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JJ Abrams and Paramount Pictures team up for a live action movie of "Your Name"

Einchy

semen stains the mountaintops
That's a strawman. There are degrees to this.

Anyway, back to the topic, I doubt a live action movie is going to work unless they get someone who really groks the source material. Too many hollywood adaptations miss the point of the source material they draw from.
And in Your Name it's not done badly. So I'd say that nailed the degree in which they used that trope.

Not sure why you bolded that, I mean, I quoted you so obviously it was directed at you. Still not seeing how it was an insult, though. I guess saying you would ruin a movie by removing parts of what makes said movie so great is an insult?

I do agree that some Hollywood adaptations miss the point, some even try removing really funny scenes that don't need to be removed since they don't realize it's part of establishing the tone. 😉
 

Jyester

Member
White washing issues aside, I have no idea how they are looking to replicate the success of the anime. The original movie was a perfect storm of beautiful animation, great music, and a twist that caught the public by surprise, leading to tremendous word of mouth.

Truth be told, if you take away the animation and the music, I feel you’re left with an above average gender-swap story. The twist was okay, but ultimately lead to a bog-standard conclusion. I agree with Shinkai when he said that it’s not Ghibli grade quality. So what exactly is Hollywood hoping to get out of this? It would be nice if it’s a passion project, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s more to do with a lack of ideas.
 
I finally got around to watching this and I really enjoyed it. It was really emotional and had such a clever plot concept.

Not looking forward to seeing how this gets butchered for American audiences.
 

N7.Angel

Member
I really need to watch Your Name, lol

All the hype surrounding it has been such a turn-off, since I'll now be going in expecting a masterpiece or something.

I hope it delivers~~~

You're right, I was expecting the same because of the huge hype the movie had at the time and the movie disappointed the hell out of me, the most overrated anime movie I've seen in my entire life.
 

Rydeen

Member
I'd care if this was an adaptation of something I cared about like Akira or Bubblegum Crisis, but Your Name was corny, manipulative YA/LN garbage. Every dramatic moment is due to dramatic convenience, like who wouldn't remember news about
an asteroid wiping out a chunk of the planet
? It would be international news on a 9/11 scale. Also the goddamn movie opens with a TV style opening complete with a syrupy Jpop ballad. You're a movie, act like it.
 

Lunaray

Member
White washing issues aside, I have no idea how they are looking to replicate the success of the anime. The original movie was a perfect storm of beautiful animation, great music, and a twist that caught the public by surprise, leading to tremendous word of mouth.

Truth be told, if you take away the animation and the music, I feel you're left with an above average gender-swap story. The twist was okay, but ultimately lead to a bog-standard conclusion. I agree with Shinkai when he said that it's not Ghibli grade quality. So what exactly is Hollywood hoping to get out of this? It would be nice if it's a passion project, but I can't shake the feeling that it's more to do with a lack of ideas.

I think reducing it to a gender-swap story might be a bit too reductive. Makoto Shinkai's calling card is his thematic exploration of how people deal with alienation and their connections with other people over seemingly insurmountable distances, both physical and temporal. He constantly revisits this in his oeuvre, from Voices of Distant Star to 5 Centimeters Per Second, and to a certain extent, Your Name. I think there's something in that that could translate over to Hollywood, but to be honest, Your Name is probably not the right movie. I think an adaptation of Voices of a Distant Star will work better because I think it's impossible to miss what that movie is about.
 

Busty

Banned
This will almost certainly never see the light of day and if it does it'll be some horrid YA affair that will miss the market that made the anime so successful in the west.

This is a lose/lose situation, Paramount, I see you're taking notes from Rothman's Sony.
 

Jyester

Member
I think reducing it to a gender-swap story might be a bit too reductive. Makoto Shinkai's calling card is his thematic exploration of how people deal with alienation and their connections with other people over seemingly insurmountable distances, both physical and temporal. He constantly revisits this in his oeuvre, from Voices of Distant Star to 5 Centimeters Per Second, and to a certain extent, Your Name. I think there's something in that that could translate over to Hollywood, but to be honest, Your Name is probably not the right movie. I think an adaptation of Voices of a Distant Star will work better because I think it's impossible to miss what that movie is about.
It's a bit reductive perhaps, but I agree with the person above saying that the dramatic trappings were rather contrived. The twist caught me by surprise and made me curious to see where the movie was going. Ultimately, the plot is not as clever as it seemed to let on, as everything is very neatly tied together in the end, without any sort of consequence resulting from the major events of the movie. I do agree with Rydeen to the extent that it really did feel like a YA product, albeit one that is very well executed. Without the animation and music, I fear that a lot of the charm will be gone.
 
