Works you'd like to see unfaithful adaptations of

[Zontar]

The title may seem odd, so I'll explain. We all have adaptations we like seeing where we want to see the source material get a faithful translation to whatever medium it's being retold in. Well this thread is for the opposite of that, where we'd like to see material get an adaptation, but not a faithful one.

As the OP I'll start with this: GATE.

For those unaware, GATE is a light novel turned manga turned anime about the contemporary world having a magical gate that is created in a generic fantasy setting that connects our two worlds. They try to invade Japan (because no resource, no free space Japan is somehow strategically important) and the result is predictable as brining a knife to a gun fight. Before anyone goes off to see it, something to keep in mind is that the anime is made by A1 Pictures, which has a bad habit of making adaptations out of stories that have a good premise but horrific execution. GATE is no exception. While the fight scenes are entertaining to watch, the rest of the show is irritating to the point where it's easier to just watch YouTube rips of the battles instead just slogging through the non-combat scenes. The music was also chosen terribly, with the only good score being from the scene that was literally word for word taken from Apocalypse Now. I don't care if it's a homage, taking the scene and using its script and visuals is a pretty damned lazy one.

A live action adaptation on something like HBO or Netflix could be interesting to see, but only if the premise was used but the actual story jettisoned. While the premise allows for a story to be made that would effectively be "Game of Thrones" meets "Generation Kill" (oh the things I'd do for such a show to be made) there's really no way to make a good story out of source material that would have anything resembling a faithful adaptation.

 

[FalloutJack]

Eh, the only reason I'd make such a request of something is to tank its credibility so I never have to hear about it again.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Generally, stuff by Lovecraft. You can't put colours or angles that can't be seen on the screen for one, and you'd really, really need to tone down the racism.

 

[chadachada123]

The title may seem odd, so I'll explain. We all have adaptations we like seeing where we want to see the source material get a faithful translation to whatever medium it's being retold in. Well this thread is for the opposite of that, where we'd like to see material get an adaptation, but not a faithful one.

As the OP I'll start with this: GATE.

For those unaware, GATE is a light novel turned manga turned anime about the contemporary world having a magical gate that is created in a generic fantasy setting that connects our two worlds. They try to invade Japan (because no resource, no free space Japan is somehow strategically important)

As much as I enjoyed S1 of Gate (yet to see S2), I won't deny the rest of your criticisms of the series. But this particular one is unfounded. The Gate just happened to be inside of Japan, apparently by chance, with the other gate inside a particular imperialist kingdom that thought whatever was on the other side was rightfully theirs (or at least, they'd simply take it by force). Keywords being "whatever was on the other side," because neither side knew until actually crossing.

Nothing about strategic importance or any of that is at all implied.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

More Vampire Hunter D books. The original was changed a bit, and Bloodlines had whole characters and the third act ripped out completely and rewritten.

Made for a much better story in the end, and I can see how similar changes would make the other novels awesome.

 

[Saelune]

Nothing. If its good it should be faithful to it. If its bad it shouldn't be given adaptations.

 

[lionsprey]

The title may seem odd, so I'll explain. We all have adaptations we like seeing where we want to see the source material get a faithful translation to whatever medium it's being retold in. Well this thread is for the opposite of that, where we'd like to see material get an adaptation, but not a faithful one.

As the OP I'll start with this: GATE.

For those unaware, GATE is a light novel turned manga turned anime about the contemporary world having a magical gate that is created in a generic fantasy setting that connects our two worlds. They try to invade Japan (because no resource, no free space Japan is somehow strategically important)

As much as I enjoyed S1 of Gate (yet to see S2), I won't deny the rest of your criticisms of the series. But this particular one is unfounded. The Gate just happened to be inside of Japan, apparently by chance, with the other gate inside a particular imperialist kingdom that thought whatever was on the other side was rightfully theirs (or at least, they'd simply take it by force). Keywords being "whatever was on the other side," because neither side knew until actually crossing.

Nothing about strategic importance or any of that is at all implied.

bit of a spoiler

Spoiler

in S2 its revealed that they somehow kidnapped a few citizens before they attacked so presumably they knew about japan

personally i would like to see another LN called Overlord. because whilst watching a overpowered hero can be entertaining (see one punch man) watching a overpowered villain doing villain stuff is boring at best and just depressing at worst.

