In recent years, Hollywood has appeared to be increasingly interested in adapting the most popularAnimeseries from different periods into live-action films. Whether they are original creations or based on manga, novels, or video games, Japanese animated TV shows and movies have exponentially grown in popularity in the West. Their expansion certainly exerts a powerful influence on international studios, who would not waste such an interesting opportunity.
However, anime’s peculiar drawing style, heavily inspired by the work of Osamu Tezuka, precise attention to detail, and complex and nuanced storylines sometimes make them theworst material to adapt as a live-action.FromOnce PiecetoAvatar: The Last Airbender,these ambitious live-action projects occasionally struggle to navigate the challengesof meeting fans' high expectations;the ability to portray them on TV or the big screen is a craft to nurture and refine.
It is not just one component that causes theselive-action anime adaptations to be the best or worst, but an ensemble of factors that writers, directors, and producers must consider carefully. In the past, some of the bestanime adaptations that respected the source materialsaw the most success. Meanwhile,there are numerous plans for the most critically acclaimed and groundbreaking anime of all time to become live-action movies or TV seriesin the next few years, hopefully capturing the essence and depth of the original work.
9Naruto
Earliest Announcement: July 2015
Narutois one of the best-selling manga of all time. Its 2002 anime adaptation also obtained widespread success and was ranked 38th in IGN’s Top 100 Animated Series (viaweb.archive.org). Consequently, it is no surprise that the story captured the interest of international producers. Lionsgate announced the development of alive-actionNarutofilmin July 2015. Initially,The Greatest Showman’sdirector, Michael Gracey, was in charge of the movie, but he later abandoned the project.
Naruto Live-Action Movie: Writer & Everything We Know
A live-action adaptation of the Naruto anime and manga series was announced by Lionsgate but has since gone quiet. What’s happening with the project?
Earlier this year, Tasha Huo, the screenwriter, confirmed she had completed the script and handed it to the newly appointed director, Destin Daniel Cretton, famous for his work withShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.Huo also said that this director will be able to capture the nuances ofNaruto, portraying what truly makes the story special. Masashi Kishimoto,the original creator ofNaruto, is involved as a producer and gave the newly appointed director his blessing(viacomicbook.com).
8One Punch-Man
Earliest Announcement: April 2020
One Punch-Man, created by One in 2009, and later adapted into an anime show, is also one of the best-selling manga ever. In 2020, Sony’s Columbia Pictures stated that a live-action project based on the material was in development, with Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner hired as screenwriters (viaVariety). Since that announcement, however, there have been numerous changes andupdates on the live-actionOne Punch-Man’s production.
The latest news confirmed thatDan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell, known for their work on the animated science fiction sitcomRick and Morty, joined the screenwriting team for theOne Punch-Manmovie.Harmon and Campbell’s experience with crafting witty dialogues and comedic moments makes them well-suited to capture the ingenious humor ofOne Punch Man. The director of the fiveFast & Furiousfilms, Justin Lin, will also be involved. The collaboration between these three artists might be a winning formula to balance the story’s humor with its intense action.
7Gundam
Earliest Announcement: 2018
Since it first came to life on TV on July 30, 2025,Gundam,the military sci-fi fiction created by anime writer Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc., has evolved to become a highly popular media franchise.The animated series is only one of thecountless adaptations ofGundam. In 2018, Legendary Pictures and Bandai Namco announced the series' latest live-action film was in development.
The original idea saw the participation of Netflix andKong: Skull Islanddirector Jordan Vogt Roberts. However, the latest news revealed a change of plans, with Netflix and Vogt Roberts departing the project (viaForbes). The new director, Jim Mickle, will also be involved in the writing and production of the film. Mickle is famous for his Netflix comic book adaptationSweet Tooth, a fantasy-drama series. This news, however, suggests thatGundamlive-action might arrive later than expected.
6Death Note
Earliest Announcement: July 2022
The live-action adaptation ofDeath Noteis a highly awaited project among fans of the Grimdark saga. After the publication of the manga series in 2003, the controversial story of the brilliant high-school student turned vigilante gained further popularity and recognition with the 2006 anime show. In 2022, Netflix announced that a TV series based on the original story was in development (viaDeadline).
8 Things Netflix’s Live-Action Death Note Show Must Do Different From The 2017 Movie
Death Note is getting another shot at being adapted to live-action for Netflix, but it needs to do things right and learn from the mistakes of 2017.
