8BitKid: Living Bit by Bit

There has been a spat of announcements in the past several months about anime rights being bought up by U.S. companies so they can get the film treatment stateside. Leo Dio picked up Akira and Dreamworks will be working on Ghost in the Shell.  The latest claim comes from Vertigo Entertainment, who has procured the rights to Death Note, a psychological supernatural thriller series.  I just devoured this 12-volume manga series, and will probably post a review later.  The print version has been suceeded by an anime series (currently airing on Adult Swim) and also live-action movies.

Vertigo Entertainment isn’t new to the adaptation space, having already worked on remakes of Asian works that became the films The Grudge, Dark Water, The Departed, and others.

I believe that anime and manga remakes will become increasingly common as a source of content for american studios.  In the same way that we have seen a flurry of comic book adaptations, I think that this trend complements the increasing number of films stemming from graphic novels (V for Vendetta, Sin City, The 300, Watchmen).  It could be incredibly cool to see many of my favorite works come to life, but I think I will also be in for my fair share of disappointment.

- story courtesy of Anime News Network

The word on the street is that Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Brothers are teaming up to make a live-action version of “Akira”. They will take the manga story arc and split it into two films; the first one will be released in 2009. The setting will be changed from “Neo-Tokyo” to “New Manhattan”.

Really? Really? Does this really need to be done? Are there no “Titanic” sequel scripts lying around that LeoDio can lend his creative energies to?

This is now the second anime film near and dear to my heart to be getting the live-action treatment. “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is also in production, with WETA at the effects helm. Are anime remakes the next script-factory that Hollywood will be turning to once we run out of comic books? How long until Mila Jovovich is cast as Major Kusanagi in a new “Ghost in the Shell” film?

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