Related
before this week , news broke that Legendary Pictures and Japan ’s Bandai Namco had sign an agreement toproduce a springy - action motion picture ground on theMobile Suit Gundamanime , generate excitement among fans . Naturally , many begin to marvel what a Hollywood film based on the long - running mecha dealership might look like . Would it be good , uncollectible , or somewhere in the heart ?
The latestGundamannouncement follow an earliest version of the photographic film plan by Netflix and Legendary Pictures . For several years , fans track its development , peculiarly the hiring of director Jordan Vogt - Roberts ( Kong : Skull Island ) to helm the project . Vogt - Roberts even traveled to Japan to suffer withGundamcreator Yoshiyuki Tomino , and for a time , it seemed that everything was on the right track . However , Netflix unexpectedly backed out , and Vogt - Roberts departed the labor as well .
TheGundammovie remained in limbo until Legendary Pictures and Bandai Namco reach a unexampled understanding to co - finance and Colorado - spread it . The thing is , the upcomingGundammovie wo n’t mark the first time the iconic Mobile River courting has made its live - action debut . Given the current country of live - action anime adaptations , there ’s intellect to stay on hopeful that this meter , they might get it right .
A Look Back at Gundam’s Live-Action History
The First Attempt and Ready Player One
In 1999 , Bandai and a Canadian production company releasedG - Saviour , the first - ever live - actionGundammovie . unluckily , the budget was low , and the computing machine - sire effects were barely skilful than those seen in a PlayStation plot ( there was , in fact , aG - Saviourgame for the PlayStation 2 ) . The story was plant within theGundamUniversal Century timeline , though it rent place in a late , for the most part undiscovered era .
Despite incorporating many classic serial publication image — including orbital space colonies , mobile case mecha , and high - stake military dramatic play — G - Saviourfailed to impress viewers in Japan or abroad . It was speedily forgotten , and for good grounds . It was a weak start for the idea of adaptingGundaminto live - action .
The Gundam ’s coming into court inReady Player Onewas legal brief , but it was close to the anime and visually telling . Finally , buff could feel confident thata proper live - actionGundamadaptation was possible .
The Pacific Rim Effect
A Hollywood Love Letter to Mecha Anime
Something significant happened betweenG - SaviourandReady Player Onethat also aid set the stage for the new live - actionGundammovie . In 2013 , Guillermo del Toro’sPacific Rimwas free . Although this tarradiddle of giant mecha fighting kaiju was base on del Toro ’s original idea , it borrowed heavily from Japanese anime . Homages to mecha series likeMazinger ZandNeon Genesis Evangelionwere peppered throughout the picture . WhileGundamwas not specifically referenced , the rock-‘em - sock-‘em robot legal action ofPacific Rimwas undoubtedly influence by it .
But what did audiences and critics guess ? The big - budgetPacific Rimreceived a assorted response , execute modestly at the U.S. box office but do much better overseas , particularly in China . It was profitable enough to spawn a sequel ( Pacific Rim Uprising , 2018 ) and an gum anime series ( Pacific Rim : The Black , 2021 ) . However , Pacific Rimalso actuate Legendary Pictures ’ interest in Nipponese dada culture . The studio shortly transfer its focusto bringingGodzillato Hollywood , which eventually develop into the Legendary MonsterVerse . give Legendary ’s experience in adapt Japanese intellectual properties with big budget , they could be a unattackable fit for the newGundamfilm .
The Risks of Live-Action Anime Adaptations
Japan’s Take on Anime Adaptations
But the road to adapt anime into hot - action can be parlous , and there have been more flops than collision . Hollywood film likeSpeed Racer(2008),Dragonball : Evolution(2009 ) , andGhost in the Shell(2017 ) all failed to set the box function on fire , often struggling to capture the heart of their reservoir material . For years , many fans were convinced that anime simply did n’t translate well to live - action — until something changed .
Netflix’sOne Piecelive - action seriesbroke the so - called “ bane ” of alive - action anime adaptations . Unlike its predecessors , One Piecewas a hit with hard-core lover , casual viewers , and critics alike . Its achiever proved that a bouncy - action anime adaptation could work if given the right respect , care , and storytelling depth . This has give fans renewed promise thatGundammight finally get the treatment it deserves .
Meanwhile , back in Japan , movie and TV shows based on Zanzibar copal and manga have been vulgar for decades . late adaptations , such asCells at Work!andOshi no Ko , have been box office hits . However , the Japanese film diligence rarely matches Hollywood in terms of budget and particular effects . An heroic science fabrication series likeGundamrequires the kind of resources that made flick likePacific Rimpossible . The fact that Bandai Namco — the marketing guardians ofGundam — are partnering with Legendary means the film should have the financial and technological documentation needed to land the serial to the grownup covert .
The Real Challenge: Story & Characters
The Future of Gundam in Live-Action
However , bringingGundamto life story requires more than just special effects and a big budget . The real challenge consist in nailing the story and characters . Gundamhas been around since 1979and now sweep multiple timeline , series , and side stories . The foundationalUniversal Centurytimeline — where mostGundamstories take place — is itself an epic that earlier required 43 episodes ( later condensed into three lineament photographic film ) just to set up .
For some fans , the mecha battles are just a deflexion from the intense type drama and political maneuvering often boast inGundamproductions like the recentHathaway ’s Flash(2021 ) . In a perfect globe , a live - actionGundamwould issue forth in the manakin of an episodic series that could allow for maximal world - construction , along with characters we can grow to love . In short , something like Netflix ’s lively - actionOne Pieceseries .
Mobile Suit Gundam creator hop his iconic anime will inspire generation and cement his enduring legacy in the world of animation and beyond .
As the project moves ahead , the biggest question continue : Can Legendary and Bandai Namco truly do Department of Justice to the massive saga that isGundam ? After all , a greatGundammovie needs more than just elephantine robot — it requires the political machination , eccentric profundity , and cogent paper that have made the franchise a lasting cultural icon . If the film maker can strike the right correspondence between action , storytelling , and lover expectations , this could finally be the live - actionGundamadaptation fan have been waiting for .
WithOne Pieceproving that anime adaptations can follow , and withGundam ’s rich traditional knowledge and loyal fanbase , the ingredients for success are there . Now it ’s up to Legendary and Bandai Namco to put the piece together , just like aGundammodel kit .
The Gundam franchise is a cornerstone of mecha Zanzibar copal , featuring gargantuan robots known as " mobile lawsuit " in various wartime configurations . develop with Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979 , it explore complex stem of war , government , and humanity through the conflict of airplane pilot who navigate these massive machines . The franchise spans multiple timelines and universe , creating a fat tapestry of interconnected story and standalone narratives .
Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic
Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic
Custom image by Diana Acuña
