We’ve got a trifecta of questions this time…
Constanzadellarosa: How do you feel about live action adaptations (Japanese and American ones)?
This was something I actually covered a while back. My opinion’s maybe fluxuated a little bit after enjoying SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD so much. Generally, I’m a believer in medium-specific storytelling and I’d really rather see something new and original than something I’ve already seen before. I rarely get to the end of an anime and think, “Wow… I really need to see this in live action.” If it’s good enough as is, then what more do you need? That being said, this is really a case-by-case thing. There’s just many examples of two artistic visions meeting and producing something noteworthy as there are examples of somebody totally botching the translation.
I’m actually going to be watching the live-action DEATH NOTE movies on Blu-Ray over the weekend. I haven’t read the manga, but I’ll be curious how they compare to the show.
N15PCA Have you ever bought a Hong Kong DVDs of an anime before?
Like a bootleg? I did when I was kid living in Singapore. I didn’t know what was what back then. There were bootlegs of everything. Although, I’ve been noticing that they’ve been slowly getting phased out at conventions over the years (although you’ll still find them in abundance in China town.) I really don’t like to get boots, out of principal. Are HK DVDs a big deal? Please elaborate.
D34dM4n What is it about manga and anime that keeps bringing you back to it?
This question actually ties back to the first one. Watching and reviewing anime for this site has been a real breath of fresh air, creatively. What I’m really enjoying is that this is all relatively new ground for me. Western entertainment can all-too-often be predictable and over-developed, but everything I’ve watched so far has been a revelation because I simply can’t predict where it’ll go. None of these shows can fit into a box and, as I’ve said, the Japanese are generally less constipated about suspensions of disbelief.
That can be all the questions we have left. I’m sure you Anime Vice lunatics must have more. I’m sure you have hundreds, so keep the questions and topics flying. I’ll answer and address them here. C’mon… this is too much fun to stop. Keep going! Participate!
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here.
Based on what you have heard from friends and Animevice users, what show or series are you most excited to dive into in the future? (SEE BECK: MONGOLIAN CHOP SQUAD)
Could we get a list of what you've already seen?
You mentioned that western entertainment is often predictable and over-developed. What are your favorite aspects of Japanese comics that diverge from what you are used to in American Comics?
The exception is the film version of 20th Century Boys.
The Death Note film was fun to watch just to hear Ocean Studio's dubbing live action.
As far as DB evolution, avoid at all costs.
If you must have a live action DB experience, then I suggest this:
Its far better than Evolution
I just don't understand the concepts that run through Hollywood's puny mind. They make movies based on comics, movies, and other such properties based on their popularity. Yet, when they make a live action movie. They change everything. It's popular for a reason. If you read the book Jurassic Park: The Lost World, then see the movie based on that book. There are about two scenes that are from the book. The rest was made up. Even the purpose for being on the island was changed.
It's one of the many reasons I hate VIZ so much. We aren't getting the actual story. We are getting someone else's version of it.
In the manga, Goku is a happy and energetic idiot who doesn't even know what girls are even for. The movie changed him to an emo-high school kid who was bummed he couldn't get a date. Goku didn't even go to grade school.
Ohhh, I have quite a few questions. I just keep most of them to myself. My mind goes a lot of places if I give it half a chance.
The few live-action movies I can recall were pretty bad. Fist of the North Star (1995) and The Guyver (1991) were adaptions to popular manga recast with English speaking actors. The later had Mark Hamill, so you know it's quality. Then there was a Chinese live action version of the anime Wicked City (1992). I also saw the horrible Dragon Ball movie, and the less said about it the better. Not everything has been bad though. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) was part of a series of films drawn from the classic mange.
Having someone who isn't a comics fan isn't a surefire failure for a live action adaptation, but I think it has to be done by someone who doesn't feel simply just like work for hire.
Oh, Dragonball Evolution, I wish I didn't watch you, and it's sad that you failed on so many levels.
@YotaruVegeta:
James Wong directed Evolution. He apparently worked on The X-Files, wrote and directed Final Destination and The One, and produced the Willard and Black Christmas remakes.
Awwwesome. Pic of Master Roshi: SAVED.
Thanks for that. It made my day.
I watched the Death Note films and thought they were pretty close to the original (to my surprise). I really enjoyed them.
I agree. I mean, come on, $45 Million? You don't do such a hot title and make it with that kind of money. I don't know jack shit about making movies and I think I could do a ton better with double the budget.
I keep being hopeful of live-action adaptations in waiting of Cowboy Bebop and Akira. The Last Airbender was wrong on many occassions (yes I only just watched it) but it was worth a watch. Haven't seen Scott Pilgrim yet but plan to as it looks cool.
What's so funny about this? Not only did you believe this was an appropriate comment. You also misspelled it.
@sotyfan16 said:
Cowboy Bebop was DOA the moment they announced who is playing Spike.
Between now and 2011, the cast could drastically change. You never know.
My only experience was renting bootlegs when I still lived in the Marianas. There was a shady Japanese owned video store set up at a hotel. After school I would swing by and rent these cheesy box sets Today's big shows were just being aired back then and I had access to stuff like One PIece, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter and some more really obscure stuff. In the middle of the freakin' ocean no less! The thing that bothered me the most was some timing issues with the subs and how poorly the subtitles handled names of characters. Phonetics don't really mean anything to bootleggers I guess, but other times they couldn't seem to tell the difference between a name as a proper noun or if it meant it's actual meaning in Japanese. As a kid I couldn't really complain. It was an experience that makes me feel like I have knowledge to drop when called upon to do so.
I keep coming back to Anime because the writing and animation is fucking insane almost all of the time. All other mediums have a ton of boring crap that makes me want my time back. At least when Anime is bad it feels almost transcendental by the end. There's something rather pleasant about a terrible cartoon that makes me say "What the fuck?"
No love for Keanu Reeves? Neo is The One and can do anything!
As for Live-Action movies of anime. I can only watch it if its made by Japanese!! Hollywood screws EVERYTHING up!!
Now when it comes to bootlegs I plead the 5th. That all I will say that I may or not have bought them before they were licenesed and maybe bootlegs of harder to find titles but I won't say if I really have or not.