So I had this discussion with a few of my co workers concerning what anime’s would make a good live action movie. I know many people saw the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution
and then there was also the whole Ghost In The Shell live action that is planned.
But what other anime’s may possibly make a good live action
For me I told my co workers that honestly most shows would look good as a live action if the animated show itself didn’t have a lot of effects. Some effects can be done really well so I guess it mostly pertains to what studio does the live action. But any way I think the Rurouni Kenshin
makes a good live action, most of the shoujo anime’s that I’ve seen definitely like Wolf Girl & Black Prince
, and possibly even Yu Yu Hakusho.
Now I know that a lot of Japanese studios have made live actions of many of our favorite shows but what I’m talking about are American studios getting a hold of these shows and doing the live action. I say this because I’ve noticed that many American studios don’t seem to understand anime and end up doing it wrong or just kind of silly.
But what do you all think? What anime do you think an American studio can do well as a a live action. Leave your comments down below and let me know. Like always I will answer back.
~Anime Reviewer Girl!
Shay Taree 
If we’re talking about “American” studios, I think they should do anime series that don’t have much “Japanese” elements. Look at what happened with DB when they Americanized it. Totally ruined a classic anime. Perhaps Code Geass would be good. Heck, if Hollywood can make great Transformers-like CG, then they can make a great Code Geass live action film. Perhaps, they can also make a great Full Metal Alchemist movie. Hmmmm. But I’m also curious if they’re able to make a good live action movie from any sports anime series.
I agree that if Hollywood wanted to make a live-action film based on the anime, it should be an anime/manga that is more westernized. Code Geass and FMA has that western element to it.
Yeah Full Metal Alchemist would be a good one so would Code Geass although I didn’t think about it before.
I think that mecha anime will be very interesting if they’re adapted into live action films and Westernized.
I really agree with that. Someone at my job was even suggesting Gundam could be done well.
Now THAT would be a huge undertaking. I’m curious if Westernizing Gundam would do it justice. I think that there would be an even bigger backlash from Gundam maniacs than Dragon Ball if a live action Gundam movie flopped.
Yeah I think you may be right. But I think Gundam may be a good fit considering how well the Transformer movies have done.
The first “Rurouni Kenshin” live-actors movie was very good. I’m waiting to be able to see the next two when they are available in my area.
I think that “Kinos Journey” could easily be made, as it would not require a lot of special effects or any big monster fights. Rather than an “action remake” it would have to be a more cerebral and subtle film, the way the original anime was.
Perhaps “smaller movies” are the way to ago. If they remake “Ghost-in-the-Shell” it requires multi-million dollar budgets, tons of special effects and the whole thing may fall flat..
If you remade “Bamboo Blade” with live actors, then it could just be quirky and funny.
Yeah I feel like they should start at something small but they should also get people who know anime to help them with it.
If this was done in an American studios, I would choose JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure- Phantom Blood. The characters are not Japanese but they are British so it might be easy for American actors to try to act like them. I am not sure how will they do with the fighting styles.
Yeah that is true. I even think that they could do Trigun.
I think the Japanese have done the best work on making live adaptations of anime; the Death Note & Rurouni Kenshin flicks were great. Given the fact that the live action Dragonball Z flick was such a failure I have little confidence in Hollywood doing justice to a major anime franchise. Still who knows…if I was going to pick an anime for live action adaptation I’d like to see Steins; Gate get a go.
Yeah I don’t have much confidence either but I think they can pull it off if they get the right people to help
Hmmm good question. I can imagine “Expelled from Paradise” made into the real thing… Gotta be horrible. Anime like Madoka is gonna be fucked up to make it live. Maybe Haruhi? Because its quite realistic and the CG effects wont overpower the real stuff itself
Possibly….I think it would have to be an anime that doesn’t require a lot of CG.
True
I think really action like and very Westernized anime can work (Code Geass as many has mentioned). On the other hand, I kind of would like anime not to be made into a live action movie or tv show because of how usually it is either a hit or miss. Since you are focusing on Hollywood, I don’t think there has been any anime or manga turned into live action that actually was A HIT! For instance, Avatar: The Last Airbender (is kind of anime but also has cartoon elements) was HORRIBLE! I cringe at how white washed these characters are.
Not only that, an American group or company decided to re adapt Boys Over Flower (which is based off the manga Hana Yori Dango)! It was horrible since of how Asian cultures didn’t mesh with Western cultures, so they did dramatic changes.
That’s why I would cringe at anime turnt to Hollywood Live action movies because of how even Western like anime (Code Geass and FMA) still have some Japanese cultural aspects though not as prevalent.
Yeah I also think like I mentioned before that they should get people who know a lot about the series to help out. But another anime that could work as a live action could be Trigun.
Even if they got people who “know a lot about the series” to help it, it still wouldn’t work in my opinion. It’s because people who know about the series might not be able to remake it to the images they want. It’s not like people who know about the series can get the actors they want or CG the scenes they want!
Look at appa (The flying bison that Aang rides) in the live version of Avatar:The Last Airbender! They probably spent hours making that CG of appa and it did not come out the cute way it looks on the anime (or cartoon).
I think it takes more than having “ppl who know about the series” to help out. I think you need the freaking whole staff devoted in replicating the anime to live drama. They need probably the staff of Avatar (the other movie) which spent 10 years re visioning the image and finally producing it. They need the budget to get the best CG people, the perfect actors, and the best settings. I can tell you it is possible if gets pick up by big time filming corporation with the best directors and etc.
Yeah I can definitely see your point now.
I wouldn’t mind a live action Chaos;Head, Fractale, or Kokoro Connect, just sayin.
I think a live action version of Kokoro Connect would be awesome!!!
Time of Eve would work as a live action movie. Ditto for The Girl Who Lept Through Time.
I will be honest I haven’t seen those but I have heard of them.