Forum - View topicINTEREST: Star Trek Actor Petitions Against Akira 'Whitewashing'
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catandmouse
Posts: 213 |
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I haven't seen the original Akira, but my problem with Hollywood trying to remake or "adapt" things is that they don't have respect for the source material.
A good example of this is Michael Bay, he could care less about Transformers, yet he's making them and they are making him tons of money. My question is, is there really no producer/director/screewriter that actually likes anime and that will respect the source material? Even if they did change it and just kept the original idea, but as long as they treated the property with respect, is that too much to ask? I mean, the only reason why I am mildly interested in the Cowboy Bebop movie which probably would never happen, but if it did, was because say what you want about Keanu Reeves and his acting, at least he's professed his love for the series, so you know that he knows the story and would hope that any changes done to the story would be intentional and knowingly. To me, it all comes down to respect, and Hollywood is seriously lacking that. From what I read, for example, the movie 21, which is supposed to be based on a true story features a mostly non-Asian cast, when from what I read, the real 21 was an all-Asian group... But to me, since anime characters don't have any racial defining features, I wouldn't care if the person they cast was non-Asian as long as the essence of the character remained the same. Eve nif they kept the characters original names, as long as the actor playing the character can believe and make us for get that he's not what he's saying he is, then I think talent and dedication should win over races, but again, only and only if they are respecting the source material or else there is no point in doing anything. |
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reanimator
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That is not the point. When Hollywood decided to use original Japanese material almost exactly as it is and making insensitive casting call for main protagonist, it becomes a hotbed issue. Why is that? The title name, AKIRA, always invokes the image that is always been known to many people. It's the ultimate animation spectacle that can stand on its own with likes of many great films. That's why people can't stand whitewashing. If Hollywood uses the different title and character names, then people wouldn't express their rage. To eyes of Asian Americans, Hollywood has not been treating Asian-made story materials with dignity and respect. Hollywood has not given serious respect for the titles that many young Asian Americans love. Just look at that awful live-action Dragonball movie. Also Hollywood have been remaking those Japanese horror movies to their image. In case of Akira, Hollywood is just trying to cash-in the generational franchise and its embedded cult status without giving a deeper thought. Last edited by reanimator on Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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NewAgeNewtype
Posts: 15 Location: Hyperbolic Time Chamber |
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Instead of racebending we can call it "race-espers." wait, wait. Neo-Honky Town.
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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My God, without paying attention to these things, we might actually cast movies based solely on acting ability! The horror! 
Okay, seriously, I mostly agree with TitanXL, except I am willing to believe Hollywood might actually screw up and make a decent movie (hey it happens!) Honestly, I don't think this is worth being bothered by unless you can show that the Hollywood suits are actively discriminating based on ethnicity and race factors. Generally speaking, I think they're discrimating based on bad marketing research and openning day box office predicitions based on "star power." I believe if the suits thought hiring Japanese actors would make the movie a money-maker, they'd do it. That being posted, I do wish the studios would take a moment to try and diversify their casts. While I'm not in favor of any sort of quota or requirement that characters be one particular type of human or another, I do wish the people in charge would have some variety in their casts. I, for one, would like to see some new faces mixed in with the BIG NAMES. Way too many casts where every character with more than two lines is a multi-million a movie actor. |
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ommadon
Posts: 55 |
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I hope its like Easy Rider except violent with teen gangs, psychic children, and an angry military guy. Set in a dystopian future america desperate for a new powerful psychic weapon. That weapon giving them military might beyond any other nation... wait america is already a superpower with WMD, how can this premise even work?!
