Anime and live-action have often been seen as a challenging combination. Numerous attempts have been made to adapt anime series into live-action films, but many of these experiments have failed. Only a handful of live-action adaptations have been considered successful, so fans are typically not overly excited about such projects. However, a live-action adaptation of Attack on Titan shared by an anime fan has surprised viewers and showcased the potential for what the series could look like.
Twitter artist “@MasashiImagawa” recently gained viral attention after sharing an intriguing video in which he recreated a scene from the Attack on Titan franchise using live-action and computer-generated (CG) animation techniques. The realistic appearance of the CG animation quickly gained popularity among fans, particularly because it seemed more convincing than the actual live-action films produced for the franchise. The video primarily focuses on the Beast Titan’s introduction in the anime series, among other random parts.
The tweet roughly translates to:
About two years ago, my friends and I created a live-action style Attack on Titan as a hobby. There are many live-action adaptations of Japanese manga and anime, but I personally think that faithfully visualizing the original work with full CG is also a good direction. I’m not sure if there’s a demand for it, though.
In a follow-up post, Masashi revealed the behind-the-scenes details of creating the incredible video. He explained that they didn’t rely solely on realistic computer-generated graphics. To maintain the manga-style essence, they hand-drew elements like lightning and the wires for the 3D maneuver gear. This was done by meticulously drawing each individual frame to produce a captivating blend of digital and traditional art.
The video rapidly went viral within the Japanese otaku community, amassing over 20 million views on Twitter alone. Viewers praised the effort put into the project, with comments such as “This is perfection. Being someone who went to see the live-action movies, I must admit that this is something that I would have liked to see” and “I am fascinated by this type of project; however, this is much more expensive to produce than a simple live-action with real actors.”
Masashi Imagawa is a CGI animator who is currently also working on Disney+’s Ahsoka series. His skill in his craft is evident, which raises the question: could a sufficient budget enable live-action anime adaptations to capture viewers’ attention? Netflix is currently working on a live-action One Piece series with a rumored high budget and heavy involvement from Eiichiro Oda. The success of One Piece’s live-action adaptation could potentially pave the way for more live-action adaptations of anime in the future.
So far, live-action adaptations of anime have not been well-received, but perhaps with the right budget and expertise, the tide could change. What are your thoughts on this live-action adaptation? Let us know your opinion in the comment section down below.
The effort looks incredible!!! It’s like turning books into films. Miss so much out. Usually seemed rushed the live action.