When has that ever happened?
I mean, I'm not familiar with a ton of anime in general, but as far as adapting Japanese material in general goes, and since I just rewatched it the other day, I'll mention The Magnificent Seven (the original) as a great western (and Western genre!) adaption of the Japanese source.
 

Soar

Member
It's a bit reductive perhaps, but I agree with the person above saying that the dramatic trappings were rather contrived. The twist caught me by surprise and made me curious to see where the movie was going. Ultimately, the plot is not as clever as it seemed to let on, as everything is very neatly tied together in the end, without any sort of consequence resulting from the major events of the movie. I do agree with Rydeen to the extent that it really did feel like a YA product, albeit one that is very well executed. Without the animation and music, I fear that a lot of the charm will be gone.

Was speaking to my Japanese friends today about this. From their perspective, the movie focuses a lot on specific themes like familial connections, individual and societal identities as well as the thread connecting multiple generations, respect for the elderly etc. For them the relationship and interactions between Mizuha and her father were the most impactful scenes in the movie and one that they talk about a lot. They get bombarded with innumerable YA stuff daily, but this movie brings a lot more to the table hence the popularity.

I am pretty sure this will be lost in translation where they will focus more on the sci-fi/save the world plot. Would you blame them though, if that's what western audiences look for?

It was a brilliant movie because it's fantastic as a package, I never did feel like the plot was the driving force behind the movie at all. The little details and nuances playing well into the emotional notes is what elevated it for me. Your last sentence is a bit silly, if you apply it to any media.
 
I will never understand why people think this anime (or anything by Shinkai) is anything better than average- The only saving grace is technical proficiency, from what I can tell as someone who's not an artist. Story-wise is as banal, pointless and pandering as anime gets.
 

Pepboy

Member
Was speaking to my Japanese friends today about this. From their perspective, the movie focuses a lot on specific themes like familial connections, individual and societal identities as well as the thread connecting multiple generations, respect for the elderly etc. For them the relationship and interactions between Mizuha and her father were the most impactful scenes in the movie and one that they talk about a lot. They get bombarded with innumerable YA stuff daily, but this movie brings a lot more to the table hence the popularity.

I am pretty sure this will be lost in translation where they will focus more on the sci-fi/save the world plot. Would you blame them though, if that's what western audiences look for?

It was a brilliant movie because it's fantastic as a package, I never did feel like the plot was the driving force behind the movie at all. The little details and nuances playing well into the emotional notes is what elevated it for me. Your last sentence is a bit silly, if you apply it to any media.

Exactly. JJ doesn't understand character depth or nuance so I think this will be his first big bomb (at least in a while).
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
I mean at its heart it's a pretty simple romcom, acting like it wouldn't work in live action seems kinda silly.
They probably will turn it into a more concrete paranormal adventure (perhaps like Girl Who Leapt Through Time) and will most likely completely change the ending, if nothing else.
 

Jyester

Member
Was speaking to my Japanese friends today about this. From their perspective, the movie focuses a lot on specific themes like familial connections, individual and societal identities as well as the thread connecting multiple generations, respect for the elderly etc. For them the relationship and interactions between Mizuha and her father were the most impactful scenes in the movie and one that they talk about a lot. They get bombarded with innumerable YA stuff daily, but this movie brings a lot more to the table hence the popularity.

I am pretty sure this will be lost in translation where they will focus more on the sci-fi/save the world plot. Would you blame them though, if that's what western audiences look for?

The family connections were there, but the movie didn't really do anything with them. Showa Dad™ ("I care deeply for my children but the only emotion I can project to the outside world is anger") is one of the most recognizable archetypes out there. I'm not a soulless beast, so the emotional scenes did work for me to a certain point. It's just that the movie doesn't really do anything particularly interesting with the pieces that it puts forward. The big event* doesn't serve a larger purpose, and everything is neatly wrapped up in a bowtie at the end. The final act felt rushed and awkwardly written into an ending that's sure to please a large audience.

*
To be completely honest, I found the comet a shockingly cheap plot device and the worst part of the movie. Apparently Shinkai used it so people could digest the Fukushima disaster, but I have no idea what exactly he envisioned. You can't just use a natural disaster similar to a real life occurrence and then magically undo it through the power of time travel and friendship. There was no point or message to the whole time travel mechanic, as it's ultimately just a tool to save the world.

Don't get me wrong: I don't think the movie is bad. I just don't think it's great, and I unfortunately watched it after the hype machine was fully engaged.

It was a brilliant movie because it's fantastic as a package, I never did feel like the plot was the driving force behind the movie at all. The little details and nuances playing well into the emotional notes is what elevated it for me. Your last sentence is a bit silly, if you apply it to any media.
It's a fine package, the plot being the weakest part in my opinion. Which is a shame, because I was fully engaged by the time act 2 came around, wondering where the movie would go. Sadly, the third act deflated the entire experience.

