A lot of the time when anime becomes live action shows, they end up terrible. Dragon Ball Z is the most famous example of a live action gone bad.
But not all anime shows are a terrible match-up for live action depending on the genre and the type of anime.
These are the types of anime shows we’ll be talking about in this post.
Here’s a list.
1. Tonikaku KAWAII
Tonikaku Kawaii is one of the most complete romance anime series. It starts off hectic, then the couple becomes official after a few episodes, and they spend most of their time doing a couple of things without the usual interferences.
In a live action setting, this anime would work well because there is nothing too crazy or supernatural to stand in the way of the realism.
Just a pure romance. Though in the beginning there is a semi Isekai situation, it shouldn’t dampen the quality overall.
2. Witch And The Beast
Witch And The Beast is a vampire series. Like most vampire series, you witness battles between strong vampires, demons, and the like. The anime isn’t too flashy or complex in the art department either.
Most episodes are dedicated to investigations, which sometimes may involve a fight or two.
A live action for this series would work well.
3. Guardian Of The Sacred Spirit
Guardian Of The Sacred Spirit is about a bodyguard called Bolsa Yonsa, and a prince she is protecting from danger (at the request of his family).
Bolsa raises him, trains him, and teaches him about the world outside of the palace, all while they are on the run. There are some supernatural moments, but nothing to the level of a DBZ that makes live action hard to do.
That makes Guardian Of The Sacred Spirit a good idea to choose.
4. Jormungand
Jormungand is an anime that focuses on nothing more than arms dealing, which also leads to action scenes, violence, gun fights, knife fights, and a whole lot more.
Koko Hekmatyar is the leader of the arms dealing organization where she employs ex-military men and women as bodyguards, many of who have old ties to Koko.
A live action anime of this series would be perfect as it’s based on reality and realistic elements.
5. Monster
Monster is one of the best anime series of all time, a psychological series. The anime is a masterpiece but not everyone sees it that way.
Released back in the 2000s, this realistic anime series portrays the evils of society, or rather, the monster that lies deep inside all of us within the right circumstances.
In a live action setting, Monster would dominate as it would be able to showcase all of that savagery in a real life setting and visuals to match.
6. Full Metal Panic
Full Metal Panic (FMP) is one of the best selling light novels of all time and is one of the few mecha anime that is still going after so many years or decades.
Sosuke Sagara works for an independent group that counters worldwide terrorism, and it’s his new mission to protect a girl who finds herself in danger for unknown reasons.
In a live action setting this film would do very well, especially with its mechs, arm slaves, gun battles, and all the rest of it (including the eventual romance).
7. Shiki
Shiki is an anime that takes horror to a new level of violence, brutality, and overall, sadness. It shows you the extent of brutality that a human can inflict regardless of morality or ethics.
In the village, there are “Shiki” who bite and infect humans, and Dr Toshio is determined to put a stop to it to save the village and prevent the issue from turning into a global pandemic.
A live action would showcase all of this and would be smooth in the visual department.
8. Gunsmith Cats
Gunsmith Cats is an anime series from the 1990s and one that only had 3 episodes. The manga has much more content and could one day be adapted or recreated with new visuals.
Rally Vincent is the MC, along with Minnie May Hopkins, the latter being a bomb expert and an ex-prostitute. In contrast, Rally is a gun expert and runs her own gun shop in Chicago, USA.
This action series would translate well in the live action world of adaptations.
9. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
The “angel” of the school is perceived exactly as that: a woman who is kind, generous, beautiful, gorgeous, talented, and all-around idealistic.
The truth is underneath she doesn’t feel perfect and can find it attention exhausting.
One day she is in a park seeming depressed, and the main MC comforts her of sorts, so she returns the favour by offering cleaning his house (they’re neighbours).
Romance soon follows and blossoms.
A live action would fit the bill nicely.
10. Hinamatsuri
Hinamatsuri is a slice of life series with some small supernatural elements. I say small because it’s not the focus of the anime despite some characters having psychic powers and various other powers.
Instead, it focuses on emotional storytelling, homelessness, comedy, and relatability to tell its stories and captivate you.
The small bits of action and supernatural scenes should fit in fine with a live action setting.
11. Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is a series with stunning visuals, breathtaking art, and some of the best emotional storytelling an anime (or TV series) could ever offer.
Made by Kyoani, it focuses on Violet who is an ex-war soldier (and orphan) who was used as a tool for war, and after losing her “major”, is seeking out the meaning of the three words “I love you”. These were the last words she had ever heard before her major disappeared.
A live action wouldn’t be so bad for this anime series.
12. A Place Further Than The Universe
A Place Further Than The Universe is an anime most haven’t heard about, especially in 2024. The anime is a slice of life and one that explores travelling, exploring, achieving your goals, and doing it as a group of friends.
Personal development is a big aspect of this anime so it has many life lessons.
A live action setting for this anime series would be a hit, though I’m not sure how the comedy would translate.
13. Inari Kon Kon Konari
Inari Kon Kon Konari is about Inari Fushimi, who one day decides she’s not good enough and gets the chance to “change” her appearance before wanting to revert back to her usual self.
Uka, the shrine goddess, becomes a good friend of Inari for various reasons, and the anime mainly focuses on Inari’s life in school, with her romantic interests (subtly), and more importantly, her association with the supernatural (goddesses, etc).
The latter is an OTAKU in secret.
14. Flying Witch
Flying Witch is a normal anime series. Nothing flashy, nothing over the top, just a slice of life in the countryside following Makoto Kowata, a girl who is learning how to become a witch.
The anime has very few supernatural elements, but only when necessary. This makes it a perfect fit for a live action series.
The relaxing atmosphere, characters, and chilled episodes wouldn’t hurt either in a more “realistic” setting.
15. Gakkou Gurashi
Gakkou Gurashi is an anime based in a school that’s been abandoned. The reason is simple: apart from the main 5 characters, most of everyone else has become zombies after a zombie pandemic breaks out.
Strangely, there are rations in their school as if it was prepared for this type of outcome, which is how the main characters survive and get by day to day.
The underbelly of this anime besides horror is mental health and how it affects people (like Yuki Takeya, the pink haired MC).
A live action of Gakkou Gurashi would work wonders.
16. World’s End Harem
And this harem series would make a good live action series for obvious reasons. The anime is about sleeping with women, or put another way, men being exploited by women in a world where most men were wiped out by a “man killer” virus.
Sex, harems, people trying to cope with their situation, and an underbelly of corruption are the threads that tie this anime together.
In reality, though, this being turned into a live action would be censored to death despite everything else checking out.
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In the end, live action anime that would benefit are those that DON’T fit into Shounen, supernatural, fantasy, Isekai, or anything too flashy.
The reason is that the flashier an anime, the harder it is to incorporate into the visuals, the style of a realistic film while making it all look good at the same time.
It’s easier to turn a film into an anime, but not so much an anime into a live action unless the basis is realistic and the visuals are simpler.
Recommended:
13+ Anime That Should Never Be Adapted Into A Live Action Series
