AKIRA LIVE ACTION MOVIE = Life Support?

[DJ Loe Kee]

Ya' know what, I'm glad the live action Akira is cancelled.

I hope the live action Ghost in the Shell, Coyboy Bebop and Robotech get canned too.

As I've said many times, the animes are classics and excellent in their own right. I just

don't see any way that a live action version could possibly improve on them.

In all likelyhood, live action versions would be inferior in every aspect to the original anime source material.

I would far prefer that Hollywood actually try to think of some original ideas, rather than the endless cycle of remakes, reboots and sequels that we seem to be stuck in now.

Graham

hell yea. i'm glad that it canceled too.

Thank god they killed it. They were going to update the story and have the events take place in New York? *uck right off.

having it take place in new york was blasphemous. the blast in the beginning in akira is based on the two 2 a-bombs that were dropped in japan. the only thing that ny has to compete with that is _________. new yorkers would protest if _________ was ever incorporated into a movie (i put the ______ in there so my post wouldn't get deleted. you can guess what i'm talking about). so, good riddance and i hope the other anime movies get dropped too. ninja scroll is bad ass, i don't need a live action version of it. my opinion changes if the japanese ever decide to make live action movies based on their anime like the death note live action movie.

[DJ Loe Kee]

More like they gain legitimacy when people Americanize anime or animated works as seen previously.

hell. americans just need to accept anime as an acceptable form of entertainment for adults, not turn them into live action movies in an attempt to legitimize them.

[eugimon]

meh, I'm against this knee jerk sentimentality that remakes or adaptations are automatic fails.

There's plenty of movies that we hold in high regard or are even now classics that existed as previous works in various mediums, oral tradition, religious texts, fiction, poems, yes, even as movies.

To say that Akira wouldn't work if it took place in NY is ridiculous and just shows that some of the deeper subtexts of the work aren't being examined. The ideas of religion, technology, autocratic government, genetic tampering and evolution are very mainstream themes and ones that could easily resonate with americans if handled correctly. Saying that Americans wouldn't "get it" because we didn't experience a nuclear attack on our soil does nothing but discredits and underestimates the american audience to empathize as well as showing a profound ethnocentric mindset of people who persist in the idea that people of another region or culture are somehow incapable of translating ideas or experiences not originally their own.

Ultimately much of what formed Japanese cinema today was from borrowed literature and works from neighboring countries and from western nations. That hollywood and western audiences are looking outside of themselves for inspiration or yes, even the cheap remake a'la Grudge, may show on one level hollywood's perceived lack of originality (as if this were somehow a new thing, please look at the endless string of movies that mined the Bible) but on the other hand it represents a growth in the appetite and visual vocabulary of western audiences to accept stories and points of view previously thought alien and 'other'.

Further, it's perfectly understandable that certain segments of the audience would be hostile or suspicious of certain genres or mediums. All people have their prejudices and it's silly to knock someone because they think cartoons are "just for kids" when growing up that's all they were exposed to. Like it or not, many people aren't going to go see a foreign movie or cartoon because of their preconceived notions of what those experiences will be like. A successful adaptation like The Departed or Bugs Life allows these untapped audiences to experience classic stories told in a way that is palatable to then, what is so wrong with that? A poor adaptation like Dragonball in no way diminishes the previous anime or manga, neither is it going to alienate an audience that was already predisposed against watching anime.

To me, this knee jerk backlash is more about people trying to protect their niche and subculture rather than any genuinely sincere concern over how beloved properties are handled.

[DJ Loe Kee]

^There are plenty of American remakes that are classics. Samurai 7/Magnificent 7 and Infernal Affairs/The Departed are examples (I haven't seen The Departed, Samurai 7 or Magnificent 7 but I'm going off of other people's reviews of them). I'm more into getting Americans to watch more subtitled movies.

I remember when my friend told me that Point of No Return is a remake of La Femme Nikita. I've had Point of No Return on my "to watch" list for a while now (I have lots of movies on my "to watch" list that my parents didn't let me watch when I was younger). But after he told me that, I was like "I'd rather see the original. Even if the remake is a really good movie, remakes are never better than the original". I saw The Ring when it came and it is a good movie. But my Japanese friend/tutor from college told me that it was a Japanese movie. So i went out and bought a region-free dvd player and the U.K. release of the movie. The original is alot better than the American version (I saw the U.S. version first and I have no complaints about the movie).

