Live Action Movie: Akira

[Sapphire]

Casting now underway for Leonardo DiCaprio produced 'Akira' Starring Kristen Stewart:


http://puu.sh/9Ltr
http://puu.sh/9LtN

http://www.acting-auditions.org/2011/11/casting-now-underway-for-leo-dicaprio.html

[Animeniax]

Dammit as soon as I saw the thread title I thought, "what white actors will be cast in this movie?" So will this movie take place in Neo New York or Neo L.A.?

Btw, Akira will be played by the guy who played Tron in the terrible Tron II movie.

[darkshadow]

Bruce boxleitner is gonna play akira? Or do you mean anis cheurfa?

[Carnage]

I cant wait to see how bad this movie will be.

[Sapphire]

The Tron guy was good, and it has the Japanese Inception guy.

[rockmanj]

I have the same feelings as this guy: http://www.angryzenmaster.com/2011/10/20/live-action-steve-movie-could-begin-filming-in-february/. They might as well call this movie Steve. The Akira story has always seemed uniquely Japanese to me, and whitewashing the film just adds insult to injury. More of that "American audiences only want to see white people star in movies" crap. I hope it flops.

[Sapphire]

Wouldn't it be weird to set it in Japan with mostly American actors? :o

[rockmanj]

Wouldn't it be weird to set it in Japan with mostly American actors? :o

I am sure they could find enough Asian (japanese) or Asian-American actors if they really tried. It just doesn't seem right. I think to even approach the sort of impact that the original stories had, they would have to do some bold 9/11 type thing. I don't know, whatever this is, it is not Akira to me.

And @Ani- it will be set in "Neo Manhattan" *GROAN

[Animeniax]

I hear they're using the same Japanese names in the movie, but with white actors.

Oh, and here are some changes to the story:
if-this-leaked-script-is-to-be-believed-even-naming-it-steve-wont-save-akira/ (http://www.angryzenmaster.com/2011/04/08/if-this-leaked-script-is-to-be-believed-even-naming-it-steve-wont-save-akira/)

[rockmanj]

Yes, that is correct. You more I hear about it, the more I makes me grind my teeth.

[Animeniax]

I'm going to watch Akira on my big screen TV this weekend in homage to the original movie.

[Y]

I don't have any opposition, in principle, to making an Americanized Akria. A lot of the themes of postindustrial collapse can be reflected in the modern day American culture. That being said, I still need to see footage before I have any faith in this project either existing or turning out to be a quality film.

[Shadow Skill]

So this is essentially Dragon Ball Evolution part 1.5 :P

Ya... it's definately going to be a disaster as large as Dragon Ball Evolution.

SERIOUSLY?!?! Kristen Stewart?!?! Can't they find a real actress?

[rockmanj]

So this is essentially Dragon Ball Evolution part 1.5 :P

Ya... it's definately going to be a disaster as large as Dragon Ball Evolution.

SERIOUSLY?!?! Kristen Stewart?!?! Can't they find a real actress?

I am guessing they want to cash in on her twilight buzz.

[Sapphire]

Wow does it seriously make a difference to you guys if all the actors in this movie are Japanese/Asian?

That mentality is no different from Japan/China/Taiwan flipping out when they hired a Chinese woman for Memoirs of a Geisha, or my old anime club that nearly crucified me for not immediately agreeing to illegally download Avatar rather than see in theatres because 'not enuf aznz'. I've never seen the amount of outrage over not enough 'x' race in a movie than I do with movies adapted from somewhere in Asia.

People really love raging over 'race mixing' of any sort from their own perceived concept of the 'original right race' movies. Nothing is good enough.

I find the weird self-deprecating OMG WESTERN AND WHITE PEOPLE SUCK THIS IS GOING TO BE SHIT UGH WHITEWASHED, UGH AMERICA default mental state a little bit :(. Weird. Hold out until the trailer guys! :p

That said, they barely started casting for this movie, so I'll hold out until I see the trailer. Japanese Inception guy and Teen Tron guy in it so maybe it's worth seeing.


I don't have any opposition, in principle, to making an Americanized Akria. A lot of the themes of postindustrial collapse can be reflected in the modern day American culture. That being said, I still need to see footage before I have any faith in this project either existing or turning out to be a quality film.


This.

[shinta|hikari]

Why did they keep the names? Is it not weird how the names are Japanese if the actors are not? They should have just adapted the plot and theme of Akira and renamed it into something else.

[Animeniax]

That's because you're only a casual fan of Asian culture/anime, Sapphire.

Look at it this way, imagine if they remade Roots with white actors, but kept the African names and slavery back story. How would you feel about that mini-series?

[Sapphire]

That's because you're only a casual fan of Asian culture/anime, Sapphire.

Look at it this way, imagine if they remade Roots with white actors, but kept the African names and slavery back story. How would you feel about that mini-series?

I obviously wouldn't care. Or maybe even find it amusing.

lol It's a wonder that we've been talking on this forum for 5 years, and still you stay stupid shit about me all the time.

(Edit: I wouldn't appreciate it if anyone was trying to ridicule Amistad/Roots, though. Slavery is serious so it depends on the hypothetical production in question.)
-

Anime/Japanese L-A productions have a cast of all one race because the people who make the stuff are from a homogeneous society. To take it so literally and say OMG THE PURPOSE OF THE STORY IS THAT THEY'RE ALL ASIAN, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, YOU NEED ASIAN is a little odd to me. In fact I believe it is only intentionally significant to the story if they purposely emphasize that there are separate races/looks.

