Written by Kelsey Kenneally
Anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of anime has probably heard of the ill-fated Netflix Death Note adaptation or the upcoming Detective Pikachu movie. The popular opinion seems to be that live-action adaptations are generally a bad idea. However, I am going to play devil’s advocate today and tell you why they are actually worth a watch by talking about two or three of the better live-action adaptations.
1. They give fans more material to dig up and watch
For me, I came into the Death Note fandom about 12 years late. I very much enjoyed bingeing the anime, reading the manga, and digging up the countless adaptations, including the three Japanese movies, the Japanese TV drama, and the notorious Netflix movie. The adaptations allow fans to keep enjoying their favourite characters long after the original show/manga series is over.
2. Some movie studios stay true to the source material
There are live-action adaptations that are actually genuinely good movies in their own right. Sure, the adaptation of Dragon Ball Z, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the Netflix Death Note were terrible and completely desecrated the source material, but there are some note-worthy adaptations. For example, the Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation provided a genuinely interesting take on the series, and the three Japanese Death Note movies stayed fairly true to the manga while providing an almost better alternate ending. And, from what I have heard, the live-action adaptation of Bleach actually hit the mark in many ways.
3. They allow for reinterpretation of characters
The characters are often what draws us into the originals as we come to love them and become genuinely invested in their stories. There are some adaptations that completely reimagine your favourite characters, and you find that they are actually as good, or better, than the originals.
One example of this comes in the TV drama adaptation of Death Note. Fan-favourite L is almost unrecognisable when compared to the original anime, but they did not do the character injustice. The original L comes across as a having a languid and blunt manner, being incredibly eccentric, and having a rather dry sense of humour that only presents itself in rare moments, like his quip to Misa about a world without Light being “dark.”
In contrast, the L from the TV drama’s eccentricity is downplayed significantly. He is much more direct in his offensive measures, going so far as to individually call all of his suspects and to try to get them to confess. This version is also mischievous and frequently plays pranks on other characters; the most notable example being when L is directing a disguised Light through the Yotsuba headquarters and intentionally turns him down a hallway that is actually a wall. Another aspect that differs from the anime is that L possesses a mean, verging on sadistic, streak that makes you question his morality even more than you did originally. All these traits seem like they would work against the character, but actually make him even more interesting.
4. Sometimes characters you hated in the original will actually be likeable in the adaptations or omitted entirely
One character who was omitted from the Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation was the flamboyant Alex Louis Armstrong. Some fans like this character, but others–myself included–find him annoying and unnecessary. His antics in the anime only add some rather weird and uncomfortable attempts at humour that usually fail dramatically. Without his unnecessary strip-teasing, viewers are more able to focus on the captivating story.
5. The adaptations sometimes provide better endings than the source material
Ending a series is incredibly hard for writers and some series hit the mark better than others. Naturally, I must cite the Japanese Death Note movies for an example once again. Death Note’s conclusion in the anime disappointed many fans for its rushed inclusion of L’s successors and the badly-explained switching of the Death Notes. Many of the fans simply stopped watching the series after L’s death because the series lost steam without him.
In contrast to this, the second Japanese movie actually provided a neat and clean ending for the series, while still achieving the same, if not more, emotional affect. This version implements a rule in the death note that was mentioned in the manga but never utilised. L wrote his own name in the death note before Rem did and set his own death for 23 days later, effectively nullifying her attempt to kill him. He and the task force are then able to catch Light and Misa red-handed. It is a clever twist that works more effectively than the clunky anime ending.
6. Annoying anime tropes are often omitted from the adaptations
There are a lot of tropes in anime, and most of them get old fast. A couple such tropes that are common in the anime versions of Fullmetal Alchemist are the overreaction trope and the randomly stripping trope (looking at you, Armstrong). The randomly stripping trope is not present in the adaptation due to the fact that Armstrong is omitted entirely. The overreaction trope is significantly toned down from the anime; there is only so much overreaction possible when you are dealing with human muscles instead of animated ones.
7. You get to see what your favourite characters would look like if they were real
Much like when a novel gets adapted into a movie, live-action adaptations of anime give us an even better picture of our favourite characters (sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse). Animation often looks very unrealistic, so seeing your favourite characters in live-action makes them that much more tangible.
8. It’s not weird to have a crush on your favourite character in adaptations
It is not uncommon for fans to have crushes on their favourite fictional characters; the terms “fangirl” and “fanboy” exist for a reason. It can feel a little weird to have a crush on your favourite animated character. Live-action makes it feel a lot more natural because you have a human actor to pin your attraction on. For example, people may think it’s weird if you have a crush on L, but if you say you have a crush on Kenichi Matsuyama (the actor who portrayed him in the Japanese movies), it is considered socially acceptable.
9. Adaptations provide an increased opportunity for diversity
Increased diversity is almost always a good thing; it gives minority actors more roles and gives minority kids someone like them in popular media. A couple of examples of this in adaptations are Lakeith Stanfield playing L in the Netflix Death Note movie and Ryôsuke Yamada playing the traditionally Caucasian Edward Elric in the Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation. In these cases, the changes are harmless and do not affect the story in any significant way. After all, the Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation was made in Japan, so it makes sense to hire Japanese actors. As for L, his race is not particularly important to the story, so having him played by an African-American adds diversity without negatively affecting his character any more than the movie script did.
10. Adaptations open anime up to a wider audience
There are many excuses the average viewer gives for not watching anime; they misunderstand it or dislike animated TV shows and movies. For example, my entire family cannot stand anime. However, I convinced them to watch the Japanese Death Note movies with me, and they enjoyed them.
Also, some people want to try anime, but they do not have the time to watch an 800 episode TV series that has been going on since the 90s. A two-hour movie can be a much better jumping off point for new fans, and it can encourage them to dive in and explore the originals.
Are adaptations worth it?
Yes, movie studios will always make bad movies from fandom shows to make a profit. But if the studio really tried to make a movie worth watching, it cannot hurt to give them a chance. Good anime adaptations do exist. Even if you dislike the examples I chose to discuss, I guarantee there is at least one anime adaptation out there that you will enjoy!
