Latest news with #KatsuhiroOtomo
Forbes
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Live-Action ‘Akira' Leaves Warner Bros. After Decades In Production Hell
'Akira' is now up for grabs as to its live-action rights. After decades of multiple people trying to get a live-action Akira off the ground, the rights have reverted back to Kodansha. I mean, I started covering this live-action adaptation back in 2015, and almost every year after that, new people were attached to write or direct the movie. During that time, I even managed to interview Katsuhiro Otomo, who wrote the original manga and directed the seminal 1988 anime adaptation. In that interview, Otomo revealed that he had final sign-off on the live-action scenario. So if Otomo didn't like the scenario, it meant the movie didn't get made. My guess is that Otomo has blocked every live-action scenario to date, and that's why Warner Bros. has let the live-action rights revert back to Kodansha. It's also likely that whoever takes the option on the live-action rights to Akira will still have to get past Otomo on its scenario. Honestly, if that's the case, then as long as Otomo is around, I doubt we will ever see a live-action adaptation. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder To be honest, I am entirely fine with that. I mean, people have been joking about how terrible an American film of Akira would be since 2008. Hollywood still doesn't really get manga and anime, let alone video games. Akira is one of those cultural heirlooms that should be treated with the respect it deserves, and Hollywood's never been big on giving any kind of respect to Japanese creative talent. In any case, Akira's live-action rights are now back with Kodansha, and it will be interesting to see who will pick it up next, as no doubt Otomo will be just as strict with them as he has been with everyone else. In the meantime, feel free to check out my Blu-ray review of the anime, which you should absolutely watch if you haven't done so already. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Akira: Taika Waititi's Live-Action Movie Gets Disappointing Update
Taika Waititi's live-action movie has received a disappointing update courtesy of a new report from THR. According to a new report from THR, the Akira live-action movie at Warner Bros. Discovery is officially not happening. The movie studio has reportedly let go of the movie rights, reverting them back to Kodansha, the manga publisher that originally released Katsuhiro Otomo's story in 1982. THR's report mentions that producers and other talent have already begun 'lining up' to try and attach themselves to the property for future pitches. As for Waititi's long-in-development movie, this means the project is likely fully over with. Akira's movie development has been a long and extremely complicated one. Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the incredibly popular manga in 2002, and originally had Stephen Norrington (Blade) attached as a director. That began two decades of what THR describes as development hell, with writers and directors like Garry Whitta, Mark Fergus, Hawk Otsby, Steve Kloves, and more all attached at one point or another. In 2017, Waititi was announced to be writing and directing a movie based on the manga. This project even received a 2021 release date and was in the process of casting, according to THR. However, Waititi became too busy with other projects, and never recommitted to the project. Originally released in 1982, Akira tells the story of a post-apocalyptic and futuristic 'Neo-Tokyo,' and centers on Shotaro Kaneda, a gang leader, the militant revolutionary Kei, and more. The manga received an animated film in 1988, which is often heralded as one of the greatest films ever made and something that helped make anime as a whole a pop culture staple, although it does deviate heavily from the source material. (Source: The Hollywood Reporter) The post Akira: Taika Waititi's Live-Action Movie Gets Disappointing Update appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Bonkers Electric Motorcycle Is a Lightning Quick Ode to ‘Akira'
Ichiban wants to help you recreate one of the most famous moments in anime history. The company has just unveiled a new electric motorcycle inspired by Shotaro Kaneda's bike from Akira. And unlike most of the head-turning designs Ichiban has shared on its Instagram account, this two-wheeler is actually going into production. More from Robb Report Onyx's Retro Electric Moped Is Back for a Limited Run Ford Just Unveiled E-Bikes Inspired by the Bronco and the Mustang McLaren Just Unveiled the World's Most Powerful Street-Legal E-Bikes It's important to note that Akira is not just some cartoon. The big-screen adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga of the same name is one of the most influential pieces of science fiction media ever produced. Except for Blade Runner—which hit theaters the same year that Otomo's comic debuted—it is hard to think of anything that has influenced the cyberpunk aesthetic more. But anime has done more than just influence design and fashion. Its iconic shot, in which main character Kaneda brings his futuristic motorcycle to a sliding halt, is one of the most frequently referenced moments in the last 40 years of cinema. Because of this, it's easy to see why Ichiban designer, Ivan Zhurba, looked to the film for inspiration while designing the electric two-wheeler. The company's battery-powered bike isn't a complete rip-off of the cinematic bike, though, but you can see its influence most clearly in its shape, the design of its swingarm, and, most notably of all, its red and white paint job. Zhurba was also inspired by the Japanese aesthetic concept, Kanso, which translates to simplicity of purity, and made sure to excise all but the most necessary of elements. The result is one of the most streamlined motorcycles, electric or otherwise, around. Ichiban seems to be well aware that its first model e needs to do more than just look good. The company says the motorcycle will be powered by a 45-kW dual-motor system that is potent enough to rocket the bike from zero to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds when 'Godzilla Mode' is enabled. The company hasn't said how big the bike's battery will be but promises a range of 155 miles. When juice does run out, the pack can supposedly be charged to 70 percent capacity in just a half hour. The vehicle will also have an anti-lock braking system and traction control. We don't know when, but Ichiban is determined to make this bike, which seems not to have a name at this point, its first production model. There's no timetable for when this will happen, but you can sign up for updates on the company's website now. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
