Terminator Zero is the latest example of a major live-action franchise being adapted into an anime series. The show was created by Mattson Tomlin, produced by Skydance and animated by Production IG – the renowned studio behind Ghost in the Shell. This first eight-episode series (hopefully with more to come) is an encouraging example of how an anime adaptation of a classic live-action franchise can be done with quality and taste without sacrificing the strengths of either medium, and it sets a rock-solid template for future anime adaptations.
Hollywood has often tried to adapt popular anime franchises into live-action films, with mostly poor results, as Dragon Ball Evolution in 2009. Cinema and television adaptations, including Ghost in the Shell, A pieceAnd Cowboy Bebop have had varying degrees of success, although none of them have managed to fully capture the spirit of the source material. However, audiences should prepare for the streaming space to be flooded with the opposite trend. Critically acclaimed projects such as Blade Runner 2022, Scott Pilgrim takes offand exciting upcoming titles like The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim are evidence. Terminator Zero, The most recent example is the series currently being watched by millions on Netflix.
What is Terminator: Zero about?
Terminator Zero feels like a welcome return to the roots of the franchise. The Terminators are chilled, from the T-800 Terminator to the T-1000 in T2: Judgement Day. Zero is clearly oriented towards James Cameron's legacy of terrifying robot antagonists. The series is also unlike anything else in the Terminator franchise to date in many ways. This first season alone introduces novel elements, such as canon-altering events that could alter the already established Terminator lore, a variety of new technologies and world designs, and a fascinating moral dialectic between characters Malcolm Lee and his AI creation Kokoro, exploring the notion that Skynet is justified in destroying humanity – not only for its own safety, but for the good of the planet.
Bringing a sophisticated anime like this to life is a laborious, time-consuming, and expensive process. Images of conceptual fan art online are often the closest fans get to seeing their favorite live-action franchises in anime form. There is clearly a strong desire among fans for such projects. However, before the creative executives at all the streaming services rush to release their own Terminator Zerothey should first Consider whether an anime adaptation of a particular intellectual property will bring something new and exciting to the franchise in question. You should also consider whether your concept is worthy of adaptation by an animation studio with the pedigree of Production IG or MAPPA.
Translating the essence of an iconic live-action production into a medium like anime gives creatives the opportunity to explore different parts of these fictional worlds with unprecedented detail. It's a chance to shed light on parts of unexplored lore while expanding the look and feel of an established universe.
The series that perhaps proved the creative potential of live-action anime adaptations is Star Wars Visions. Both seasons of this show enabled numerous animation studios from around the world to create their own version of the star Wars Universe. This kind of freedom frees animators from the constraints of lore, continuity, and the traditional look and feel of these franchises. It also encourages them to tell their own story within the franchise's universe. A successful anime adaptation should retain the elements of the source material but present them with a completely new look, rhythm or perspective.
Opportunities for live-action anime adaptations
Here are just a handful of possible franchises that are ripe for an anime adaptation.
Mad Max
George Miller said he originally Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as a full-length anime that serves as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. This anime could take the franchise in any direction. The Mad Max The universe is vast and the story is already largely told visually. The inimitable atmosphere of Mad Max – the rich orange tones of the desert, the cool blue of the glittering night sky, the wanton violence, the roaring engines and burning exhaust fumes of the war machines – fits naturally with the anime aesthetic. The adaptation could even explore other parts of Miller's post-apocalyptic world beyond the vastness of the Australian outback.
pirates of the Caribbean
Gore Verbinski's swashbuckling pirate saga grew increasingly absurd and wacky in tone, scope, and sense of humor/drama. The franchise remained in pointless sequel territory with increasingly diminishing returns. These elements, along with the ravishing tropical beauty and infectious spirit of adventure offered by the Pirates of the Caribbean setting, make this world perfect for a major anime adaptation. Finally, A piece (a series about pirates) is still the best-selling manga of all time.
blade
Marvel's (allegedly) upcoming Blade film has been struggling through pre-production for years. Kevin Feige and Co. could be the “What if…?” Route and do a kind of test run to adjust blade in anime form. Both the martial arts and the vampire aspects have already proven to be viable genres for an epic anime narrative. A mixture of Samurai Champloo And Castlevania the fans would line up.
Karate Kid
Martial arts anime are a well-established tradition in this genre and Karate Kid would be a great addition to the tradition. Some fans would argue that the extraordinary Cobra Kai is already on Netflix. Why is another spin-off necessary? That's a fair point, but Karate Kid was and always will be a battle shōnen at its core. It would be incredible to see Daniel-san land that crane kick in a beautiful 4K cell-shaded animation.
Indiana Jones
This anime could span the life of young Indy in a multi-part prequel arc that spans from the beginning of the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in which River Phoenix played a young Indy. He could explore every wonder of the world on different continents and search for various magical objects. Viewers could enjoy globetrotting, time jumping and archaeological fun with Sallah, Marian, Brody and the whole gang. Instead of using digital rejuvenation technology and making questionable choices with the faces of aging or deceased actors, Disney would be wise to take the franchise in an animated direction.
It's the way it's used
The list above could go on and on, getting longer and stranger. Consider a modern fantasy titan like Harry Potter. There is already a popular video game, and Fantastic Beasts has no plans to return. The universe has endless lore and history worth exploring. Game of Thrones, with its expansive world and deep story, also seems to be an obvious candidate. Even a popular drama like The bearwhich at first glance seems to be anything but anime, could be successfully adapted as an anime. If Tasty in the Dungeon proves it all, but people love an ongoing soap opera where a diverse group of work colleagues prepare delicious meals under life-threatening pressure. Letting your imagination run wild with this concept can lead to countless interesting ideas.
What matters in the end are the creative intentions that come into play in each individual case of a live-action anime adaptation. Does the adaptation address the themes of the franchise while remixing and contextualizing the core features of the source material, such as Terminator Zero? In the age of intellectual property, are the creators just trying to squeeze the last drop out of a beloved work? Or do they have a burning creative vision for an anime adaptation, a story they are dying to tell that honors the legacy of their predecessors while adding something fresh? The good news is that Terminator Zero is a compelling example of the latter and is now available to stream on Netflix.