If the race of the cast from the Asian TV side were not initially homogenous, and intentionally had various races and certain looks, I would probably pay more attention to the integrity of the looks/race of the actors. But even then, I know you can only go so far. So at that point if they actually kept that sort of heterogeneous integrity, I would see it as a very nice perk, just like the casting in most British TV (see below).

As a side-note, British TV has some of the most racially diverse productions I've ever seen. As long as you're good, you get the part (even if you're BUTT ugly). I quite like that.

[rockmanj]

That's because you're only a casual fan of Asian culture/anime, Sapphire.

Look at it this way, imagine if they remade Roots with white actors, but kept the African names and slavery back story. How would you feel about that mini-series?


Why did they keep the names? Is it not weird how the names are Japanese if the actors are not? They should have just adapted the plot and theme of Akira and renamed it into something else.

That was the analogy I was thinking. And yes, it is ridiculous that they retained the names, yet are casting white people. It is pretty blatant whitewashing, probably because the producers figure that Americans would not flock in droves to see a movie about a bunch of Asian kids (although apparently, they are making everyone adults [ugh]). Maybe it was based on ability, but I don't know...if you saw those The Last Airbender, for the leads the casting call was for "Caucasian people, then everyone else", I don't know what the casting call looked like, so I can't say.


I would also liken this to if someone made a documentary about Eminem starring Morgan Freeman as "Marshall Mathers" and it is set in Toronto (or a Manny Pacquiao movie starring Joseph Gordon-Leavitt).

[Carnage]

Why is this so hard to understand. Yes in THEORY its possible to make a good Akira movie with white actors. But we KNOW its not going to happen. We KNOW hollywood is going spew out a shitty movie. Which is why so many people are buttmad.

[Sapphire]

But it has the Japanese Inception guy. :(

[Animeniax]

That was the analogy I was thinking. And yes, it is ridiculous that they retained the names, yet are casting white people. It is pretty blatant whitewashing, probably because the producers figure that Americans would not flock in droves to see a movie about a bunch of Asian kids (although apparently, they are making everyone adults [ugh]). Maybe it was based on ability, but I don't know...if you saw those The Last Airbender, for the leads the casting call was for "Caucasian people, then everyone else", I don't know what the casting call looked like, so I can't say.


I would also liken this to if someone made a documentary about Eminem starring Morgan Freeman as "Marshall Mathers" and it is set in Toronto (or a Manny Pacquiao movie starring Joseph Gordon-Leavitt).If they made a live action of Akira with Asian actors, it would sell pretty well in Asia. And if the movie is made well with a compelling storyline, it could do well in the US, same as Akira is so popular as an anime. The movie with white actors could be successful for the same reasons, but selling the soul of a work to make money is what we're upset about.

Contrary to what Sapphire says, these are Asian inspired and themed stories. They could translate to a western white culture, but probably not since cultural cues are prevalent in the story that help fill out the story and atmosphere. It's like when they dub anime... they remove the original soundtrack, ambient noises, and voices, and only replace the voices. The end result is a terrible adaptation.



But it has the Japanese Inception guy. :(

He's the requisite Japanese guy in Asian-themed movies. He was also in the Last Samurai and I wouldn't be surprised to see his name on Last Airbender or DBZ Evolution.

[Y]

To me, the thing that makes Akira so uniquely Japanese is how eerily it prefigures the economic and social devastation about to happen in Japan. Akira was released in 1988, about a year before the Japanese Finance Ministry popped the asset bubble and sent the economy into a deflationary spiral that ruined economic growth for Japan for a decade. Things like the unfinished Olympic stadium in Tokyo that features prominently in the final act of the original Akira, or the society of disaffected youth that Kaneda and Tetsuo belong to, are such awesome set pieces in hindsight because of things like this. The thing is, after the twin bursting bubbles of the dotcom and housing sectors in 2000 and 2008 respectively, the US is primed to enter a lost decade of its own now, and the themes in Akira resonate equally strongly here.

This is different from something like the film adaptation of Avatar. In the Avatar TV show, the Southern Water Tribe's ethnic background and influence was important to Sokka and Katara. In the movie, everyone is lily white except the villain, which really hurts the characterization.

[Sapphire]

Above is probably the first strong case for Avatar that I've heard in over two years. o_O

I'm inclined to agree with you, now.

[Animeniax]

To me, the thing that makes Akira so uniquely Japanese is how eerily it prefigures the economic and social devastation about to happen in Japan. Akira was released in 1988, about a year before the Japanese Finance Ministry popped the asset bubble and sent the economy into a deflationary spiral that ruined economic growth for Japan for a decade. Things like the unfinished Olympic stadium in Tokyo that features prominently in the final act of the original Akira, or the society of disaffected youth that Kaneda and Tetsuo belong to, are such awesome set pieces in hindsight because of things like this. The thing is, after the twin bursting bubbles of the dotcom and housing sectors in 2000 and 2008 respectively, the US is primed to enter a lost decade of its own now, and the themes in Akira resonate equally strongly here.

This is different from something like the film adaptation of Avatar. In the Avatar TV show, the Southern Water Tribe's ethnic background and influence was important to Sokka and Katara. In the movie, everyone is lily white except the villain, which really hurts the characterization.

