Live-action anime adaptations have become increasingly popular with hit shows likeAlice in BorderlandandOne Piecegarnering a huge fan base, but there are some hidden gems you probably missed. For years,live-action anime adaptationshave faced harsh criticism from fans and critics, especially regarding faithfulness to the source material.
This isn’t surprising, as it’s a difficult task to capture an anime’s magic in human form. While a lot oflive-action adaptations have been a disappointment, we have examples of projects that stood out and perfectly depicted what made the manga or anime they are based on work. That said, for everyOne Piece, we have plenty of more obscure live-action anime adaptations that are worth checking out.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Cast
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a live-action adaptation featuring Usagi Tsukino, a teenager who transforms into Sailor Moon upon meeting a cat named Luna. As the destined warrior, she seeks the reincarnated princess of a lost kingdom alongside the Sailor Senshi, battling the dark forces of the Dark Kingdom.
Based on one of the most popular anime,Sailor Moon,Pretty Guardian Sailor Moonis one of the most unique live-action anime adaptations out there. It’s more of a Tokusatsu that, whileitdidn’t get everything right, still managed to capture what made the anime magical. Creative liberties had to be taken, such asArtemis and Luna being stuffed animals, and the introduction of new characters, the live-action series
PSGMdoesn’t have as much action asSailor Moon,as it focuses most of its premise on creating a character-driven narrative. However, it’s actually quite fun.
Given that PSGM was released in 2003, live-action anime adaptations were still trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. ButPSGMshowed that creating a live-action series meant finding the perfect balance between originality and staying faithful to the source material.
9Oshi no Ko (2024)
Available To Stream On: Prime Video
Centering around a doctor and his patient who are reincarnated as twins, theOshi no Komanga garnered a huge fan base when it was released. Three years after the manga debuted, an anime of the same name premiered on the Japanese network KBS Kyoto.Oshi no Kothen got an eight-episode live-action adaptation that was received favorably by both audiences and critics.
What makesOshi no Kostand out is that it does its best to stay faithful to the anime. However, the live-action series is a bit rushed as it tries to pack too much into eight episodes, which in a way disadvantages viewers who have never read the manga or watched the anime. Despite these errors,Oshi no Kois filled with dramatic moments and emotional scenes that will tug at the heartstrings.
Parasyte: The Grey
“Parasyte: The Grey” imagines a world where alien parasites begin taking over human hosts, blending horror with psychological drama. The story follows a young man who forms a symbiotic relationship with his alien parasite, leading to a morally complex journey as they confront other parasites threatening humanity. This adaptation adds a unique twist, focusing on the grey areas of survival, identity, and the essence of being human.
Yeong Sang-ho’sParasyte: The Greyis not a direct adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s manga but rather a spinoff of sorts set in the same universe as the source material. LikeParasyte,the Netflix original K-dramasees parasites make humans their hosts and wreak havoc on the city.
Parasyte: The Greyis incredibly intense and scary, but like all of Yeon Sang-ho’s work, it also has a deep theme that makes the show more than just a horror TV series.The live-action adaptation raises questions about humanityand how our goal to survive mirrors that of an alien species, just like the original manga did.
7Death Note (2015)
Available To Stream On: Amazon Prime Video
TheDeath Noteanime came out in 2006 and to this day is still revered by fans. Over the years,several live-actionDeath Noteadaptationshave been made with varying levels of success. Although theDeath Notelive-action adaptations have been hit or miss, the 2015 Japanese series was a step in the right direction.
A newDeath Notelive-action series is in the works at Netflix.
Kento Yamazaki, who now stars as Arisu in Netflix’sAlice in Borderland, played L in theDeath NoteJ-Drama. While it’s not without its faults,Death Notestayed true to the anime and is probably one of the few adaptations that’s as close to the original story, other than the 2006 film.
6GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (2012)
Tooru Fujisawa’s sequel toShonan Junai GumiandBad Company,Great Teacher Onizuka, is a testament that a live-action anime adaptation can be done well. Before the series and anime were created, a live-action movie of the same name debuted in 1998 and became an instant hit, proving thatGTO had a large fan base.
In 2012, a Japanese live-action TV show of the same name debuted and perfectly captured what made Fujisawa’s manga so popular. Unlike the anime,theGTOlive-action series ran for a longer time, thus giving ample opportunity to fully develop the students and teachers in the show. The chemistry between Onizuka and Fuyutsuki is unmatched, which adds a level of depth to the series.
Bet
Bet is a series set in a private school where social status is determined by gambling prowess. A new student with a mysterious past enters the scene, using their skills to disrupt the established hierarchy while pursuing personal vendettas.
Kakeguruihas had several live-action adaptations over the years, including the 2018 Japanese film,Kakegurui,Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler,Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette, and most recently,Netflix’s Bet.
Betmade some huge changes.The setting is different from the anime asit takes place in America instead of Japan, and Yumiko has another reason for transferring to the elite school.
While these changes might have divided the fans of the anime,Betactually did a good of of staying true to the original characters, even though they might be a little different.Betseason 1 ended on a cliffhanger, and a second season is confirmed.
4Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (2020)
Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohanis a collection of short stories that centers around an eccentric artist, Rohan, who travels the world to find inspiration to inform his art. The live-action adaptation of the manga has been successful in Japan and international audiences, running for four seasons with nine episodes in total.
While the live-action show makes such changes to the manga, including Rohan appearing in all episodes, when he isn’t in the original story, the series still captures his eccentricities and the thrilling supernatural elements. Apart from the anime, there’s also a feature film,Rohan au Louvre, that follows Rohan’s adventures.
3Mob Psycho 100 (2018)
Available To Stream On: Netflix
Mob Psycho 100is considered one of the best anime of the 2010s, so it’s understandable that a live-action remake would instantly raise the eyebrows of fans of the original show. BeforeMob Psycho 100aired its third and final season, the live-action series debuted and received generally positive reviews.
Taking a beloved anime such asMob Psycho 100and telling the story through a different medium is always a risk, as so many things could be mistranslated. However,Mob Psychonot only stayed true to the anime, but Kasami Yumaya did such a great job as Tome Kuratathat it could be difficult to separate him from his anime counterpart.
2Gokusen (2002)
Available To Stream On: Amazon Prime
Centering around Kumiko Yamaguchi, the granddaughter of a powerful Yakuza boss,Gokusendelves into the story of her journey to being the Math teacher of one of the most unruly classes at an all-boys private school. The live-actionGokusenseries ran for three seasons, and each one of them was as thrilling as the last.
Gokusenis funny, heartwarming, and makes it easy to root for Kumiko’s success. Unlike other TV shows,Gokusenwas created as a live-action show before the anime debuted.There’s also a film of the same name, which debuted in 2009and gained favorable reviews from critics and audiences alike.
1Yu Yu Hakusho (2022)
Yu Yu Hakushois one of the most iconic anime of all time, so it’s not surprising that a live-action series was created by Netflix. There were some doubts about whether the live-action series would represent the anime well, particularly because Netflix didn’t have the best track record in this area.
However, the live-action TV show more than rose to the occasion.The Netflix series had a great cast led by Takumi Kitamura, who embodied Yusuke’s arrogance and don’t care attitude perfectly. There were, of course, some minor changes to the stories, such as the Makai insects being introduced earlier than they were in the anime, as well as a rushed pace.
Netflix’sYu Yu Hakushodoesn’t complete Yusuke’s story as it only has one season, while the anime ran for four. However, the show manages to delve into the most essential plot points from its source material. Whether you watched the anime or not,Yu Yu Hakushois such a great adaptation that you don’t need background information to enjoy it.
