“Hollywood-anime-adaptations” are three words that, when put together, makes many fans skeptical just by the mention. True, the track record for these types of movies show just how bad Hollywood butchers anime-fan-favorites such as Ghost in the Shell. However, perhaps this particular series will get its own western adaptation that will be remembered in it’s own Hollywood heyday.  

 

Attack on Titan is one of the most widespread and most sold manga/anime of all time. As of this past August, the manga has sold over 76 million copies worldwide, with numbers growing every week. This makes it both the perfect and worst pick for Hollywood to make into a western adaptation. Here are some hopes for this new take on a beloved manga/anime.

 

 

 

Stick to the Source Material!

 

 

^{Image via Den of Geek}

 

 

While this may seem basic, Hollywood has shown us over and over again how it doesn’t care for many of the actual components for famous manga stories. Time and time again, we are stuck with half-assed or completely different takes on the initial source material.

 

While this may seem somewhat brave and maybe even the tiniest bit new and refreshing, for the most part IT FUCKING SUCKS when they throw away an important plot point or even change the race of the main character itself. Think of live action movies like the Dragon Ball or Death Note adaptations. Those failed terribly simply because the writers made the conscious decision to do away with main plot points and characters, leaving the film weak or with tons of plot holes.

 

 

 

Dear God, Make It Rated-R

 

 

^{Image via Youtube}

 

 

While not all anime-adaptations need to have this requisite, Attack on Titan definitely does. The story is incredibly and brutally depressing. For those who may not know, here’s a short gist: basically all of humanity is located in a huge mega city-state surrounded by walls upon walls. These walls and different sections of the kingdom are used to keep out the huge ravenous Titans that populate the world. Humanity is on the brink, and Titans wish to simply kill everything. 

 

Now focus on that last part. These enormous, humanoid beasts terrorize humanity. In the first episode, a score of people are seen getting eaten, getting trampled, being ripped apart, and probably much worse. There’s some language, but the main focus here is just the depressing themes of desperation, class war, and war in general blending in with the immense violence shown off-screen. If Hollywood wants to make this thing work, they’re going to have to commit to an R-rating. If they show off a trailer with none of these aspects, it’s already a failure.

 

 

 

Don’t Make It Into Something Campy

 

 

^{Image via Game Maps}

 

 

It’s already a good sign that the director of the Stephen King adaptations of It, Andy Muschietti, has been confirmed as director for the new film. With that piece of news, many fans and skeptics felt that he maybe wouldn’t fuck it all up. Just maybe…

 

Andy Muschietti may be a good call, as the director’s recent work shows that he knows what he’s doing at least. As long as he is able to keep the tone of the series and cast the right people for certain roles, we should be all set for a decent movie. All I’m hoping for is that he does not make it into just another campy, western take on anime/manga. The bad films in this category tend to have situations or scenes that just feel too awkward and unreal, or rather they don’t deliver the emotional importance of certain scenes and shots.

 

If Muschietti is able to accomplish that, as well as the previous entries, than we are in for one hell of a wild ride!

 

 

 

Featured Image via Microsoft