Hollywood is going anime crazy. There are a slew of live action anime adaptations in the works, such as the forthcoming Speed Racer, the rumored Ghost in the Shell and, unbelievably, Akira.
While fans of the source material may see this sudden interest in anime as long overdue, we all know that tinsel town operates in cycles or waves. Is this new trend in movie making just a passing fad? Furthermore, will these kinds of films resonate with mainstream audiences?
To answer those questions, we’ll welcome Film Editor for USA Today, Scott Bowles.
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Eternal_Nothingness
You know, there's already a live-action Death Note movie, except it's entirely in Japanese rather than being American like the Speed Racer movie. There's also the Bleach musicals, but it's also Japanese, not American like Broadway's musicals.
If Hollywood is taking in anime, so should Broadway. Bleach would make a good english musical for Broadway, using American Broadway actors.
latinoish_bwbhair
How about a live action Paranoia agent, or Spriggan, Ergo Proxy, Project Ako, and X while you're at it? LOL!!! come on you have to see the severe limitations....
Razorhell
Should They Just Keep There @$$3$ on the Main Series like Every Single Dam Thing That Hollywood Stop Making New One in Devolopment!
mfbsam
Hitsuyoo I hear u bro. I love that show.
REDSKINS49
I would much rather them keep anime animated. If these movies do great, there will be a lot more anime. But, eventually they will start to grab our favorites (they already have one of mine with GITS). When they grab our favorites, they have good odds of messing them up. Only some anime will work as live action. Ghost in the Shell should be one of them. Another few good anime for live action would be Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and possibly Eureka 7. But some of the most popular anime today like Death Note, Bleach, and Fullmetal Alchemist are so good because of the use of animation along with superb writing. The Fullmetal ALchemist movie was awesome and so was the first Bleach movie, but if Hollywood were to tackle these, they could only fall short. Let us anime fans just hope that HW does not F%#k up our favorites.
AnimeRules
If you set down and watch Naruto or Bleach, you'll find that they really are great work. The calssics are classics and of course they are on a higher level, but I wouldn't be suprized if in a few years Naruto, and Bleach willbe up there with Akira, GITS, ect.
pinkwerewolf
I mean yeah, don't get me wrong, naruto and bleach are alright. But it's in a whole other dimension next to some of the older stuff. (but I give kudos to some of the newer ones such as cowboy bebop) I guess I have been seeing so much of the "junk" anime (and you guys know what I mean...) being tossed around out there... that it makes me sick. I mean, how many more magical school girls does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of.... anyways I swear that I nearly keeled over when someone told me that Yu Gi oh was the best anime ever made :(
pinkwerewolf
I mean yeah, don't get me wrong, naruto and bleach are alright. But it's in a whole other dimension next to some of the older stuff. (but I give kudos to some of the newer ones such as cowboy bebop) I guess I have been seeing so much of the "junk" anime (and you guys know what I mean...) being tossed around out there... that it makes me sick. I mean, how many more magical school girls does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of.... anyways I swear that I nearly keeled over when someone told me that Yu Gi oh was the best anime ever made :(
tensec
you must b nuts to think naruto and bleach are classics, akira is a true classic and one of the best that ever is, was, and will be, they already hav a death note live action and it rocked becuz it wasnt made by hwood, hwood is tryin to cash in on the anime craze they're ruinin dbz, i alrdy know speedracer is gonna suck hairy monkey balls by just lookin at the trailers :/, leave anime where it is stop ruinin it for true fans,GITS live action? are u kidding me? the original GITS was great and theres nothing they can do to ruin it more than turnin it in2 a live action,i heard theres an evangelion movie comin, they've alrdy made the renewal,the rebuild and da end of evangelion, if u sugarcoat things 2 much it becomes to sweet, i agree with pinkwerewolf, these kids now only know of bleach and naruto which are mediocre anime with so-so story compared to real anime like,akira, cowboy bebop, macross, cobra etc, HWOOD STAY OUT OF ANIME!!! IF WE WANT A MOVIE WE'LL LET THE JAPANESE MAKE IT...
AnimeRules
Well, Bleach and Naruto are as good as the classics.
pinkwerewolf
I was surprised that Akira came in last in the pole under Avatar?!! That really doesn't even count as an anime.... I guess it's the young generation of anime that only knows stuff like Bleach and Naruto. :P Ah well.
pinkwerewolf
I was surprised that Akira came in last in the pole under Avatar?!! That really doesn't even count as an anime.... I guess it's the young generation of anime that only knows stuff like Bleach and Naruto. :P Ah well.
Jokerj
Hmmmm has holywood really lost it?
i myslef am an animator and one question i was asked while studying was :why choose the medium of animation in the first place?
the answer to that is a long ass one but the fact is that these films and series were made as animation for a reason, quite frankly evrything holywood has done in terms of re-creating something that is already relatively established has failed misserably except for the 1980's batman movies.
i say why ruin something that is already that good.
just watch anime.
doomdadoomdoomdoom
Uh...seriously...i wouldn't mind seeing sailor moon on the big screen. I loved that friggin cartoon when i was a wee little child. otherwise i dont care for anime. just puttin my 2 cents in.
