Stay Away Hollywood
There’s never been a better time to be a fan of Japanese animation, especially with all the incredible new series bursting onto screens this summer. From the continuing adventures of our favourite shounens all the way to fresh comedies that look set to carve themselves in to many top ten lists, the industry appears to show no signs of slowing down. That being said, as the medium inevitably becomes more mainstream, we are starting to see more and more live-action adaptations hit western theatres. The latest of these is of course James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez’s take on Yukito Kishiro’s Battle Angel Alita.
Maybe it will strike the right chord with fans, or maybe it will end up being a disaster on arrival. Either way, it seems like Hollywood is determined to keep putting it’s spin on anime/manga classics. While some properties, such as the upcoming Gundam film, have the potential to actually work, hopefully they’ll give these five a miss. After all, you can’t improve on perfection.
#5: “Berserk” (1997-98; 2016-17)
Akin to Game of Thrones in terms of dark, unrelenting fantasy, we could maybe settle on this masterpiece perhaps been given a faithful HBO adaptation somewhere down the line. However, there’s every chance a big screen version would miss too many plot points, skip over the excellent character development, and potentially make the character of Guts come across as a caricature instead of a legitimately tortured badass. That cannot be allowed to happen.
#4: “Your Name” (2016)
The visual spectacle of this film is only matched by its reliance on the multiple faceys of Japanese culture. It is something that can only be appreciated through the anime medium, which makes JJ Abram’s apparent involvement in a western live-action version totally bewildering. By taking away the stunning dichotomy of the Japanese countryside/cityscape along with the mind-blowing animation, all you’re left with is a run of the mill romance that fails to capture the source material on every level.
#3: “Attack on Titan” (2013; 2017-)
Even when Japan tried to do a live-action version of this highly popular action-epic, it ended failing spectacularly. What chance does Hollywood have? While watching the Survey Corp speed through the air and slice apart giant humanoids does sound like a pretty awesome sight to behold, the likelihood of a film successfully and coherently condense the first series into a two hour flick is highly unlikely. Not to mention the fact that if the special effects in regards to the Titans and transformations aren’t top tier, then there’s every chance an adaptation of this grim and gory anime would just end up looking silly.
#2: “Spirited Away” (2001)
It’s considered a classic by both otaku and non-anime fans alike, and while Mizaki would likely never consent to a live-action version of his magnum opus, we all know there’s a chance that at least one studio would try to get away with it. Even with all the money and effects in the world, nothing can top the beauty of the original visuals or its rich interpretation of the after life. It’s practically timeless by this point, so lets just hope that it never gets handed over to someone like Tim Burton.
#1: “Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
Hollywood may have mastered the means to put giant robots on the big screen, but between the Transformers sequels and Pacific Rim: Uprising, it’s clear that from a narrative point of view that the studios are seriously lacking in the creativity department. As such, Evangelion is probably the worst choice for a live-action adaptation, as the EVA battles are almost eclipsed by the religious symbolism, Shinji’s various mental breakdowns as well as the ongoing mystery surrounding Rei and the Angels. Please leave this one be, after all it can barely decide on its own conclusions at the moment!
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Anime You Didn’t Know Had Live-Action Adaptations. Â
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