There are spoilers for Your Name in this article (though they are hinted at in the trailer). Proceed with caution.
It was announced yesterday that JJ Abrams — known for the likes of Lost, Star Trek, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens — will be turning Your Name, the highest-grossing anime ever, into a live action film.
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The critically-acclaimed anime tells the story of two teenagers from separate parts of Japan who find they have the ability swap bodies — and it is not only emotionally captivating, but visually spectacular to boot.
There’s no question to why Abrams — with his fascination with complex narratives and an excessive amount of lens flares — would want to hop onto Your Name‘s success train. But the news hasn’t gone down too well with the public.
Here’s why.
It’s too soon
Your Name doesn’t need an American film adaptation when it’s still brand new. Just cuz it’s popular doesn’t mean it needs to be westernized
— Ghassan Abunura (@StrawhatYoshi) September 28, 2017
Your Name opened in Japan in August last year — meaning it’s just barely turned one. Unlike other Hollywood anime remakes, the film has not had decades to ruminate as its own entity before being adapted and transformed. It seems unfair to deny Your Name a chance to cement itself firmly as a modern classic before exploiting it for western audiences.
Of course, the flip side to this is that the original production company has agreed to work with Abrams and Paramount Pictures, and it’s up to them to decide when the time is right. It could also be said that Your Name‘s massive worldwide success has already allowed it to carve out its space in cinematic history.
Your Name getting an American adaptation is great.
I mean, Dragonball wasn’t popular until Evolution came out.
— Ryan (@Capakowski) September 28, 2017
Much of Your Name relies heavily on its Japanese context
doesn’t the entirety of Your Name rest on Japanese culture? how the fuck are they gonna streamline it for American audiences?
— ボブ (@weeabob) September 28, 2017
One of the Your Name‘s major themes is the contrast between modern and traditional Japanese culture — something that is specific to the country. Nothing about the remake is set in stone yet, but it’s safe to say that this theme can’t merely be picked up and moved over to the US.
Take for example the current disconnect between rural and urban America and how it affected the election of US President Donald Trump. This cultural discord is unique, shaped by US media and politics. It does not hold the same shape as the disconnect in Japan.
So what happens to the film? How does one of its core themes get shifted? Will the tone of the story get lost in the move? If other remakes like Ghost in the Shell and Death Note have proven anything, then it’s likely.
Abrams could, however, pull a surprise move and set it in Japan — which would be a risk for Paramount which needs to market the film at a US audience. Whatever the choice, it will be interesting to see how Abrams handles the adaptation.
Your Name will fail as a Hollywood live action. Without Shinkai’s ethereal art it loses the charm, it’ll be a watered down Hollywood romance
— Gigguk (@GiggukAZ) September 28, 2017
The remake may whitewash the characters
I can’t wait to see Emma Stone and Ansel Elgort to portray star-crossed lovers Matilda and Tony in JJ Abrams’ Your Name.
— wu-tang nyan (@magnificvlt) September 28, 2017
This fear rests again on how exactly Abrams intends on adapting the film, but the history of past adaptations does not bode well for this remake.
As mentioned earlier, Your Name‘s Japanese ties are an integral part to its story. Casting Japanese actors — even Japanese-American actors — seems only fair considering how few roles are open to these actors in Hollywood at the moment.
In a Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter, four Japanese actresses explained why the Scarlett Johansson’s casting in Ghost in the Shell felt like a slap in the face.
“As an actor, I probably fall into more of the sidekick/best friend/doctor/lawyer category. I’m not usually going out for a leading role,” said Keiko Agena. “This is such a star-making vehicle. And they can find people.”
“We still feel dispensable,” Traci Kato-Kiriyama said.
JJ Abrams isn’t exactly known for his lack of diverse casting — remember when the first shot of John Boyega in The Force Awakens created a stir? — but that doesn’t mean this remake won’t become another The Last Airbender or Dragonball Evolution.
Which brings us to the final worry.
The target market is murky
My advice? Dont go see the Your Name live action for fun or ironically, stop seeing disinteresting live action remakes as a whole.
— I Saw Myself
(@celestialtabris) September 28, 2017
Anime remakes rarely do well. Ghost in the Shell (also produced by Paramount) flopped — it only made US$169-million worldwide with a budget sources estimate to be around US$180-million. Dragonball Evolution disappointed at the box office too, making only US$57-million from a reported US$30-million budget.
Domestically, these films only made US$40-million and US$9-million respectively. They were saved by having wide global releases — and the fact these films often do well in China.
The Last Airbender didn’t perform poorly at the box office — totalling US$319-million from US$150-million — but it’s safe to say that the negative hype surrounding the film deterred many from being eager to reenter the cinema for an anime remake in the future.
So who does want to watch anime remakes? Avid anime fans surely don’t — they’ve been disappointed enough in the past. But does the average cinema-goer care?
Certainly not US ones, but films like these (and The Great Wall) often do well enough in China to bring in a profit — and that may be enough for Paramount for the time being.
