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new writers jumped a board to write a americanized version, with american actors using japanese names.

And there trying to cramp a 4000 plus page epic into two movies , I thinks this a bad idea and americanizing it is even worst . and Yes I`m a American ,I thinks some things should be left alone .

Your thoughts .

Disate

All I can find about this project is this (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/06/14/warner-bros-live-action-akira-movie-is-dead-as-a-doornail/), the title of which is "Warner Bros' Live-Action Akira Movie is Dead as a Doornail!".

Do you have any actual information about this that we could look at?

Am I the only one who thinks Akira is a bit shit?
The original Manga Video translation (the one where the bloke who did one of the TMNT in the original Fred Wolf 'toons did the voice of Kaneda) was bloody awful, dwelling on a  juvenile translation to sell the film in the west to a primary audience of ADHD teens, and while the later dub corrected a lot of script errors and clarified WTF some of the damn thing was about, the film still comes across as dull and aimless.  Looks nice, yes, and I'm not casting dispersions on Otomo's craftsmanship, but it's ultimately soul-less and a large measure of it's reputation as a 'classic' seems to stem from it being an early mainstream anime and one of the first to get a wide release over here, even though there were better examples of anime doing the rounds before that, such as reasonably faithful dubs/edits of My Neighbour Totorro and Laputa: The Flying Island.
The story, I think, just isn't strong enough, and any westernisation will need a heavy plot facelift.

I'm with you Prof. The film didn't make much sense as it stood. I've only seen the original english dub (and a sub before that at the cardiff animation festival forever ago) so maybe it makes more sense with the new dub. All seems a bit beyond recovery though


oh and
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15086/-akira-remake-still-moving-forward

Quote from: James S on 09 September, 2009, 03:52:26 PM
oh and
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15086/-akira-remake-still-moving-forward

"This film version shifts the setting to a post-apocalyptic Manhattan."

WTF?

Cheers

Jim

Quote from: Odd_Bloke on 09 September, 2009, 02:45:25 PM
All I can find about this project is this (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/06/14/warner-bros-live-action-akira-movie-is-dead-as-a-doornail/), the title of which is "Warner Bros' Live-Action Akira Movie is Dead as a Doornail!".

Do you have any actual information about this that we could look at?

io9.com  and rotton tomatoes.com

Quote from: Professah Byah on 09 September, 2009, 03:46:13 PM
Am I the only one who thinks Akira is a bit shit?
The original Manga Video translation (the one where the bloke who did one of the TMNT in the original Fred Wolf 'toons did the voice of Kaneda) was bloody awful, dwelling on a  juvenile translation to sell the film in the west to a primary audience of ADHD teens, and while the later dub corrected a lot of script errors and clarified WTF some of the damn thing was about, the film still comes across as dull and aimless.  Looks nice, yes, and I'm not casting dispersions on Otomo's craftsmanship, but it's ultimately soul-less and a large measure of it's reputation as a 'classic' seems to stem from it being an early mainstream anime and one of the first to get a wide release over here, even though there were better examples of anime doing the rounds before that, such as reasonably faithful dubs/edits of My Neighbour Totorro and Laputa: The Flying Island.
The story, I think, just isn't strong enough, and any westernisation will need a heavy plot facelift.

the original akira  movie was fraction of a 6 book 4000 plus page saga that was epic . 

The movie is an extremely condensed version of the manga, which is far bigger in terms of scope, and hence the film doesn't make a lot of sense.

I like the animation, but it's only really a highlight package of cool moments from the books, which are truly stunning.

The live action film sounds like a truly awful idea and I hope it is never made. There was talk of a version with Leonardo Dicarprio as Kaneda(!) Joseph Gordon Levitt as Tetsuo(!) which would be beyond rubbish.

there still planning to have joseph  to play as Tetsuo  ....ugh .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

Americanisation of Guyver was shit..
The Dragon Ball film I have still yet to see but have been told it is ok..
Crying Freeman I enjoyed but that wasn't really Americanized..

It cant harm the manga film so I say if you think it is going to be shit then don't watch it.





V

The film made perfect sense to me, and I loved it.

If it's being adapted to a two part live action deal, I can't necessarily see why that wouldn't work, it all depends, and we can only speculate.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tetsuo I can dig; Leonardo DiCaprio as Kaneda is a bit of a stretch (not that he's not impressive, but he's surely too old to make a convincing teenage biker?)