The upcoming show is not the first live-action based on the anime. However, one of these adaptations,the 2017Death Notefilm, was not met with critical acclaim or praise from the public.TheStranger Thingscreators, primarily known as the Duffer Brothers, are currently in charge of the new project. Its success depends on the Duffer Brothers' ability to capture the dark complexities of the original material. For instance, the portrayal of the multi-faceted nature of characters like Light and L. and their larger-than-life rivalry is integral to the show.
Earliest Announcement: 1990s
Akirais a cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic fiction first introduced as a manga written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo. The animated movie adaptation came out in 1988 and received critical acclaim worldwide, breaking ground in animation. Given its widespread success,there have been numerous talks in Hollywood over the years about the development ofAkirafor live-action.However, the movie’s production journey has been long and complicated.
Sony first acquired the rights to the movie in the 1990s, but it was later replaced by Warner Bros. due to budget problems. Since then,Akirahas seen many attempts at live-action adaptations, but none of them ever came to fruition. Somewhat recent updates about the project revealed the involvement ofTaika Waititi, the director ofThor: Ragnarok. Waititi was in charge with Michael Golamco, to co-write the screenplay in 2019, but other commitments further postponed the film’s production.
4Your Name
Earliest announcement: September 2017
Your Name, the animated romantic fantasy movie written and directed by Makoto Shinkai and released in 2016, received widespread critical acclaim when it first came out.Your Nameis arguably one of the best anime movies of all timeand soon gained the interest of Hollywood producers. The live-action was first announced in 2017 by producer J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Eric Heisserer.
The original plan was to build a Western adaptation of the story, replacing the two original characters with an Indigenous American woman from a rural area and a man from Chicago (viaDeadline). However, in the last few years, there have been numerous creative changes. For instance, in 2022, Carlos López Estrada was brought on board as the writer and director of the remake (viaVariety). Among Estrada’s most notorious works isRaya and the Last Dragon.The release of the film has not been announced yet.
3Detective Pikachu 2
Earliest Announcement: January 2019
The sequel to the firstDetective Pikachumovie has been in development for a while. The 2019 movie, largely based on the video game, also drew inspiration from the original anime and turned out to be a success with the public. Legendary Entertainment had already confirmed that there would be a second movie months before the first live-action aired. However, recent news left some uncertainty around the timing of the awaitedDetective Pikachusequel’s production.
Justice Smith, who played the lead human character in the first movie, stated in January that he hasn’t received any updates yet. Oren Uziel was set to write the screenplay, and Rob Letterman, who directed the first film, was expected to return. In 2023, it was announced that Jonathan Krisel would be directing themovie with Chris Galletta as the main screenwriter. However,a recent data leak seemed to confirm that the release ofDetective Pikachu 2is closer than expected(viaGame Rant).
2My Hero Academia
With its eighth season set to premiere in 2025,My Hero Academiais currently one of the most popular anime on TV.The original manga it was based on has been a success among the public and critics alike. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before talks about a possible live-action adaptation would emerge. In 2018, Legendary Entertainment announced it would produce a live-action adaptation of the series.
Netflix’s Live-Action My Hero Academia Can Fix The Anime’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
Netflix’s live-action My Hero Academia faces challenges adapting the anime, but it can capitalize on one missed opportunity from the original show.
In 2022, Netflix revealed they had acquired the rights to the movie (viaVariety). Joby Harold is in charge of the screenwriting process. Shinsuke Sato has reportedly been hired to direct this iteration ofMy Hero Academia. Sato is already known for the 2016 adaptation ofDeath Noteand the highly praised TV showAlice in Borderland. However, given the story’s intricate nature and length as well as its extensive cast,My Hero Academia’s live-action adaptationhas some obstacles to overcome to be successful.
1Voltron
Earliest Announcement: July 2005
Plans for a live-action adaptation of the animated television series about the giant super robot Voltronhave been around since the early 2000s. The original announcement came in 2005 from producer Mark Gordon; the trajectory since then has been long and complicated. Its development has been hindered by legal battles, studio changes, and the 2015 bankruptcy of Relativity Media, the company in charge of the distribution.
However, in 2022, news broke that thelive-actionVoltronmoviewas once again in development. Rawson Marshall Thurber was hired as the director and co-writer along with Ellen Shanman (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). After a bidding battle that saw the involvement of Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, and Amazon Prime Video, the latter officially acquired the rights to the movie. More news about the live-actionanimeproject also revealed Daniel Quinn-Toye as the lead actor and Henry Cavill in a currently unknown role.