My mentality is to get ppl to quit complaining about subtitles and at least watch the original version once. I remember when me and my friends went to see Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, we didn't know that it was subtitled. All my friends did was complain about it being in Chinese and saying that they gave up reading after 5 minutes. I read all the subtitles for the entire movie (this was my first time watching a subtitle movie and I was anti-subtitle or subtitle-phobic before this). Reading a subtitled movie won't kill anybody.

After this, I asked one of the ppl (who said that he gave up reading the subtitles of this movie) if foreigners watch American movies in theaters (I know that the dvd version gets dubbed) subbed or dubbed overseas (his parents are military and were stationed in Europe and Asia when he was younger). He said that they are subtitled, that he used to watch them all the time overseas in the theaters and that he ignored the subtitles since he obviously understands English. So, ppl in Europe and Asia have no problems watching a subtitled movies but Americans act like they are going to die if they are forced to read a movie (my boss likes so say that they probably have poor reading skills. She also teaches at the local university here in town. She talks about students who she gave a reading test to so that she could help them improve their reading skills and pass her class; but that they really have no hope because they are at the reading level of a 5th grader or lower. No b.s.).

So, it is nothing against against the remakes. It is more about ppl being more tolerant to foreign movies and releasing them on the big screen for us to watch; not always remaking the movie or dubbing the movie for us (they change the plot, character's lines, ect whenever it is dubbed. just watch Ghost In the Shell or Kung Fu Hustle subbed and then dubbed and you'll see what i mean. Akira is the same in the subbed and dubbed version). As I said, it's nothing against the remakes. Some of us just want to see a foreign movie on a theater's big screen sometimes. The few that they do show are few and very far inbetween (and if you don't live in one of the top 5 major markets then they may decide to skip my city, which is in the top 10, not top 5).

But I still stand by my nuclear bomb analogy. I hate it when Hollywood takes a movie and "Americanize" it for us. Just educate ppl on other countries history and just don't focus on Greek, Roman, American history (and any history not involving these 3 parties is not important). Korea borrowed the idea of American Pie and they came up with Sex Is Zero. but Sex Is Zero is not an American Pie remake (it may not be an American Pie influenced movie but when my friend came home from his trip there and showed us the non-subtitled vcd, that is how he described the movie. Good thing he translated the movie for us [he thought the he had bought the dvd version, not the vcd version]). Also, my other friend showed me the Korean movie City of Violence and said that the idea came from Kill Bill (it even uses the same music from Kill Bill). But it is not a remake of Kill Bill, it is an original story. Not everything that Hollywood borrows from others has to be a remake (Stars Wars is a good example of Lucus borrowing the idea of samurais, turning them into jedi and making an original movie. Just look at Yoda, he speaks in subject-object-verb sentence order [i think, I haven't seen the movie in awhile]).

Edited June 16, 2009 by DJ Loe Kee

[Einherjar]

hell. americans just need to accept anime as an acceptable form of entertainment for adults, not turn them into live action movies in an attempt to legitimize them.

I might not go that far. Maybe just show some respect for the material you're adapting in your work, or at least show you give a crap about what you are making.

[taksraven]

meh, I'm against this knee jerk sentimentality that remakes or adaptations are automatic fails.

I think that they are more likely to be failures now. I think that modern writers have less respect for original texts.

There's plenty of movies that we hold in high regard or are even now classics that existed as previous works in various mediums, oral tradition, religious texts, fiction, poems, yes, even as movies.

Not doubting that. Catch 22, A Clockwork Orange and Watchmen were great films based on 'literary' works. And there are tons of other good adaptations.

To say that Akira wouldn't work if it took place in NY is ridiculous and just shows that some of the deeper subtexts of the work aren't being examined. The ideas of religion, technology, autocratic government, genetic tampering and evolution are very mainstream themes and ones that could easily resonate with americans if handled correctly. Saying that Americans wouldn't "get it" because we didn't experience a nuclear attack on our soil does nothing but discredits and underestimates the american audience to empathize as well as showing a profound ethnocentric mindset of people who persist in the idea that people of another region or culture are somehow incapable of translating ideas or experiences not originally their own.

Its kinda like the debate that used to take place about a Live-action version of Space Cruiser Yamato that was supposedly going to be made in the West, with the US battleship Arizona replacing the Yamato. Ultimately a lot of "cultural adaptations" to specific works are insulting and pointless.