I'm all for this project in principle, as long as we all bear in mind that in reality, it'll probably be shite.

The budget's going to have to be huge to do this justice.

If Akira the live action movie ever sees the light, I'm sensing a Dragonball style shit-athon.

Last I checked, this movie was categorically not happening. Anyone got any firm info to the contrary?

I'm quite possibly the biggest Akira nut around. I think it's an awesome story - without a shadow of a doubt the finest comic book I've ever read.

The 1988 movie however - well, it's a big movie. I think it's very good in the sense that it gives folks who are familiar with the story something different - it's production values are incredibly high, too. But for me, the real story will always be in the manga.

Ultimately, that's why I wouldn't be keen to see a live action movie. When the project was first announced, I was pretty receptive. But I can't swallow Leonardo DiCaprio as a 16 year old kid. I can't accept Manhattan as a substitute for Neo Tokyo. Any reinterpretation of the manga is just gonna HAVE to reference that a lot more faithfully.

I reckon the story belongs in comics, at the end of the day. It's a really well crafted comic - the story has a lot of layers, and there are lots of themes and motifs to be read into. I've always dexcribed it to others as 'Rumble Fish meets Blade Runner - with psychics.'

I just think the finer points that make it so great will be lost in an Americanized remake. There are other Japanese franchise that would be better choices if the American studios want to mine anime for future blockbusters.

Oh God no.

http://kotaku.com/5469336/report-menace-ii-society-directors-to-helm-akira-flick (http://kotaku.com/5469336/report-menace-ii-society-directors-to-helm-akira-flick)

hurmmmmmmm.........

*shudder*

You know, when I watch a foreign language film I enjoy, my first thought is NOT "Hey, this is great but most people are stupider than me and can't cope with subs or dubs so the only way they'll actually GET this is if I remake it for them."  

Naturally I view the idea of remaking an English language movie for America even MORE dimly.  If something works, don't mess with it - it's already a great flick.  Oddly, I see more sense in remaking a flick that sucked first time out.  

It's animation.  You can put the dub version in your DVD player and you're away.  Idiocy.  Although obviously the original Manga is a cracking read and well worth your time (more so than the flick).

Everything in this thread made my heart sink so low that I think it's in danger of falling out of my arse.

Why can't they leave Akira alone.
Next they will be americanizing Hard boiled, Classic Chow Yun Fat and compulsory viewing.







V

I just don't understand Hollywood logic - oh these guys ruined From Hell, let's give them another classic comic series to adapt....

Well, this news about the Hughes brothers has been the catalyst for me to form a solid opinion about whether I want to see a live action Akira.

The answer is 'NO'.

Anyone else notice how a slew of anime / manga related projects have been touted in Hollywood and gone very quiet indeed? I think that's because the execs KNOW they can't possibly pull these things off.

Who are they going to aim them at? Fans of the original material won't settle for it. What possible new audience could there be for horribly westernised re-tellings of these stories.

Bad Idea.

Remaking Akira as a live film is.fucking.stupid. IMHO dubbed versions of foreign language films are bobbins too - subs all the way chez Mikey!

The whole remake thing - it seems to be exclusively to cater for a US audience. This suggests one of three things;

1.Cultural supression - don't let people know there are talents, opinions and other cultures outside your own country. This reenforces the superiority of the USA already felt by many and an essentially isolationist world view.

2.Yanks are by and large stupid - because the education system has a bias toward US centric teaching. It helps create point 1.

3. The studios want it that way - because they are about making a profit, they re use existing material because it's quicker than wasting time reading original scripts. They also think the audience is stupid.

Now point one I could see myself believing, but I think it's just the result of point two. Point three has legs too and again feeds into the first two points.

However, a great part of the books,comics,music and films I have read and own have been produced by people from the US. What's all that about?


M.

I'm pretty much with you there, Mikey.

Live action Akira went from being an interesting (if slightly troubling) idea to an almighty mistake in one swift move, and before a single frame of it was even shot.

You helped me to make my mind up about this one. Whoever does it now, I'm flagging this movie as a no-go zone. Nobody is generally more supportive and open minded to these sorts of ideas than me, but I really hope this film never gets made.

Akira is a classic case of 'what we've already got is enough'. Because what we've already got is absolutely incredible. Why tarnish it?

