The legacy of one of the greatest franchises of all time, Dragon Ball, by Akira Toriyama, has recently gained traction once again after the release of Dragon Ball DAIMA, the last project by the creator. The series has once again given hopes to the fans that the franchise will revive the unprecedented fame and recognition that it lost along the way.
Fans have also expressed desire for a new remake that could further extend the Dragon Ball legacy and help the series become the greatest once again. However, considering the current trend, a remake might not be the best option for the Dragon Ball franchise. It would make more sense for the creators to focus on a live-action adaptation, as these adaptations have become the talk of the town.
Although Dragon Ball has a live-action version in the form of Dragonball Evolution, it was unable to meet fan expectations, which ultimately led to its failure. Thus, if the franchise gets a better live-action adaptation, it would not only help Dragon Ball become popular once again, but also get it aligned with the ongoing trend in the entertainment industry.
The hate towards Dragon Ball’s live-action adaptation
In the early 2000s, when Dragon Ball was at its peak, Hollywood tried to take a shot at creating a live-action version of the adventurous and thrilling story and thus came up with the idea of Dragonball Evolution. Dragonball Evolution was a Western take on the Dragon Ball narrative involving Justin Chatwin as Goku along with Emmy Rossum, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, etc.
It was announced in 2002 by 20th Century Studios and was supposed to be the next step for the franchise. However, fans did not connect with the movie, and it was deemed a critical and commercial failure in all aspects. Kazuhiro Torishima, the former editor of the Dragon Ball manga recently revealed the reason behind Dragonball Evolution’s failure.
Torishima pointed out that the production of the movie “slipped out of Japanese control,” and they had no say in the script and the final cut. Because of this, the story lost its essence and only received harsh criticism from fans. It bombed on the box office and also disappointed the fans a lot.
Dragon Ball needs a better live-action adaptation
As mentioned above, Dragon Ball has not had the best luck in terms of live-action adaptations and since than fans have been doubtful about the series getting a live-action version. However, it has now become the most logical step for the franchise in order to once again become one with the trend of the current entertainment industry.
After observing the gigantic success of the recent live-action adaptations like One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender, many other prominent franchises have taken upon themselves to follow the trend and gain the same fame and recognition that these new live-action adaptations received. Thus, it would be better for Akira Toriyama’s series to follow the same trend.
If the series gets a better live-action adaptation, it will help rectify the negative image that the Dragon Ball narrative has earned in the contentious world of live-action adaptations. Not only that, but it will also provide a better project for the future that fans would look forward to.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
