Anime has had a tough go-around when it comes to live-action adaptations, so even when it is done well, it is so rare that fans often bemoan them as a whole.
That’s why when an anime gets adapted, it’s usually a popular series instead of a film. Japanese website Goo Ranking asked Japanese fans which anime films they would like to see get a live-action version, and the results are a mix of surprising and not.
Videos by ComicBook.com
With results ranging from Studio Ghibli classics, recently released juggernauts, entries in manga franchises, and brand new stories, there are many stories that would be perfect for a live-action film.
Read on to see what live-action adaptations they would like to see, and let us know what you would want in the comments!
Your Name
If you aren’t familiar with Your Name, you should know that the film is the most successful anime feature of all-time. The film debuted in Japan in 2016 and quickly earned more money than any of Studio Ghibli’s iconic films, beating out Spirited Away to become the highest-grossing anime feature in the global market.
The film is so popular, in fact, it is set to get a Hollywood live-action version already. It was announced last fall that Star Wars director J.J. Abrams is making a live-action version of Your Name, news that revived concerns about whitewashing when it comes to Hollywood’s track record with anime, particularly with the less-than-positive reactions to Scarlett Johansson’s turn as cyborg heroine Major in Ghost in the Shell and the complete transplant of Death Note from Tokyo to Seattle complete with a nearly all-white cast.
For those who plan to stream Your Name (which is now available on Google Play), prepare to have your heart broken. Your Name is a beautiful, nostalgic love story between two star-crossed lovers. It follows two high school students after they discover they spontaneously switch bodies. Rather than panic, the pair find a way to work out their supernatural exchanges and begin to fall for one another. But, when the phenomena comes to an abrupt halt, the would-be lovers learn how cruel both fate and time can truly be.
My Neighbor Totoro
It’s no wonder Japanese fans voted for a Studio Ghibli film for a live-action adaptation as Studio Ghibli is one of the most prolific anime studios out there.
The studio’s mascot is Totoro, from 1998’s My Neighbor Totoro, and is one of the most popular characters in Japanese animation. It went on to be the start of Hayao Miyazaki’s larger success in cinema. My Neighbor Totoro was received well by critics during its initial release, and has gotten a strong cult following in the years after.
You can often find Totoro making small cameos in Studio Ghibli‘s other works since its release, so it’s no wonder it’s on the forefront of fans’ minds.
Detective Conan: Crimson Love Letter
Out of all the wacky anime premises, Detective Conan has the premise closest to an attainable version of that reality in live-action. Fans in Japan specifically voted to see a live-action adaptation of the 2017 film, since the series already received a short lived television drama series.
For those unfamiliar with Detective Conan (known as Case Closed in the United States), the series was originally created by Gosho Aoyama. The story follows high schooler detective Jimmy Fudo who works with the police to solve cases. When investigating a crime syndicate known as the Black Organization, he was poisoned. But inside of killing him, the poison reverts him to a child. Using his new childhood alias Conan and keeping his true identity a secret, he vows to solve more cases and eventually put a stop to the crimes of the Black Organization.
Rebuild of Evangelion
As Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most prolific mecha anime, it only makes sense fans would want to see a live-action version of this drama. With Rebuild of Evangelion, a reboot of the original series, new fans would have a feasible entry way into the methodical series without alienating older fans.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a psychological drama by way of giant monster slash mecha anime. The franchise debuted as a television series in 1995, and follows Shinji Ikari, who is recruited by his father to pilot the giant mech Evangelion in the fight against giant monsters known as Angels in the futuristic city of Tokyo-3. But Shinji is unwilling to bear this huge responsibility and is often conflicted about taking part in a war he was dragged into. This conflict of emotions leads to many introspective episodes that cover the range of religious, philosophical, and existential concepts.
Spirited Away
As mentioned with My Neighbor Totoro, Studio Ghibli is one of the most prolific animation studios in the anime scene. Not only have eight of its anime films gone on to be part of Japan’s fifteen highest grossing anime films, its most notable release is Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away.
The film, which has grossed over $290 million USD worldwide, would make for a perfect live-action film given that CG animation has finally developed to a point where the wacky visuals of the original film could be replicated or re-imagined. All the film would need to succeed is a young actress would could successfully portray the main character Chihiro.
Spirited Away follows Chihiro, a young girl moving to a new neighborhood. She suddenly finds her way into the Spirit World when a mysterious witch transforms her parents into pigs. Chihiro then takes a job working in the witch’s bathhouse in order to find a way to save her parents and escape.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro before, a Studio Ghibli film makes sense in live-action. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was one of the most wanted of the live-action adaptations from Japanese fans, and its post-apocalyptic world would slot in especially well in our current cinema climate.
This film tells the story of a future in which Nausicaa, princess of the titular Valley of the Wind, gets involved in a major fight with a neighboring kingdom that’s trying to use an ancient super weapon to wipe out a jungle full of giant insects.
The only pre-requisite would be an actress who could anchor a story as intense as this one, but there is plenty of talent out there.
Summer Wars
Summer Wars would make a ton of sense as a live-action film. With live-action real world segments countered with CG animated Internet scenes, the film could have a strong balance of both worlds and still pay homage to its host. Summer Wars is a strange film, but it also has a traditionally built setting that can be translated well.
Makoto Shinkai’s Summer Wars tells the story of Kenji Koiso, a young genius who’s taken to house of an older friend to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday. He’s then blamed for a major hacking menace known as Love Machine, and now has to work to stop the hacking program once and for all.
Princess Mononoke
Studio Ghibli’s films rightly dominated this fan list of anime films they want a live-action version of, and one of the most requested is Princess Mononoke. CG animation can now parallel the horrific imagery of Mononoke while retaining its beauty through a new interpretation. And with a strong young actress at its core, then it could absolutely work.
Disney films have gotten good reception for their live-action re-imaginings, so it is no wonder than anime fans would wish Ghibli films got the same treatment. This film follows the young prince Ashitaka as he’s stuck between the gods of the forest and the humans who want to tear it down, so its environmental coating would do wonders for young audiences to this day.
What anime films do you want to see in live-action? Let us know in the comments!