Quote1.Cultural supression - don't let people know there are talents, opinions and other cultures outside your own country. This reenforces the superiority of the USA already felt by many and an essentially isolationist world view.

2.Yanks are by and large stupid - because the education system has a bias toward US centric teaching. It helps create point 1.

3. The studios want it that way - because they are about making a profit, they re use existing material because it's quicker than wasting time reading original scripts. They also think the audience is stupid.

Come on, mate - that's a bit harsh. I just think it's a case of the mainstream audiences being a bit conservative (though they are gradually becoming more open minded) and studios trying to exploit any property with an established fanbase.

A live action Akira doesn't necessarily have to be awful (imagine a full Japanese cast and James Cameron or Neill Blomkamp directing), but I don't trust Hollywood to do it sensibly. The possible involvement of the Hughes brothers is mind-boggling - none of their films have been especially critically or commercially successful and they have a bad track record of making comic book movies. They have also demonstrated little flair for sci-fi.

Of course, what they should really do is just get Otomo to remake the original, with the same techniques, but make it a trilogy and follow the original manga far more closely.

Yeah, it's nothing to do with Americans, more to do with humans being stupid (or underestimated).  IF Otomo were to remake it and follow his work more closely then THAT might be worth a look. 

But please, let's keep Jim TITANIC Cameron away from it, eh?  Spectacular he can do, no question, but Basil Exposition gets WAY too many lines and there's a lot of baggy, plodding storytelling in between the good bits.

Cameron is a bit cheesy these days, but to be fair, Akira isn't exactly the greatest story ever written - it's always mostly been about the action, visuals and design for me - so in that respect I think Cameron would be a great director for it, so long as he didn't schmaltz it up too much.

That may be asking way too much, Radiator.  He's just made Dances With Smurfahontas & Firekind.

Subs and dubs are for different audiences and neither is more or less valid an experience than the other - they're for viewers with different preferences rather than differing levels of literacy or intelligence.  Likewise, there's no reason Akira should be unfilmable as the last movie was a mess despite being made by the guy who wrote the manga: being closer to the source material is no guarantee of quality, or even coherence.  Hollywood has the capacity to make a decent film from the material, it's just a matter of the right mix of talent - which admittedly might not be a list that begins with "the Hughes Bros".

Akira may be a 4000-plus pages story, but there's a vast difference between longetivity and complexity, and it's simply not that complex a tale that it would elude condensation or adaptation into popcorn fodder.  If I could be arsed, I'd do it in six panels:
1 - Bikers in Tokyo encounter secret military psychic research
2 - biker has psychic powers now for some reason
3 - wrecked city and roving survivors (manga), or a big blobby thing (anime)
4 - KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
5 - TETSUUOOOOOOOOOOO!
6 - end credits

There's a lot of sense in your post, Prof.  Love the 6-panel breakdown.

It isn't bloody shakespeare or Citizen Kano, but for me the anime we have works as well as I can imagine an adaptation working.  Whether that's because I have no imagination or the folks involved in bringing it to the screen last time weren't doing their best I can't say.

Quotebiker has psychic powers now for some reason

Gah! That's always bothered me! Why does Tetsuo get psychic powers? He was never experimented on like the other Espers. I've seen the film many times and read the gns more than once and I'm sure it is never explained!

QuoteAkira may be a 4000-plus pages story, but there's a vast difference between longetivity and complexity, and it's simply not that complex a tale that it would elude condensation or adaptation into popcorn fodder.

You make a good argument, but what I've always loved about the original manga is the event half way through that turns it into a post-apocalyptic landscape, and seeing how all the characters cope in their new situation. I also love all the stuff with the warring factions, the birdman, the US marine, the caretaker robots, Joker, the fight on the aircraft carrier.... hardly essential story elements I agree, but such cool moments and concepts that really should have made it into the anime.

I assume that since this is an American screeplay it would be more like X-Men or other generic Superhero type of film with rugged yet disperate individuals joining forces in common cause to face down some evil foe ie:President Obama if the 'Tea Party' political grouping is to be believed.

Cinema magic only tends to happen once so enjoy the original.