That would be one way to stomach a whitewashed Akira, but the fact that they are changing the story and the character backgrounds means that factors less in the producers' decisions than to make something appealing to your average moviegoer who isn't necessarily affected by the economic and social collapses affecting America, but instead can still afford to spend $10-17 a person to see a movie.

[Sapphire]

They're probably affected and don't know it.

See: Hoards of protesters now rampaging across the streets and blaming corporations. (Or maybe because I'm in Manhattan, but I'm running into protests like every other week now...)

[Animeniax]

They're probably affected and don't know it.

See: Hoards of protesters now rampaging across the streets and blaming corporations. (Or maybe because I'm in Manhattan, but I'm running into protests like every other week now...)If they don't know, then how can a movie about disaffected youth resonate and appeal to them?

[Sapphire]

They probably know they're disaffected but have the wrong reason why.

[Animeniax]

You're seriously fishing for excuses here.

[Sapphire]

:(



.

[rockmanj]

If they don't know, then how can a movie about disaffected youth resonate and appeal to them?

Yes, I agree with you on this as well...I don't know, but something tells me this might not be a film about the disaffected young adults. Maybe it will be, but so far it seems like a bastardization of a story that I love.

[XanBcoo]

Why did they keep the names? Is it not weird how the names are Japanese if the actors are not? They should have just adapted the plot and theme of Akira and renamed it into something else.

This is really baffling to me. It's like if in The Departed they kept all the Chinese names. Why can't they do a complete American adaptation?

I have literally no problem with a movie about psychic kids that was "inspired by" the graphic novel Akira, but what we're getting is a half-assed copy of a copy. An adaptation of a movie trying to appeal to as many people as possible - using the title and character names for recognition, and nice pure white actors for the sake of marketing.

[Sapphire]

I highly doubt that.

http://puu.sh/9TTf

If they wanted white people for whatever sake they would just cut looking at thousands of other applicants and write Caucasian in the casting call. I don't think it's a good idea to just look how things turned out and make up reasons for why they happened

[Animeniax]

They might have learned from the uproar around the other whitewashed movies and put "any ethnicity" when they already knew what they were looking for. You shouldn't take things on face value, Sapphire dearie.

[Sapphire]

You have no idea what you're talking about. Casting directors have no problem saying Caucasian's only if they want the part to go to a white person.

[XanBcoo]

Looking at the casting call is not the smoking gun, Sapphire.

Perhaps it was for Avatar, but not for every movie. Yes, the actors are white, recognizable, salient actors for the sake of selling the movie.

Once again, it's not the whiteness of the actors that makes this dumb. It's the fact that everything is likely going to be quite similar to the original movie, but they're keeping insignificant factors like the names and title the same. So we've got Tron boy running around with everyone calling him CANADAAAAA!

For example, if I showed you this trailer:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-M5Qx57_UU

You'd likely recognize that it's inspired by some pretty iconic imagery and borrows plot points from Akira. Otherwise it's its own movie and actually looks sort of interesting. But this isn't the movie we'll be seeing.

[Sapphire]

That movie looks awesome, but Cloverfield/Blair Witch Project films are -_-.

[rockmanj]

This is really baffling to me. It's like if in The Departed they kept all the Chinese names. Why can't they do a complete American adaptation?

I have literally no problem with a movie about psychic kids that was "inspired by" the graphic novel Akira, but what we're getting is a half-assed copy of a copy. An adaptation of a movie trying to appeal to as many people as possible - using the title and character names for recognition, and nice pure white actors for the sake of marketing.

I like how you used the departed as an example, as I feel that was a pretty good adaptation that kept the core elements that made the original good while not changing things around too much. This whole Akira thing is just absurd to me on many levels (including them probably making some PG-13 bullshit so that they can sell it to the masses).

Now this doesn't seem so ridiculous: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI&feature=player_embedded#!

another read on this: http://www.racialicious.com/2011/12/01/neo-manhattan-melodrama-the-plot-for-the-american-akira-is-worse-than-we-imagined/#more-18344

[Sapphire]

Not sure how I feel about that.

On one hand, I remember being a young, young babe and being raged when they totally raped the Earthsea movie on Sci-Fi that I had been waiting for, for months. They changed the names, changed the looks, changed massive plot points and intricacies just to substitute them with movie cliches. They managed to cut out a lot of shit in the book with content-less content, even though the movie was quite long.

On the other hand from the actor's point of view, it's terrible the flack that the actors who worked their ass off to get the role get from the Japanophiles who think it's OK to rip on them for being white, as if that's not racist. From the production companies point of view, it's my movie and I'll adapt it how I want, make your own damn Akira.

My overall feeling is it's sickening how everyone is preemptively getting raged about how shit it's going to be without even seeing a fucking trailer, just based on the color of the actor's skin. While it's entirely likely that the changes were totally nonsensical and it could have been better to follow the movie down to the teeth, like we're used to seeing in the [manga <-> anime] equilibrium, maybe they will make the changes seem fucking awesome like in Walking Dead (minus this season >_>).

Still standing by my point that a homogenous society would obviously have a homogenous race by default in their story telling, and people are just saying the actors should be Asian (though I don't see them bitching that its not set in Japan, and why is it ASIAN and not Japanese? It's all about looks to you? It's as if using the Western framework of bland "Asian" suits your needs, which seems vague) is some sort of compensation for whatever racial issues they have. I suppose I personally have trouble with acknowledging race as a concept so any sort of "affirmative action" raging seems like racism and force to me, in the end.

