprisingly nuanced and complex, given the rather limited screentime those things get. And I love how they both, in their own way, sort of become surrogate parents to Yuusuke. And then, at the end of the series, he also has Raizen, and I love the dynamic the two of them have.

I think maybe the best I can explain what I like so much about Yu Yu Hakusho is that it has the fun stuff that a lot of shounen shows have, the fighting and the superpowers and overall energetic tone, but it also has a lot of meat under the surface, and that meat is woven throughout practically all of the character work in the series, which I think is part of what makes the character interactions and friendship themes in the show seem more real and true to life, somehow, than many of the other shounen shows I’ve seen (I think the English dub helps with this a lot, too).

For a long time, Kurama was one of my absolute favorite anime characters because he embodies what I think is sort of the pinnacle of humanity: he has great intelligence, wisdom, and logical abilities, but he also has tremendous warmth, empathy, and caring. And he sort of uses them to augment one another, like a synthesis/harmonization of these two general aspects that we all have.

5. Princess Mononoke

(Sorry there’s no video here. I couldn’t find an AMV I liked, I can’t think of a particular clip that would be fitting, and I wasn’t too fond of the movie’s trailer, either.)

It’s been a long time since I last watched Princess Mononoke, so this entry is shorter and less detailed and/or in-depth than some of the others.

Generally speaking, I like how the man vs. nature theme is handled. It wasn’t simply man = bad, nature = good. Both sides are given depth and nuance. Further, I like how the nature side is depicted as such, where the animal gods behave more…beastly? animal-like?, if that makes sense.Like, I’m thinking of the way that Moro talked to Ashitaka the night after he’s saved by the Forest Spirit. Nature isn’t humanized, but it’s still presented in a way that you can empathize and sympathize with it.

I like how the movie doesn’t sugar coat anything, as well as how the ending doesn’t tie everything up nice and neat with a bow. The way it ended felt very realistic, which I thought was very much in keeping with the movie’s overall approach.

Honorable mentions:

-Revolutionary Girl Utena

-Serial Experiments Lain

-Neon Genesis Evangelion

-The Vision of Escaflowne

These aren’t actually “honorable mentions,”but I couldn’t think of a succinct way to put it. Rather, the first three of the abovetitles are shows that I feel like, based on my first viewing, if I understoodthem better, could very likely have made it into the list. I think this isespecially true for Revolutionary Girl Utena, based on my first viewing, as well as things I’vecome to understand in retrospect about both the show and itswriter/director/original creator, Ikuhara. As for The Vision of Escaflowne, I’m currently watching it, though I’m only seven episodes in.

Again, thanks for the ask! I had a lot of fun writing this! :)

#SejinPK answers #bluepuddingcat #Great Teacher Onizuka #Belladonna of Sadness #Kanashimi no Belladonna #Mega Man #Yu Yu Hakusho #Princess Mononoke #Mononoke Hime

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