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Anime Live-Action Films?


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tidusora



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 65
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:16 am Reply with quote
If you had to choose any 5 anime to become a live-action film, what would you choose?

1) Berserk - If Berserk is made into a live-action film, I will totally freak out. The story is so dark and terribly insane, that I'm not sure it would be enough for Hollywood to digest. I could see Hugh Jackman playing Guts, but he's getting a little old.

2) Elfen Lied - This would be a really dark story, more so compared to Berserk. This would be a box office blood bath. A scream queen would have to play Lucy/Nyu. Maybe Mary Elizabeth Winstead Question

3) Paranoia Agent - Satoshi Kin's masterpiece could do extremely well. I would just wonder who would play Little Slugger. I loved that show so much, and the ending was that of premier quality.

4) Chobits - I can totally see this come into the American Market. Even though it's not dark, it just seems something that Hollywood would snatch in an instance. I wonder who would play Chii?

5) Full Metal Alchemist - This is the one show people don't want touched. If this were made into a live action movie, I would flip out. It would be the hardest thing to ever cast, but none would be needed for Al. Hehe.

(On a side-note, I have a feeling that Great Teacher Onizuka will be made into a TV Show in USA. I don't know why, but it seems like a good idea. Personally, if I made the show, it would focus on comedy as opposed to the drama-filled Japanese version.)
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lordwindowlicker



Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Posts: 37
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:45 am Reply with quote
Honestly? None.
I've yet to see a good anime to liveaction movie translation.
Sailor Moon dodged the bullet all those years ago, although as everyone knows Dragonball hasn't been so lucky (shudder).
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:48 am Reply with quote
lordwindowlicker wrote:
Honestly? None.
I've yet to see a good anime to liveaction movie translation.
Sailor Moon dodged the bullet all those years ago, although as everyone knows Dragonball hasn't been so lucky (shudder).

How do you know? Dragonball hasn't even come out yet. Prove to me that it hasn't been so lucky.
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JacobC
ANN Contributor


Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 3728
Location: SoCal
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:53 pm Reply with quote
Uh...doesn't sound like the best idea in the world, no. But not an implausible one. You'd definitely have to reach for the most Hollywood-esque of stories. In no particular order:

Saikano, despite its "hard-to-watch" factor, would transfer well to live-action. Kind of like "AI," except actually good, yeah, that could work.

Many people have said Cowboy Bebop, and while I'm of the strong opinion that this show doesn't NEED a live-action movie, and is too much in a class by itself and unable to improved upon, I do agree that the style, characters, and story are well-suited to live-action, and it would be an easy live-action transfer.

If there were a way to shorten the tale, Death Note also bodes well for live-action. I'm really not sure I want it done, but it would be a real draw just based on a trailer alone, I'm sure. The atmosphere, the premise, the face of L. I'm aware that there are live-action movies already, but...as with most Japanese live-action...I wasn't able to watch them with a straight face. Add all the oomph of the anime to a high-budget Hollywood adaptation, and I GUESS I could see it happening.

Before I list the last two, I'll comment on your choices: Berserk, yes; Elfen Lied, reserved for the arthouse-goers like Grindhouse was; Paranoia Agent, yes if done right, but reserved for the arthouse without some severe tweaking; Chobits MAAAAAYBE, that's really a "Dragonball" property that could be taken a lot of different ways, not all of them good; Fullmetal Alchemist NO. FMA has too complicated and rewarding a story to be worth anything if crunched into 120 minutes, requires an entire complex and separate canonical fantasy world to be constructed for consideration, which doesn't always work well in America, will be horribly expensive and too dark and depressing to account for lack of audience connection to the large cast in just two hours, and honestly? Another case where I feel like the series can't be bettered through a movie, so what's the point?

The reason I list the last two separate? Because if I have my way, you might see either one someday. Yeah. My grand aspiration is to go to Hollywood and climb my way up the scummy ladder to the status of director through internship, editing or cinematography jobs, etc. I hope. Most of my dreams for films aren't anime-based, but one is, and if I make it into television instead, another series is nibbling at my heart for a TV adaptation.

The less-likely TV one first: Fruits Basket. Don't attack me for this, but if you set it in America and changed the names of the charac...(runs from onslaught of rotten foodstuffs)...the POINT IS, if you changed the setting and names with the permission of Takaya-san, but kept the heart of the story, as the anime arguably did not, you could have an awesome teenage TV drama. The character development and style of the story is so great, I'd have complete faith in it for a TV adaptation. Even better, it's slightly fantastical in story, but not in a way that would even dent the budget.

