However, despite this hesitant audience, the film industry never stops trying to find the perfect balance between bringing anime to life and capturing these characters’ emotions, actions, and stories. Some of these adaptations are surprising fan favorites and cult classics that create a smoother-than-expected transition from anime to live-action. What are the best live-action adaptations of anime that are worth checking out?
Updated on December 1, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Live-action anime movies might not have a reputation for excellence, but there are quite a few films that do justice to their source material. This article has been expanded to include a few more examples.
20 Attack On Titan (2015)
Compared to the manga, anime, and even games, the 2015 live-action two-part movie is undoubtedly the worst way to experience Attack on Titan. The films retain the core beats of the introductory chapters of Hajime Isayama’s story but change just enough stuff to give proceedings a different feel. Most of the alterations serve to only neuter the characters, which were already not the highlight of Attack on Titan’s early hours.
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Despite all of that, thisduology is still rather entertaining in a B-movie sort of way. In terms of visuals, the studio did a respectable job with the budget it had, and the films come alive when the focus is squarely on the Titans rampaging through the remnants of humanity. As a kaiju-themed romp, Attack on Titan is a fine way to kill a few hours.
19 Gantz (2010)
Gantz might be a classic franchise, but it is also an acquired taste. While Hiroya Oku’s manga is a pretty great gritty sci-fi horror story, the anime does not quite reach the same heights; in certain ways, the adaptation amplifies some of the source material’s weaker elements, including an infuriating protagonist.
2010’s Gantz live-action movie is a more accessible and easier-to-digest experience, mostly opting to play out like a conventional blockbuster and minimize the anime’s more contentious elements. Consequently, the film and its sequel are rather forgettable, a criticism that cannot be made of the manga or anime.
Reportedly, Sony Pictures is working on a new live-action Gantz movie.
18 Bleach (2018)
In theory, none of the long-running battle shonen series should work as live-action movies. Their stories are way too vast to satisfyingly condense into two-hour films, and Bleach’s 2018 adaptation does not dispel this belief. The movie loosely adapts the opening few episodes of the anime, basically serving as little more than a prologue to the larger story.
Bleach has one thing in its favor: the movie is fun. That’s all there is really to it. Sure, the story barely gets going, its special effects are uneven, and the characters do not have enough time to grow in any meaningful ways; these are all valid criticisms, yet, they don’t matter all that much when a film is still entertaining.
17 Assassination Classroom (2015)
Yusei Matsui’s Assassination Classroom manga was adapted into a great anime series in 2015, and during the same year, it received a live-action movie, the first of two parts. Regardless of which version is watched, Assassination Classroom delivers an infectious energy courtesy of its ridiculous premise: an alien who destroyed the moon and plans to do the same to Earth in the future becomes the homeroom teacher of a class of misfits. Koro-sensei tasks his students with killing him before he turns the planet into rubble.
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The live-action Assassination Classroom does a surprisingly admirable job of adapting the manga and anime’s quirky sense of humor. Its 2016 sequel isn’t quite as good, although it isn’t terrible either.
16 City Hunter (1993)
Released a few years before Jackie Chan blew up in Western nations, City Hunter is a lesser project in the martial artist’s filmography. That said, this is still an entertaining flick that offers a good balance of humor and action. Chan’s comedic chops are on full display throughout the flick, including some scenes that really allow the actor to embrace his silly side.
While comedy is a nice treat, a Jackie Chan movie needs to have great stunts. In this area, City Hunter fails to reach the heights attained by movies like Police Story, Project A, and Drunken Master, although there are still a few memorable fight sequences.
15 Inuyashiki (2018)
Hiroya Oku’s Inuyashiki presents a clever twist on the superhero/super-powered people formula. An alien meteor crashes in Japan, causing two individuals – a confident teenager and a depressed old man – to gain cybernetic-themed powers. In a nice change of pace, the down-on-his-luck Ichiro Inuyashiki steps up to the plate to become a hero, a role he is thrust into once the young Hiro Shishigami begins to abuse his new powers.
