Akira Live Action 2011 – Hollywood Style!

People are worried about Akira being translated to an American audience in a live action epic. Well fear not true believers! We get a peek at just how the candy coated Hollywood Machine will make this movie apply to your weak willed anti creative thinking marshmallow minds!

The original anime holds up, I see no need for them to “Americanize it”, and my nightmares about it usually look like that funny clip. If they could stay true to the story and just make it exactly the same, but live action (and major effects studio behind them), then it will be made of awesome.

Now if the people hoping to do this adaptation can watch this video and then DON’T do anything that happens in it we will be alright!

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50 thoughts on “Akira Live Action 2011 – Hollywood Style!

  1. My ranking for Live Akira: -32.It’s one thing to “Americanize”this movie,but to exclude Japanese for this movie? Oh no, that isn’t going to work.

    Akira is a Japanese themed movie. How can you just botch that up? Even if it’s in being filmed in the United States, it still look like they would have some Japanese-Americans in this movie. The book doesn’t read like that.No matter how Americanized this movie, there is no away around taking away the cultural aspects of it. You just cannot do that.With Akira, Hollywood should have let well enough alone.

  2. OHHHHHHHHH come on hollywood f’s up about 65% of the movies they produce, what’s the chance they can make a 1/2 way decent live action adaptation of a japanese anime, that was itself only a 1/2 way decent adaptation of a japanese graphic novel…

    my bets on slim 2 nil.

  3. I hope they do not hold back on this movie. It be real cool is scene from scene is done exactly like the animie! They did it with Watchmen so please dont fuck this movie up and make it like a gung ho US pride and glory spirit movie with a pg rating. Make this movie the violent epic. The movie will make money for sure if it is rated R. original soundtrack !!!!!!!!

  4. I think to convert this into an American live action film it should be spread out over more than one film, offer something the anime didn’t aka follow the comic books more precisely, and understand how to interest the American public who are not fanboys, without losing the R rating, without product placement.

    I think they should leave the anime alone, and pursue a more accurate portrayal of the comic book, because for my praise it can’t just be a rehash of something already close to perfection. But, you know it wouldn’t shock me if it were pg-13 and glossed over violence like I Am Legend.

  5. Ok, no need to change the name because sure, the kid AKIRA could have been a Japanese boy, and from what I read when New York was destroyed the Japanese helped to rebuild so it wouldn’t be unrealistic that many Japanese live there and white people could share Japanese names. E.g, Tetsuo, Kaneda?

    And if they realize the scale of the movie and don’t take it like a joke like what they did to Speedracer. Get a real director who cares about vision and making a good film then the American AKIRA could be an amazing movie

  6. Akira is the Japanese name for Bob? Interesting.

    Oops. No it isnt. It means Intelligent or Clear. Where as Bob (Derived from Robert) means Fame.

    Besides, you only assume that it will have all american actors. There are Japanese people in America.

  7. As commented before… since they’re changing up the Japanese format and throwing in a crowd of America actors, they might as well change the name to a more American name…

    I can see the marquis now…

    OPENING TONIGHT, THE AMERICANIZED VERSION OF THE CELEBRATED GRAPHIC NOVEL AND BELOVED ANIME CLASSIC AKIRA, TONIGHT WE BRING YOU…..

    BOB

  8. Hmm. I guess I figured that they weren’t going to Americanize it…How naive of me. Why wouldn’t they keep the Japanese names and whatnot? It takes place in Tokyo… =*( I can only hope I guess. *hopehopehope*

  9. OMG, I just saw this clip on Youtube and did a tripletake. First, I was like, “Oh noooooooooo! NO REMAKE!!” Then I actually watched it and I said to myself, “Thank goodness this is a joke. I almost had an aneurism.” Then I found out that this is the spoof of something that’s actually supposed to happen, starring Leo DeCaprio and now I’m back to, “Nooooooooooooo.”

    Well, it has to be done. I’m not so sure I want to survive to see it though.

    ((laughing and shaking head))

    BTW I read the comic books because I was so very impressed with the film, which I managed to see on the big screen. I’m not 100% sure, but I’m pretty sure that more plot was added to the books after the movie came out and was successful. Anyone who doesn’t have trouble following the movie’s plot must have a friend who bothered to read the books. The books make it a lot clearer.