My last sentence refers to the fact that I did not find the movie to be that special, outside of the animation and music, which leaves me doubting the purpose of a live action adaption.
 

mdubs

Banned
Except that Hollywood literally does this for every ethnicity and every nationality. There's very little comment when a Black British actor plays a Black American character (Get Out), or a Black American plays an African (Cry Freedom, Hotel Rwanda). Or when an British/Irish person plays a German (both versions of Magneto). Or when a Spaniard plays a Mexican (Desperado). Or I could keep going for days here. As long as they get the general area/ancestry right, Hollywood does not now, and probably will never, care about explicit nationalities.
That’s a separate issue about whether Hollywood does care in practice. I’m annoyed that people outside of Hollywood do this wrt to people from countries in Asia in inappropriately ignoring the differences between these countries. Japanese people are not substitutes for Chinese people and vice versa, etc,, and it is offensive that people assume such when calling for generic “Asian” representation in the case of movies, such as Your Name, which are clearly part of one cultural heritage as opposed to another. People here, and in Hollywood, should do better when discussing these issues. Many in this thread have already done exactly this.
 

kewlmyc

Member
....why? It's not like this is over a decade old. It just came out on BD this year.

Guess JJ really liked the idea of the movie and wants America to experience the story by making it take place in MURRICA with live action actors. Though the plot does rely on some strictly Japan customs, so going to have the change some significant parts of the story.

Also, if they change the story to take place in America, it's not whitewashing. Feel people are starting to forget what actual whitewashing is. For example, Ghost in the Shell is whitewashing (takes place in Japan, but features mostly white leads playing their Japanese counterparts directly) while Death Note isn't (rewritten to take place in Seattle, white/black leads playing characters based on their JP counterparts).
 
I love the movie.. but I was a bit disappointed by the protracted
will they/won't they
ending that seemed to lean too heavily towards rewarding
the male's pursuit (albeit ambigiously) while almost forcing us to accept that the female MUST continue/accelerate a relationship with this boob-abuser even while she's just been exposed to a whole new world and time -- particularly a part of the world (the city) that was desperate to become a part of/experience
-- could just be my interpretation. But the silver lining here is that a new, slightly modified version for the west could strengthen the resolution, particularly from the point of view of the female protagonist.

*Sorry, forgot the main character's names, ironically.

And, of course, if I was the screenwriter -- I would have to set it in Japan. The historical context and customs are absolutely key to making this story work. One of the several important reasons would be to remind the west of
that scar, that sin that we inflicted on that country #norevionsism #necessaryevil and how much it has become a part of them, something they carry, almost as the memory of it is in their blood.

But then again, I wouldn't get the job because I'm reminded time and again by Hollywood that if you don't set it in America (with Americans), Americans wont watch it. That's a secret/lingering dogma we're fighting to change right now (along with all the other obvious ones). I WOULD make it in English though -- cause you gotta get that American money #Americansdontreadsubtitltes.
What movie did you watch
 
The music, animation, cultural usage, and setting are what make the film great to me. I listen to tracks from the soundtrack on a regular basis.

I can only imagine how devoid of the original charm a Hollywood adaption would be.

But I don't care if they make it. Blow my mind. Use Japanese actors and shit. Make it a generic white romance poop. I'll still have the animated film and Radwimps.

I'll be waiting for the to also try and adapt Koe no Katachi. Lol
 

Arkeband

Banned
I'd care if this was an adaptation of something I cared about like Akira or Bubblegum Crisis, but Your Name was corny, manipulative YA/LN garbage. Every dramatic moment is due to dramatic convenience, like who wouldn't remember news about
an asteroid wiping out a chunk of the planet
? It would be international news on a 9/11 scale. Also the goddamn movie opens with a TV style opening complete with a syrupy Jpop ballad. You're a movie, act like it.

I disliked the opening because it was cheesy TV anime fare, but it also kind of spoiled parts of the movie.
It shows them at different ages, which informs the viewer that the girl will reappear with an older design at some point. It takes a lot of the emotional value of the loss of her character away when you know they spent time and energy making an older version of her that you'll see later.
 
I have yet to see the original on account of the fact that I can't seem to find a dubbed version anywhere. I simply just hate watching movies with subtitles :(
 

siddx

Magnificent Eager Mighty Brilliantly Erect Registereduser
If this version of the movie is meant for western audiences the setting and characters will be changed to westerners. And there is nothing wrong with that. Same way of Japan adapted a western property for it's local market I'd expect them to change the setting to Japan and make the characters japanese.