The other idea, my #1 as far as anime goes, is a Trigun trilogy. Three movies, yeah. It's another idea that I think would be a draw not just from fans after 35 years or so, (most fans won't be hangin' around that long) but would be contagious after a trailer is released. The space western is not a new concept for Hollywood (Serenity) but the style of Trigun is so defined (in theory) that if you can latch onto that and make people feel like they're watching a graphic novel, and an action movie, and a western, and a drama, all at once, you have a blend that pulls people in because of the uniqueness of it all. Once they're in, I fully intend to polish the great framework for the plot, buffing out all the unexplained hanging threads, but maintaining the mystery for most of the screen time, and treating the characters with complete respect, fleshing them out to be just as, if not more, fascinating than they were in the anime. I just really have a soft spot for that material, and, unlike FMA, strongly feel that it can be improved upon in a live-action adaptation.

...LOVE AND PEACE! Wink

EDIT: This is my 333rd post? Shocked Hooray! Maybe that's good luck! Laughing
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lesterf1020
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Joined: 29 Apr 2008
Posts: 292
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:26 pm Reply with quote
I think light and/or episodic series have a better chance of a good movie. Anything with deep plotting and characters or long story arcs or really complex worlds is probably a bad idea.

so stuff like this could work.

Cowboy Bebop
Samurai Champloo
Karin
Full Metal Panic!
Read Or Die
Patlabor
MoonPhase


stuff like that
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lordwindowlicker



Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Posts: 37
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:02 pm Reply with quote
fighterholic wrote:
lordwindowlicker wrote:
Honestly? None.
I've yet to see a good anime to liveaction movie translation.
Sailor Moon dodged the bullet all those years ago, although as everyone knows Dragonball hasn't been so lucky (shudder).

How do you know? Dragonball hasn't even come out yet. Prove to me that it hasn't been so lucky.


I have no need, and no desire to prove a single thing to you. Either way, how can one "prove" and opinion? (rolls eyes)

I am a fan of the original Japanese version of Dragonball, and to a lesser extent Z (which can still be enjoyable).
EVERYTHING I've seen so far when it comes to this vomitous adaptation, makes it look to be a bastardization of the worst kind.

You may disagree with me. Hell, you may watch Dragonball dubbed on the Funimation network every week.. if so, we are two VERY different people.
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sanosuke32



Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 454
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:06 pm Reply with quote
Hollywood never sticks with the original story. If Berserk were made into a live action thing, it would just be supernatural superstitions, it wouldn't involve demons and stuff like that, and guts wouldn't wield a big ass sword, he would use a gun or something.
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abynormal



Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 427
Location: Louisiana
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:09 pm Reply with quote
Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile have both made very successful translations into the live action world. And let's not forget about Nana, which got itself two movies. All three have live action productions that are just as good as the originals.
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Shadowrun20XX



Joined: 26 Nov 2007
Posts: 1935
Location: Vegas
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:20 pm Reply with quote
sanosuke32 wrote:
Hollywood never sticks with the original story. If Berserk were made into a live action thing, it would just be supernatural superstitions, it wouldn't involve demons and stuff like that, and guts wouldn't wield a big ass sword, he would use a gun or something.
I don't think they could find a Nine foot badass that could wield a 12 foot,280 pound Dragonslayer,without Hollywood tricks and greenscreen.
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Ishmoo



Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 413
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:25 pm Reply with quote
I think something like Vampire Knight would make a killing and might be able to fill the gap for some of the "Buffy" fans.

Americans like Vampire stories and combining that with attractive characters, some angst and romance is a good bet. Some anime are so immersed in Japanese culture that it would be difficult to sell them to a US audience, but VK would adapt well. It could take place in a private school anywhere.
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JacobC
ANN Contributor


Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 3728
Location: SoCal
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:47 pm Reply with quote
abynormal wrote:
Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile have both made very successful translations into the live action world. And let's not forget about Nana, which got itself two movies. All three have live action productions that are just as good as the originals.


Yeah. Forgive me for saying I couldn't take Japanese live-action seriously. Embarassed

To clarify, I can't take Japanese live-action involving fantasy or characters that aren't supposed to be Japanese very seriously. They just don't have/use the budget freedom or editing style necessary for those kinds of stories.
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MadHatter001



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 7
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:54 pm Reply with quote
JesuOtaku wrote:
abynormal wrote:
Honey and Clover and Nodame Cantabile have both made very successful translations into the live action world. And let's not forget about Nana, which got itself two movies. All three have live action productions that are just as good as the originals.


Yeah. Forgive me for saying I couldn't take Japanese live-action seriously. Embarassed

To clarify, I can't take Japanese live-action involving fantasy or characters that aren't supposed to be Japanese very seriously. They just don't have/use the budget freedom or editing style necessary for those kinds of stories.