Quote from: Professah Byah on 12 February, 2010, 08:16:02 PM

Akira may be a 4000-plus pages story, but there's a vast difference between longetivity and complexity, and it's simply not that complex a tale that it would elude condensation or adaptation into popcorn fodder.  If I could be arsed, I'd do it in six panels:
1 - Bikers in Tokyo encounter secret military psychic research
2 - biker has psychic powers now for some reason
3 - wrecked city and roving survivors (manga), or a big blobby thing (anime)
4 - KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
5 - TETSUUOOOOOOOOOOO!
6 - end credits

Whaaaaat?

I kinda disagree - kinda. I think the complexity in the books (and they definitely are multi-stranded in a way I haven't seen elsewhere) is the sort of thing that conceivably COULD be filmed. I still think some subtle things (and some of the elements are veeeery subtle) could be lost, though.

Oh, uh, to answer the question before about Tetsuo's psychic abilities: Tetsuo is a latent psychic before he has his crash-tacular encounter with Takashi on the Motorway. The psychic and physical trauma of that is what awakens him. It's referenced in the books that way, as I recall. Plus, the nasty government guys pump him full of drugs to further amplify and ecperiment with his abilities. Things like that are definitely there to be worked out, but they're not laid out in an explicit, signposted way. That's why I love the books so much.

But that's the TIP OF THE ICEBERG! There's loads of other great stuff in the book.

My favourite beat of the whole thing is the way Kaneda is forced to mature through the story's events, how he grows form being an arrogant, egotistical pig into a man. Cracking stuff! His interaction with Tetsuo and Kei is freakin' amazing!

Plus the whole meditation on the notion of uncontrollable power... the commenatry on the nature of friendship...sacrifice...

'Tis the only comic book that's ever made me cry, to boot. I love it.

All the boffins did was unlock a certain gene in Tetsuo which span out of control, I think.






V

Quote from: vzzbux on 12 February, 2010, 10:53:08 PM
All the boffins did was unlock a certain gene in Tetsuo which span out of control, I think.

Something like that.

It took me ages to cotton on to the fact that the whole reason Tetsuo undergoes that alarming transformation in th end is because his power is becoming so great that his weedy little human body can't contain it.

I really like the way how - in the books - Tetsuo's rapid development is scary even to him. Otomo's characters are very human in those ways.

Believe it or not, but the bloke who originally set out to write the film adaptation is a man who used to write for PC Gamer.

No, really.

Just for the record - I was just thinking out loud, not trying to be harsh intentionally. I know it applies to all peeps, so I apologise if any of our US members feel aggrieved in any way.

Personally, I think a lot of mass entertainment treats the audience as conservative and shit bricks about offending anyone by having the courage to do something interesting. People can take it!

I have been accused of being quixotic in the past... :-\

M

Quote from: Professah Byah on 12 February, 2010, 08:16:02 PM
Akira may be a 4000-plus pages story, but there's a vast difference between longetivity and complexity, and it's simply not that complex a tale that it would elude condensation or adaptation into popcorn fodder.  If I could be arsed, I'd do it in six panels:
1 - Bikers in Tokyo encounter secret military psychic research
2 - biker has psychic powers now for some reason
3 - wrecked city and roving survivors (manga), or a big blobby thing (anime)
4 - KANEDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
5 - TETSUUOOOOOOOOOOO!
6 - end credits

I had a friend who did a really good impression of the latter stages of the Akira anime, which consisted entirely of repetition of panels 4 and 5, very loudly.

Regards

Robin

That's pretty funny!

I won't deny, I've done something similar with friends of mine. But I actually think the 'shouting across the junk heap' scene is a classic movie moment. I love how it's the build up to a massive scrap!

I'll admit not being all that taken by the film when I first saw it, partly because I wasn't sure what was happening and a couple of the characters look very much alike.

QuoteMy favourite beat of the whole thing is the way Kaneda is forced to mature through the story's events, how he grows form being an arrogant, egotistical pig into a man.

I got the first volume from the library a couple of years ago, and I didn't like it much for that reason. I just found the character extremely irritating. Maybe that's close minded of me, as irritating characters doesn't equal bad story.  I mean, I'm quite into the 'Wheel of Time' novels, and some of the characters there are extremely irritating, albeit they do show other sides to their characters too. I wonder, if I'd have liked Akira better had I proceeded on to the other volumes. (I think the translation bothered me a bit too, although that's probably unfair as well.)

Quote from: Mardroid on 13 February, 2010, 04:00:19 PM
I wonder, if I'd have liked Akira better had I proceeded on to the other volumes. (I think the translation bothered me a bit too, although that's probably unfair as well.)

