Top 10 Anime That Deserve Live Action Movies

Kicking off our list is this popular sci-fi thriller that delivers justice by the numbers. Hidden in the heart of the futuristic utopia, are twisted crimes and a very questionable method of justice Audiences love a good murder mystery with a hint of government controlled, society shattering secrets. Making the murder cases themselves relatable even in the far future is a sure way to win ticket sales. Plus how cool would it be to see a real life Dominator gun in action?

Audiences love stories about underdogs overcoming impossible odds. When it comes to prison dramas, that’s instant Oscar potential. Rainbow tells the story of seven youth confined to a brutal prison and forced to endure hardships beyond words. As painful as their punishments may be, it would get a huge reaction out of the audience. The way our protagonists conquer each trial and live to fight another day is inspiring. Rainbow is Anime’s answer to The Shawshank Redemption and would make an instant Hollywood classic.

Imagine if Luke Skywalker could use his X-Wing to punch Darth Vader into submission. Outlaw Star features all of that, plus some wacky mecha designs and a loveable cast of charming rouges, beautiful female warriors and space ninja pirates. Clashing over a ship that will lead our heroes to the ultimate treasure of the galaxy, this series would make for some amazing CGI set pieces. Mecha is extremely underrepresented in live action, and ships with robot arms, swords and guns battling it out in deep space would be well worth the price of admission.

A world where everyone has psychic powers sounds both awesome and terrifying at the same time; wouldn’t you want to know how it came to be? What if the truth was worse than you could imagine? From the New World throws a group of young powered teens into this mystery, taking on a mysterious government organization to unlock the secrets of their past and future. Finding an audience for this series would be easy, as it resembles the set up of a rebellious young adult series like the Hunger Games or Divergent Series.

Lately, Vampires in Hollywood have gotten a bad rep thanks to the tween infused Twilight Series. Hellsing would be a step back to form for the once beloved terrors of the night, especially if it’s bloody action scenes and classy cool tone can be properly replicated. Alucard and the Hellsing organization’s quest to protect England from the forces of darkness never holds back on brutal chaos that’s both cringe worthy but incredibly exciting. It’s the vampire bloodfest we’ve all been waiting for.

We’ve seen Elves, Dwarves and Dragons duke it out in epic quests, but what about a tall, muscle bound, berserker with no remorse? Berserk is a medieval fantasy that goes outside the typical good vs evil as we follow characters who would be considered the bad guys in any other story. From epic battles to all or nothing duels so much of this series would make from class A cinema. It’s a much bolder and scarier take on fantasy, adding a bit of frightening horror to the action and epic landscapes that fantasy fans are drawn to.

if Nolan’s Inception taught us anything it’s that movie audiences like to speculate to death; and the time-traveling story of Steins;Gate is riddled with deeper meanings. Then add in a very eccentric lead character, a beautiful assistant and a sense that this tale is a lot more than meets the eye. There’s plenty of teaser potential and a lot for the marketing departments to work with as the story is too dense for a simple trailer, and can build up a lot of mystery.

Alchemists, Gangsters, Assassins all clashing over a mysterious immortality granting elixir in 1930’s New York? We’re there, and so would a big audience if this series is done right on the silver screen. The prohibition era is a proven Hollywood staple and Baccano! Has enough mystery, action and intense gangsters to warrant the price of admission. Mix in those zany, surreal elements could definitely broaden interest and bring a unique spin on a classic setting. Not to mention the soundtrack!

Cowboy Bebop is a sci-fi anime that is heavily inspired by western cinema, and became the inspiration for everyone’s favorite sci-fi western(sounbite of Serenity goes here). Considered a masterpiece and overflowing with style, character development and action, this sci-fi series about a group of bounty-hunters should be no problem translating to the big screen. With cool lead hero Spike Spielgel and nods to every action genre on the map, Cowboy Bebop’s cool factor can only be matched by it’s violent yet adventurous storylines and it’s already present ability to speak to a wide audience. Seriously, how has the live action adaptation not happened yet?

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions
- “Black Lagoon” (2006- )
- “Tokyo Ghoul” (2014)
- “Eureka Seven” (2005-06)
- “Summer Wars” (2009)

If Pacific Rim taught us anything, it’s that giant robots kicking the crap out of monsters is as much at home on the big screen as it is in anime. Our #1 pick for this list, Evangelion not only boasts memorable giant robot vs monster smash fests, but also delves deep into the tortured psyches of the three protagonists chosen to save the world from the apocalypse of the Angels. Easily a story that could be told in a series of films, Evangelion’s live action potential cannot be ignored. Hollywood, let’s get to it.
Do you agree with our list? What other great Anime titles do you think deserve the silver screen treatment? For more Top 10’s full of possibility and published everyday, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com