Like the source material and anime adaptation, the live-action Inuyashiki is predominantly concerned with exploring the humanity of its main character. Although not devoid of battle sequences, action takes a backseat to the protagonist’s growth.
14 Animal World (2018)
Animal World is loosely based on Kaiji, one of the best gambling manga and anime of all time. The Chinese movie takes a few liberties such as making its protagonist, Kaisi, more traditionally likable while also giving him a preoccupation with clowns that is, honestly, quite bizarre.
However, once Kaisi finds himself taking part in a high-stakes rock-paper-scissors game on a ship, Animal World does right by its Kaiji roots.
Unsurprisingly, Animal World is at its most thrilling when it sticks close to the source material, and the live-action movie does an impressive job of capturing the edge-of-your-seat intensity of Kaiji’s Espoir arc. Michael Douglas also appears as Anderson, a substitute for Yukio Tonegawa and Kazutaka Hyodo.
13 Gintama (2017)
Gintama is one of the more popular anime series with both Japanese and Western audiences. Because of the attention given to the prospective live-action creation, many fans ended up being genuinely impressed with the film and character depictions.
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Fans expecting another mess-up might be pleasantly surprised by how easy Gintama is to digest as a live-action film. They are also likely to marvel at the cast’s ability to capture the natural mannerisms of the source material’s well-known characters.
12 From Me To You (2010)
Based on Karuho Shiina’s popular shojo manga, Kimi ni Todoke is an expertly executed “opposites attract” type story. Sawako Kuronuma is ostracized at school due to having a passing resemblance to Ringu’s Sadako; conversely, Shota Kazehaya is popular and charming. Shota sets out to get Sawako out of her shell, and sparks quickly start to ignite between them.
2010’s live-action adaptation is a breezy and sweet romance about two characters who are just adorable together. Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura are perfectly cast as the two leads, and they have good chemistry. Although not the definitive way to experience this story, the movie is a nice alternative to the manga and anime.
11 The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K. (2017)
While many live-action adaptations tend to change many aspects of the source material, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K was not concerned with pulling theatrical punches. This was one of the main reasons the reception of the film itself was so mixed during its premiere stages, and why critics still can’t agree on how the film panned out.
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Regardless of the overall reception, the live-action adaptation does not stray at all from the narrative held within the manga and anime. Throughout the events of the film, the aesthetic and pacing can be described as erratic or just plain crazy. This may be a surprise to many expecting a more realistic depiction of the characters, but the mannerisms of people like Saiki are very on-brand with his anime counterpart.
10 Nana (2005)
An adaptation of Ai Yazawa’s beloved manga, Nana tells the tale of two wildly different women who share a name and wind up becoming roommates and friends after meeting on a train heading to Tokyo. The manga, anime, and movie all do a stellar job of establishing both leads as fully-developed characters with aspirations, flaws, strengths, and insecurities. Rather than define them, their friendship helps them grow as individuals.
2005’s Nana adapts the source material very well, not only in terms of characterization but also presentation. Mika Nakashima and Aoi Miyazaki deliver solid performances as the two Nanas, particularly the latter. The film spawned a less-good sequel in 2006.
9 Death Note (2006 & 2007)
With the recent advent of Netflix’s Death Note live-action remake and the subsequent flaring hatred from critics, it’s fair to acknowledge the alternate version. Japan had already created a live-action version of the famous anime series centering around the characters L and Light Yagami. While the Netflix version took many creative liberties, the Japanese version clung closely to the appearance and behavior of the characters in the show, as well as keeping a close tie to the original storyline laid out in the anime and manga.
Furthermore, many fans related to the overall horror genre present in this version, which was the original intention of the anime. It was never meant to be conformed into a different version, which is why adhering closely to the source material is often key in attaining a level of acceptance from anime fans.