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NewAgeNewtype
Posts: 15 Location: Hyperbolic Time Chamber |
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pretty much, I mean who cares about a works background and meaning. Read in some random blog about akira having something to do with japan and foreign influence, its reaction to nuclear shenanigans and some other jargon pertaining to japan(i read all this on the internet so it was probably fake anyway). oh wait, its all taking place in neo-yark so I guess its meaningless now. I am assuming they will change the kids to a middle eastern nationality and tetsuo becoming a terrorist but who cares about that and the meaning being lost as long as we get some good white actors (cause none good asian actors exist that aren't hot asian bitches). i has dream of a world where we cast actors for their acting ability and not their appearance. I will never see a proper Martin Luther King movie being played by Tom Hanks |
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Romuska
 Subscriber Posts: 799 |
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What I think is really bothering people is that they haven't announced any name changes. The idea of white actors playing characters named Kaneda and Tetsuo is quite bothersome. I think we've entered an era where authenticity in terms of ethnicity in casting can no longer be ignored. The films 21 and The Last Airbender were pretty much the last straw.
As a fan of Akira, I really don't want to see that kind of attention given to that franchise. Even if the film takes place in the U.S., there's no reason why Kaneda and Tetsuo can't still be Japanese. There are countless talented English speaking Japanese actors that would more than suit the role. They can't be brushed for a "safe" and "marketable" direction. |
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atunderdogk
 Posts: 74 |
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I'm not sure if anyone follows Takei here, but I believe this isn't merely "petition just because it's white actors!". This originally started from the movie moving from Tokyo to New York. And then the subsequent changes that followed were tacked on and the biggest one that stuck out was the word 'whitewash'. Yes he wants Asian actors to play in an movie that was originally about Asians. But this started because they were changing a lot of things about the movie at first.
And besides, anyone that says movies with an Asian cast can't do well are ridiculous. People know names like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Lee, Chow Yun Fat, Lucy Liu, and Ziyi Zhang to name a few. And let's not forget about movies like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon which was SUBTITLED and had a HUGE buzz when it came out. Granted, different times, different circumstances, but still it's not impossible. |
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asimpson2006
 Posts: 3151 Location: USA |
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Who cares if they use white actors or not. I also don't like how everyone is jumping on the bandwagon that it is going to be bad. I mean yea some others have not been so good, but eventually someone has to get it right and make a good movie.
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TopGunman
 Posts: 498 |
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Wow, I never liked Star Trek nor cared about any of the actors except Nemoy but that's only because he played Galvatron.
But I like that someone well-known is speaking out against this damn movie. So he's got my support. I've said it before and I'll say it again, what the hell makes the people in Hollywood think they can make good adaptations of Japanese works when they can't even make half-decent movie adaptations of American stuff 99.999% of the time? |
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Sunday Silence
 Posts: 2047 |
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[quote="Zac"]
Then again, his acting skills hasn't improved since. I found myself fast forwarding thru a good portion of The Departed because of his bad acting. And Inception.....waste of a rental and a night. |
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Fellistowe
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Yeah, I'll put my hand up to that one; it took watching Inception for me to start giving the guy some serious Kudos as an actor. As others have said though, if you want this movie to be a blockbuster it's going to have to be Americanised to hell and back to stand a chance. Personally I don't care too much, it's to be expected anyway, and if it results in a lot of people who have never heard of Akira getting interested and hunting down the original and then really getting into anime, then it's done a good job. As for white actors playing 'Kaneda' and 'Tetsuo', for all we know they could just be using these as character reference names at the moment, and by the time it's been re-written they'll end up as 'Jake' and 'Frank'. My tip for reworking it, both characters can be kind of otaku'ish and have Kaneda and Tetsuo as their handles 
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CannedJam
Posts: 41 |
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Wouldn't you all want the best actors for the film? I would. Now what if the best actors to audition happen to be white? Isn't it better to have a *insert race* actor who can act so well that you don't even realize (or care enough to realize) their awkwardly Asian name as opposed to an Asian actor who has skills that aren't worth watching? I'm excited for the movie. They can, and probably will, change the movie up, but it'll still be Akira at it's core.
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Myaow
 Posts: 1068 |
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I like the assumption in this thread that there are no "good" Asian actors and that's why white dudes have to play the characters. In a thread about a famous Asian actor.
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NewAgeNewtype
Posts: 15 Location: Hyperbolic Time Chamber |
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see
the only thing asian actors are good for is kung fu fighting and shaking their 11 year old size breasts. a film like Akira that requires acting can't be played by asians. we need GOOD actors |
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