I agree...
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BrothersElric



Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Posts: 1996
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:03 pm Reply with quote
The way I see it is, if they can make Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Spiderman, X-Men, Superman, Batman and all of those superhero movies, or even Harry Potter all into quality, very successful live action Hollywood movies, then why not something like Fullmetal Alchemist? Or heck, why not even something from the world of Shounen Jump, like Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece or whatever else? Get me a director like Sam Raimi (Naruto) Bryan Singer (Bleach) or Barry Sonnenfield (One Piece), or even Tim Burton (he'd make a killer D.Gray-Man movie Very Happy Although I could also see the guy who did The Mummy movies and Van Hellsing pull it off as well) and I could easily see it happen. Not sure who I could see doing Fullmetal though. Maybe someone like Peter Jackson or M. Night Shamylan (for the story or something), not sure.

What I do know though is that a live action movie of some of these (and some others already mentioned) wouldn't be necessary for "Improvement through live action" or whatever JesuOtaku was talking about. I don't think that's even a factor here. Simply put, all I'd like to see, and all anyone else would like to see I'm sure, is some of my all-time favorite series in live action Hollywood form for the big screen and for the world to see. I mean, why were Harry Potter and LOTR/Hobbit (the latter soon to be) made into live action movies when they didn't need to be improved on either? Or what about all those Superhero movies, to inch closer to a more relateable subject?
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:16 pm Reply with quote
lordwindowlicker wrote:
I have no need, and no desire to prove a single thing to you. Either way, how can one "prove" and opinion? (rolls eyes)

Well, with this remark, you have proven something. That you are biased based on speculation, and your statement really has no meaning and will therefore have a less meaningful effect on people who are looking into the movie, specifically because you are not backing up your claim. People tend to be a lot more respectful when you prove yourself to be resourceful.
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JacobC
ANN Contributor


Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 3728
Location: SoCal
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:22 pm Reply with quote
BrothersElric wrote:
The way I see it is, if they can make Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Spiderman, X-Men, Superman, Batman and all of those superhero movies, or even Harry Potter all into quality, very successful live action Hollywood movies, then why not something like Fullmetal Alchemist? Or heck, why not even something from the world of Shounen Jump, like Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece or whatever else? Get me a director like Sam Raimi (Naruto) Bryan Singer (Bleach) or Barry Sonnenfield (One Piece), or even Tim Burton (he'd make a killer D.Gray-Man movie Very Happy Although I could also see the guy who did The Mummy movies and Van Hellsing pull it off as well) and I could easily see it happen. Not sure who I could see doing Fullmetal though. Maybe someone like Peter Jackson or M. Night Shamylan (for the story or something), not sure.

What I do know though is that a live action movie of some of these (and some others already mentioned) wouldn't be necessary for "Improvement through live action" or whatever JesuOtaku was talking about. I don't think that's even a factor here. Simply put, all I'd like to see, and all anyone else would like to see I'm sure, is some of my all-time favorite series in live action Hollywood form for the big screen and for the world to see. I mean, why were Harry Potter and LOTR/Hobbit (the latter soon to be) made into live action movies when they didn't need to be improved on either? Or what about all those Superhero movies, to inch closer to a more relateable subject?


Yeah. What ABOUT all those superhero movies. Have you read Spiderman comics? Do you know how good they are. Not very. The movies took the heart of a great fantasy concept and turned it into a Hollywood titan by staying true to the spirit of the work, but also IMPROVING upon it. They didn't just translate the comic book to the big screen like fanboy loyalists. That would have equalled "bad movie."

That was all I was trying to say, but you, not being a noob, probably already get that, so it doesn't matter.

You have brought up an interesting point in the whole "what can't we do these days" end of things. So I agree that most Shonen Jump properties could be done well, with the right director. (Although I wouldn't recommend Shyamalan for FMA, nooooo way. He'll have to prove himself through Avatar first, but until then give him Paranoia Agent to play with.) Wink

Actually I'm pretty protective with FMA. It is fathoms above my favorite anime of all time. It is fantastic. I just can't see a project of that depth and delicacy fitting into two hours or being played with much without shattering the perfection of the story's construction. Yeah, I said perfection. I'm just echoing with my point above when I say I wholeheartedly believe, "If something works, stick with it. Use it." But I also believe, "If something's already outstandingly close to perfection, what's the use in spending millions of dollars to reinterpret it? Just promote the original." I mean, why did Tim Burton remake Planet of the Apes? Look at what happened. It was a bad idea. Wink

You mentioned LOTR and Harry Potter. Yes, those works, unlike the comic book movies, were fabulous all on their own. But their big-screen counterparts...at least LOTR was, really can't vouch for Harry "the abridged" Potter movies...were really reinterpretations of the story. LOTR as a book was dark and detailed, but had a lot more breaks for parties at a pub and lighthearted interludes, as well as plotting that involved spending nearly an entire book with one group of characters, and then jumping to the next bunch in the next installment. Watch the movies, and it's clear how much work went into NOT making them just like the books...so they'd be enjoyable to watch rather than read, right?
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