8 Speed Racer (2008)
An older anime from the ’60s era, Speed Racer was also known as Mach GoGoGo during its prime. Even though older anime either have shaky adaptations or little audience interest, Speed Racer is often considered an underrated treasure of a movie and something of a cult classic.
This movie came out in 2008 and has since been a stalwart companion for many fans of older anime. To speak more of its credentials, the live-action adaptation was even nominated for a number of film awards and has a sequel in the works with a complete script already finished.
7 Your Lie In April (2016)
Your Lie in April seems destined to be a success regardless of its chosen medium. Naoshi Arakawa’s manga and A-1’s anime adaptation are both considered to be among the best romance stories in their respective fields, and their reputations are earned. The live-action movie is not well-known outside Japan, but it is nevertheless a respectable iteration of this narrative.
Due to a personal tragedy, Kosei Arima has been unable to play the piano. However, this changes when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with a contagious zest for life. Blending romance, drama, and music-focused sequences, Your Lie in April is a powerful and melodramatic experience.
6 Blade Of The Immortal (2017)
While not a well-known anime for its time, Blade Of The Immortal achieved relative fame for venturing into the live-action arena. The actors were well-chosen for their respective roles and relay the mannerisms of the characters perfectly, and many fans found that the original allure of the anime was carried over into this format. The almost overdone amount of blood, gore, weapon-based fighting, and underlying currents of supernatural power make this film a success.
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Released in 2017, Blade of the Immortal should be one of the go-to live-action anime movies for just about anyone. The movie itself covers the first two story arcs of the series.
5 Ace Attorney (2012)
One of the most iconic games and then anime series in history, there is seldom any young adult who isn’t familiar with the faces of Ace Attorney. This franchise has covered a lot of ground over the years. Because of this unique and mixed heritage, the film had to capture both film and video game attributes at once.
The result of this great experiment in live-action was surprising, to say the least. Ace Attorney was even heralded as the best video game movie of its time. The film came out in 2012 and was primarily based around the second and fourth cases shown in the first game.
4 Kingdom (2019)
Yasuhisa Hara’s Kingdom manga has spawned a pretty great anime series that is scheduled to debut its fourth season later this year. The manga proved to be so successful that a live-action movie was also released in 2019. Like nearly everything else associated with this license, the film is something special, even if it is a bit too rushed at times.
Like the manga and anime, Kingdom follows two orphans who aspire to become generals, a journey rife with war. Blending fantastic action and effective character development, the 2019 feature serves as a solid introduction to this universe. Unsurprisingly, the live-action retelling is not on the same level as the anime or especially the manga, but it is a good movie in its own right.
3 Rurouni Kenshin Movies (2012-2021)
The first installment of the live-action series of Rurouni Kenshin movies came out in 2012. The film’s positive reviews led to a sequel being created in 2014, with the hope of more in the near future. The series not only highly respects the original anime and manga but also manages to compete with the high expectations set out by both formats.
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Much of this is achieved through the intense and lightning-fast sword-fighting scenes that feature tight and elegant choreography. The original trilogy is fantastic, and the Netflix sequels maintain that standard of quality.
2 Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
One of the few times that Hollywood took an interest in the world of anime and managed to get it right, Alita: Battle Angel is one of the few outliers in the popular-media world when it comes to live-action adaptations. Many fans of the source material and also unfamiliar critics reviewed the film positively.
A rare feature that also sets it apart from other Hollywood adaptations is how loyal the plot is to the source material, and that carries over into the actor’s mannerisms and behavior. Even the 3D eyes added onto Alita seemed to go over smoothly, something that is normally avoided or shunned in the live-action community.
1 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter 1 (2017)
Released during the prime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure era in 2017, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter 1 was swarmed by the vast amount of anime and manga fans familiar with the successful series. Even on the more merciless critic websites like Rotten Tomatoes, the live-action adaptation got a majority of positive reviews centering around the film’s effects and uniqueness.
The movie manages to capture the style, costumes, and colorful environments of the manga and anime. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter 1 is often regarded as one of the best live-action anime movies in history, and for good reason.
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