Live-action anime adaptations aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Netflix seems to have gotten the ball rolling in reinvigorating the medium with its take on One Piece, set to release its second season next year. With live-action takes on My Hero Academia, Naruto, and more on the way, one major manga publisher has taken a giant step in terms of creating a new generation of adaptations. Kodansha, a major manga supplier responsible for printing some of the biggest series in the anime world, has a new studio set to take the world by storm.
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Dubbed “Kodansha Studios,” the mission of this new endeavor for Kodansha is to focus on creating live-action movies and television series for some of their biggest properties. Chloe Zhao and Nicolas Gonda are leading the charge for this project, with Zhao having big experience in the pop culture world thanks to her work on Marvel’s Eternals. Gonda might not have worked on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the producer does have experience in the entertainment world with works like The Tree of Life. Zhao herself had thoughts to share when it came to this big move:
“I grew up reading and drawing Manga. 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.”
Kodansha’s Anime Library
Of course, with the reveal of this big news, anime fans will begin to wonder what properties Kodansha Studios will attempt to bring to the “real world.” Throughout the publisher’s history, countless big franchises have arisen thanks to the company, primed for live-action adaptations. These include, but aren’t limited to, Attack on Titan, Akira, Vinland Saga, Tokyo Revengers, Blue Lock, Hajime no Ippo, and Vagabond to name a few. To add to this big news, Kodansha’s current CEO, Yoshinobu Noma, shared their thoughts on the manga publisher’s big move into Hollywood:
“Guided by our corporate mission, ‘Inspire Impossible Stories,’ we are constantly seeking new avenues to deliver the rich, diverse narratives originating from Japan to a global audience. The establishment of Kodansha Studios represents a pivotal moment – and a new chapter – in the relationship between Japanese publishers and Hollywood. This studio is our commitment to accelerating direct partnerships with premier global artists, producers, and partner studios.”
While Attack on Titan seems like a prime candidate to receive a live-action project of the properties mentioned, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen the Survey Corps enter this medium. Split over two movies, Attack on Titan’s live-action world was introduced in 2015, but was universally panned across the board. Changing quite a bit from the source material, we have to imagine that Kodansha, should it look to bring back the story of Eren Jaeger, will move in a very different direction.
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