Yes it is ;)

Actually, naw, it isn't. Akira's had a couple of translations, I do believe. the Studio Proteus one is far and away the better one. I believe that's what's being used in the Kodansha comics re-print. Even so, I'll happily admit that you have to make a few allowances for it in places.

I do have to continually remind myself that Akira is one of those stories that just isn't for a lot of people. Which is a shame. Taken as a six volume set, it's one of the most spectacular reads I've ever encountered. Things develop and move in a way that you wouldn't expect from just the first standalone volume. The third book REALLY mixes things up, and the final volume is one almighty roller-coaster ride.

Your point about the characters is really why I like them so much. Kaneda really IS irritating and dislikeable when you first see him. I think that's what makes his character arc so strong. You find yourself concerned for him even if you're not exactly rooting for him by the end of the book.

I dig the way that certain characters are kept pretty much ambiguous throughout the majority of the story as well.

Regarding the film, just in case nobody's said it so far in this thread - it's nice enough by itself. But there's so much more in the books. That's where the real story is.

Digressing on the topic of dubbed cartoons - I was rather puzzled last year to see loads of ads in Peru for 'Kung Fu Pandas - starring Jack Black'. Unless he also voiced the spanish dub, it wouldn't be him in it at all, which seemed like an odd ad campaign.

He might have done motion capture stuff for it?  I've not seen it myself, but if his physical or facial performance were involved then even if you don't hear HIS voice, he is STILL technically starring in it?

Just putting this in here since it doesn't really warrant a thread of its own.... but does anyone know has Akira been discontinued on DVD or something? After many conversations telling me how awesome it is, I figured I should finally watch it, but nowhere online seems to have it, except used copies.

Posting when I should be sleeping...

Akira is indeed VERY hard to find on DVD now, for some reason. It's easier to pick up on Blu-ray, though.

I'm not sure what the deal is with it. Manga Entertainment used to have the license for it, but I heard some rumblings a while back that they'd lost it.

You can always look for the 'Manga Force' edition. That tends to crop up unused and very cheap.

Apparently the latest news is that only one of the Hughes brothers is directing now, Morgan Freeman is in talks to star as the Colonel, and Zac f**king Efron is being sought to play Kaneda.

I think I just did a bit of sick in my mouth! Hollywood! Please kill this movie now!

While the news trickling out about casting sends shivers up the spine of anyone with even a passing interest in Akira, I can't imagine it will ever get made. This whole episode reminds me of the Evangelion film that was in pre production with concept art leaking out everywhere. I think that film has died the quiet death it deserved.

As for getting Akira, the bluray seems to be all that is out there. If I'm not mistaken it has the Pioneer dub which in my opinion is vastly inferior to the original dub which I can't find anywhere except torrent sites.

Quote from: HdE on 12 April, 2010, 04:05:39 AMAkira is indeed VERY hard to find on DVD now, for some reason. It's easier to pick up on Blu-ray, though.

Given how much Blu-ray costs compared to DVD, I suspect you have answered your own query there.

As for the Evangelion movie, that was never going to happen while Gainax were still involved in the production process.  Apart from being tight-assed with money, the Evangelion people have a reputation for being difficult to work with and overly-precious about their one unquestionable success.

I got the Akira DVD double pack second hand for something ridiculous like £3 (including postage) off eBay a while back.

Funnily enough I've just started reading through the books over the last couple of days. Had read the first couple of volumes years ago before something wallet-tightening must have happened and I couldn't buy any more, but a friend has loaned me the rest.

I love the movie, always have, and its even more impressive when reading the books I think. Its then that it sinks in just how much they've had to compress, and I think they've done an incredible job of keeping the core of the story and keeping all the memorable images and set-pieces (even going so far as to use them in different contexts and scenarios).

Still think a Hollywood version will be atrocious though.

Wow! This thread still kickin'?

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 November, 2010, 07:17:10 PM
Still think a Hollywood version will be atrocious though.

Yeah, THIS. Morgan Freeman? Zac who? Hughes Brother directing?

Get bent, Hollywood. Do not want. End of discussion.

Some good news for those who weren't aware - apparently there's been talk of the 1987 movie being re-released on either Blu-ray or DVD. So those of you who were looking for it, keep your peepers out for it.

