Summary

• Some live-action anime adaptations fail to respect the source material, but the best ones stay true to the story, characters, and themes that fans love.
• Movies like 2008's Speed Racer and 2017's Bleach demonstrate respect for their anime counterparts, capturing the essence of the stories while making necessary changes.
• While live-action adaptations may not always replicate the anime exactly, films like 2017's Fullmetal Alchemist and Netflix's One Piece show that they can still capture the heart of the source material.

Live-action adaptations are often hit or miss, but their success typically comes down to whether they respect the source material. Like the best book adaptations, the best live-action anime adaptations tend to be the ones with a deep understanding of the story they're recreating. They often stick to the original story, and when they deviate, it's not at the expense of the characters, plot, or themes viewers know and love.

Unfortunately, not all movies and TV shows based on anime give enough respect to the source material. The constraints of live-action can make it difficult to adapt certain stories exactly as they are in animation, but some filmmakers go so far as to make the story unrecognizable from its original form. This is why anime adaptations have gotten such a bad reputation over the years. Luckily, there are a few that clearly respect the series they're based on and are better for it.

8 Speed Racer (2008)

Streaming On Max

2008's Speed Racer recaptures all the important elements of the beloved anime of the same name, from its thrilling action to its colorful characters. Although there are changes made to the source material, the movie sticks to the important beats, making it a relatively faithful telling of Tatsuo Yoshida's story. Adapting a classic like Speed Racer is no easy feat, but it's clear that the Wachowskis were committed to doing justice to the original. Their respect for the story shines through, making Speed Racer a win for live-action adaptations.

7 Bleach (2018)

Streaming On Netflix

2018's Bleach movie got a positive reception from critics and audiences alike (via live-action Bleach revival isn't out of the question.

6 The Promised Neverland (2020)

Not Currently Streaming

The Promised Neverland anime may deviate from the source material in season 2, but its 2020 live-action adaptation sticks to the script nearly as well as the anime's first season. The live-action Promised Neverland film makes a few cuts for the sake of pacing and time, but overall, it covers everything necessary to the anime and manga's first arc. The characters and costumes mirror their animated counterparts, and The Promised Neverland even adds a few details that enhance this part of the story. It's an adaptation that gets less attention, but it's one that shows what live-action takes on anime could be.

5 Fullmetal Alchemist (2017)

Streaming On Netflix

The live-action Fullmetal Alchemist movies get a bad rap, and to be fair, the series does decline in quality as it continues. However, 2017's Fullmetal Alchemist demonstrates a lot of respect for the source material, even if it makes changes to fit the story into a movie's runtime. This is inevitable when turning a 64-episode anime into a two-hour film, and it doesn't indicate a lack of understanding on the filmmakers' part. In fact, the live-action Fullmetal Alchemist gets many important elements of the original story right: Ed and Al's relationship, the Elrics' characterization, and the overall tone of the series.

While 2017's Fullmetal Alchemist has gotten a lot of criticism, it's fair to say that the cast and crew seem to respect Hiromu Arakawa's world and story. Most of the major changes are made for the sake of pacing, and they put effort into getting the smaller details right wherever they could. The film likely would have worked better as a TV series, but it's capable of standing on its own.

4 Nana (2005)

Streaming On Viki

It could be because the source material doesn't feature fantastical elements that don't translate well to live-action, but 2005's Nana is among the strongest anime adaptations out there. The film adapts Ai Yazawa's story with accuracy and charm, really capturing the dynamic between the two main characters. Actors Aoi Miyazaki and Mika Nakashima really commit to their roles, doing justice to both Nanas from the anime and manga.

The movie does cut a few minor moments and make some changes to the ending, but this is mostly due to time constraints. Overall, Nana's success suggests more slice-of-life anime should get the live-action treatment. Such stories aren't as well-known, but they require much less effort on the visual-effects end to succeed.

3 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I (2017)

​​Available To Rent On Apple TV

Bringing the colorful world of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure to life in live-action is no simple matter, but 2017's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I manages it impressively. The film picks up with the Diamond Is Unbreakable arc of Hirohiko Araki's manga series, which producer Takashi Hirano told Crunchyroll he specifically chose because of its popularity. Hirano had evidently been hoping to adapt the series for a long time, and the ion for the original story shines through in everything from the visuals to the character writing. It's clear those working on the 2017 film had a lot of love for JoJo's, and that's precisely how it should be.

2 Rurouni Kenshin (2012-2021)

Streaming On Netflix

The live-action Rurouni Kenshin movies are regarded as some of the best live-action anime adaptations out there, and unlike the Fullmetal Alchemist films, all five movies have gotten praise for their portrayal of the story. What's interesting is that Rurouni Kenshin's live-action changes often go beyond minor alterations, but they don't actually hurt the adaptations. The films still manage to recreate the heart of the source material, even as they deviate from it in places. They prove that adaptations can respect the original story without replicating it exactly. It's a rare experience, but it does happen.

1 One Piece (2023-Present)

Streaming On Netflix

Despite other movies and shows doing their source material justice, Netflix's live-action One Piece has been credited with breaking the live-action anime adaptation curse — and for good reason. Although the series significantly condenses Luffy's story, it captures the heart of Eiichiro Oda's manga and the anime based on it. This is likely because Oda was involved in the series, a testament to its respect for the source material. If more creators were involved with the adaptations of their work, such movies and shows would likely fare better.

The live-action One Piece manages to convey the themes and messages of the anime and manga despite cutting certain details and moments. It also does the beloved characters justice, with the casting and writing making them feel as authentic as their animated counterparts. One Piece is proof that anime adaptations are headed in the right direction, even if studios haven't mastered them just yet.

Source: Crunchyroll