Masi Oka has been in the spotlight ever since his breakout role in Heroes, and he has moved on to pursuits which anime fans know well. While the star most recently did work on Spies in Disguise, Oka made headlines after he confirmed his involvement with Netflix’s Death Note. The live-action adaptation was greeted by mixed reviews but it did raise the bar higher for Hollywood where anime is concerned. And during a recent interview, Oka shared with ComicBook.com how he believes the approach to anime is shifting within Hollywood.
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Recently, we got the chance to speak with Oka to promote the release of Spies in Disguise on home video. It was there anime came into the conversation as Oka reaffirmed he’s working on a live-action adaptation of Attack on Titan.
“I think the whole [approach] is getting a little bit more, smarter in terms of… They’re respectful for the source material,” Oka explained.
“At the end of the day, no matter how much the fan base is there, you need to make sure you can’t really make a movie just for the fans. The idea of a live action movie should be of expanding the fanbase. The Japanese culture sees it as advertising for their things, so if [the film] hurts their brand, they’d rather not do it.”
Continuing, Oka said it is the direct communication between Hollywood’s crew and original creators that will better change anime’s reputation with live action adaptations.
“I think there’s more of a communication and there’s not only a need but a want from the U.S. side to make that happen. I think that’s a big major change.”
With several adaptations being worked on by Hollywood, the stakes are higher than ever to impress. From One Piece to Cowboy Bebop and beyond, some of Japan’s most treasured stories are hoping to find a footing with audiences who prefer live-action to animation. Films like Detective Pikachu were a sure step in the right direction, and it seems Oka is ready to take his projects like Attack on Titan to the next level.
Do you think Hollywood is heading in the right direction with anime? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