And in interests of furthering this discussion, I'll say that the whole 'Hollywood mining anime and manga for future box office hits' thing seems to be a massive exercise in wishful thinking. I mean, how long has that been talked about? And what has come of it? A big fat hairy nothing, that's what.

Take the latest news on the Cowboy Bebop movie - apparently the studio are concerned about the cost of any possible production, which has meant taking the script and re-writing it to fit the budget.

This is ALWAYS going to be the problem with adapting anime for the box office. If you want an expansive medium where you can have spaceships, motorcycles, giant robots, SWARMS of giant robots on screen at once (and possibly fighting tooth and claw with a misture of swords, hammers and rocket launchers), a huge cast of characters and mind boggling scenery, then you're best sticking with anime.

Hollywood is ALWAYS going to be about trimming things back to put a streamlined version of things on the screen.

In other news - anyone heard about the live action Bubblegum Crisis? Not that it'll happen, most likely...

I bought the Akira special years ago on DVD to replace my VHS, only to keep my VHS copy anyway. Will I go for the Blue ray? Maybe.
On a similar note pulled down a box full of my old manga vid's which includes the complete Dominion tank police and Guyver plus the live action Guyver and Crying freeman.





V

i'd be happy with a Japanese live action version if similar quality to this (minus the Steve Tyler of course)

S[pace Battleship Yamota (warning trailer contauins a few spoiler, like what looks like the end of the movie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbupyeGlBPA

CU radbacker

Script review here (the word is not good): http://screenrant.com/akira-movie-script-review-uncapie-85448/ (http://screenrant.com/akira-movie-script-review-uncapie-85448/)

Tetsuo is now called 'Travis'(!).

To call a rival asian biker gang The Packies just leaves me scratching my head.





V

'Travis.' Snrrk!

'Packies.' Pfft!!!

If any of this is genuine, then it's clear Hollywood's higher powers have NO IDEA how to handle this story.

Please, for the love of god, just LEAVE IT ALONE, Hollywood. Plough th e money into Cowboy Bebop instead - at least that'll translate well.

The whole premise of an Americanised Akira has the words 'bitten off more than could chew' written all over it.

The Americans have Spiderman, why do they want Akira too?

I'm always surprised that anyone can follow the film at all without having read the comic.

Yeah, the movie is cool, but it's really just a montage of cool moments from the comics loosely strung together.

Quote from: radiator on 17 November, 2010, 10:44:34 AM
Yeah, the movie is cool, but it's really just a montage of cool moments from the comics loosely strung together.

It was the cool factor that got me hooked as a kid though. The last 20 minutes baffled me a bit but everything up to that point was just such fantastic eye candy that I didn't care. I wouldn't say it's difficult to understand though, rather I was just young and dumb(er). Watching it these days it makes plenty sense. Read book 3 the other day, my least favorite so far (just a big chase really) but still great and it's interesting how far beyond the movie the books go.

QuoteRead book 3 the other day, my least favorite so far (just a big chase really) but still great and it's interesting how far beyond the movie the books go.

You haven't seen anything yet!

I dunno, I still think the movie doesn't make a great deal of sense in isolation (though the new translation of the re-dubbed version helps to clarify things a little). There is so much left unexplained that it's hard to understand the characters motivations and I still don't really get the ending... Do they become gods or something?

Quote from: radiator on 17 November, 2010, 10:57:55 AM

QuoteRead book 3 the other day, my least favorite so far (just a big chase really) but still great and it's interesting how far beyond the movie the books go.

You haven't seen anything yet!

I dunno, I still think the movie doesn't make a great deal of sense in isolation (though the new translation of the re-dubbed version helps to clarify things a little). There is so much left unexplained that it's hard to understand the characters motivations and I still don't really get the ending... Do they become gods or something?

Yeah, I kind of thought Akira transformed them into pure energy to escape the blast, which was why they were then sort of one with him and sharing his memories. I agree the latest dub seems a better translation, there's a lot more chat about the whole energy/evolution thing at a couple of points.

This is good - "The American Akira", from the same chap that did the Animated Watchmen parody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

Quote from: Goosegash on 17 November, 2010, 02:33:27 PM
This is good - "The American Akira", from the same chap that did the Animated Watchmen parody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

BAH! I posted a link to that on the first page!

Ever get a strange feeling of deja vu?

Yeah, but it IS very funny (and disturbingly prescient, it turns out...)