    Also, call me crazy for drawing such a wide association, but I consider this to be the same film as Blade Runner ONLY MUCH BETTER. (The key is in Die Blechtrommel – Gunter Grass. Was it deliberate? No, it was unconscious, and Akira is MUCH better. Or at least was until 2011 LOLz.)

    =end of rant=

  10. It could work, but something about “Kanedaaa!!!”….”Tetsuooo!!!” replaced with “George!!!”….”Larry!!!” or something like that doesn’t sit well with me. I hope to god they include Kaneda’s badass red bike as opposed to a futuristic harley or something.

  11. Akira still holds up. I honestly don’t know where all your negativity comes from Eric. Better than half of the anime today doesnt even try to get to the quality that Akira is at, and tells less of story to cater to 12 year olds with their Naruto and various Poke-themed shows.

  12. I understand that Akira was kind of a big deal when it came out. But that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most over hyped, over rated, steaming lump of dog shit today. It needs a remake, along with a very major rewrite.

  13. I understood Akira after a single viewing. I have never heard that criticism of the film. I don’t understand how you think “dumbing it down” is a positive just because you couldn’t keep up.

  14. Well the only positice of an Americanisation of this film is that it will get dumbed down and you will only have to watch it once to understand what is going on.

  15. I wonder how noble you will be within this film industry when someone offers you a sweet paycheque to be involved in a remake or adaptation.

    There is a line between can and should, and in Hollywood that line is made of money.

    The problem isnt Hollywood trying to benefit from someone’s success (cuz they have to pay that someone just for the rights to do it) it is your perception that films are made for “meaning” and “purpose”

    Its entertainment, and its cash. You get entertained, they make money. If people didnt go to remakes, Hollywood wouldn’t make them.

  16. Hollywood, the childhood killer.

    I have been working in the film industry for nearly 3 three years now and i have seen my fair share of adaptations and remakes, but it still saddens me when i hear news like this.

    Why is there this need to milk an idea for all its worth? Theres no way a live action film can capture the power and spirit that the original AKIRA had (or any other source material for that matter) and still be relevant today as it was when it was released.

    Hollywood executives, stop trying to capitalize on other peoples success. It’s starting to look really pathetic when the only movies i see on the summer schedules are adaptations and sequels.

    1. I’m not sure if you are aware of the hypocracy of complaining about the adaptation of a animated movie that was adapted poorly from a manga. For people read the series first and were dissapointed by the movie, this is the last chance to see it become something that the original movie didn’t aproach.

      Another thing, does the race of the actors really matter? what does that have to do with character developement and relationships? I didn’t hear anyone complaining about the actors race in the Hollywood adaptation of Godzilla. Just sit back, let this movie be its own movie without having to fulfill nostalgic purposes for those of us who enjoyed the original.

      1. Race obviously DOES matter when 99% of the all-American, good-guy protagonist roles are played by white people. Large production movie roles are not given to the best actors, but to actors Hollywood executives believe are marketable (read: white).

        Hollywood racism is defined by exclusion. If race didn’t matter why doesn’t Hollywood cast white people to play stereotypical Asian roles like the Korean grocery store owners, Chinese gangsters, and no speaky English nerds?

  17. Just like the discussion about how any actor can be replaced for the same role, I dont see why this HAS to be set in Japan with Japanese actors. I dont think that will guarantee its success. It will still be as good or bad a movie with other cultures represented.

    Departed showed us that you can take a movie set in another culture and transplant it to the US and still succeed. Making this an Asian movie with Asian actors and taking place in Asia won’t change anything. It is still being remade by Hollywood, and though they don’t have a great track record with transplants, it can happen.

  18. I don’t think the problem is that it’s being re-told by Americans, I do, however, think that product-placement and stupid cultural-updates (hip-hop, stupid teen issues) are inevitable, which is why in the end, this should only be done by Asians! >.< I must go throw up now.