 

[Queen Michael]

The seventh Haruhi Suzumiya light novel, The Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya.. An unfaithful adaptation of that one would improve it enormously. (Maybe one has already been made.) That book has way too many pages for so little plot. An adaptation that shortens it is sorely needed.

 

[hermes]

I am waiting to see Civil Wars, because the premise and execution in comic book form are god awful. I am aware they don't have villains blowing up school children, jerkass Captain America and robot Thor in this one, so I am already more interested in it that if it were faithful.

 

[Dreph]

The book Altered Carbon. A bit esoteric maybe, but a few of the concepts behind the book are actually pretty cool. Unfortunately the main plot line isn't all that interesting and is just your run of the mill detective story with some Science Fiction trappings. A series in the world though would be really cool.

 

[Mahorfeus]

More Vampire Hunter D books. The original was changed a bit, and Bloodlines had whole characters and the third act ripped out completely and rewritten.

Made for a much better story in the end, and I can see how similar changes would make the other novels awesome.

Oh god, this please, though my gripes might not be the same as yours.

I loved the second movie, so I tried to start on the book series. I got as far as the second book before giving up. I usually hate the term, but the words "Gary Stu" came to mind. Every other sentence served to remind the reader of how perfect D was, whether he was fighting or just standing completely still. Hell, I thought that even the first movie was an improvement over the book.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Spoilers Ahead! Then again, this is for New Earth DC comics continuity which is pre-New 52 and I'm pretty sure DC is about to undo New 52...again...I think...ANYWAY!

Since DC's animation studio has taken on Killing Joke I'd like to take that as a sign that they're willing to do other mature works. So how about a DC animated version of Identity Crisis?! The original book serves a few purposes: First of all, it retcons classic Teen Titan/Silver Age Justice League villain Dr. Light, turning him from an imposing threat that can take on a team into a bumbling cartoon character then again changing him into a cartoonish rapist. This also retcons the character of Sue Dibney since she was attacked by Doctor Light. Identity Crisis uses magical mind-wipes to change Dr. Light's mind and also Batman's mind which serves to make the league seem quite a bit shady. Firestorm is also killed during the storyline and in this continuity, he's a founding JLA member. This does open the door for the next Firestorm to take that mantel.

Now that the spoilers are over, Why do I want to see a DCA-film of Identity Crisis? When you take out all of the stupid elements, what you're left with is a pretty decent murder mystery. Sue Dibney is found dead in her apartment, doors and windows are locked. There are a number of suspects who could have wanted her dead, a number of red-harings and even some really touching moments throughout too. I think if there were some pretty big cuts, this could make for a really good DCAU flick. Taking out Dr. Light entirely wouldn't even be that big of a hit when it comes to the list of red harings (if I remember right) and with him does the mind-wipes which (in the context of THIS ONE STORY) isn't really necessary. The main problem would be pacing since the investigation uses the Justice League's best and brightest minds so it might wind up being a flash-back kind of movie about the wife of a character most people don't know too much about anyway...

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

More Vampire Hunter D books. The original was changed a bit, and Bloodlines had whole characters and the third act ripped out completely and rewritten.

Made for a much better story in the end, and I can see how similar changes would make the other novels awesome.

Oh god, this please, though my gripes might not be the same as yours.

I loved the second movie, so I tried to start on the book series. I got as far as the second book before giving up. I usually hate the term, but the words "Gary Stu" came to mind. Every other sentence served to remind the reader of how perfect D was, whether he was fighting or just standing completely still. Hell, I thought that even the first movie was an improvement over the book.

That part actually gets (a little) better over time. Or I just got used to it, whichever.

 

[SweetShark]

This Thread inspired me to create a Thread. Thank you.

About your Question:
I think you have already many unfaithful translations like Street Fighters and Ace Attonery games.
But a full scale unfaithful adaptation I would love to see is a rewrite of the Batman v Superman movie. It had so good moment which the bad ones just ruin the whole movie sadly.

