anime/manga movies...and why directors are retarded

[Hazufrazen]

Ok honestly, I didn't realize this until AFTER seeing Scott Pilgrim vs The World so if anyone else realized this first dont give me any heat I am just the kinda anime freak that gets pissed about it. So I went to see Scott Pilgrim and I thought to myself: "self, how is it that they can make a good, nay, GREAT comic book movies and yet have failed to make any good anime movies when all animes are is a moving representation of a manga which basically is a comic book that came from japan?" I mean seriously, if they were true to the MANGA instead of the anime I am sure that Dragonball COULD HAVE been good....but not likely. My point is this: comic books and manga have alot in common. They arent the same (for all you comic religious nuts and uber-otakus) but they are close enough for me. There is no reason why a manga cant make a good movie if a comic book can. I mean look at Witchblade, started as an american comic, went to japanese manga, then a pretty decent anime, and now there is a movie coming out. I know Hollywood isn't perfect and I can handle a certain amount of retardation but there is no reason why they shouldnt be able to wrap their heads around this concept. Maybe if they stop trying to make the movies based off the anime and look back at the source material they might do something good. Removing their heads from thier asses would help too.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Hollywood is a lot more distant from most anime than they've been with American comic book movie adaptations. Hell, their track record with those is decidedly mixed, overall.

So really, I'm not sure paying more attention to the original material would make much difference...and that's not even counting those series that were anime-first (like Cowboy Bebop or Evangelion).

 

[Delicious]

Japanese to English is a rough translation, and the writing always suffers. It's a stupid risk to take, when one can come up with original material in their native language.

 

[Hazufrazen]

Thats a very good point...well then I will remember that when the inevitable Bleach and Naruto movies are made and, of course, suck.

 

[Casual Shinji]

As you've said, most anime and manga are nearly the same, so why pay more attention to the manga?

 

[LiberalSquirrel]

Er... that Dragonball monstrosity wasn't based on the anime OR the manga. It was just... bad.

But my real point in posting is to say that American movie directors are a lot closer, and can communicate much more easily, with American comic book writers, rather than Japanese manga-ka. And with manga... and anime as well... there's always bits that are difficult to translate into American culture. Stuff that's already American doesn't have that problem. Comics are already proven to work for an American audience, because that's their original intended audience.

Not that I'm against having a good anime/manga movie. I'm just pointing out that it may be less feasible than a good comic book movie.

 

[Hazufrazen]

As you've said, most anime and manga are nearly the same, so why pay more attention to the manga?

My thought was that an english dubbed manga honestly doesnt have that much difference from a comic book other than the art style, origin, and the original language.

 

[Hazufrazen]

Er... that Dragonball monstrosity wasn't based on the anime OR the manga. It was just... bad.

But my real point in posting is to say that American movie directors are a lot closer, and can communicate much more easily, with American comic book writers, rather than Japanese manga-ka. And with manga... and anime as well... there's always bits that are difficult to translate into American culture. Stuff that's already American doesn't have that problem. Comics are already proven to work for an American audience, because that's their original intended audience.

Not that I'm against having a good anime/manga movie. I'm just pointing out that it may be less feasible than a good comic book movie.

I see what you mean. Which is why I brought up Scott Pilgrim. With all it's video game references, all decidedly japanese, should a movie based off a manga, also japanese, be so difficult?

And side note: I am terribly sorry you had to witness that atrocity that was dragonball evolution....may it fall into obscurity as fast as it deserves to

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

There are a lot of things that probably go into why anime or manga don't make it to American live action films, but I think it boils down to media from one culture have a hard time catching on in others beyond niche status.

For one, American(and the Anglo-sphere in general) audiences and movie producers know American comics. They've been around for longer than most people that are currently alive. It's not just Japanese comics that are ignored. You probably won't see an Asterix or Tintin movie made any time soon, but you will find American fans of these that love the animated movies to death. I had never even heard of those two comics until I hit French in high school.