Perhaps the wisest choice is to have the author join as a consultant. But the Japanese have a history of not only wanting their stuff adapted, but being VERY particular with any changes, thus making an adaption quite difficult. Or even a translation.

Edit: Holy shit, these have the writers from Children of Men, things are looking up.

[Carnage]

Why cant you just accept that this movie is going to be shit? We all know it.

[Sapphire]

Because the only way I'd let you shove things down my throat is if we were dating?

[rockmanj]

I don't think anyone is blaming the actors, the blame is on the Hollywood system that creates these situations and perpetuates whitewashing. And since they are re-naming the female lead Ky, what will happen to the other Kai? We know that studio execs think people are stupid and won't give 2 people similar names (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneSteveLimit) (because that never happens in real life).

[Sapphire]

I'm just thinking about how I'd feel to get cast in a role, which are so hard to get, and the only thing that people have to say about it is, OMG SHE'S WHITE, THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN ASIAN.

[Carnage]

I'm just thinking about how I'd feel to get cast in a role, which are so hard to get, and the only thing that people have to say about it is, OMG SHE'S WHITE, THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN ASIAN.

Tough shit, then you should have been aware of the background of the film you are shooting for if you have a significant enough role that people would be offended by it. Besides, like I said before, its not like its IMPOSSIBLE for them to make a good adaptation with white actors. Its just that we KNOW they'll make an awful adaptation, and having white actors is like the icing on the cake.

[Animeniax]

I'm just thinking about how I'd feel to get cast in a role, which are so hard to get, and the only thing that people have to say about it is, OMG SHE'S WHITE, THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN ASIAN.
I know you're speaking in generalities, because it's not hard for pretty people like Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart to get movie roles. And Ken Watanabe gets any older Asian gentleman parts, so he's not struggling.

[Sapphire]

Tough shit, then you should have been aware of the background of the film you are shooting for if you have a significant enough role that people would be offended by it.
So it's the victim's fault if you are judgmental and critical to them based on their race, especially based on something that you are not even sure about yet?


I know you're speaking in generalities, because it's not hard for pretty people like Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart to get movie roles. And Ken Watanabe gets any older Asian gentleman parts, so he's not struggling.
Bad actors being cast and "all the sex" in Hollywood for just being pretty would piss me off.

[darkshadow]

Garrett Hedlund? He didn't play Tron.

[Sapphire]

He was in the new one.

[rockmanj]

So it's the victim's fault if you are judgmental and critical to them based on their race, especially based on something that you are not even sure about yet?




Who is being victimized here? I don't think either of those actors are gonna lose any sleep because we are not happy with how they were cast. Also, I don't blame them really; it is more the movie industry.

[darkshadow]

He was in the new one.

Sure, but he still didn't play Tron.

[Y]

What I don't get is why everyone thinks that Hollywood adaptations of anime have to be shit. There have been, basically, zero adaptations of anime shows or films made in Hollywood for you to base this conclusion on. Dragonball Evolution was a budget flick that went through development hell for years, and is based on an awful show besides. It's only one movie, people, and Dragonball Evolution isn't the reason anime fans are so wary of adaptations, because fear over a Hollywood Akira movie is decades old at this point. Is it a general fear of poor quality adaptation in general? Of anime in particular? Of asian media as a whole? Like, if The Ring and The Departed can be good, what's stopping an Akira movie from being a creepy, effective dystopian scifi?

In this very forum we have a thread about wanting remakes or adaptations of old shows and shit. Why are people falling all over themselves to get a TV show of Game of Thrones, but scoff at the idea that an anime adaptation could be anything but shit? Besides the obvious, glaring fact that anime fans are just fetishizing Japanese culture and media, that is.

[XanBcoo]

Is it a general fear of poor quality adaptation in general?

Can't speak for the community, but this is it for me. In a world of Charlie's Angel's, Avatar, Daredevil, Batman and Robin, both Mortal Kombat movies, Tomb Raider, and Scooby-Doo (to name the ones that come to mind immediately) I can't see something like Akira being done well.

This is a movie that has similarly been in development hell for years, has been cast with recognizable white actors with recognizable Japanese names for marketing's sake, has a near-unrecognizable plot in relation to the original, and is being directed by the genius who brought us the classics "Orphan" and "House of Wax."

And no, seeing a trailer is not going to get my hopes up. Terrible movies can have decent trailers. You'll be aware of nothing more than the skill of the director of the trailer.

[Carnage]

We dont need much precedent of Hollywood anime adaptations because we already know Hollywood can really fuck things up, as XanBcoo mentioned. Its not only the anime adaptation that we dont trust, its Hollywood itself.

[Sapphire]

Can't speak for the community, but this is it for me. In a world of Charlie's Angel's, Avatar, Daredevil, Batman and Robin, both Mortal Kombat movies, Tomb Raider, and Scooby-Doo (to name the ones that come to mind immediately) I can't see something like Akira being done well.


But there's also Inception, The Matrix, Watchmen, LotR (minus the last one), Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, etc...

And Tomb Raider was awesome.

Keep in mind the writers from Children of Men are all up in this.

-

So what if they're white actors? You are using white as a curse word. Back your words up plz or I will sue for slander. Name calling!

It is within reason to keep all of the same names if they are claiming it's an adaptation.