Ultimately much of what formed Japanese cinema today was from borrowed literature and works from neighboring countries and from western nations. That hollywood and western audiences are looking outside of themselves for inspiration or yes, even the cheap remake a'la Grudge, may show on one level hollywood's perceived lack of originality (as if this were somehow a new thing, please look at the endless string of movies that mined the Bible) but on the other hand it represents a growth in the appetite and visual vocabulary of western audiences to accept stories and points of view previously thought alien and 'other'.

Once again, i have no problem with cultures "swapping spit". It does break the monotony.

Further, it's perfectly understandable that certain segments of the audience would be hostile or suspicious of certain genres or mediums. All people have their prejudices and it's silly to knock someone because they think cartoons are "just for kids" when growing up that's all they were exposed to.

That "just for kids" tag is the worst thing that goes against animation as an artform. Its absolute crap and I will discourage anybody from having such an attitude. Most of the really early animators tried to create work that would appeal to adults and children and that has become a bit of a lost art in some (but not all) cases in the west.

Like it or not, many people aren't going to go see a foreign movie or cartoon because of their preconceived notions of what those experiences will be like. A successful adaptation like The Departed or Bugs Life allows these untapped audiences to experience classic stories told in a way that is palatable to then, what is so wrong with that? A poor adaptation like Dragonball in no way diminishes the previous anime or manga, neither is it going to alienate an audience that was already predisposed against watching anime.

As I've said before, just apply the "bad sequel" rule. If a movie has a bad sequel or adaptation, just pretend that it does not exist.

To me, this knee jerk backlash is more about people trying to protect their niche and subculture rather than any genuinely sincere concern over how beloved properties are handled.

Maybe you are right about that, but people can be funny about protecting their culture. In fact some people can be deadly when it comes to protecting their culture. So these debates and arguments are minor by comparison.

[sharky]

Ugh, I'm just tired of getting jerked around with things being in the works then canned. I'm starting to feel like I would prefer I not know about anything until they are ready to market it and set a release date.

[thegunny]

^there are plenty of american remakes that are classics. samurai 7/magnificent 7 and infernal affairs/the departed are examples (i haven't seen the departed, samurai 7 or magnificent 7 but i'm going off of other people's reviews of them). i'm more into getting americans to watch more subtitled movies.

i remember when my friend told me that point of no return is a remake of la femme nikita. i've had point of no return on my "to watch" list for a while now (i have lots of movies on my "to watch" list that my parents didn't let me watch when i was younger). but after he told me that, i was like "i'd rather see the original. even if the remake is a really good movie, remakes are never better than the original". i saw the ring when it came and it is a good movie. but my japanese friend/tutor from college told me that it was a japanese movie. so i went out and bought a region-free dvd player and the u.k. release of the movie. the original is alot better than the american version (i saw the u.s. version first and i have no complaints about the movie).

my mentality is to get ppl to quit complaining about subtitles and at least watch the original version once. i remember when me and my friends went to see crouching tiger hidden dragon, we didn't know that it was subtitled. all my friends did was complain about it being in chinese and saying that they gave up reading after 5 minutes. i read all the subtitles for the entire movie (this was my first time watching a subtitle movie and i was anti-subtitle or subtitle-phobic before this). reading a subtitled movie won't kill anybody.

after this, i asked one of the ppl (who said that he gave up reading the subtitles of this movie) if foreigners watch american movies in theaters (i know that the dvd version gets dubbed) subbed or dubbed overseas (his parents are military and were stationed in europe and asia when he was younger). he said that they are subtitled, that he used to watch them all the time overseas in the theaters and that he ignored the subtitles since he obviously understands english. so, ppl in europe and asia have no problems watching a subtitled movies but americans act like they are going to die if they are forced to read a movie (my boss likes so say that they probably have poor reading skills. she also teaches at the local university here in town. she talks about students who she gave a reading test to so that she could help them improve their reading skills and pass her class; but that they really have no hope because they are at the reading level of a 5th grader or lower. no b.s.).

so, it is nothing against against the remakes. it is more about ppl being more tolerant to foreign movies and releasing them on the big screen for us to watch; not always remaking the movie or dubbing the movie for us (they change the plot, character's lines, ect whenever it is dubbed. just watch ghost in the shell or kung fu hustle subbed and then dubbed and you'll see what i mean. akira is the same in the subbed and dubbed version). as i said, it's nothing against the remakes. some of us just want to see a foreign movie on a theater's big screen sometimes. the few that they do show are few and very far inbetween (and if you don't live in one of the top 5 major markets then they may decide to skip my city, which is in the top 10, not top 5).

