Adapting beloved anime series and manga into live-action can be a challenging endeavor and over the years, such type of shows have had their share of hits and misses. However, as the cinematic world is expanding, there’s a surge in live action anime adaptations which have successfully made the transition from the world of animation to the big screen.

These examples show that when handled with care and respect for the source material, the live-action series can capture the magic of the original while bringing new dimensions to beloved stories. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best live action anime adaptations. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Erased

Erased is still regarded as one of the best suspense anime of its time which made it a big hit among psychological thriller fans. Thanks to its popularity and easy-to-work-on setting, Netflix made a drama show of the series that has its own charm except for slight alterations to the story.

Even though the live-action of Erased takes a different road as compared to the source material, it somehow manages to strike that balance of adhering to the spirit of the anime without tweaking the characters’ personas too much. It’s plainly a binge-watch and one of the best live action anime adaptations.

9. Grand Blue

Grand Blue stands out from the rest of the comedy manga and anime for its riotous cast and great comedic timing which is why it became an important aspect to translate that in live-action. Luckily enough, the adaptation lived up to the expectations even if it doesn’t try to stick completely true to the manga.

The live-action actors have put their heart into bringing the essence of the original series to the big screen. The spirit of youth and adventure is ever-present in the adaptation, and the scripting is done in a way that doesn’t leave room for criticism as far as the campy, hilarious, and lively scenes go.

8. Bleach

Among the popular long-running battle shonen series, Bleach was the first one to receive a live-action film adaptation in 2018. The film loosely adapts the opening few episodes of the anime, basically serving as little more than a prologue to the larger story.

While fans certainly didn’t like the condensed version of Bleach, it still turned out pretty much entertaining for the viewers. The skillful translation of the dynamic sword fights to the big screen somehow managed to make a bigger impact on the audience, outweighing the negative points of the live-action film.

7. Edge Of Tomorrow

Starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular sci-fi anime that draws its influences heavily from Japanese animes. The film in particular is almost a live-action adaptation of the original light novel series “All You Need Is Kill”.

The entire movie is based on the premise of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel, weaving its tropes into a mind-bending adventure through time. Although the light novel has never seen the light of an anime series, it has been brilliantly adapted into a manga, eventually turning into a Hollywood live-action film.

6. Speed Racer

Speed Racer, also known as “Mach GoGoGo”, is a multimedia automobile racing anime franchise. Originally released in 1967, the series follows Go Mifune, a young car driver who dreams of breaking into the world of professional racing by piloting a high-tech race car built by his father.

When a movie adaptation came out in 2008, it sent a wave of nostalgia to the older fans. The Wachowkis’s attempt to transpose the extravagant racing sequences to the silver screen worked, leaving many dazzled and setting an example as one of the best live action anime adaptations.

5. Blade Of The Immortal

The most commonly seen trope in the live action anime adaptations is the historic period series’ and there’s no shortage of shows based around such genre. Blade of the Immortal is no exception to the list, and while its anime counterpart is quite underrated the live-action film stands out as one of the very best.

From the choice of actors to the depiction of the mid-Shogunate period in Japan, the film perfectly carries out the allure of the original series in a live-action format. To top it off, the extra added gore and violent themes made it a success among its predecessors.

4. Alice In Borderland

Originating as a survival thriller manga by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland didn’t receive a grandiose welcome in the anime landscape upon its 2014 release as it lacked both the visuals and plotline measures. Regardless of that, Netflix decided to make a live-action series out of it which seemed to be a big mistake at the time.

But, in turn of events, the showrunners at Netflix did exceptional work in bringing the ruthless yet immersive death game of Alice in Borderland to life. The live-action not only opened the gateway into the franchise, but it also amassed huge popularity worldwide eventually forcing Netflix to renew the series for second season.

3. Alita: Battle Angel

Over the years, Hollywood movies inspired by anime have created a negative image among the fans and they’re always skeptical when someone tries to take a shot at another one. However, the 2019 Alita: Battle Angel pipes down all the critics through its high-budget special effects and faithful adaptation.

Alita: Battle Angel is one of the few outliers in the popular media world that stays true to its source material and brings the best out of it without comprising the other aspects of the original manga. Needless to say, the film stands atop amongst the live action anime adaptations.

2. One Piece

With over two decades of storytelling and a massive global fanbase, Netflix’s attempt to bring Eiichiro Oda’s pirate world to life seemed to be a big task at hand as unlike its predecessors, a lot of sentiments and emotions were attached to the series making it hard for the producers to fill in the shoes.

However, what seemed to be another live-action disaster actually turned out to be a blockbuster, breaking records of Netflix’s popular shows like “Wednesday” and “Stranger Things”. The casting, set designs, and essence of the original series are all accounted for, giving One Piece the verdict of “king of anime live-action”.

1. Rurouni Kenshin

One of the most celebrated aspects of classic martial arts anime Rurouni Kenshin is its live-action film series that not only precisely adapts the original anime and manga but also manages to compete with the high expectations set out by both formats.

To the relief of many, all five films produced by the creators do the franchise justice by their overwhelming acting and well-choreographed intense sword-fighting scenes. The weirdly nostalgic yet refreshingly unique take of Rurouni Kenshin has what it takes to be treasured by the new generation of fans.

Which one of the following live action anime adaptations is your favorite? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend some other adaptations like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.

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