Knights of the ZodiacTomasz Baginska, is the most recent classic anime adaptation in live action. The film follows the popular 1980s television series and makes a common plot error. This is a simplification of a complex story that spans dimensions, experiences and dozens of different characters. The result is a feature film, a cross between an epic adventure with teenage overtones and a pointless drama.
Of course, this is not the first time Japanese cartoons have attracted Hollywood. Over the past two decades, several of the genre’s most famous stories have made their way into cinema with mixed results.
In some cases, as a sweetened and superficial version of deeper plots. In many others, without the characteristic elements of Japanese TV series and films. Whether due to a change in setting, context, or language, the result It’s so different from the original that it’s disappointing.. Therefore, classic anime adaptations are often failed experiments or simply controversial homages to greater works.
All in all, we leave you with five classic anime adaptations that generated a lot of curiosity when they premiered. Some have failed to emulate the storytelling power of the original, others have achieved interesting but unimportant results. In the end, each one is an example of how Hollywood doesn’t always have the perfect formula for storytelling on the big screen.
Death NoteNetflix adaptation of classic anime
In 2017, Netflix tried to explore the complex universe of anime. Death Note, a work by Tsugumi Ōba and adapted by Tetsuro Araki. The plot tells about Light, a teenager with a privileged intellect and psychopathic tendencies who gains access to the curious ability to kill at will. Randomly, the character receives a notebook that kills everyone whose name is written on its pages.
In the mythology of the story calls Death Note belong to shinigami, Japanese spirits of death. Hence Light, not only takes possession of a fearsome magical artifact. At the same time, he enters into a tense relationship with a mysterious entity who has no choice but to obey him as long as he possesses the mysterious object.
The plot of this classic anime seemed perfect for adapting it as a psychological thriller with supernatural overtones. Netflix has promised to do so in good faith and to list the best-known part of the expansive narrative in the platform’s catalogue. The famous Adam Wingard was chosen as the director. A team of writers led by Vlas and Charlie Parlapanides had to reinvent history. The intention was to develop a production that could appeal to both fans and viewers unfamiliar with the story.
But the result is an almost ridiculous combination of black comedy and fantasy adventure. In an attempt to make the original manga and anime more commercial, the script avoided moral debate and the protagonist’s cold nature. Depiction of Nat Wolf as Light It even seemed like a parody. Willem Dafoe himself, who played shinigami ryuk, tossed aside his intense performances for a superficial image of a formidable creature. The adaptation was a failure both with critics and with fans of the classic anime from which it originated.
Ghost in the Shell: Machine Soul
Mamoru Oshii’s animated film is a classic of modern science fiction. An excellent work known for its brilliant combination of existentialism, philosophy and debate about the human mind in a dystopian setting. Thus, the possibility of adaptation to live action for fans of the genre and history.
Moreover, the project caused controversy even before it was filmed. Deciding that the iconic cyborg Motoko Kusanagi Surprised Scarlett Johansson played. And also that a context of particular importance in the story has been moved to a neutral future set in a dim version of Japan. But the real problem came when screenwriter William Wheeler explained that the story would be cut. Which made it clear that, most likely, a film adaptation of the classic anime it would ignore the deepest and most difficult parts of the story. From the concept of posthumanism to collective dehumanization through technology.
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That is exactly what happened. The feature film, directed by Rupert Sanders, eschewed the anime’s geopolitical context and replaced it with a futuristic aesthetic without depth. He also avoided touching on any sensitive topics about segregation, exile, and modern loneliness. Instead, the classic anime adaptation was turned into a bizarre production with heavy digital effects that didn’t make sense. A disappointment for fans of original history and science fiction in general.
Alita: Battle Angel
Yukito Kishiro’s cyberpunk manga has the distinction of being one of the few works in the genre to receive a classic manga adaptation that lives up to expectations. This is a good example of transferring a complex story from one medium to another and carefully telling the emotional and intellectual development of your character.
Director Robert Rodriguez and screenwriter Bill Pope spent time and effort studying the original work. In addition, to find the right balance between digital and practical effects to achieve the look amazingly realistic portrays the main character. But the adaptation is more than a tribute, it’s a smart and successful version of the original classic manga that ties into the transcendent idea of hope, life, and the desire to fight for good.
cyborg Little Wing (Rosa Salazar) wakes up on the medical table Gone (Christoph Waltz), not remembering his past. He is not even aware of his mechanical nature. However, gradually he will begin to remember until he discovers that his origin is much more mysterious and scary than it seemed. The film adaptation celebrates the best of the classic manga and gives it a lot of personality. One of the strongest points of this live action high score. You can watch it on Disney+:
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From classic manga to anime adaptations Samurai X
The manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki, adapted into the anime by Kazuhiro Furuhashi, is one of the classics of the genre. Also one of those who received the best treatment on the big screen. A story about the life of a renegade samurai Himura Kenshin, is a combination of epic and drama. Based on the figure of Kawakami Gensai, this is an exploration of Japanese warrior culture from a delicate perspective and a path of redemption that reaches its best moments. delving into the enigmatic personality of its protagonist.
The argument has been adapted to live action for the first time in 2010. Movie called Samurai X and choreographed by Keishi Otomo, it was praised for its commitment to the work it came from. It is an anime adaptation of the classic manga. the main line of the character and his spiritual and moral evolution. Just like the story it’s taken from, it analyzes how its enigmatic protagonist transforms from a ruthless killer into a redeemed man.
A sequel was released in 2014. Samurai X 2: Kyoto on Fire as well as the ending of the trilogy, Samurai X 3: Legend. The films chronicle Kenshin’s long journey of redemption and his troubled past. Later, there will be two additional adaptations to the already classic anime. Samurai X: The End debuted in 2021 with Samurai X: Origins. Both add data to the central story and expand the manga universe. Each of the feature films is considered a story in its own right that does not imitate the original but explores it in its most characteristic elements.
dragon ball evolution
The story of Akira Toriyama’s battles and struggles is one of the most popular and beloved classic anime in the world. And it has a broad mythology that spans many characters and locations, all of which are interesting. For this reason, it is inexplicable that its 2009 adaptation, directed by James Wong, is unanimously considered one of the worst. live action from the history of cinema.
Not only does this distort the main plot of the anime it’s taken from, it also turns it into an almost parodic version of a clever and well-constructed universe. And as if that weren’t enough, the story lacks any of the elements that identify it in the animation. The sum of such errors has created a great nonsense from which no aspect can be salvaged.
Cheap and lousy production, flat direction and characters played without much depth. This adaptation of the classic anime is an example of all the mistakes that can make this kind of production fail. As, in fact, the unforgettable and controversial film was remembered.
Source: Hiper Textual