but i still stand by my nuclear bomb analogy. i hate it when hollywood takes a movie and "americanize" it for us. just educate ppl on other countries history and just don't focus on greek, roman, american history (and any history not involving these 3 parties is not important). korea borrowed the idea of american pie and they came up with sex is zero. but sex is zero is not an american pie remake (it may not be an american pie influenced movie but when my friend came home from his trip there and showed us the non-subtitled vcd, that is how he described the movie. good thing he translated the movie for us [he thought the he had bought the dvd version, not the vcd version]). also, my other friend showed me the korean movie city of violence and said that the idea came from kill bill (it even uses the same music from kill bill). but it is not a remake of kill bill, it is an original story. not everything that hollywood borrows from others has to be a remake (stars wars is a good example of lucus borrowing the idea of samurais, turning them into jedi and making an original movie. just look at yoda, he speaks in subject-object-verb sentence order [i think, i haven't seen the movie in awhile]).

Not a big fan of capital letters eh? It's not hard, just hold down the shift key. I know you can do it because you use () quite a lot

[DJ Loe Kee]

Not a big fan of capital letters eh? It's not hard, just hold down the shift key. I know you can do it because you use () quite a lot

It's a habit/shortcut that I pick up for when I type up comments online. My non-use of capital letters doesn't flow over to my typing of documents for work.

just for you.

^There are plenty of American remakes that are classics. Samurai 7/Magnificent 7 and Infernal Affairs/The Departed are examples (I haven't seen The Departed, Samurai 7 or Magnificent 7 but I'm going off of other people's reviews of them). I'm more into getting Americans to watch more subtitled movies.

I remember when my friend told me that Point of No Return is a remake of La Femme Nikita. I've had Point of No Return on my "to watch" list for a while now (I have lots of movies on my "to watch" list that my parents didn't let me watch when I was younger). But after he told me that, I was like "I'd rather see the original. Even if the remake is a really good movie, remakes are never better than the original". I saw The Ring when it came and it is a good movie. But my Japanese friend/tutor from college told me that it was a Japanese movie. So i went out and bought a region-free dvd player and the U.K. release of the movie. The original is alot better than the American version (I saw the U.S. version first and I have no complaints about the movie).

My mentality is to get ppl to quit complaining about subtitles and at least watch the original version once. I remember when me and my friends went to see Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, we didn't know that it was subtitled. All my friends did was complain about it being in Chinese and saying that they gave up reading after 5 minutes. I read all the subtitles for the entire movie (this was my first time watching a subtitle movie and I was anti-subtitle or subtitle-phobic before this). Reading a subtitled movie won't kill anybody.

After this, I asked one of the ppl (who said that he gave up reading the subtitles of this movie) if foreigners watch American movies in theaters (I know that the dvd version gets dubbed) subbed or dubbed overseas (his parents are military and were stationed in Europe and Asia when he was younger). He said that they are subtitled, that he used to watch them all the time overseas in the theaters and that he ignored the subtitles since he obviously understands English. So, ppl in Europe and Asia have no problems watching a subtitled movies but Americans act like they are going to die if they are forced to read a movie (my boss likes so say that they probably have poor reading skills. She also teaches at the local university here in town. She talks about students who she gave a reading test to so that she could help them improve their reading skills and pass her class; but that they really have no hope because they are at the reading level of a 5th grader or lower. No b.s.).

So, it is nothing against against the remakes. It is more about ppl being more tolerant to foreign movies and releasing them on the big screen for us to watch; not always remaking the movie or dubbing the movie for us (they change the plot, character's lines, ect whenever it is dubbed. just watch Ghost In the Shell or Kung Fu Hustle subbed and then dubbed and you'll see what i mean. Akira is the same in the subbed and dubbed version). As I said, it's nothing against the remakes. Some of us just want to see a foreign movie on a theater's big screen sometimes. The few that they do show are few and very far inbetween (and if you don't live in one of the top 5 major markets then they may decide to skip my city, which is in the top 10, not top 5).

