Thanks to the recent success of Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation, two upcoming live-action anime movies prove that Hollywood has learned its lesson from previous live-action anime movie adaptation failures. With One Piece season 2 renewed and in development, anime audiences are witnessing a paradigm shift in the long-running genre, since live-action anime adaptations haven’t been the best in previous years. From misunderstanding the core elements that make anime great to making unnecessary changes to the characters and lore, live-action anime adaptations are typically a huge letdown.
Furthermore, Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2’s confirmation bodes well for the genre, since it more than made up for the maligned 2010 M. Night Shyamalan live-action movie, The Last Airbender. However, as great as Netflix’s One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender are, they’ve contributed to the recent trend of well-received anime adaptations made for TV. Despite the numerous attempts throughout the years from both Hollywood and Japan, most live-action anime movies aren’t particularly good in comparison to their source material. However, two upcoming movies have the potential to change things for the better.
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The English dub of the Naruto anime made a divisive translation choice that ultimately defined the character, and the Lionsgate movie should too.
Naruto & One-Punch Man Movies Suggest Hollywood Is Treating Live-Action Anime More Carefully
The Level Of Talent Associated With The Movies Imply That Hollywood Has Faith In The Adaptations
The recent live-action Naruto movie updates are perfect, as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton will write and direct the upcoming project. Furthermore, Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon will write the upcoming One Punch Man movie with Fast & Furious director Justin Lin attached as the upcoming live-action anime adaptation’s director. Furthermore, Cretton will be working closely with Naruto’s creator, Masashi Kishimoto, which bodes extremely well for the upcoming movie, considering Eiichiro Oda was closely involved in the development of Netflix’s acclaimed One Piece.
Based on Cretton’s body of work, he’s the perfect choice to direct Naruto. As early as Cretton’s, Short Term 12, and as recently as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Cretton has demonstrated that he possesses the ability to handle Naruto‘s emotional moments and its action. Lin’s work on the Fast & Furious franchise combined with Harmon’s comedic sensibilities are the perfect match for One Punch Man‘s intense fight scenes and excellent comedic moments. Hollywood investing so much high-level talent in both projects suggests its faith in them, while also implying what audiences can expect.
What To Expect From The Live-Action Naruto & One-Punch Man Movies
Cretton’s Action Directing For Naruto And Dan Harmon Co-Writing One Punch Man Bode Well For Both Movies
Although he isn’t particularly known for his action movies, Cretton’s work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a perfect blend of action, comedy, adventure, and drama, which further highlights why he’s the perfect choice for Naruto. On one hand, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a Marvel Cinematic Universe tentpole, so it was expected to do well, or, at the very least, make money. However, Cretton’s work felt fresh and his handling of Eastern Asian culture combined with its action and emotional stakes are just a few things Naruto will need to succeed.
Lin’s feature-length debut, Better Luck Tomorrow, and his work on the Fast & Furious franchise demonstrate a few things that work well for One Punch Man. Both franchise’s action and spectacle are naturally going to translate well into the live-action One Punch Man movie, but Lin’s ability to flesh out multiple characters in a single movie is going to be one of One Punch Man‘s biggest strengths, since the franchise has a large cast of great characters. Harmon’s work on Community and Ricky and Morty is great for One Punch Man, since they’re both funny and have well-written characters.
There Still Hasn’t Been A Great Live-Action Anime Movie From Hollywood
Most Live-Action Anime Movies Are Made For Streaming
Hollywood’s attempts at live-action movies extend as far back as the early ’90s with 1991’s The Guyver, a live-action adaptation of a Japanese anime of the same name. Despite a starring performance from beloved actor Mark Hamill, The Guyver is bogged down by a weak script, unconvincing action, costumes, and effects, and too many changes to its source material. While The Guyver is one of the earliest examples of Hollywood attempting to tap into a new market and failing, plenty of other adaptations from both the United States and Japan have sadly fallen prey to bad live-action movie adaptations.
Title | Directed By | Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
The Guyver (1991) | Steve Wang and Screaming Mad George | 40% | 39% |
Fist of the North Star (1995) | Tony Randel | N/A | 27% |
Dragonball Evolution (2009) | James Wong | 14% | 19% |
Ghost in the Shell (2017) | Rupert Sanders | 42% | 51% |
Death Note (2017) | Adam Wingard | 36% | 23% |
Devilman (2004) | Hiroyuki Nasu | N/A | 41% |
Black Butler (2014) | Kentarō Ōtani and Keiichi Sato | N/A | 61% |
Attack on Titan (2015) | Shinji Higuchi | 47% | 34% |
Fullmetal Alchemist (2017) | Fumihiko Sori | 28% | 71% |
Although there are some live-action anime movie adaptations that have done better than some, such as Alita: Battle Angel, Detective Pikachu, and the Rurouni Kenshin movies, the failures far outweigh the successes. Furthermore, One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s success speak greater volumes for live-action TV adaptations than they do for live-action movie adaptations. With the level of talent involved in the upcoming live-action Naruto and One Punch man movies, Hollywood is demonstrating that it sees the potential for live-action anime movies to do better in today’s entertainment climate.
Live-Action Anime Movies Can Be Hollywood’s Superhero Replacement (If Done Right)
The Long-Running Storylines And Anime Spin-Offs Are Perfect For Hollywood
Although the talent involved with Naruto and One Punch Man alone isn’t necessarily proof that Hollywood has found a superhero movie replacement, it suggests that the entertainment industry sees the potential for it to become the next big thing. Superhero movies have been the dominant force in Hollywood since they hit their stride in the early 2010s, but the lack of creativity and sheer number of projects that Hollywood releases has contributed to superhero movie fatigue in more recent years. As such, video game movies and live-action anime shows have risen in popularity.
Some of the most popular anime are notable for their long-running formats that see their storylines evolve over a period of decades. The characters undergo a series of changes while also developing awesome powers that introduce new and exciting concepts to their respective stories. Anime also has a huge global following, so it stands to reason that many of those audiences will show up to movie theaters to support their favorite anime. With anime adaptations improving on the small screen, Hollywood is positioning itself to bring more live-action anime to the big screen as well.
