Summary
Dragonball Evolution, arguably the worst live-action anime adaptation to come out of Hollywood, premiered 15 years ago, but I believe thatDragon Ballcan still work in live-action. With a 40-year-old legacy,Dragon Ballis one of the most influential anime properties of all time. As such, it was not surprising that Hollywood eventually tried to bring Goku to the big screen for a live-action film. Unfortunately,not only wasDragonball Evolutiona bad movie on its own, but it was also a terrible adaptationof the world created by the late Akira Toriyama.
Dragonball Evolutioncan be considered a product of its time, as anime adaptations have improved quite a lot recently. I believe that, if an AmericanDragon Ballmovie were to be made today, many of the mistakes made byDragonball Evolutionwould be avoided. BetweenOne Pieceturning out to be thebest Netflix live-action anime adaptationand aNarutomovie in the worksfrom Destin Daniel Cretton,Hollywood appears to have learned important lessons sinceDragonball Evolutionwas released.Given how popularDragon Ballis,Dragonball Evolutionshouldn’t be its only live-action movie.
Dragonball Evolution Remains The Worst Live-Action Anime Movie 15 Years Later
There were plenty of disappointing live-action anime adaptations afterDragonball Evolution, but the first and so far only Hollywood rendition ofDragon Ballremains the worst of them. Whereas some poorly-receivedlive-action anime likeDeath NoteorCowboy Bebopat least got a couple of things right about the source material, be it a good performance or the visuals,Dragonball Evolutionhas no redeemable quality. James Wong had directed several interesting films going intoDragonball Evolution, but the project was doomed from the start. From the premise to the casting choices,Dragonball Evolutionmade too many mistakes.
Dragonball Evolutionwas made in an era where not even superhero movies, let alone anime adaptations, could truly embrace the source material.
WhileDragonball Evolution’ cast included promising young stars, the fact that Goku was not played by a Japanese actor was the first major problem with the film. In terms of the story, there was virtually no resemblance betweenDragon Balland whateverDragonball Evolutionwas trying to do. The movie was supposed to be an adaptation of the originalDragon Ballseries, during which Goku was a child and there were no aliens. Still,Dragonball Evolutionfollowed a teenage Goku who happened to attend a regular high school. This Goku was not even concerned about training or going to high school.
James Marsters, who played Piccolo inDragonball Evolution, voiced Zamatsu in the English dub ofDragon Ball Super.
Dragonball Evolutionwas made in an era where not even superhero movies, let alone anime adaptations, could truly embrace the source material. TheX-Menfilms from FOX, for example, had turned the colorful heroes from the comic books intoMatrix-inspired figures. Likewise,Dragonball Evolutionwas more of a classic high school film than aDragon Ballstory.Goku is written like Peter Parker– a nerdy kid who wants to have a “normal” life but has to use his powers to help others. Although this is a classic hero story, this was never what defined Goku in the source material.
Dragon Ball Deserves A Worthy Live-Action Adaptation After 40 Years Of Success
Millions of fans around the globe love Dragon Ball
Dragon Balland its sequels have been one of the most popular fictional franchises in the world for decades.The story created by Akira Toriyama charmed audiences from several countriesand can be considered a game-changing property when it comes to anime that became global and not just in Japan. The cultural impact ofDragon Ball, particularlyDragon Ball Z, cannot be easily measured. With fans from all ages and backgrounds, I believeDragon Ballcould easily be the next majorHollywood live-action anime adaptationif done right and treated with the respect it deserves.
Netflix’sOne Pieceproved that there is no such thing as an anime that cannot be adapted.
A successful anime property does not necessarily need a live-action adaptation. However, when looking at successful blockbuster sagas like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or even the Transformers franchise, it’s difficult not to imagine what a theatricalDragon Ball Zuniverse would look like. Additionally,we are now in a time where evenOne Piece, which takes place in a fantastical and non-realistic world, can get a proper live-action adaptationthat respects the source material. Netflix’sOne Pieceproved that there is no such thing as an anime that cannot be adapted.
Dragon Ball Z Could Make For A Massive Blockbuster Movie Franchise
Dragon Ball Z has incredible action, colorful heroes, and amazing villains
AlthoughDragon Ballstarts with 11-year-old Goku and his friends searching for theDragon Balls,Dragon Ball Ztakes the story to the next level by introducing aliens and aging up the main character. There is no distinction betweenDragon BallandDragon Ball Zin the manga, but they do feel like very different properties in the anime. I believethe best way of bringing live-actionDragon Ballback to theaters would be with an adaptation of the Saiyan Saga, which marks the beginning ofDragon Ball Z.
Boo Saga
Majin Boo
The original adventures of Goku, Krillin, and Bulma are entertaining and charming, butDragon Ball Zcould give Hollywood its next blockbuster franchise. Superhero movies have shown that battles of massive scale can be done right in live-action with the proper budget and artistic vision, meaning that all the great fights that defineDragon Ball Zcan be brought to the big screen. Films likeMan of SteelandAvengers: Infinity Warcaptured the kinetic energy and the visuals that I, as an anime fan, was used to and made me imagine what a good live-actionDragon Ballwould look like.
How To Make A Good Live-Action Dragon Ball Movie
A Dragon Ball adaptation must embrace the source material
Dragonball Evolutionshows exactly how not to adapt a beloved story into a different media. A properDragon Ballmovie should not be afraid of the source material but instead embrace all the “weirdness” that defines Goku’s journey.Dragon Balltakes place in a timeless world where robots coexist with dinosaurs. In other words,it’s impossible to have a realistic or groundedDragon Ballmovie.The casting must also be on point for aDragon Balladaptation to work. Arguably the most iconic anime main character of all time, Goku would be a tricky character to cast.
1 Upcoming Live-Action Anime Adaptation Risks Being Worse Than Dragonball Evolution
An upcoming anime adaptation needs to replicate the tonal balance of the original if it has any hope of not repeating Dragonball: Evolution’s flaws.
One of my favorite things aboutDragon Ball Zis how it combines the comedy ofDragon Ballwith non-stop action, which is also something a live-action movie should get right. ADragon Ballmovie cannot take itself too seriously and forget the humor, yet it must also have incredible action sequences that make the anime justice. BringingDragon Ballback to the big screen for a Hollywood adaptation afterDragonball Evolutionwould be very difficult, but I believe that it can be done.
Dragonball Evolution
Cast
Dragonball Evolution is a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga and anime series Dragon Ball. Directed by James Wong, the film stars Justin Chatwin as Goku, who embarks on a quest to collect the seven Dragon Balls and prevent the evil Lord Piccolo from destroying the world. The movie diverges from its source material, offering a modernized take on the beloved franchise.