But I still stand by my nuclear bomb analogy. I hate it when Hollywood takes a movie and "Americanize" it for us. Just educate ppl on other countries history and just don't focus on Greek, Roman, American history (and any history not involving these 3 parties is not important). Korea borrowed the idea of American Pie and they came up with Sex Is Zero. but Sex Is Zero is not an American Pie remake (it may not be an American Pie influenced movie but when my friend came home from his trip there and showed us the non-subtitled vcd, that is how he described the movie. Good thing he translated the movie for us [he thought the he had bought the dvd version, not the vcd version]). Also, my other friend showed me the Korean movie City of Violence and said that the idea came from Kill Bill (it even uses the same music from Kill Bill). But it is not a remake of Kill Bill, it is an original story. Not everything that Hollywood borrows from others has to be a remake (Stars Wars is a good example of Lucus borrowing the idea of samurais, turning them into jedi and making an original movie. Just look at Yoda, he speaks in subject-object-verb sentence order [i think, I haven't seen the movie in awhile]).

Edited June 16, 2009 by DJ Loe Kee

[Einherjar]

http://www.collider.com/2009/09/07/exclusi...a-movie-update/

Edited September 8, 2009 by Einherjar

[EXO]

big deal... AKIRA, though the animation was incredible, was super boring... it wouldn't break my heart if they made a movie and if it sucked.

[eugimon]

Maybe you are right about that, but people can be funny about protecting their culture. In fact some people can be deadly when it comes to protecting their culture. So these debates and arguments are minor by comparison.

The thing is, a lot of the people who are most vocal and vehemently against western remakes of Asian cinema aren't Asian and don't know poo about the culture except whatever they've gleaned off of watching Neon Genesis Evangelion and Naruto. They're not trying to protect Japanese culture, they're trying to protect their little band of japan-o-philes who wear all black and sit in the aisles at their local Borders and read manga all day at the expense of some basic personal hygiene. Kind of like those fans of bands who feel betrayed when their pet band becomes popular and attracts new fans.

I still remember a class I took at college that was supposed to teach us to be culturally sensitive and there was this kid who one day proclaimed how the japanese had "sold out" because they used microwaves and wore suits and ties. When I read comments like, "not in japan = EPIC FAIL" I just have a vision of that kid.

Yeah, most hollywood adaptations suck, most hollywood movies suck anyways. But there's always the chance it will be done right... I'd rather be hopeful that a story I like will be told with a new level of nuance and insight.

Edited September 8, 2009 by eugimon

[Flaming Guantlet]

There was going to be live adaption to Akira? Oh well life goes on.

[Macross007]

http://www.collider.com/2009/09/07/exclusi...a-movie-update/

Confirmed : I hate IGN.

[kaiotheforsaken]

While I'm not a giant fan of live action cross overs or even Akira, I do see a place for these live action adaptations. There are many people, at least here in the US that pass over anime (be it films or series) simply because it's an animated show. So done right, I think that these types of live action projects could be real advantageous to exposing more people to the originals. Sadly most are a half assed attempt to cash in on current fans of a given IP.

[Einherjar]

To me, so far the only person who's really capable of doing it is Kanye West.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z42PCmaeeEk

[taksraven]

Get the defibrillator out. This thread and this film project seems far from absolutely dead yet. Zac Effron as (altogether now) KAAAAAAA-NAYYYYYYYYYYY-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!?? Morgan Freeman as the Colonel?? Do we care?? Do we want to see this film?? Will it ever emerge from development hell??

There are some murmurings though, so who knows.....

Taksraven

[Funkenstein]

Justin Bieber as Akira.

[electric indigo]

There are some murmurings though, so who knows.....

I'm actually more annoyed by the "Oldboy" remake.

[miles316]

The one thing I hate about Foreign films is you are watching them with Subtitles and some times the dam things are in White. I was watching one the other day on netflix which was from France and the entire film the subtitles were white, and every time they were out side or their was white in the back ground it would wash out the subtitles, I could not understand the half the movie.

Has any one seen the Vampire film "let me in" I watched the original Swedish version "Let the Right one in" how different are they?

Edited November 15, 2010 by miles316

[Noriko Takaya]

The one thing I hate about Foreign films is you are watching them with Subtitles and some times the dam things are in White. I was watching one the other day on netflix which was from France and the entire film the subtitles were white, and every time they were out side or their was white in the back ground it would wash out the subtitles, I could not understand the half the movie.

Has any one seen the Vampire film "let me in" I watched the original Swedish version "Let the Right one in" how different are they?

Talk about going totally off topic with that reply...

Edited November 15, 2010 by Noriko Takaya

[peter]

Get the defibrillator out. This thread and this film project seems far from absolutely dead yet. Zac Effron as (altogether now) KAAAAAAA-NAYYYYYYYYYYY-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!?? Morgan Freeman as the Colonel?? Do we care?? Do we want to see this film?? Will it ever emerge from development hell??