This thing just refuses to die. Apparently the script is currently being rewritten and it's also been revealed that the studio was trying to get Brad Pitt (who is nearly 50) to play Kaneda.... Words fail me. Luckily he refused.

Rumours continue to circle about James Franco playing the lead (who is still about 12 years too old for the role), and Mila Kunis who was down to play Kei has left the project.

Kenny Baker would be a perfect Takashi.

I don't think there's EVER been anything that has brought me so perilously close the realms of internet trolling.

Every time I hear something about this movie, I facepalm and prepare to post my thoughts Those thoufghts generally materialise on the screen as withering put-downs, and so I delete them... only to realise that I was too late, and I'd already posted them (sometimes in the same thread) just a few posts or pages ago.

Please, for the love of God, kill this movie NOW. I'm possibly THE biggest Akira fanboy there is. But the prospect of this live action movie fills me with fear and loathing.

I'm convinced it's all an elaborate joke, because all the information that's come out about it is just too ridiculous to be true.

Keef, your words have spoken to me in a way that I find... profound.

If Hollywood wants to use Akira as INSPIRATION for a sci-fi movie exploring similar ideas and themes, that's fine. I mean, it might even be good. But to take the movie's name (and here's a thing: Supposedly they're happy to keep the movie's title, yet they want to change 'Tetsuo' to 'TRAVIS'?!?) and use it in connection with something that will bear such a laughable resemblance to it... ugh. No. Just no.

This is in 'I won't watch this when it comes out under any circumstances' territory for me, I'm afraid. I have the books and a perfectly bloody wonderful 1987 movie, thank you very much Mr. Hollywood. Stop trying to fix things that ain't broke.

You have seen it here first folks.
Muniz for Kaneda






Not really.




V

Shit - for some reason that photo is making me depressed - Frankie Muniz is losing his hair fast.

For me, Akira is mainly a visual spectacle - take away Otomo's art and design work and there really isn't that much left. I've said it before, but I'd much rather they just do a 10 hour animatioed miniseries that adapted the source material accurately.

Quote from: radiator on 20 February, 2011, 11:51:12 AM


For me, Akira is mainly a visual spectacle - take away Otomo's art and design work and there really isn't that much left.

FOR SHAME!

If we're talking about the manga, there's a PILE of stuff in there! A lot of it is very subtle, but it's definitely there.

Frankie looks like Aaron Paul in that photo. COINCIDENCE I THINK NOT.

This thread has convincined me that American Akira needs to happen. If the Japanese could have their own Spider-Man, why not?

Power Rangers Spiderman rocks from what little of it I've seen.
That Muniez kid is younger, more famouse but definatly more Balder than me, makes me happy.

Akira is pretty much the first taste of anime for me (not counting Starblazers, Kimba, Astroboy and Robotech) and totally blew my mind, it did take about three watches to undeeerstand the story and i really just cant see how it could be told in a satisfying way as a two hour blockbuster movie.

CU Radbacker

Quote from: Radbacker on 21 February, 2011, 01:47:00 AM

Akira is pretty much the first taste of anime for me (not counting Starblazers, Kimba, Astroboy and Robotech) and totally blew my mind, it did take about three watches to undeeerstand the story and i really just cant see how it could be told in a satisfying way as a two hour blockbuster movie.

Yup. Consider thatthe movie actually has quite a bit going on in it, then consider how much from the 6 telephone-directory sized books was omitted from it, then consider Hollywood's hatcheteering of many a much loved story... ugh.

I think perchance it's time I posted this:

http://hde2009.deviantart.com/art/Misery-Of-HdE-episode-3-187333512

That's how much I freakin' love those books.

Keanu Reeves now looks set to play Kaneda.

I hope the cast Brad Pitt in this too.

and Johnny Depp.

And Samuel L. Jackson can be Kei!

Jesus wept.

I'll not be watching this...

Daft idea, completely daft.  There are plenty of actors of Japanese origin or Japanese descent.

You know it makes sense (in hollywood anyway)





V

Quote from: radiator on 06 May, 2011, 07:44:32 PM
Keanu Reeves now looks set to play Kaneda.

This makes sense. As he is the actor you get for sci-fi movies.

I hope that <another actor who always gets put in sci-fi movies because he was in a popular sci-fi movie 15 years ago> also appears in this film!

and relax

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/20611/keanu-reeves-departs-akira-remake

Yeah, I also heard that they've effectively shut down pre-production too, though some are still claiming they are making the movie. Hopefully that's the last we'll hear of it.