This movie isn't particularly guilty of using recognizable actors. That's an understandable symptom of the annoyingness of Hollywood and feature films as a whole. I don't see you complaining about any other movies with recognizable actors, so why this one?

[Y]

We dont need much precedent of Hollywood anime adaptations because we already know Hollywood can really fuck things up, as XanBcoo mentioned. Its not only the anime adaptation that we dont trust, its Hollywood itself.

Yeah right. I don't know about you personally, but anime fans are no less likely than anyone else to watch every Hollywood blockbuster. Also, who the hell are you, Xanbcoo, to insult the first Mortal Kombat movie?! Hating on Tomb Raider I guess I can understand, but we'll come to blows over Mortal Kombat.

[XanBcoo]

So what if they're white actors? You are using white as a curse word. Back your words up plz or I will sue for slander. Name calling!
Do you read every post as if it were made in a vacuum? I've already backed up my words.

This is really baffling to me. It's like if in The Departed they kept all the Chinese names. Why can't they do a complete American adaptation?

I have literally no problem with a movie about psychic kids that was "inspired by" the graphic novel Akira, but what we're getting is a half-assed copy of a copy. An adaptation of a movie trying to appeal to as many people as possible - using the title and character names for recognition, and nice pure white actors for the sake of marketing.
I don't care that they are white. I barely even care that they are shitty actors. It's this ridiculous, churned-out mix that's giving me anti-boners.

But there's also Inception, The Matrix, Watchmen, LotR (minus the last one), Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, etc...
Inception and The Matrix were adaptations? No.

I loved The Watchmen but even that one was poorly received by fans. Which is par for the course as far as adaptations go. This movie's going to suffer from pandering to the fan-base in a purely superficial way while also attracting widespread acceptance in an equally superficial way, while pleasing neither party.

I'm not in an outrage or anything about my precious animes being raped or whatever the hell you think. I just know, realistically, that this movie's going to be kind of silly and forgettable.


but we'll come to blows over Mortal Kombat.
Round 1, FIGHT

Seriously. Like it ironically or whatever but it's embarrassing to watch as an adult.

[Sapphire]

Paprika -> Inception
Ghost in the Shell -> The Matrix

[XanBcoo]

What does that even mean?

Edit: The Matrix is an adaptation of Ghost in the Shell? Possibly unintentionally? Like, maybe your anime club likes to talk about little pet theories and how the anime you watch predates mainstream American movies? But no, those movies were not explicitly created as adaptations.

[Y]

The Mortal Kombat movie is hilarious and fun. And for the record, I've moved way beyond liking things "ironically".

[XanBcoo]

The Mortal Kombat movie is hilarious and fun.
I agree.

Also I get mad at people who trash Super Mario Brothers.

But yeah this movie's going to be dumb as fuck.

[Sapphire]

anime club... little pet theories

Your annoying condescension is showing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3tF7TL0Qh4

-

Mortal Kombat is cool - but then again I'm harnessing my memory from the 3rd grade, so I dunno.

[rockmanj]

This is true:


D

Inception and The Matrix were adaptations? No.
.

If you are going that route, you can make the argument that the Matrix is an adaptation of Dark City as well. The Matrix and Inception draw from a lot of stories, but they are not credited adaptations of those works. Why don't we go and call the Matrix a film adaptation of Simulacra and Simulation (which the author denies). And as for Inception, there are other stories that deal with controlling dreams and what not.

[darkshadow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OXcFwoqutY

[Animeniax]

Oh my lord that looks like an awesome episode of Voyager!!! I will definitely check it out, it looks amazing!!!!

[Sapphire]

This is true:

Kay, let's just ignore what the creators of the movies said, because you don't see the resemblance despite it being shoved in your face, so they're clearly wrong.

-

@DS: wat

[rockmanj]

Kay, let's just ignore what the creators of the movies said, because you don't see the resemblance despite it being shoved in your face, so they're clearly wrong.

-

@DS: wat

What are you talking about? Those movies draw influences from other works and stories, but are not adaptations. The film makers said they were heavily influenced (http://www.warnervideo.com/matrixevents/wachowski.html) by ghost in the shell, ninja scroll, and Akira; so was the Matrix the first live action Akira "adaptation"? The same for Inception. It isn't "Donald Duck's Strange Dream: the Movie" or any of those things...it is Inception, an original story with elements from other stories. Now I am not so sure you know what a film adaptation is.

[Sapphire]

Matrix the first live action Akira "adaptation"? The same for Inception. It isn't Donald Duck's strange dream...additional rambling

lol wat. I don't even-

Edit: Just nevermind, I lost interest at your blatant non-sequitur.

[rockmanj]

lol wat. I don't even-

I was saying that your argument of those films as adaptations does not stand up to the premise you claimed. And the Donald Duck thing comes from this article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/08/10/inception.donald.duck/index.html

[Y]

The Matrix is not an adaptation of anything. It draws material from many disparate sources: Grant Morrison's seminal work on "The Invisibles", Dark City, Blade Runner, Japanese anime, film noir, and on and on. The Matrix's grappling with questions of the self and free will/determinism was religious rather than secular, and that alone sets it apart from works like Ghost in the Shell and Dark City.

[XanBcoo]

lol wat. I don't even-

How is this confusing to you in the least?

Being inspired or influenced by something, or even having minor thematic or cinematic parallels is not the same as being adapted from something.

[rockmanj]

How is this confusing to you in the least?

Being inspired or influenced by something, or even having minor thematic or cinematic parallels is not the same as being adapted from something.

