Akira + Leonardo DiCaprio = ?
February 21, 2008
“WB has met the anime,” according to the Hollywood Reporter this morning. Warner Brothers and Leonardo DiCaprio have announced that they will turn the world-famous manga and anime, Akira, intwo a two-part live-action feature film.
Very interesting. Funny enough, yesterday Morgana just pointed out the movie as another thing that white people liked, but she could have already read this news and I’m just really behind the times. But I don’t know how I feel about this.
The new story moves the action to “New Manhattan,” a city rebuilt by Japanese money. The studio is eyeing a summer 2009 release for the first movie. (link)
It’ll be an interesting trend to watch. First the horror movies were brought over to the US; does anyone else wonder if anime is next?
Here’s what I have a problem with: AintitCool is reporting that both Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon Levitt are tapped to star in the movies. Hello, they’re both white? The main characters of Akira are JAPANESE and the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic TOKYO. They all have JAPANESE NAMES.
Does Hollywood really have to turn everything white? God damn.
(Yes, I understand the possible ramifications of trying to produce a big movie project with Asian faces, but when are people going to stop being scared or turned off by seeing some colored faces?Like Kevin Spacey’s new movie about the MIT students playing blackjack in Las Vegas. Yeah, that team in real life? Mostly Asian Americans. The movie? A bunch of white people, with maybe one token Asian nerd. Good going, folks. Give all the credit to the wrong people.)
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If Dicaprio plays Tetsuo or something this movie will suck. But in the manga there are american military agents that enter and are featured promenently in the story.
Those two being white is one thing, but its worse that they are much too old for Kaneda and Tetsuo. The main stars were barely in high school in Akira.
Its an adaptation you fucking morons. if a german man wanted to adapt the conceptual ideas of the original Akira then all the characters would be german, if an african man wanted to do the same thing then all the lead roles would be played by fucking africans. its not about race. its about the story, visual, and audio aspects that contribute to the overall concept. I loved the idea of neo-tokyo. when I heard that it was set in new york I was a little apprehensive, however, I think it will be a good oppertunity to show some new and creative ideas. Remember, its a fucking adaptation. the asian roles didnt make akira great. the characters, animation, and story did. excuse my language and spelling, it was fueled by pure irritation.
are you crazy? the themes and messages in akira may be universal, but you can’t discount the fact that they were created and reflected a specific period in a specific culture.
it’s not just “asian roles in akira;” the whole thing is distinctly japanese.
i’m just saying that they should at least pay homage to the country and culture that created the classic.
its just too impractical, It would be box office suicide. In order to make a successful film you have to make it appealing to the audience to which you are presenting it. Im quite sure the first people through the doors of the theatre are going to be akira fans, We know where the original took place, we know the main characters, we know the story, but for people who dont the interest just wouldnt be there. so you have to make adjustments that appeal to mainstream america or all your money goes down the shitter. Its just business.