12 Live-Action Anime Projects You Didn’t Know Were Happening

Live-action! Anime! On their own, these are words that fill people's hearts with joy. But, when combined, they are far more likely to spell disappointment, disgust, and damaged nostalgia. This is why the only time people like hearing them together is in sentences like, "why Hollywood shouldn't make live-action anime".

Naturally, there are way (way, way) more examples of failed anime adaptations than there are successful. Still, despite the onslaught of disappointment, it is hard not to get tentatively excited when hearing of an upcoming attempt to bring the wild, bombastic medium into reality.

There is always talk of bringing animated projects to screens both big and small, as cashing in on an existing fanbase tends to give producers grins as wide as an eagle's wingspan and pockets as deep as the grand canyon. Thus, with the rising popularity of the medium, it should be no surprise that many live-action anime projects are in the works right now.

Let's just hope these shows/movies don't become a repeat of Netflix's Cowboy Bebop or Netflix's Death Note or Netflix's Homunculus, or Netflix's Fullmetal Alchemist. Come to think of it, let's just hope Netflix steers clear of this list in general - *whisper* spoiler alert, it won't.

It seems like only a sentence or two ago that Netflix was being slandered, yet, here they are, ready to try and grab one of the most popular anime of all time for their platform again, despite their sinful past.

The lingering memory of Adam Wingard's previous attempt to bring the classic anime to life still hurts the hearts and souls of viewers everywhere. It was so bad fans wish they had Shinigami powers of their own so they could erase it from history - and probably rule the world. However, it's clear that Wingard (a solid director in his own right) was the wrong choice for this series, and Netflix seems to want to rectify that.

This upcoming adaptation of the world of killer notebooks and Gods of Death is reportedly produced by The Duffer Brothers (the creators of Stranger Things) as part of their new production company, Upside Down Pictures. These creators have a talent for juggling intimate character building with supernatural spectacle, so there is some promise.

This adaptation does have some legs to stand on, as Death Note has worked in live-action before (the Japanese movies are pretty decent). Still, it's hard not to be sceptical, so have your pens at the ready.