Spiked hair of all colors in the rainbow, grotesque proportions of human (and non-human) bodies, bizarre angles and poses, and absurdly cutesy expressions — anime is never grounded and deliberately defies reality, which makes it especiallyhard to adapt in live-action.
Most live-action adaptations have a limited budget that makes it especially hard to accurately adapt scenes to truly grandiose andvisually stunning levels. Some adaptations seem like they are almost ashamed of their origins and reject all weirdness and suspension of disbelief, the end product coming out reprehensibly bland. Others don’t quite respect their audiences, thinking it’s necessary to try to Americanize distinctly Japanese stories for western viewers to understand them, which results in forgettable, generic movies that are also often borderline offensive.
While (unfortunately) there’s a bad reputation for live-action anime adaptations, there are actually many great movies based on anime. They manage to distill the tension, the style, and the fun of their source without losing its uniqueness, enjoyable for both fans and those who’ve never heard of it before. Here are the best of the live-action anime adaptations.
A historical war fantasy about two slaves who become generals,Kingdomdoes its source material justice. This movie works as a stand-alone wuxia gem, too, so it just might bring new fans to check out the anime and manga it was based on. Performances are delightfully solemn and over the top, music is epic, and costumes, described byVariety, are “a combination ofGame of ThronesandMad Max Beyond Thunderdomewith African and Chinese influences” — what’s there not to like?
8Inuyashiki
As often happens in the world of fiction, witnessing an explosion (especially one of extraterrestrial origin) results in incredible powers. After that happens to an old friendless salaryman and a promising teenager conveniently named Hiro, one of them turns into a literal hero and another goes on a rampage against anyone who even slightly wronged him in his life. In a subversion of genre conventions, it is the meek old man who tries to save the day from the kid who becomes a frenzied supervillain.Inuyashikiis an anti-ageist superhero flick that, according toAsian Movie Pulse“manages to tell an incredibly human story in one of the most vain and characterless genres in cinema.”
7Assassination Classroom
A nearly unkillable tentacled creature almost destroys the moon, after which it happily announces that it will do the same to Earth — but first it’ll teach high schoolers maths. The high schoolers have to complete not one but two of the missions impossible: pass the midterms and kill their teacher before their graduation. The live-actionAssassination Classroomis unapologetically weird, true to the manga and anime it’s adapting, and what is more of a challenge in itself, manages to smoothly translate this weirdness to live-action. Described byWe Got This Coveredas “an apocalyptic bit of J-pop mayhem that’s an underdog story at heart, but an alien invasion film in practice,” this movie manages to be absolutely ridiculous and surprisingly heartwarming at the same time.
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While fans are patiently waiting for the revival, wondering how themanga’s final arc will be adapted, a great way to quench the thirst for newBleachcontent is to (re)watch Netflix’s live-action movie. This version ofBleachis surprisingly faithful to the source material and manages to capture its silliness and groove. Netflix’sBleachembraces its premise and balances trademark self-irony and soulfulness pretty well, emphasizing components that are exactly what fans love about the original: the stylish,visually striking fights, elements of urban fantasy, and of course the main characters. Ichigo and Rukia’s relationship will always be the heart of the show, and in the movie, their chemistry is off the charts, with Sota Fukushi’s angsty no-nonsense persona playing spectacularly against Hana Sugisaki’s intensity and sweet cluelessness.
5Ace Attorney
Turning the obnoxiousness of the courtroom drama to 11,Ace Attorneyproves that adapting video games and anime can not only be a fun branching-out for the fan base but also enrich the fandom experience as a whole. Focusing on thePhoenix Wright: Ace Attorneycases, this story follows a rookie defense attorney who tries to solve the murder of his mentor, teaming up with her psychic-in-training little sister in the process.Takashi Miike, the maestro of pulp, was the perfect choice for the director, as he brought his own cartoonish action flair and doubled down onAce Attorney’s zany, high-camp moments.
4Death Note
Death Notehas a tortuous history, as it produced both one of the worst, revolting, and completely unsuccessful movies but also one of the best, exemplar live-action anime adaptations. The great 2006 version is a slow-paced suspenseful psychological thriller that follows a brilliant student Light Yagami who picks up a notebook that gives him the power to kill just about anyone in the world. He decides to make the world a better place by murdering criminals (and soon anyone who tries to stop him) but his brand of justice causes more fear than happiness. A mysterious detective sets out to stop him, and the game of cat and mouse ensues…
3Blade of the Immortal
Blade of the Immortalis a blood-soaked tragic tale of masterful rōnin Manji, a man with a secret: he cannot be killed. Manji’s immortality is a curse of an 800-year-old nun, and he is compelled to kill 1,000 evil men to end it. During his quest, he meets an orphan girl and promises to help her avenge her parents. Another gory masterpiece from Takashi Miike, this spectacular action epic, which is also his 100th film, is a must-see for lovers of samurai movies and gruesomely violent boss battles. Note to self: not for those with weak stomachs!
Related:Akira Kurosawa: The Best Films From His Middle Period
2Rurouni Kenshin
Offering everything — awesome fight choreography, achingly beautiful cinematography, intricate sets, and charismatic leads —Rurouni Kenshinis widely recognized as “the decade’s best live-actionJapanese action saga.” Among the little changes between the anime and its adaptation is a slight tonal shift. The live-action movie parted with farcical humor and cuteness, allowing some lightheartedness but overall going for a more somber attitude, fitting for a story of a samurai that longs for peace and vows to never kill again — but confronted with the ghosts of his past, again and again, forced to take up his sword to defend the innocent.
1Alita: Battle Angel
Based on mangaGunnmand its anime adaptation titledBattle Angel,Alita: Battle Angelis a kickass cyberpunk epic. Deriving its artistic influences not only from the source material but also from the generous multitude ofgreat sci-fi classics, this mecha-girl blockbuster comes into its own and boasts a loyal following thatpatiently awaits a continuation. APinocchiostory on steroids,Battle Angelis an excessive action-packed rollercoaster that at its core is a powerful and surprisingly sweet coming-of-age story. The decision to digitally enhanced Rosa Salazar may be a controversial one to some, but she gives a commanding, stylish, and incredible performance in this underrated film.
