Summary
For years, I believed that no live-action adaptation could be as bad asDragonball Evolution(2009), butKnights of the Zodiac(2023) proved me wrong. As a huge anime fan, I always found it frustrating how mostHollywood live-action anime adaptationsturned out to be very disappointing. Still, there was no debate on which of them had been the worst –Dragonball Evolution. Based on one of the most popular anime of all time,Dragonball Evolutionhad a disastrous receptionand suggested that Hollywood would never be able to tackle major anime properties likeDBZorSaint Seiya.
Fortunately, things have improved since the Oozaru form was turned into a spirit living inside Goku. The biggest example of this isOne Piece, which succeeded not only as an adaptation but as a standalone series that could be enjoyed by both new audiences and fans of the source material. That said, many of the mistakes made in the2009Dragon Balllive-action moviecontinue to be made. LikeDragon Ball,Saint Seiyacould have been turned into an exciting live-action movie franchise, which did not happen.
Knights Of The Zodiac Gets Everything Wrong
As the first-ever live-actionSaint Seiyafeature,Knights of the Zodiachad the difficult mission of bringing one of the most popular anime series of all time to another media. Still, as tricky as it is to adapt something likeSaint Seiya, I was not expectingKnights of the Zodiacto be that bad. Sadly,there are little to no redeemable qualities aboutKnights of the Zodiac, which can also be said aboutDragonball Evolution. The 2023 film has no clear identity or vision and wastes its cast.
14%
$56 million
Knights of the Zodiac(2023)
21%
$7 million
Mackenyu played Pegasus Seiya inKnights of the Zodiac, an interesting cast choice that could have worked greatly in a better movie. Having actors of the caliber of Sean Bean and Famke Janssen in aSaint Seiyamovie also sounded exciting, but neither of them was given much to work with.Knights of the Zodiaccompletely misses the point ofSaint Seiyaand does not even include the Bronze Saints, focusing instead solely on Seiya. The movie repeats the capital mistake that ruinedDragon Ball’s first live-action film – it seemed afraid of adapting its source material.
I’ve Found Dragon Ball’s Perfect Live-Action Goku Actor After Watching Their 2 Biggest Roles
Any talks about a new live-action Dragon Ball should look to this TV star to play Goku, with his biggest roles proving why he’d be ideal for the part.
What Went Wrong With The Live-Action Saint Seiya Movie
Knights of the Zodiachad a reported budget of $60 million, which itself suggested the movie was not going to live up to the anime. Although less can be more when it comes to adaptations, an accurateSaint Seiyamovie would need a significant budget to bring the anime’s world to life. From the settings to the costumes to the visual effects,it is arguably impossible to make a proper adaptation ofSaint Seiyawithout a blockbuster-level budget.This is one of the reasons why live-action anime movies are rare and often leave a lot to be desired.
Knights of the Zodiac’s story shares many similarities with that of the 2019Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiyashow, which itself made big changes to the original anime.
The live-actionSaint Seiyamovie was also not treated as the major event that it should have been. It was unclear whetherKnights of the Zodiacwas even going to have a theatrical release, or if it was going to be sent straight to home video. Even without considering how different it is from the manga or the anime,Knights of the Zodiacis a deeply flawed film in every other aspect. Lastly,the movie strangely adapted the 3D-animatedKnights of the Zodiacreboot instead of pulling from the more traditional source material.
Knights Of The Zodiac Is A Reminder That Live-Action Adaptations Are Still Tricky
Good Anime Adaptations Require A Clear Vision & Enough Budget
Having watchedDragonball Evolutionon the first week when it came out in 2009, I’m glad thatlive-action anime movies and shows have come a long waysince then.One Pieceand even non-HollywoodNetflix live-action anime adaptationssuch asYu Yu HakushoandParasite: The Greyhave created the impression that the industry has finally learned how to properly adapt beloved anime properties. However,Knights of the Zodiacis an important reminder of how difficult it is to bring series likeSaint Seiyato live-action, especially when they don’t have a solid vision or the necessary budget.
Hopefully, the success ofOne Piecewill set the tone for future live-action projects based on anime (…)
The worst live-action anime movies and shows are the ones that are too afraid of embracing the source material or do not have the resources to do so. Sadly,Dragonball EvolutionandKnights of the Zodiachad both of those issues. Hopefully, the success ofOne Piecewill set the tone for future live-action projects based on anime, be it on the big screen or in TV shows. With aNarutomovie in the worksand aMy Hero Academiaadaptation in early development, Hollywood has the chance of finally nailing the live-action anime genre.
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.
Knights of the Zodiac
Knights of the Zodiac is a 2023 fantasy movie based on Masami Kurumada’s manga titled Saint Seiya. The film was originally released at the end of April 2023 in Japan before hitting select theaters in the United States in early May. The film centers on Seiya, a street orphan who discovers he is destined to protect a young girl that is a reincarnated goddess.
