Animes turned Live Action

[EJP]

I'm sure you've heard about it by now, Animes turned into live action. I remember first hearing about the idea back in high school from Shiny and then I herd about a live action gundam movie that was made in Japan. Then I saw, while passing through the porn isle at Fry's electronics... ;D , two hentai titles turned live action (No I did not buy them! I just looked at the box.). Recently I saw previews on TV for the anime turned live action "Blood: the last vampire".

But now, while looking for good animes to rent online, I've been hearing rumors of more animes that may be turned into live action. Two of which have me a little pissed off at who will be playing the main character. The first was Full Metal Panic, an anime I was renting and enjoying at the time when I heard this rumor. The person who was rumored to play the lead role of the main male character is one of the kids from High School musical. As an anime fan, I find any all association with High School Musical and anime to be a crime against the fans of anime, so I don't approve of this casting. Further more I feel all the kids from high school musical should be drowned in a vat of acid because of their unrealistic view of high school (No, I didn't watch High School Musical so what I said may be wrong but since its Disney and they have retarded programing, I can make a balanced guess. And if you don't buy that, there was bloody singing so meh!) and because they made the news too often when they shouldn't have.

Yesterday, I read that there are plans to make a live action Cowboy Beebop movie. At first I thought it could be interesting until I heard that "Keanu Reeves has been confirmed as playing the role of Spike Spiegel". I don't know if you've taken an acting class or how good your observation skills are but Keanu Reeves is an awful actor. Being that he is an awful actor, I feel if he is playing the role of Spike, everyone who hasn't seen cowboy beebop will think poorly of the character.

Anyway, what do you think of anime being turned into live action? Do you think its a good idea? A bad idea? An interesting idea? A crime against anime idea? A Meh idea? An idea that could result in the death of anime or at least anime in America ?

[ketaro]

I think it's not about the anime, it's all about making money. Ya know, cause Hollywood is probally starting to/already has run out of ideas.

I'll still watch the live action versions of anime, but definately would not pay money to see in theater. I'll just grab it off the internet soon as its available in a decent quality, for free.

[EJP]

Yeah.... Hollywood has run out of ideas long ago. Just about every movie today is either a book, a TV show, a remake, based off a comic book, based off a video game, or just something completely unoriginal. The last original movie I saw, that I remember and know it was original, was Shoot Out.

[zandyne]

I think SOME anime/manga can be pulled off with a live action but 99% of it just can't make a conversion. Mech-based and/or cyber-punk stuff with good CGI or high-quality props can be done. Slice of life can EASILY be done. Things like MONSTER and Death Note can be done (Monster especially but most likely in more than one movie as one sitting would not do justice to it). There are some other modern-fantasies which could be done if they got a director to make the proper adaptations because some anime designs just aren't built for reality.

And of course if we ever got a freaking competent adaptation team, casting team and director these could be pulled off beautifully but then the movie would cost too much for proper Hollywood milking purposes.

[EJP]

Zandyne, there is already a Death Note live action movie out... in Japan. I heard they did pretty good with it, but I haven't seen it yet. Anyway, I do find myself agreeing with your statement.

[zandyne]

They also have several anime series that have been converted to live action series, such as Sailor Moon, Prince of Tennis, Shugo Cara, Skip Beat, a BLEACH MUSICAL and several others. And yes I do know that Death Note was made into a two part movie which, uh severely deviated from the source material at one point. And uh, considering almost all of your other examples in your post were I suppose, Hollywood related I figured I might as well list DN again as it has yet to have been beaten with the US stick.

*I hear a ton of jokes that Zac Efferon or however you spell that guy's name and how he should be cast as Light