  19. i think japanese actors should be used because the manga and anime took place in japan with japanses people……so i assume if its still in japan one would use people from, i dont know, japan? but i am growing tired of all these hollywood remakes of franchises i grew up loving…..cant they just let well enough alone……akira was the 1st anime i remember seeing, that and 8th man after, and it pains me to see it being remades (ie changed) just to make money…..

  20. I don’t have a good feeling about this. I think that Akira could be an excellent live action movie, but I have little faith in Hollywood. If it looks anything like the animation or magna I’ll be surprised.

  21. The original took place in Japan, I’m sure the live action movie itself will have a different name and all the characters will be named different as well. The setting will most likely be something like Neo New York.

  22. I wish these anime movies were coming out sooner. I don’t think I can stand listening to fans complain about them for 3 years before we finally see some trailers. With so many projects on the slate, odds are that a couple of them will be good. It’s not like video games since we’re talking about adapting things that are already movies.

  23. This is going to Rock, I can’t wait to see how they do the last half hour of the movie in live action. BTW, has anyone ever synched up Akira to the Pink Floyd Albumn, “Wish You Were Here”. You will thank me later.

  24. Sounds like Shadopup is making assumptions again. And you tried those accusations before and they didn’t stick then, so why would it mean anything now.

    And they dont make an effort NOT to cast Asians, they simply make an effort to cast appropriate people in appropriate roles.

    Like finding a decent actor to play an alien? Doesnt matter what ethnicity he is regardless of the locale of the story.

    And I agree that the boy in Akira should be an Asian kid. Makes sense since he was actually an Asian in the movie and really didnt have that big of a part aside from looking all victimized. Otherwise they might call the secret project Akira instead. Doesn’t really matter.

  25. Sounds like Rodney is against Asians being cast in Asian movie properties…because you know all those darn Asians are stealing the oh so few acting roles available for Caucasians in Hollywood.

    Anyway, never seen Akira, don’t really care about it. I expect that any Hollywood remake will make the extra effort to not cast any Asians in any significant roles except stereotypical ones.

  26. @Broly And Valkyrie is a Norse mythology name, so I guess they shouldn’t have used it for that World War 2 German movie either??

    I know a white guy who’s nickname is Kuma, a Japanese word for Bear. Guess that is wrong now?

    Akira is the name of the young boy test subject in the movie, so provided he is a Japanese kid, there is no reason not to name the whole movie that.

  27. i heard that they were making 2 movies based on the 6-part MANGA (thats superior to the anime) and not the film. the first on 1-3 and the second on 4-6.

    i dont think that hollywood understands the true scale of doing something like this. its on the level of LOTR in size because if they did a “Zack Synder” and followed the manga religiously both movies would be 25 hours long (at least). what theyl probably do is trim it down and fuck it up.

  28. … and why do the actors have to be Japanese??

    I don’t think they have to be Japanese at all if the story is solid and sticks to the material. We all know they can hit the look if they try, but they don’t have to have Japanese actors to make it good. Anyone can play those roles.

  29. i personally think this movie could be made awesome….its not like anime fanboys are the only ones who no about akira….but i too agree hollywood tends to ruing used material.

  30. lol…that was great….the music, the talking bike, “and the proms tomorrow”, and the black guy…..well at least we know it cant be any worse than that…can it

  31. Here’s one problem I found with the anime: it just wasn’t that good. Sure, the animation was groundbreaking but the story was so convoluted. The graphic novel, on the other hand, is absolutely superb. In fact, the manga is so complex that the movie wasn’t even an entire adaptation (it only adapted the first 2/3 of the manga). If they should adapt anything “Akira,” it should be the manga not the anime.

    1. It’s funny to see how Anime loyalists get all indignant, now you know how it feels to read the original series and then see the animated movie. The didn’t even get in the part with the moon, it wasn’t just dissapointing, it was sad. Good movie otherwise.

  32. Maybe Zack Snyder will do us another favor, and dive in front of this one, and do a frame by frame remake of the anime… down to the exact colors… with an almost all Japanese cast…

    1. Even then I have a feeling it wouldn’t compare to the original. The anime had a particular aesthetic that couldn’t be replicated in live-action: somehow real life isn’t that colourful.

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