fans One Piece are certainly eagerly awaiting the release of the live-action series based on Eiichiro Oda's work, announced last year by Netflix, but without a confirmed release date (although production is in full swing).
Adapting manga and anime with live actors is nothing new, however. Below, we've compiled 7 examples of works that have also been adapted into live-action films and series – some highly praised, others not so much.
Death Note
Death Note was an anime and manga that left a lasting impression, after all, it had a very short publication run. However, there are a number of live-action film adaptations. The first of these was released in 2006 and titled "Death Note," with Tatsuya Fujiwara in the role of Light Yagami and Kenichi Matsuyama playing the detective L. The film received a sequel in the same year, "Death Note 2: The Last Name," as well as other spin-offs and a television series.
Recently, in 2017, Netflix also produced a live-action Western adaptation of the work, starring Willem Dafoe, Lakeith Stanfield, Nat Wolff, and Shea Whigham – but the audience reception was not the best.
Dragon Ball
One of the most popular anime series in Brazil of all time, Dragon Ball also had its Hollywood adaptation in 2009, by Fox. Directed by James Wong, "Dragon Ball Evolution" starred Justin Chatwin as Goku, and the Piccolo saga served as a backdrop. Despite high expectations, the film was not well received by fans and critics and ultimately did not have a sequel.
What many don't know, however, is that this wasn't the only adaptation of Akira Toriyama's work. Two other live-action adaptations have already been released, one of Taiwanese origin – Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins (1991) – and another South Korean – Dragon Ball: Fight, Son Goku! Win, Son Goku (1990). If you're curious, both are available in their entirety on YouTube.
Bleach
One live-action adaptation considered a success is Bleach: The Soul Reaper Agent Arc. Released in 2018, a few years after the end of Tite Kubo's manga series, the film was produced by Warner Bros. and directed by Shinsuke Sato. The actor chosen was Sota Fukushi, who brought to life the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki in his saga against reapers and hollows.
The film was very well received by fans and did well at the box office in Japan. Netflix later acquired the rights to make the live-action film available on its platform. A sequel has not been ruled out.
Rurouni Kenshin
Another successful adaptation in the live-action universe was Rurouni Kenshin – or Samurai X, as Nobuhiro Watsuki's work, published in the 90s, became known in Brazil. It's no wonder that there were not just one, but five live-action films based on the series – all produced by Warner.
The first was “Rurouni Kenshin,” from 2012, starring Takeru Satoh as the protagonist Himura Kenshin. The most recent film was released a few months ago, “Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning,” which is a prequel to the original story. All films were directed by Keishi Ōtomo.
Kakegurui
Kakegurui is an anime set in a school where students are evaluated on their gaming skills, with numerous references to card games like Texas Hold'em poker, which is quite popular in Japan. The first live-action film in the franchise was released in 2017, and a sequel is planned. There is also a Netflix series with 2 seasons.
The main character is Yumeko Jabami, a compulsive card player at Hyakkaou Private Academy, played by Minami Hamabe. She develops her skills through various poker variations such as Indian Poker and Choice Poker.
Pokémon
One of the most recent adaptations on the list is “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu,” which brought the universe of pocket monsters to the big screen in a comedic yet fun way. Released in 2019, the film was directed by Rob Letterman and features Ryan Reynolds voicing Ash Ketchum's loyal companion – although the “trainer” in the film is someone else, Tim Goodman (played by Justice Smith).
Besides Pikachu, the film features other live-action Pokémon, such as Jigglypuff, Mewtwo, Ditto, and Charizard. The movie grossed over US$470 million at the worldwide box office, although it has divided opinions among fans of the series.
Alita
Closing out the list is another recent film adaptation: “Alita: Battle Angel,” released in 2019 by Fox and produced by none other than James Cameron. It's an adaptation of the manga by Yukito Kishiro, published between 1990 and 1995 in Japan.
The film is set in a post-apocalyptic future and tells the story of Alita, a humanoid cyborg played by Rosa Salazar, who becomes a powerful bounty hunter. The cast also includes big names such as Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Michelle Rodriguez, and Mahershala Ali.
Finally, this is our list of 7 anime that received live-action adaptations.