CatBoiBlu
The beauty of anime movies, is that not everyone will even know it IS based on an anime, allowing more nay-sayers to take a second look at the anime itself...or hate anime even more. (Depending on how good the movie actually is of course) With movies on the way like: Akira, Ghost in a Shell, and Dragonball. I can't help but wonder what lies in the horizon: FLCL? Neon Genesis Evangelion? Cowboy Bebop? Once again, only if anime proves to have a strong foothold in Hollywood will we see some of the best titles of the genre. Good luck anime, I'm rooting for you!
CatBoiBlu
I've been waiting for this ever since the tidal wave of American comic book movies! Anime has great potential as movies in the U.S. What usually shuts people off about anime is that it is animated, and therefore most people don't take it seriously. Now that they will be in live action, it will be the same story that the original fans have all learned to love all wrapped up in a pretty package that can appeal to everyone unfamiliar with the art form.
CRIPPLE
Forget about making anime series into live action its already a pain to get the good anime series in English, I am sick of watching subbed anime, are these people even trying to make these movies any good or are they just scraping around for money?
LiTTL3MAC
i think that making anime into live-action
is really scary but has great potential;
i am however getting sick of hollywood
and all the fXXXing sequels and re-makes.
use your damn imaginations people
latinoish_bwbhair
A live action Death Note wouldn't be that bad!! (Only because it's flow could be so drama based that there really is no need to "do the impossible". That's what makes animation so special. We should appreciate anime as the art itself.
I feel the same way about a live action Ghost in the shell, as I think you would all feel about a live action Bugs Bunny, Disney's Snow White, Lion King, Monsters Inc or Toy Story.
Quentin could do a live action Fists of the North Star, but what's the point?
Speaking of which; talk about a full CG Ghost in the Shell or Akira, done by Weta or Rhythm and Hues, and you might have my interest.
PS: Live action Akira will fail expectations, as will any fury filled Anime toned down for a blood shy American Audience. Freedom for Tibet, leave Taiwan Alone!!
tatermits420
they reliesed a live action death note in japan, and will be here soon. but you are on the right track with using a series instead of movies. we need TRIGUN, FLCL [FOOLY COOLY], SAMURAI CHAMPLOO, RUROUNI KENSHIN [SAMURAI X], and even BLEACH!
jay_far
They should just leave Anime the way it is because its just better that way as Anime
Blue_Vortex
I don't know, I rather have it that Hollywood would just come up with some original ideas. Besides I think it would be for the best if anime was still anime and not some live action rip off.
Andydot8
& the best one: "GUNSLINGER GIRL"... about orphaned little amputee girls who are used by a military special ops force as SWAT units. The little girls receive bionic parts and have their memories wiped and are conditioned to have deadly reflexes... there are interludes in which we find out more about these little girls... one of the best episodes is the one where one of the girl's handlers makes up a fairy tale to tell her every time she has to get a shot from the doctor... the episode is called "The Prince of the land of Pasta"... its probably the best episode... maybe the movie can focus on that one girl and further develop the fairy tale to string through the whole feature lengthed narrative.
Andydot8
in addition to Ghost in the Shell,some more anime that could make great films:
"MIDORI NO HIBI" (Midori Days) about a boy who's never had a girlfriend and one day wakes up with a cute girl for his right hand.
"MAHOROMATIC" about a boy who gets a maid, who is also a battle android, developed by his late father who was a weapons scientist.
(there's one more... could be the best one:)
raven83
I would like to see them make a move about Death Note
Game_Wizard
The most film adaptations of films cause me to both love and hate the idea of it. I love the fact that some of my favorite games, books, and tv shows are recognized for being awsome enough to be given the chance to be made into a film and thus become more mainstreamed. On the other side, I hate the idea of film adaptations because 9 out of 10 times Hollywood botches the job and gives us something that is like the idea but is only a candy coated shell to distract us from the fact that the film wasn't even close to the original in any way possible(EXAMPLE:Bloodrayne)
Hitsuyoo
Anime is just that. Anime. But if they screw up GITS I will totally loose faith in Hollywood.
AnimeRules
I think it's a great idea! Akira and host in the Shell rock! I'm not a big fan of the other two. The only problem is I would like to see them make a move about "Bleach" That is an awsome anime. "Death Note" Would be another awsome movie. Hollywood could make a move of a life time or make a horrible move. Also Kevin, all anime lovers don't hate the sun. And Olivia you rock!
Hitsuyoo
Anime is just that. Anime. But if they screw up GITS I will totally loose faith in Hollywood.
Blue_Vortex
I don't know, I rather have it that Hollywood would just come up with some original ideas. Besides I think it would be for the best if anime was still anime and not some live action rip off.
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