With millions of paying subscribers based all over the world, it is fair to say that Netflix can now be regarded as an absolute powerhouse in the entertainment industry.
The platform has managed this in many ways, but a major factor has been how it has combined existing TV and movie content with its own original creations. In terms of the latter, two of the biggest projects it has in the pipeline are inspired by the world of anime, with live-action versions of both Cowboy Bebop and One Piece being in production.
Work ramping up
The latter is still understood to be in the earliest stages, but there is now a suggestion that work will push forward on it very soon.
In an exclusive interview with syfy.com, producer Marty Adelstein has revealed that ten scripts have been completed for the show and all of the plans at the moment point to work ramping up in the next few months.
He explained how casting is still to be done, but there is every intention that shooting may begin in September. Filming is expected to begin in Cape Town and Adelstein also teased that fans were in for quite the experience. When discussing the scale of the production, he stated that “this one is very big”.
Reflecting wider trends
Netflix’s work on both the Cowboy Bebop and One Piece shows is a clear sign of the platform’s strong commitment to anime and related content at the moment. The service has developed a major collection of series and movies in recent months, with media.netflix.com confirming in January that classic titles from Studio Ghibli including Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro were being made available to subscribers in regions including Europe and Latin America.
It could be argued that such a move ties perfectly into wider trends being seen at present, with Asian culture having a growing presence in many parts of western entertainment. For example, in music the likes of BTS and Blackpink have developed a global following, while Parasite of course won the Best Picture prize at this year’s Oscars.
And the #Oscar goes to…#Parasite pic.twitter.com/JXrORq9wwX
— Parasite (@ParasiteMovie) February 12, 2020
The online casino world has also been inspired by Asian themes, with many slot games carrying imagery and iconography related to the region. With sites like tokyobet.net now offering guidance to those in Japan on how they can access such titles, that trend may well continue in the near future too. Finally, video gaming has of course embraced anime as well, with bandainamcoent.com explaining how DragonBall FighterZ for example features graphics based on the style.
Going to the next level?
All in all, it is fair to say that Asian themes have really become prominent in Western entertainment across the last few years.
However, it will be intriguing to see whether either of Netflix’s big anime-infused live-action series have what it takes to break through and take interest in such forms of media to an even greater level. Considering the streaming giant’s huge global reach these days, it would be foolish to bet against it.