I read a review of the Akira movie script (though this was before the most recent rewrite) and it sounded utterly pitiful - Tetsuo (renamed Travis) turns out to be a good guy after all, and teams up with Kaneda to defeat the evil child Akira - whose every onscreen presence - I shit you not - is accompanied by a refrain from the song 'Frere Jacques'. Apparently they wanted a J-Horror (The Grudge, The Ring) vibe for his scenes...

I am so relieved that this appears to be dying the death it so richly deserves.

Director Albert Hughes has left the project, so it looks like the Akira movie is well and truly dead, at least for now.

In other news, the original Akira movie finally hits (UK) Blu Ray next month!

Yay! We win!!

Thank the Eternal Moose for that!

If its the same transfer as the US edition got, it'll a treat. Akira is one of the crown jewels of my Blu-ray collection. HD Animation own-zone.

Quote from: radiator on 27 May, 2011, 11:44:22 AM
Director Albert Hughes has left the project, so it looks like the Akira movie is well and truly dead, at least for now.

In other news, the original Akira movie finally hits (UK) Blu Ray next month!

Heh...heh...heh...



All you loving Akira fans can rest-easy again, you got your wish...for another chance...everybody say yay!

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/07/14/yet-another-director-attached-to-akira/


Hope you happy now fucks...

Yay indeed. The Hughs Bros might read comics but I get the impression they don't understand them. People keep concentrating on the tech in Akira when they should be concentrating on the weird convergence of the different types of people: juvenile delinquents, right wing politicians, left wing revolutionaries, abused children who've become gods, cult leaders, a foreign power always within reach waiting to play its hand. That and the hero of the story is a total fucker. Hollywood just can't handle that shit.

Ignatzmonster... I do not know you... and yet.. I feel a certain kinship...

I'm American, and even I think this is a stupid idea. It didn't work for Constantine. Why would it work for Akira?

Real life Akira bike:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=At8ZQethrsY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=At8ZQethrsY)

Quote from: radiator on 11 February, 2010, 12:10:52 PM
Oh God no.

http://kotaku.com/5469336/report-menace-ii-society-directors-to-helm-akira-flick (http://kotaku.com/5469336/report-menace-ii-society-directors-to-helm-akira-flick)

...................Book of Eli wasn't to bad,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Akira goes Twilight.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=84254&utm_source=crowdignite.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crowdignite.com

EDIT ignore old news.


V

That's well old news, and definitely not happening.

With any luck, Akira USA is dead in the water.

It is The Movie That Should Not Be Made.

Quote from: radiator on 04 September, 2012, 11:17:52 PM
That's well old news, and definitely not happening.

With any luck, Akira USA is dead in the water.

Yeah I thought this had gone the way of the Dodo a long time ago?

Well, as much as I hope that Akira USA never happens, I've been watching Breaking Bad recently, and can't help but think Aaron Paul would be perfect for the role of Tetsuo!

Yeah, I'll give you that. Uncanny!

It's more than just his looks/forehead though - the character he plays in BB is quite similar really; childish, petulant, self-destructive - but ultimately a little sympathetic.

Interestingly enough - and this may be pure coincidence - but has anyone else made the observation that Joseph Gordon Levitt was long-rumoured to play Tetsuo, then eventually starred in (and produced) Looper, a film featuring [spoiler]drug-addicted gangs who ride around on futuristic bikes and scary telekinetic children.[/spoiler]

It would certainly explain why the [spoiler]TK[/spoiler] stuff in Looper felt a little shoe-horned in...

things felt really unoriginal in looper when the TK kid came on.before that i was a little bit unoriginal.
It was weird seeing all the 5 star reviews come out and then watching it and having other films pop into my head.

surely the reviewers were wrong,but they all seemed so sure it was worth 5 stars.

I quite enjoyed the first hour of Looper, when [spoiler]it was a smaller, more compact story about two iterations of the same man. But when they got to the farm it suddenly slowed right down, then went off on one, becoming a bigger story emplyoing the tired old tropes of hackneyed sci-fi.[/spoiler] And Emily Blunt annoys the crap out of me too.

Still, on reflection, I feel more well-disposed to it than I should and would happily watch it again.

That film 'Chronicle' that came out a year or two ago reminded me a bit of Akira.