If It Has To Happen…Please Let It Be Good!
Warner Brothers seem determined to get a live-action version of Akira off the ground. They’ve been at it for years and have found no success despite having various cinematic veterans latch onto the project.
However, they might have found their golden boy in Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Watiti.
There’s no denying the man’s talent, and while the jury is still out on just how fun his take on the Norse God of Thunder will be, if you’ve seen any of his other flicks you know he’s a certified genius when it comes to making the weird and wonderful come alive on screen. Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows can all attest to that.
While there’s been no actual confirmation yet, he has spoken out briefly about what his vision for a live-action Akira would be.
According to an article on Anime News Network –
Director Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) commented in an interview with media news website IGN on Tuesday about reports of him negotiating to direct Warner Brothers‘ live-action Akira film project. Waititi did not confirm if he has signed on to direct the project, but said that he was “very passionate” about Akira.
He said that he would not be interested in remaking the 1988 Katsuhiro Otomo film, but would be interested in “doing an adaptation of the books,” referring to Otomo’s original six-volume manga. Regarding casting, he said, “Actually Asian teenagers would be the way to do it for me and probably no, not, like no name, I mean sort of unfound, untapped talent.”
In light of this, we’ve decided on the top five things we think an Akira adaption should and shouldn’t have, if only to lessen the chances of it becoming the next Netflix Death Note.Â
#5: Don’t Go CGI Crazy
There’s no denying that Akira is a beautiful looking film. Neo-Tokyo practically shines every time we see it. This is of course the benefit of being an anime. For a live action version, however, drenching the whole thing in CGI isn’t the way to go. Give us practical effects and set pieces that manage to sell the grit and noir elements of the world.
#4: No Whitewashing
We’re with Waititi on this one. Akira is one of the true gems of anime and Japanese culture. Please don’t pull a Ghost in the Shell by just having a few cultural Easter Eggs. Give Japanese actors a shot instead of giving the role of Tetsuo to someone like Josh Hutcherson.
#3: Be Consistent With The Tone
There may be explosions and awesome futuristic motorcycles, but above all else Akira is an exploration into the darker side of sci-fi, so please don’t change it into a generic action flick. The gang violence, Tetsuo’s transformation, these aren’t the things you would find in a Michael Bay movie. We want to be left horrified and left in awe by the end of it, not casually munching on popcorn waiting for the whole thing to end.
#2: Get Kaneda and Tetsuo Right
As hard as it might be Warner Bros, don’t get lost in the visuals. While Akira is a stunning piece of animation, it was balanced by brilliant characterisation between its two lead characters. If you are indeed planning on stretching this across two films, make sure you dedicate time to developing both these iconic individuals.
#1: Don’t Americanize Akira
It’s inevitable, but nonetheless painful to acknowledge that the film will go down this route. While liberties obviously have to be taken when adapting anything, do you have to go all out and drastically change the setting, culture and identity of the source material? This would go beyond whitewashing and practically ensure a live-action Akira movie would be dead on arrival.