There are some murmurings though, so who knows.....

Taksraven

WTF.......I suppose Akira will be changed to Billy-Bob Jr. This is a disaster.

[SilentCrossHairs]

Of course the live action version will be garbage. So why even bother wasting your money. Unless Hollywood is going to make it 3D of course. Anime is not meant to be a live action movie. That’s why it is "Anime". Hollywood is running out of ideas which are very sad. Hollywood really should stop ruining foreign titles. Let’s see Fist of the North star, garbage. Dragon Ball Z……. garbage. Stealth…….Oh yeah that was taken from Macross Plus well that was garbage. The list keeps going on. Hollywood eats anime and puke it back up so we the customers can pay for it. I will do my part and not give them my hard earned money.

[505thAirborne]

There is only one AKIRA film and that is the Anime classic from 1988. Anything else is a bastard offspring of crap as so far no movie based or even remotely based on an Anime/Manga series from Hollywood has equaled quality or enjoyment. AKIRA & EVANGELION need to stay far away from Hollyweird!!

Hollywood can have RT, I don't care about that one!!

[Guest sh002]

haha now evertime i can imagine justin bieber with black hair and red leather jacket as live action kaneda

[Ghost Train]

haha now evertime i can imagine justin bieber with black hair and red leather jacket as live action kaneda

Other members of the short list include Daniel Radcliffe and Robert Pattinson.

[EXO]

EXCLUSIVE: The script for the Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures live action adaptation of anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo’s 6-volume graphic novel Akira has been sent to a short list of actors. The picture is finally taking shape for an August start, following the delivery of a rewrite by Steve Kloves that has director Albert Hughes and the studio brass excited. The story takes place in the rebuilt New Manhattan where a leader of a biker gang saves his friend from a medical experiment. There are two major roles, and I'm told that for Tetsuo, Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy have been given the new script. For the role of Kaneda, the script has been given to Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix. The two leads are expected to come from that group of actors.

Andrew Lazar is producing with Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran. Akira has been one of Warner Bros' high priority projects since the studio with Legendary Pictures acquired it for a 7-figure sum 2 years ago from manga publisher Kodansha. The intention has been to make 2 films, each covering 3 books in the series. Akira was first adapted for the screen in 1988.

[Einherjar]

Robert Pattinson is too pretty and emo for Tetsuo. Whoever wrote the script knows the two leads are supposed to be punk bikers, right?

[Chewie]

.

Edited March 22, 2011 by Chewie

[Kanedas Bike]

Thanks for ruining Tuesday >EXO<.

-b.

[Gui]

You know his avy talks very clearly...

[Kanedas Bike]

You know his avy talks very clearly...

LOL - right.

-b.

[chrisk]

I think they already settle for Robert Pattinson... and to think, someone once suggested Justin Bieber. So close!

Edited March 23, 2011 by chrisk

[Shaorin]

<!--quoteo(post=761070:date=Jun 16 2009, 11:10 AM:name=Macross007)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Macross007 @ Jun 16 2009, 11:10 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=761070"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Strange considering the fact he mentioned that "'Ghost in the Shell' is one of his favorite stories" ...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Guys like Spielberg will namecheck LOTS of stuff and compliment it, and I suspect that they often have not seen what they are talking about. Guys like Spielberg should be smart enough to know that the original is fine and does not need stuffing around with. I hate the mentatility that a lot of people have that anime or animated work in general does not get real "legitimacy" until it becomes live action.

Taksraven

ah, the classic, All-American "it's a Cartoon, a disposable product for kiddies, and not to be taken seriously" wiewpoint.

no matter how damned hard U.S. Anime fans work to gain ground for Anime as a legitimate Audio-Visual art form,

few outside the core fanbase will ever see or accept it as such. cultural perceptions are just too damned strong.

i fear that the Great U.S. Anime Boom of the first five/seven years of the 21st century

will likely be the closest Anime will ever come to gaining it's rightful place

in the mainstream U.S. video-entertainment industry...

Edited March 23, 2011 by Shaorin

[PetarB]

If Robert Pattinson hadn't been in Eclipse, you know I would have thought perhaps he might bring something to this, his name is just tainted now. Never the less, Akira has always been inextricably linked to Tokyo for me. I can't understand how they can transplant it without ripping out its heart. It is NOT a western story. Putting it in NY just shows zero respect for the story.