To be fair, I had some lazy grammar errors in there; that may have been why she could not understand my straightforward point.

[Shadow Skill]

Well.. DB Evolution was a terrible movie. Every fan of DB from the moment they heard it was having all caucasian actors knew it would be an epic failure.

Hollywood did a remake of "Dance with me", the original Japanese version was 1000 % better. In the Japanese version you could feel the emotions the actors and actresses portrayed. I didnt get that in the Hollywood version. The story is similar but it diverges off in a thousand different non-important ways.

Anyone see the American version of Blood: The Last Vampire or whatever. I thought it was terrible. Yes she was ethnically the right choice but the co-actors was abviously caucasion and meant to try and appeal to the caucasian audience.

Most hollywood movies try to do that. Heaven forbid we have a ethnically correct Goku in Dragon Ball and 10s of millions of people go to see a DB or DBZ movie with a proper story and actors, with Hollywood making 100s of millions of dollars. Why make a movie that makes the audience happy when you can try and appeal to one market, the caucasian market.

Now... you can talk about us dieh-hard Japanese anime fans being racist or predjudice, however I do see Hollywood being in the wrong in trying to appeal to one ethnic market.

[rockmanj]

I cannot believe I am doing this, but the problems with DB Evolution go beyond Goku's race. Honestly, I would not have even been mad if they cast a white guy as Goku, seeing as he is an alien. The whole story was fucked, as they made him some high school teen. If the story was about a young adult Goku that stayed true to the character and was well written and acted, it would have been fine with me.

[Shadow Skill]

That's true Rockman. Goku in DBE didnt need to be Angsty and depressed. Had Goku been Goku, the movie might have been a little more tolerable. I still say the story was horrible and the acting not decent.

All I can say is, I hope Akira doesnt suffer the same fate.

[rockmanj]

More Hollywood casting tomfoolery (http://blog.angryasianman.com/2011/12/commercial-casting-call-for-soul.html?utm_source=pulsenews&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+angryasianman%2FhMam+%28angry +asian+man%29)

[Shadow Skill]

Just read Akira is on hold until a script is written so it can be done on a smaller budget, lol.

Just like Hollywood wanting to make a movie that is terrible.

[Animeniax]

They need a new script for a movie that has already been made?? Just replace the animated character with a human being (preferably Asian) and you have your movie.

[XanBcoo]

Just read Akira is on hold until a script is written so it can be done on a smaller budget, lol.

Just like Hollywood wanting to make a movie that is terrible.

Link?

Also I was listening to some house/dubstep today and was reminded of the Tron: Legacy soundtrack, then realizing how important it will be that the movie also have a unique soundtrack. Really one of the only things I loved about the Akira anime film is the soundtrack.

Watching the opening bike gang war scene with the tribal drums and chanting is gonna be hard to top.

[Shadow Skill]

Ok, Just read a new article that says it's not dead yet. But it might as well be dead.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/akira-not-dead-yet-despite-vancouver-office-closing-and-test-option-expirations-with-lead-actors/

[rockmanj]

with regards to the “whitewashing” complaints… good stories, like Akira, should transcend race. I don’t really care what the race of any actor is, as long as he or she does a good job. besides, isn’t it kind of silly to say that cartoon characters from sci-fi Neo-Tokyo even have race?

I don't know if this person was trolling or is really that ignorant.

[Sapphire]

Tell me, how is asking that a story transcend skin color ignorant?

[Y]

It's basically an admission that stories with a unique cultural component or, god forbid, ones that actually integrate racial themes, just make you uncomfortable and you want the plot of a story with none of the cultural (nonwhite) baggage.

[Animeniax]

Weird since Sapphire is black.

[XanBcoo]

Tell me, how is asking that a story transcend skin color ignorant?
Kind of a "white is neutral" mentality, isn't that? Also:


with regards to the “whitewashing” complaints… good stories, like Akira, should transcend race. I don’t really care what the race of any actor is, as long as he or she does a good job. besides, isn’t it kind of silly to say that cartoon characters from sci-fi Neo-Tokyo even have race?
Jesus Christ...

[rockmanj]

Kind of a "white is neutral" mentality, isn't that? Also:


Jesus Christ...

Sorry, I was alluding to the absurdity in that clause about "Neo-Tokyo" that Xan pointed out. And also I feel that implicitly, the cultural background of a story like Akira is pretty central to the plot.

[Animeniax]

I don't know how much more I'd be upset with white actors/actresses instead of the usual conglomeration of Asians filling the roles. All we need is another movie based in Japan but starring a bunch of Koreans and Chinese in the main roles, plus Ken Watanabe in a supporting role.

[Shadow Skill]

So... 90 Million USD to make this movie. I am guessing that alone covers the actresses and actors pay scale. Who needs an Akira movie filled with people with psychic powers and a lot of cool anime scenes that they have to flesh out. Why not spend 90 million for actors and forget the script and just hope the movie sells on the "Names" of actors alone. :P

To me, that seems exactly what they are hoping for.

Otherwise they'd be 100 % true to everything. That's my thoughts anyway.

[Animeniax]

$90 million for a movie with big name actors and a lot of special effects? They'll skimp on the writing and craft tables for sure.

[darkshadow]

What are you talking about.
Kick-Ass - 28 million
Super 8 - 50 million
Scott pilgrim - 60 million
300 - 62 million
Sucker punch - 82 million
Watchmen - 130 million
Transformers - 150 million
LOTR - 281 million ( ~93m p. film)

You guys are underestimating how much fucking money 90 million is to make a film.

