April 7th, 2009 
AstroNerdBoy Live-action “Full Metal Panic?” Say It Ain’t So!
I see on Sci-Fi Wire that Mandalay Pictures now has the rights to create a Full Metal Panic motion picture. Hmmmm. Zac Efron is rumored to be attached to the project. Hmmmm.
I’m all down for live-action adaptations but frankly, I don’t trust Hollywood to produce any live-action title based on a popular Japanese work. Why? Because Hollywood simply sees this.
{said in a “duh” voice} “Anime is popular. Manga is popular. We don’t know why it is popular, but let’s make a live-action version ’cause it will surely be popular.”
I do think that FMP can make a REALLY good live-action movie franchise to tell you the truth. However, the writers will first have to understand that CHARACTERS and staying true to the source material when it comes to STORY is KEY. That’s why Gonzo made FMP work in the begining. They did have some weak episodes, but for the most part, they understood that characters and the source story made the series. When KyoAni picked up the franchise, they too understood this with their two FMP series (the very funny comedy of Full Metal Panic ~Fumoffu~ and the darker story of Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid).
I’ll watch the progress of this movie and see what happens but frankly, I’m not holding my breath for anything special. All I need to do is look at the recent releases of live-action adaptations of anime/manga titles to keep my expectations to zero. Let’s hope I’m wrong and this movie, when released, kicks major bottom. ^_^
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“said in a “duh” voice”
duh voice? im confused.
Not sure how long this link will last (surprised it has lasted as long as it has), but this will explain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luKU53ihiK8
Beaky Buzzard uses a “duh” voice. ^_^
I’m still wondering why a another FMP anime hasn’t been announced. Sure the source material is almost at it’s conclusion, but the anime adaptions are a good chunk behind it.
And, I agree hollywood version movies are bad, but I’m hoping the live action Akira duology will be entirely faithful. I don’t expect perfect, but I hope for something good at least.
I’ve speculated that KyoAni is simply waiting to see how Gatoh-sensei wraps up the light novel before producing any more of the serious stories. That said, there are more than enough short stories to create another Fumoffu-type series.
Well I won’t hold any huge expectations for this, if this does push through…(I mean, Zac Efron? There’s no one else better suited?)
Still, the least Hollywood could do is not give those people who watch the movie and no nothing about FMP a bad impression. This series is great (although I’ve only read the manga and watched the anime series and have yet to grab a copy of the light novel itself as I don’t know Japanese)
FMP has a great potential as a live action film but I can see why it is worrisome that Hollywood would only focus on the fad and go with the anime/manga popularity bandwagon rather than realize that potential of the title as a standalone story…we’ve seen too many examples of anime/manga adaptations gone wrong when translated to live action *cough*DB evo*cough* >_<'
~meganekko =@-@=~
There is no way this could ever work.
I mean much of FMP’s humour comes from Souske not fitting into Japanese schooling etc, where remember guns are illegal. Hence the humour of his obessions on all things military and assaulting random predestrians etc.
Hollywoood would change that in an instant.
Gun jokes? In schools? Well that is clearly warping childrens minds and that’ll be scrapped.
Fact Souske was born Japanese, and raised in Afghanistan? That’ll be scrapped.
The oh-so-wonderful Tessa, a teenage girl in charge of a military/mercenary submarine? That’ll be scrapped.
Things that aren’t American? How will the audience understand? That’ll be scrapped.
Heck the only thing hollywood will latch onto is the explosions and Kurt’s sexual advances on anything in a skirt.
There is just no way it will be anything like FMP, and it just saddens me so much that Hollywood can’t think of a single good idea themselves anymore. And continue to churn out the massacred remains of great series.
Oh god i ranted. Sorry about that.
That’s pretty much my fear as well. ^_^;