Anime/Manga That Would Work Well In Live-Action?

[Ikari]

I think FMA would work as a big budget TV show, but not as a movie. It is way too storyline intensive and huge cast for that.
Berserk might work as a series of movies (say a trilogy or quadrilogy), with significant rework on the story. As a show, it has too many child characters whose actors would age too quickly.

[Panic]

Samurai Champloo could work, though I don't know how much the art style makes the show - but I guess that goes for any anime.

Baccano! Could be fun.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Digimon could work as a Harry Potter/Stranger Things style franchise. Creating a new cast and watching them grow up could be pretty fun.

[ChrisIII]

We've seen that Alita, Rurouni Kenshin, Gintama, and Edge of Tomorrow work, so I'm not opposed to any source being adapted to live action, not even American adaptions.

I find it interesting that Death Note never had one success, this has potential to be utilized properly into liveaction TV.

This series took cues from the Incredible Hulk from 1978, which took cues from Le Miserables for Jack McGee and David Banner relationship. So I can see it work.


I agree with Fullmetal Alchemist, but that because the plot has too many intricacies that cannot be covered properly in film format. If you think magic and super abilities are difficult to adapt then they probably are to the Japanese, but Hollywood movies shown us they have people that can work wonders in such areas.

MHA can work easier than Fullmetal Alchemist, it still has intricacies that will limit a movie unfavorably, but it has a better chance at working.

Didn't the Fugitive and Kimble/Gerard also play a part? Although I'm guessing that could've been inspired by Les Mis as well.

[Alan2099]

Cowboy Bebop might, but we're still waiting on that.... (Netflix has been filming a live action series but it's had numerous delays due to injuries and of course covid)

It certainly can work. Whether it will or not is what we're going to have to wait and see on.

Lupin 3rd could make for a good live action movie.

I can also see Highschool of the Dead working well. They'd have to tone down the bounce just a little, but there's no reason they can't have a movie will with scantily clad girls and zombies.

[Speed Force League Unlimited]

Movies are not TV shows. If you want a better comparison, you should probably look at the Arrowverse. Even then, I'd still be worried.

Didn't the OP ask about both film and serialized formats? I focused on the film format because of that.

Don't forget tom hanks version nod to lone wolf and cub.

It's a comic paying homage to samurai by using gangsters, so right now my mind is playing a mental block to the idea while at the same time I find your comment to be a reasonable one. I wonder how the films are.

Didn't the Fugitive and Kimble/Gerard also play a part? Although I'm guessing that could've been inspired by Les Mis as well.

I don't know about the Fugitive, it's possible. The Magnificent Steiner plot element and Tenma's duffel are too similar to that Hulk show for me to think of anything else.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Yu Yu Hakusho got tapped for a live action adaptation.
https://japantoday.com/category/ente...-yu-yu-hakusho

Netflix lost my trust with Death Note but I'm hopeful they can pull it off.

I think it work as a tv show. Its not very long so you can see it lasting a few seasons.

[PCN24454]

Animation gets absolutely no respect.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Korean webtoon adaptations prove that Romance, Comedy, Slice of life and Thriller are the easiest genres to make in live action

Animation gets absolutely no respect.

Live-Action Adaptations don't cancel out Animated adaptations. It's like saying Batman video games dismiss the Dark Knight movies.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Yu Yu Hakusho got tapped for a live action adaptation.
https://japantoday.com/category/ente...-yu-yu-hakusho

Netflix lost my trust with Death Note but I'm hopeful they can pull it off.

I think it work as a tv show. Its not very long so you can see it lasting a few seasons.

Netflix Japan and Netflix NA are different. Netflix Japan has had some good adaptations like Alice in Borderland.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Netflix Japan and Netflix NA are different. Netflix Japan has had some good adaptations like Alice in Borderland.

Yu Yu Hakusho is one of my all time favorite 90’s manga/anime. Such a stylish show, I hope they can pull it off

[Vakanai]

Netflix Japan and Netflix NA are different. Netflix Japan has had some good adaptations like Alice in Borderland.

Is the live action Netflix Japan stuff subbed/dubbed and made available in Netflix NA usually?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Netflix showed a live action version of Kakegurui (Compulsive Gambler), it was decent, but couldn't match the manic, often over the top nature of the anime.

[Somecrazyaussie]

Hellsing
Trigun
Star Blazers
Any of the Gundams.
Gungrave

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Back in the day, I enjoyed the Japanese live action films for Death Note. I'm surprised the American take was such a mess.

The Japanese films attempted to do a few spinoff. One was a L centered story and another was a sequel to the series taking place ten years later. So I think the American series would've benefited more from being a spinoff than a straightforward adaptation.

This YouTube video explores that idea further.