The lore of many comics is ridiculously vast and layered and contradictory, but as lots of those producers grew up reading these comics, they know the nuances. This gives the movie makers a lot of breathing room to place their movies. While a manga or anime may have the same issues, that producer would be a lot less likely to know. Then you also have graphic novels such as Kick Ass! or V for Vendetta which can easily be placed into a film because the story and dialog are already written.

The tropes don't always line up. What Japanese people respond to, Americans might not, and if these changes are made to fit Western audiences then it may piss off the people that know the source material. It's nothing new. People in India can't understand why Americans like Slumdog Millionaire when there have been plenty of movies made in Bollywood that address the same issues, and movies straight from India may bore Americans for their elements.

If manga or anime get made into films, it would probably start in Japan and need a lot of time to grow so that a new generation of directors and producers can grow up watching nerdy manga live action films before making movies about mangas themselves.

 

[Hazufrazen]

There are a lot of things that probably go into why anime or manga don't make it to American live action films, but I think it boils down to media from one culture have a hard time catching on in others beyond niche status.

For one, American(and the Anglo-sphere in general) audiences and movie producers know American comics. They've been around for longer than most people that are currently alive. It's not just Japanese comics that are ignored. You probably won't see an Asterix or Tintin movie made any time soon, but you will find American fans of these that love the animated movies to death. I had never even heard of those two comics until I hit French in high school.

The lore of many comics is ridiculously vast and layered and contradictory, but as lots of those producers grew up reading these comics, they know the nuances. This gives the movie makers a lot of breathing room to place their movies. While a manga or anime may have the same issues, that producer would be a lot less likely to know. Then you also have graphic novels such as Kick Ass! or V for Vendetta which can easily be placed into a film because the story and dialog are already written.

The tropes don't always line up. What Japanese people respond to, Americans might not, and if these changes are made to fit Western audiences then it may piss off the people that know the source material. It's nothing new. People in India can't understand why Americans like Slumdog Millionaire when there have been plenty of movies made in Bollywood that address the same issues, and movies straight from India may bore Americans for their elements.

If manga or anime get made into films, it would probably start in Japan and need a lot of time to grow so that a new generation of directors and producers can grow up watching nerdy manga live action films before making movies about mangas themselves.

Thats...really insightful. I'm impressed and relieved that I am not the only one thinking about this.

 

[Casual Shinji]

As you've said, most anime and manga are nearly the same, so why pay more attention to the manga?

My thought was that an english dubbed manga honestly doesnt have that much difference from a comic book other than the art style, origin, and the original language.

Ultimately, Japan is just a very different culture and translating that into an American movie always fails. Also, most manga and anime have Japanese characters wich are ofcourse immediately turned American should it become a Hollywood movie. If Akira or NGE ever get a Hollywood production, you can bet your bottom that most of the characters if not all will get an American make-over.

The only manga I know of that could work as a live-action Hollywood production is Berserk.

-No Japanese characters
-European setting
-Epic fantasy a la Lord of The Rings

Then again, it would be seriously censored, plus the manga is still ongoing.

 

[Casual Shinji]

You probably won't see an Asterix or Tintin movie made any time soon, but you will find American fans of these that love the animated movies to death.

It's funny you should say this, because apparently a Tintin movie is being made by none other than Steven Spielberg starring Jamie Bell as Tintin and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as those twin doctors. From what I heard it's going to be a CGI movie though.

Then again, maybe it's already been canceled, who knows.

 

[Hazufrazen]

As you've said, most anime and manga are nearly the same, so why pay more attention to the manga?

My thought was that an english dubbed manga honestly doesnt have that much difference from a comic book other than the art style, origin, and the original language.

Ultimately, Japan is just a very different culture and translating that into an American movie always fails. Also, most manga and anime have Japanese characters wich are ofcourse immediately turned American should it become a Hollywood movie. If Akira or NGE ever get a Hollywood production, you can bet your bottom that most of the characters if not all will get an American make-over.

The only manga I know of that could work as a live-action Hollywood production is Berserk.

-No Japanese characters
-European setting
-Epic fantasy a la Lord of The Rings

Then again, it would be seriously censored, plus the manga is still ongoing.

well thats where hollywood, and in fact, all american animation and filmmaking in genera, has its safety zone. the realm of european myth and folklore