Glad they making this, the idea sounds interesting but most anime is intolerable so I'd rather see a live action version.
 

Gravidee

Member
If this version of the movie is meant for western audiences the setting and characters will be changed to westerners. And there is nothing wrong with that. Same way of Japan adapted a western property for it's local market I'd expect them to change the setting to Japan and make the characters japanese.

Glad they making this, the idea sounds interesting but most anime is intolerable so I'd rather see a live action version.

Did you actually see the movie or are you just making the assumption that the actual film is intolerable because it's anime?
 

Dice//

Banned
Also the goddamn movie opens with a TV style opening complete with a syrupy Jpop ballad. You're a movie, act like it.

I actually *reaaallly* disliked this too. xD
It was the most awkward thing to see in a body-swap movie (pretty sure it's the only Shinkai movie to do this too); it felt a little tacky and really out of place.

Anyways, yay, more anime adaptions.... let's see how that goes; good news is the bar is generally pretty low.
 

Lunaray

Member
I actually *reaaallly* disliked this too. xD
It was the most awkward thing to see in a body-swap movie (pretty sure it's the only Shinkai movie to do this too); it felt a little tacky and really out of place.

Anyways, yay, more anime adaptions.... let's see how that goes; good news is the bar is generally pretty low.

I think 5 Centimeters per second had a song too, but it was at the end and I think it was better executed.
 

Soar

Member
The family connections were there, but the movie didn't really do anything with them. Showa Dad™ ("I care deeply for my children but the only emotion I can project to the outside world is anger") is one of the most recognizable archetypes out there. I'm not a soulless beast, so the emotional scenes did work for me to a certain point. It's just that the movie doesn't really do anything particularly interesting with the pieces that it puts forward. The big event* doesn't serve a larger purpose, and everything is neatly wrapped up in a bowtie at the end. The final act felt rushed and awkwardly written into an ending that's sure to please a large audience.

You're not wrong, it is a trope, but one that is quite real from my personal experience (I have family in Japan). See the big event isn't all important in the movie.
They could have replaced it with a dragon, or some other calamity. It is supposed to serve as the ubiquitous and very real threat of a disaster that's pretty much ingrained into the Japanese psyche.

Don't get me wrong: I don't think the movie is bad. I just don't think it's great, and I unfortunately watched it after the hype machine was fully engaged.

It's a fine package, the plot being the weakest part in my opinion. Which is a shame, because I was fully engaged by the time act 2 came around, wondering where the movie would go. Sadly, the third act deflated the entire experience.

My last sentence refers to the fact that I did not find the movie to be that special, outside of the animation and music, which leaves me doubting the purpose of a live action adaption.

I see where you're coming from here, agree and apologise for calling it silly. Regarding the third act I thought although rushed and a bit disjointed did not really detract from the theme, because at its core the movie is about shit happens, find meaning in it, the world goes on.
 
So ... WHEN is he supposed to direct this?

I think it'll just take the right casting for opinions to turn around on this, that's an easy thing not to fuck up, right J.J.?
 

Firemind

Member
I see where you're coming from here, agree and apologise for calling it silly. Regarding the third act I thought although rushed and a bit disjointed did not really detract from the theme, because at its core the movie is about shit happens, find meaning in it, the world goes on.
I thought parts dragged on far too long actually. Like when
he wanted to meet her but couldn't find the place she's from, so he's asking people based on a drawing and nobody thought: "Hey, it's that lake where a friggin meteorite dropped that wiped off a small town three years ago." It's not like the trip had any meaningful character development since there was a friggin montage (again) and the three characters didn't really share anything beyond "Oh, you smoke?"
And those
post time skip scenes also dragged and dragged because of frigging amnesia.
 

tauroxd

Member
The anime is perfect as it is, why should we need this?

Because as it is didn't have any chance of picking up distrubution and marketing to achieve a Box Office of +$300 millions in the USA. Which is what happend in Japan.

What's so diffucult to undesrtand that what you and I liked doesn't automatically translates into something for mass markets?
 

ghostjoke

Banned
It can be salvaged
https://twitter.com/NaChiKyoTsuki97/status/913417140417396736
DK0cCsiUMAA7TqP.jpg
 

Accoun

Member
The sad thing is, the adaptation will most likely have an official release here in Poland. "Your Name" didn't - not even a limited one.
 

DVCY201

Member
I'm still baffled by the success of this movie. Like, it's good (I'd give it 7-8/10) and Shinkai is good too, but it blew past every single anime movie ever.

As for being an allegory about Fukushima, I'm unconvinced. Shin Godzilla was a better story in that regard.

As an adaptation, it's totally doable. I don't even think they have to do much of the lifting. Just tighten up the setting to be more universal and neuter the more inherent Japanese designs
 
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