Netflix’s One Piece Live Action became a worldwide sensation. The series has revived the concept of live adaptations of anime. Another one of the Big Three, Naruto, is likely to follow the trend. Masashi Kishimoto’s magnum opus is one of the most-watched anime ever. Even though it concluded in 2017, it did not lessen fans’ love for the anime. The news of Naruto Uzumaki’s live-action debut has made them excited.
But anime live adaptations have a bad history. Even though One Piece was like the first ray of the sun, there still lies an impending fear. Naruto Live Action film was first hinted at in 2015. But there was no confirmation until 2023. Shang Chi-famed Destin Daniel Cretton has been confirmed to direct the movie. The news about a Hollywood director has made the Naruto fans cross their fingers.
Naruto Live Action Movie Might Suffer From The Hollywood Effect
The Naruto franchise has millions of fans worldwide. They want to enjoy their favorite show the way Masashi Kishimoto intended. But the live adaptation might fail miserably if it suffers from the Hollywood treatment. Anime adaptations like Netflix’s Death Note and Ghost in the Shell suffered the same treatment. They covered Scarlet Johansson in a white bodysuit. None of these were anime-accurate and faced backlash from the fans.
Destin Daniel Cretton did a fantastic job in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. But Marvel has set tons of rules for its movies. Censorship, baby-proofing, gender politics, etc., has the Hollywood industry in its grasp. There are several bloodied scenes in Naruto. It may be either baby-proofed or the higher ups might cut it to make it more viewer-friendly. It is like taking away someone’s identity. Sakura and Ino often body shame each other due to their same love interest. The Western film industry might not take anything into account.
Marvel Cinematic Universe’s rules seemed to have changed the happenings in their original comics. They are afraid to show the dark side and do not want to lose viewership. Losing viewership might incur huge financial losses. But the Japanese culture is different. If something is inspired by them, the director and producer should respect it. Changing details for the sake of the audience takes away the fun from it.
Masashi Kishimoto’s Involvement Might Be Necessary For Naruto’s Success
One of the biggest reasons for the success of Netflix’s One Piece Live Action is the presence of Eiichiro Oda. He was like an invisible hand on the sets. He selected the cast, and no scene would be approved without his thumbs up. Like his fellow rival, Masashi Kishimoto will oversee the film. The Hollywood effect might cause the mangaka to divert away from the film. Naruto is like his child, so he should stay involved as much as possible.
The movie will be distributed by Lionsgate. Even though it has been almost nine years since the film was first mentioned, there has been no official teaser or trailer. The fans are excited to see Naruto on the big screen. But they are fearful of the Hollywood culture. Moreover, they hope to continue the success of the live adaptations otherwise, One Piece might leave them behind.
Naruto Shippuden can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
