We’ve been blessed this year with a whole heap of live-action adaptations of our favourite anime and manga. From the absolute hilarious to some controversial choices (Ghost in a Shell being one of them) there are tons and tons for us to sink our teeth into and enjoy! Here are 10 of the most highly anticipated live-action anime adaptations coming out in 2017!
10. Gintama
This is one of the few live-action movies that I’m actually really excited to see this year, so I thought I’d start my list with this one! Gintama is one of my favourite anime around so you could imagine my excitement when they announced they were making a live action film of the franchise in 2017! The film has Shun Oguri as Gintoki Sakata, the main character of both the manga and the anime.
Believe it or not, this Edo period series is about aliens having invaded feudal Japan and the shenanigans that follow. Shun Oguri has even guest starred in the anime adaption so he was well cast to play Sakata! This is on the top of my ‘Movies to Watch’ list for 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdP2uw2lCoY
9. Death Note
Having an Americanised version of Death Note is something I don’t think the world really needs, but since the production is being done for Netflix, I do have some tiny glimmer of hope about this film. Even though the film itself is facing delay due to theft on set, it was originally set for a 2017 release. We may end up waiting a little bit longer because of those delays, but… I mean… Willem Dafoe is the voice of a live-action Ryuk, so the world can’t be all bad.
The plot itself seems to resemble the original movies themselves, where Light becomes in possession of a mysterious journal that can kill anyone! Will this be another Hollywood flop remake? Only one way to find out.
8. Full Metal Alchemist
This live-action adaptation has gotten many people excited and you cannot blame them. Apparently the film is going to attempt to take the entirety of the series’ storyline and condense it into one flick. I’m not sure how they’re going to fit the entirety of Edward and Alphonse Elric’s storyline into one flick, but you know what they say, when there’s a will there’s a way.
So far they’ve only released a teaser trailer to wet our appetites and with the release coming out in December 2017, it’s safe to say they will be releasing more trailers soon.
7. Neko Atsume no Ie
I found it really random and that they were planning on making a live-action of the popular Neko Atsume mobile game, but after seeing the trailer I have really high hopes for it!
The plot follows the story of a bestselling writer and the copious amounts of cats that start showing up at his new home. It looks lighthearted and really cute. This film is definitely going to appeal to all cat lovers out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcRW1D1h5Ng
6.Tokyo Ghoul
Another movie that looks like it’s following the manga’s plot beat for beat, Tokyo Ghoul is set in an alternate reality where ghouls, individuals who can only survive by eating human flesh, live among the normal humans in secret, hiding their true nature to evade pursuit from the authorities.
The film follows Ken Kaneki and the events that turn him into a human/ghoul hybrid. He then falls into the dark world of the man-eating ghouls, who look very much like humans but with an appetite for flesh and special abilities. This anime/manga has a massive and loyal following so let’s hope they do it justice. Seeing it in live action is going to be an absolute blast.
5. Ghost in the Shell
With controversy surrounding actor-related drama and with the director accused of white-washing the film. Ghost in the Shell hasn’t had the best start, and it hasn’t even come out yet!
Even though it would’ve been nice if they had stuck to the characters ethnicity, I can’t help but look forward to Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Major and from what we can gather, they’ve remained quite faithful to the anime. It’s also one of the major Blockbusters of this year!
4. Isshuukan Friends
Adapted from the manga of the same name the movie is a love story of sorts, with 16 year-old Yuuki Hase becoming closer with Kaori Fujimiya, a quiet and reserved girl with a secret; her memories of those close to her reset at the end of the week; and she’s unable to make friends in fear of hurting those close to her.
It’s nice to have a romantic comedy anime made into live-action isn’t it? Usually these adaptations are saved for the truly weird. This will be soothing in comparison to it’s crazy movie rivals on this list!
3. Blade of the Immortal
Takashi Miike’s Blade of the Immortal is essentially a warrior cursed with immortality, who can only break the curse if he kills 1,000 evil men. From the trailer it looks like it’s going to be bloody, and with Takashi Miike at the helm we can imagine a bit of extra blood and guts flying everywhere.
2. Shinjuku Swan II
A sequel to the first Shinjuku Swan film based on a manga of the same name, the movie follows Tatsuhiko Shiratori who works as a scout recruiting girls to work in the adult entertainment biz. He moves to Yokohama from Shinjuku, and immediately starts getting into trouble with the CEO of another scout company.
The film has already been released in Japan and stars prolific actor Tadanobu Asano. I have high hopes for this film!
1. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable – Chapter 1
Last, but not least, Takashi Miike is bringing another anime to life this year with Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. In this film, Josuke Higashikata and his friends who are thrown into a world populated by Strand users. They have to face off against these opponents as well as uncover the mystery of the mystical Arrow, which can manifest latent Strand abilities as well as how to stop its wielder. This is another film that I’m really excited about this year! As you may have noticed, I’m a BIG Takashi Miike fan, so I can’t wait to see how he’s going to bring this to life!
