Live-Action Anime Remakes Might Get A Major Hollywood Revival
What if, brace yourself, more of them were good?
Anime and manga are the final frontier of intellectual property. Both mediums have some of the largest and most loyal fan bases around, making the quest to adapt their favorite stories into live-action an irresistible pursuit. But while there’s been a recent boom in live-action adaptations of anime and manga, the endeavor hasn’t produced many winners.
Streamers like Netflix have had the most success, with shows like One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender separating the wheat from the chaff. But a truly good remake is hard to find. Even Hollywood’s more successful adaptations feel like they have something missing, a magic left behind in the process of adapting an animated story for live-action. That hasn’t stopped major studios from trying, but with Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao joining the effort, this subgenre could actually be moving in the right direction.
Zhao, a lifelong anime fan, is teaming up with producing partner Nicolas Gonda to open Kodansha Studios, which is dedicated to developing “premium, live-action movies and television series” based on manga. Zhao and Gonda have struck an exclusive deal with the Japanese publisher Kodansha, known for producing hit manga like Attack on Titan. Per Deadline, their studio will “connect international filmmakers with renowned Japanese manga authors, developing and packaging premium adaptations.”
Zhao’s new studio will connect manga artists with movie studios.
“I grew up reading and drawing Manga,” said Zhao in a statement. “I love being a part of the fandoms and I feel a deep sense of belonging with people around the world who share their love for these characters and stories. Kodansha has an unparalleled library of manga and novels cultivated by master storytellers just waiting to be brought to life onscreen. By connecting these brilliant authors with their filmmaker counterparts internationally, we can empower both parties while driving a wave of exceptional storytelling for audiences all over the world.”
Empowering manga authors with direct deals could be a huge boon. Manga is frequently produced under crushing deadlines, and when creators’ projects are adapted, they’re not always involved in the deal. Kodansha looks to replicate the partnership between Netflix and One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, who serves as an executive producer and creative consultant on the streamer’s live-action remake.
Such a deal isn’t the norm, but Zhao and Gonda’s efforts could make it so. There’s work to be done, but for an industry that’s struggled with consistency and quality, this could be the start of making live-action anime and manga adaptations — and making them well — the start of a better investment for studios.