 

[Queen Michael]

The book Altered Carbon. A bit esoteric maybe, but a few of the concepts behind the book are actually pretty cool. Unfortunately the main plot line isn't all that interesting and is just your run of the mill detective story with some Science Fiction trappings. A series in the world though would be really cool.

Netflix is making a series based on that book. Based on their track record so far, it'll probably be pretty decent.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I've got another one! One More Day is a Spider-Man story that takes place during the aftermath of Marvel Civil War. The world knows Spider-Man is Peter Parker so of course Parker and his family is being targeted by various assassins, one of whom is able to shoot Aunt May in the chest. She's not dead yet and despite Peter trying his damndest to find someone who can heal her, he comes up short. Dr. Strange tells Peter that Aunt May's time is short and that Peter should really make peace with her before her time comes...And then Mephisto shows Peter alternate variations of himself: Peter Parker as a normal person without powers in various potential lives and futures and even a cameo by a child who is the child Peter could have had with Mary Jane. Mephisto appears to Peter and offers an exchange: He can bring Aunt May back from the brink of Death in exchange for his marriage with Mary Jane. So naturally Spider-Man, pooling all of his heroic inner strength looks Mephisto right in the eye and says, "NYYYYYYYYYYYYYARG!" thus trading his marriage for Aunt May's life. Also he loses his organic webbing. Also Harry Osbourne comes back to life. Also everybody forgets that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

I would still like to see this adapted but without Mephisto and the reason I can see this working is because one of the people who refused (or was unable) to help Peter Parker was Doctor Doom.

[sub][sub]Holy Shit, Mr. Sinister is there too!?[/sub][/sub]​

I would love to see an alternate version of this where Doom gloatingly offers to help Spider-Man in exchange for Spidy helping him take over land or spying on The Avengers or some such thing. Then I can see things like Aunt May being kept alive to produce bio-synthetic mechs based on her to cause chaos.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

Twilight or 50 shades of grey or something awful like that, so that it can be made good.

 

[Erttheking]

More Vampire Hunter D books. The original was changed a bit, and Bloodlines had whole characters and the third act ripped out completely and rewritten.

Made for a much better story in the end, and I can see how similar changes would make the other novels awesome.

I never read the books, but I did read the changes made when they were making Bloodlust...and I fully agree. From what I read about the book Bloodlust was based on (Demon Deathchase right?) it was fucking bleak, relentlessly and joylessly so. Minus one super minor point. Don't call the coins dollars, it sounds silly.

OT: Yeah I'd second GATE, it seems to have its head stuck firmly up its ass in showing everyone who isn't the JSDF or a friend of the JSDF being either incompetent or evil. Kinda sounds like whoever wrote it has a persecution complex. Plus there's that thing where all the other countries want to exploit the other world for resources. EVEN THOUGH THE JSDF IS GOING TO DO THE SAME! Heck, apparently some fans have already written much better received fanfiction about America helping Japan and not being total asshats.

On the other hand, I'd also like to see an unfaithful adaptation of the Dark Knight Returns comic. I like a lot of scenes in that comic, but it made Batman to be kinda...well, not Batman. I mean super heroes have pretty much always been vigilantes who act above the law, but most comics tend to glaze over it. This one not only shows it, but Batman seems to take glee in acting above the police, treating anyone who is a pussy about "Due process" and "rights of the accused" as a whiner who needs to shut up and let Batman do his job. And while Batman has interrogated before, he never made it so that the person would DIE if he didn't answer his questions. Also batman leads a gang of murderers that act as a makeshift police force....NO! FUCKING! NO! And one last minor complaint, the Mutants were armed like a small army. That's just cartoony.

*Sigh* Looking at this, I really can kind of see it as a stepping stone that Frank Miller took to write such drek as Holy Terror and Allstar Batman and Robin.

 

[infohippie]

Harry Potter. A set of films that takes the basic premise of just the first couple of books and similar characters but jettisons the whole wizard war concept. A few films that follow a group of wizarding kids through their years at Hogwart's, having their lessons, getting into mischief, and eventually graduating and going on to whatever is in store for them after high school. For me, the Hogwart's school life formed the interesting parts of the story and I could not care less about the whole Death Eaters crap.