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 Manga Goes To Hollywood
Written by Barb Lien-Cooper
Whenever I talk to comic book fan boys, when they're not chiding me for reading manga, the conversation always seems to come around to Hollywood. As long as there are movie executive geeks, actors, and entertainment writers, they reason, comics will always be a viable entertainment media. I usually nod at that. But what I actually think to myself is that "dragons live forever, but not so little boys". By that I mean, all right currently the powers that be in entertainment are mostly twenty five to forty five year old guys, many of which grew up on comics. All very well and good for comics fandom at this moment. However, when I look to the future movers and shakers, the fifteen year old gifted kids with an interest in media, I don't see half as many comic book fans as I do manga fans. The best selling graphic novel of 2008? Naruto, clocking in with 80,000 copies for a single volume, not to mention all of the other volumes and the Shonen Jump readership. Follow me on this. It's ten, fifteen years down the road. These teenagers have now grown up. There are a lot of them, many of which will probably go into acting, media, writing, art, acting, and most importantly for my way of thinking, Hollywood movie executives. Think of it. Hollywood movie elite that are hardcore manga fans. Hardcore manga fans that will probably start thinking about what a good live action film Fullmetal Alchemist or what have you would make.
Hollywood may be saving comics in the short term, but in the long term, if manga continues to exist and sell to the American audience, in the long term will this already be so? Hollywood loves to cannibalize hits from other mediums. Already, we've seen great Asian horror and action adventure films turned into (mostly God awful) Hollywood films. There's no reason on God's green earth that manga and its moving picture cousin anime wouldn't be next for Hollywood cannibalization. After all, we did just get a Speed Racer film. A hint of the Shape of Things to Come?
All of which got me to thinking…always a dangerous thing in my case. What manga/anime classics might be ripest for Hollywood treatment? Here's a small sample list of what I'm talking about.
Like my good and wise Japanese to American translator friends Athena and Althea Nibley, I'm a Disney/Pixar fan. But I haven't really been into their films since Emperor's New Groove and Finding Nemo. The problem is that Disney has already adapted most of the great fairy tales. Or rather, most of the great ones of Western Civilization. Knowing that the good people at Pixar are even more into Hiyao Miyazaki's animated features than I am, it would make sense to me that Pixar try adapting a couple of manga titles into American feature films. My suggestion? Cowa, one of the best children's stories I've seen in a month of Sundays. Here's a link to show you a bit of the art: http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/images/COWA.jpg
Cowa is the story of a brave little vampire boy who saves his village from a mysterious disease that only affects monsters. It's a sweet story, as well as an exciting and suspenseful one. Of course, there might already be a Cowa anime. If so, I'd rent it in a second. But if there isn't, Pixar's uniquely warm and cute animation style might just be what the doctor ordered adaptation-wise.
Of course, Pixar doesn't do live action films. Picking manga to be Americanized into live action movies can be a challenge. Already there are some good to great live action films based on manga that have come out of Asia. The first two Death Note movies are the best example. But Dororo was just made into a super-fun live action film over there (rent it and you'll have a great time), as has been Nana, GTO, and Lupin the Third.
Ah, Lupin, that's the ticket. Castle of Cagliostro is one of the most imaginative caper films I've ever seen. One of Miyazaki's first films, too. Now, I'd hate to see my beloved Castle bastardized by Hollywood, Lupin the Third screams for some sort of live action blockbuster treatment. Lupin is the world greatest thief, as well as a would be womanizer. He's a clever, inventive, innovative type, a combo of James Bond and Ocean's 11. I'm thinking of a Lupin film as a perfect vehicle for Ben Affleck. He's a rather charming gent. And he's even got the right shaped head. Compare: http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/2008/06/16-22/ben_affleck_jennifer-violet.jpg
...and...
http://www.cartoon-secrets.com/Photos/Lupin-III-cartoon.jpg
Let's not forget TV, either. I keep on thinking of the brilliant manga/anime series Master Keaton. Keaton, an insurance investigator and a survival expert, has the makings of the next Fox TV hit series. Master Keaton, as I've said other places, is MacGyver for intellectuals. Or, in the alternative, a super-low-key Indiana Jones. If Bones ever peters out ratings wise, David Boreanaz might be a good Keaton.
Compare:
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/Image/bones/david-boreanaz-bones-tv.jpg
...and...
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Image:Master-Keaton-cover.jpg
Boreanaz is the right age for it, plus he has the warm personable voice for the role. Then again, I'd just be happy if some manga company would finally clear up the legal issues about the manga copyright and get the manga series over here.
Of course, the "localization" problems of making a manga into a live action movie or TV show might be a big challenge. Manga stories don't all translate well into American mindsets. But Hollywood is always looking for something familiar yet different. And manga is full of good ideas.
Now, honestly, I really don't want to see my beloved manga/anime series bastardized on the big or small American screens. Then again, I didn't want Watchman to become just another blockbuster either. It's not about what I want, but about industry trends. I'm just gazing into my crystal ball, trying to predict what will be. If manga stays popular, comics may have to rethink their "Hollywood will save us" philosophy. I'm almost willing to bet money that Hollywood's future blockbusters will come from the manga industry.
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