Live Action Movie: Akira

[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 (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.