[Animeniax]

90% of the films you listed have no big name actors/actresses in them. The ones that do have the highest payrolls.
LOTR filmed in New Zealand where the value of the US dollar is higher so you get more bang for the buck.

[darkshadow]

What the fuck are you talking about?
Taken - 27 million
RED - 58 million

If you believe Garrett Hedlund, Kristin Stewart, Ken Watanabe and Helena Bonham Carter are an all star super high paid cast, then you are surely the most delusional member on this forum; when it comes to movies at least.
Heck only stewart shows up on the list of highest paid actors and that is only because her pay for twilight is stupid high, what she got for other movies is much much lower.

And your NZ comment is dumb as fuck cause that's not the point, even if LOTR cost ~120million it's still a good indication of what 30 million less is capable off.

Also next time fabricate a more accurate statistic, I might take you more serious then.

[Animeniax]

What does Taken have that would justify a higher cost? Liam Neeson? 0 special effects?
Red had high priced talent but not many special effects, at least not on the scale of a movie like Akira or Transformers.

Stewart did get paid a lot for Twilight but she accepts smaller roles for less pay for indie movies. Akira will not be an indie movie.

The NZ comment is spot on because they will have to film in NY or a soundstage set up to appear like NY, either of which is expensive. They could film in some cheaper locale, but it would need high-rise buildings and streets so it would be more expensive than the rocks and mountain vistas like in LOTR.

[darkshadow]

Just stop
Taken was shot on a bunch of locations which as you said is "expensive", it also had a bunch action setpieces like explosions which are also classified as "special effects"; if you meant "visual effects" then no, but a real explosion is always more expensive than a CG one, so I'm not exactly sure what you were trying to say there.
Also yes Liam neeson; he's a bigger star than any of the 4 in Akira combined.

But ok if you want more effects or whatever
Jumper - 85 million

Did you just already put Akira on the same level as transformers? Do you even realise how performance capture intensive the CG in transformers is? Just Optimus' transformation is probably more intense than anything tetsuo would be throwing around with his mutant arm shit....in the final few scenes of the movie.

Whatever you want to say about stewart, don't make it seem like she commands an astronomically high salary; here non indie:
Snow White - 70 million.

And no the NZ comment is still retarded, because again, and please read this time, the listed movies are to provide an indication of what 90 million can get you.
Akira won't need high tech rotating corridors, constant giant robots and explosions that fill the screen, special motion capture to power tall blue aliens, a completely artifical world called the grid or a guy in blue/red tights swinging around a big city.

It will need a red motorcycle, some nice scenery and a guy that gets better with his powers.
Akira has maybe 3 scenes that would be really CG intensive, and they would all be at the end; Tetsuo rampaging which leads into him getting shot with the orbital laser, the fucked up arm scene and the implosion thing at the end.

[Shadow Skill]

Well... James Cameron put all his money in to Avatar did he not? Something like 250 Million USD? It paid off. He came up with a new way to do special effects. The only big name actor(s) I guess would be Sigourney Weaver, and Giovanni Ribisi or w.e, At the time.

You want a movie that's freaking awesome, you need to spend the $ to make it.

Mind, you Avatar is an unfair comparison cause I don't think another movie will make over $1 Billion cause no production company wants to spent the $ to make $.

[Animeniax]

Just stop
Taken was shot on a bunch of locations which as you said is "expensive", it also had a bunch action setpieces like explosions which are also classified as "special effects"; if you meant "visual effects" then no, but a real explosion is always more expensive than a CG one, so I'm not exactly sure what you were trying to say there.
Also yes Liam neeson; he's a bigger star than any of the 4 in Akira combined.

But ok if you want more effects or whatever
Jumper - 85 million

Did you just already put Akira on the same level as transformers? Do you even realise how performance capture intensive the CG in transformers is? Just Optimus' transformation is probably more intense than anything tetsuo would be throwing around with his mutant arm shit....in the final few scenes of the movie.

Whatever you want to say about stewart, don't make it seem like she commands an astronomically high salary; here non indie:
Snow White - 70 million.

And no the NZ comment is still retarded, because again, and please read this time, the listed movies are to provide an indication of what 90 million can get you.
Akira won't need high tech rotating corridors, constant giant robots and explosions that fill the screen, special motion capture to power tall blue aliens, a completely artifical world called the grid or a guy in blue/red tights swinging around a big city.

It will need a red motorcycle, some nice scenery and a guy that gets better with his powers.
Akira has maybe 3 scenes that would be really CG intensive, and they would all be at the end; Tetsuo rampaging which leads into him getting shot with the orbital laser, the fucked up arm scene and the implosion thing at the end.

Can't stop until the truth is heard.

My point about a movie like Taken is that similar to Akira it will need to be filmed in an expensive city scape involving shutting down traffic, crowd control, etc. and where the American dollar won't go as far. A movie like LotR being filmed in a backwater country like NZ means significantly less money needs to be spent on that aspect of the movie, leaving more money for actors and special effects. Besides the exchange rate, costs for extras and stage hands will be less as well. If Akira is filmed in NY (which will be a necessity because of the landmarks), it will require a good portion of the budget.

