The anime industry has grown tremendously over the last two decades and it is now valued at $19 billion dollars. Over 87% of studios are based in Tokyo, Japan, with the rest spread in countries like the US, the UK, or China. Because there is such a high interest in this industry, Hollywood has attempted to make a few live-action adaptations of animes; most of which have failed. The style, emotions, and variety of characters transmitted through drawings are very difficult to reproduce in real life. There are, however, some good films out there worth watching at least once.
Source: MePixels
Rurouni Kenshin
The Rurouni Kenshin manga series was first turned into live-action in 2012 and it was so well received that two more sequels followed in 2014, and two more are due to be released in 2021. The story was not difficult to be transposed to real life, since it is set in the early Meiji period in Japan. Although it doesn’t stay faithful to the manga series, the film captures the emotion and lessons present in the drawings. This is why both fans and critics loved the adaptation – it respected the source material, while finding its own nuance.
Kakegurui
Kakegurui started as a manga, then it was turned into an anime, which then turned into a live-action series, and finally a live-action film. The fact that it has been adapted so many times says a lot about the quality of this plot. At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the students show off their gambling skills and get marks for successfully completing sessions.
One of the things that the film was very smart about is that it kept the same actors that played in the series, so there is an element of familiarity for those who have been following the plot for a while. Similarly, to maintain that familiarity across the industry, anime characters are also used in other entertainment sectors.
For example, in the online casino industry, CasinoWings presents a variety of casino operators, with some offering anime-inspired slots, such as Lucky Niki. The colorful graphics, cute design, and popular anime trope characters make this a great choice for fans of Japanese culture. This adaptation to this seemingly niche industry also illustrates just how vast the reach of anime culture has spread in the western world.
Source: MePixels
Death Note
Death Note, a favorite amongst anime fans and also one of the most popular animes of all time, was adapted by Netflix in 2017 and it was a complete disaster for many reasons. Thankfully, there is also a Japanese live-action version of it that is much better. Although by the end of the trilogy, the storyline started being far from the original, the film stayed faithful to the characters’ gothic appearances and mysterious behaviors. The psychological thrill and horror movie-like atmosphere were also executed perfectly. The Japanese version was filled with suspense and it felt like the scary anime it was supposed to be, unlike its American counterpart.
Gintama
Another fan favorite, Gintama is a massive hit both in and outside of Japan and it conquered everyone’s heart with its humor. Surprisingly, the live-action film adaptation was just as hilarious as the anime, and it stayed true to the characters and their personalities. It also managed to replicate some scenes one on one, to the fans’ amazement. This mash-up of samurai warriors, alien invaders, and Japanese pop culture can get anyone laughing.
