Live-action adaptations are mostly a hit or miss and Death Note is a perfect example of that. This is especially true for the 2017 film that left a bitter taste in fans’ mouths. It heavily altered the elements and was accused of whitewashing, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
In other words, the producer might salvage the reputation through his upcoming live-action adaptation of Claymore. The news left most fans skeptical, but if done right, it would change their perception of adaptations. This contrasts Tsugumi Ohba’s series being inaccurately represented.
Claymore gets its live-action adaptation
There are only a few dark fantasy manga that make the cut and Claymore is one of them. Written by Norihiro Yagi, the story is set in a fictional realm where humans are plagued by Yoma, the demons who disguise themselves as humans. They feed on humans and wreak havoc until Claymores step in.
The Claymores are a group of soldiers who are half human and half yoma. Their ultimate goal is to take down the Yoma and protect the citizens of the village. The series is one of the finest yet underrated in the Shonen genre. This ties in well with the well-written female characters in the manga.
The heroine, in particular, is a complex character who displays bravery and vulnerability. She is grief-stricken by her mentor’s death, which gives her a purpose to protect others. The female friendships and bonds are well-done, but fans are more concerned about its upcoming live-action adaptation.
On r/anime Redditors had a range of responses to the series getting a live-action adaptation and this is what they had to say.
After 11 Years, Shonen Jump’s Claymore Returns With Surprise Hollywood Live-Action TV Series
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Fans’ concerns and responses are very much valid considering Masi Oka’s involvement in the 2017 live-action film. It was a major disrespect to Tsugumi Ohba’s opus as most fans commented. And while the author praised it, it doesn’t take away the gross misrepresentation and controversy behind it.
The gross misrepresentation in the Death Note live-action
Death Note has almost six live-action adaptations out of which, only a few were noteworthy. Both Kenichi Matsuyama and Kento Yamazaki’s rendition of L was marvellous. And then there is the 2017 version which brought nothing but shame to the franchise.
Diversity is important when it comes to narrative, yes. But the move flipped the script, which was rather unwarranted considering the criticism it faced. From race swapping to whitewashing, the adaptation had its fair share of controversy. That was not the end of it considering its treatment of the manga.
Deviating from the source material doesn’t always end well in most cases. Westernizing it did help initially, but it backfired mainly because it wasn’t true to the original source material. It does make the characters palatable to a Western audience, but in this case, they diluted Light’s character completely.
What added to the controversy were the Belgian train crash images that added to the backlash. This angered people on the internet with most calling the movie out for its disrespect for survivors. A 60-year-old survivor also criticized the movie for its insensitivity.
To sum it up, Claymore live-action adaptation is hanging by a thread with fans’ skepticism. It is fair, but all we can do is sit and keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
Death Note and Claymore are available for streaming on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