I think you need to watch Akira again to refresh your memory. Pretty much half the movie is Tetsuo learning to use his powers, his hospital stay with the other experimental subjects, the destruction of the city, the raising of Akira's storage sphere, Tetsuo's metamorphosis, the nuclear explosion and the entire ending of the movie will require extensive CGI and special effects work.

[Sapphire]

Weird since Sapphire is black.

What is weird?

[Animeniax]

What is weird?

Y called you a racist. I'm arguing that you are not.

[Sapphire]

How does anyone get "racist" from that? o_O

[Animeniax]

It's so cute how you don't even realize when you're being mocked.

But back to the movie, $90 million isn't too low a budget, but a movie like Akira needs a bigger one to really capture the story, what with the filming locations and special effects. That's why it is best told as an animated film and this Hollywood mess should be scrapped until the money and resources are devoted to it that it deserves.

[Y]

It's so cute how you don't even realize when you're being mocked.


You're such a piece of shit. You had no problem calling my opinions on child-rearing bad because I'm gay, now you're Captain Sensitive and worried about the uncomfortable racial connotations of my post? Just to reiterate, you're a worthless piece of shit.

[Animeniax]

Back on topic, has anyone seen the previews for Chronicle? It has a lot of aspects of Akira, including a troubled youth getting super powers and using them for revenge and evil. We'll get an advanced view of how that kind of movie will do in theatres.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-M5Qx57_UU

[rockmanj]

It kind of looks interesting. i might have to check it out.

[XanBcoo]

Back on topic, has anyone seen the previews for Chronicle?

This looks familiar. I think I might have posted it on page 2 of this thread like a few weeks ago, but I'm not sure.

Perhaps you were too busy being patronizing.

But to answer your question, it will almost certainly do terribly in theaters. No name recognition, no pandering to a fan base. Who's going to see that low-budget thing?

It's totally gonna be a more interesting movie than the one being discussed in this thread will be, though.

[Animeniax]

This looks familiar. I think I might have posted it on page 2 of this thread like a few weeks ago, but I'm not sure.

Perhaps you were too busy being patronizing.

But to answer your question, it will almost certainly do terribly in theaters. No name recognition, no pandering to a fan base. Who's going to see that low-budget thing?

It's totally gonna be a more interesting movie than the one being discussed in this thread will be, though.

I'm pretty sure you checked page 2 before posting that you "might have" posted it there. In my defense, it was all the way back last year that you posted it, so a reminder doesn't hurt.

[Alhuin]

I haven't really been keeping up with the thread, but I do remember someone posting something about how all the actors/actresses were white, and when I read the following article, I just had to share it:

CNN - "Hollywood Steals Asian Jobs for Whites" - Sankaku Complex (http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2012/01/17/cnn-hollywood-steals-asian-jobs-for-whites/) (link NSFW)

[XanBcoo]

I haven't really been keeping up with the thread, but I do remember someone posting something about how all the actors/actresses were white, and when I read the following article, I just had to share it:

CNN - "Hollywood Steals Asian Jobs for Whites" - Sankaku Complex (http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2012/01/17/cnn-hollywood-steals-asian-jobs-for-whites/) (link NSFW)


"Japanese seem practically resigned to having America routinely plundering their culture."

Fucking weeaboos.

[Sapphire]

Isn't this movie filmed and produced in Vancouver?

[Y]

It doesn't have a dedicated thread and has been posted about in here multiple times, so I'm just going to drop this here, but Chronicle is getting stellar reviews. Ebert gave a meandering but positive review, B+ from AVClub, and good buzz on SA.

[Animeniax]

It looks pretty amazing from the many commercials they've been airing for the past 2 months before it's release. Hope it lives up to the excitement and is a blueprint for the producers to make Akira into a great movie.

On the subject of Hollywood whitewashing, I happened to see 10 minutes of Grey's Anatomy... all white doctors and one korean. Talk about whitewashing your cast.

[Sapphire]

Grey's Anatomy has one of the most diverse casts on network TV currently.

The chief of surgery - black
the chiefs wife - black
miranda bailey - black
miranda baileys boyfriend -black
mirainda baileys second boyfriend - black
asian doctor (i forget her name at the moment)'s ex husband - black
hot guy who has a famous grandfather - black/mixed
grey's baby - black
bone doctor - hispanic
asian doctor - asian

[Animeniax]

Grey's Anatomy has one of the most diverse casts on network TV currently.

The chief of surgery - black
the chiefs wife - black
miranda bailey - black
miranda baileys boyfriend -black
mirainda baileys second boyfriend - black
asian doctor (i forget her name at the moment)'s ex husband - black
hot guy who has a famous grandfather - black/mixed
grey's baby - black
bone doctor - hispanic
asian doctor - asian
I stand by my hasty uninformed judgement. What a great country we live in.

[Sapphire]

Ey, it's better than manning up.

[Animeniax]

Ey, it's better than manning up.

I'd have to actually watch more of the show to know you're right, and I'm not willing to do that.

[rockmanj]

I don't know why you were watching it in the first place...

[Animeniax]

I think I was watching Wipeout and then took my dog for a walk, then when I got back Grey's Anatomy was on. True story.

[rockmanj]

I think I was watching Wipeout and then took my dog for a walk, then when I got back Grey's Anatomy was on. True story.

That is suspiciously specific, sir...

[Animeniax]

That is suspiciously specific, sir...

I was watching Wipeout hoping to see that Jill Wagner was still the eye candy on the show...
1202
Alas, she has left the show.