Help Mr. Sulu Save Akira From White People

[The Straight Story]

Help Mr. Sulu Save Akira From White People

See a few weeks ago we found this shortlist of actors likely to be up for the two leads in a new, live-action Hollywood version of the well-known Japanese anime. The list was populated entirely by a bunch of white people. The whitest of white people. White people like Robert Pattinson, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, and that British kind who stole Tobey Maguire’s job as Spider-Man. Akira on the other hand, is one of the most well-known pieces of entertainment Japan has ever produced. And... none of the movie’s leads, animated though they might be, is even remotely a generic white guy.

Now I like white guys. I like them a lot more than I like either anime or Akira, so if anyone’s going to be behind this move it should be me. But I’m not.

Imagine for a moment, if you will, that Hollywood tried to cast Jackie Chan as Superman. There’d be an uproar, and we’d be right to be up roaring. It’s not about the color of his skin, but the fundamental nature of the character. It’s about where he comes from, who he is, what we identify with about him. Why should Akira be any different?

I’m surprised Takei even knows anime exists, but apparently he does and the Star Trek star has spoken out on the subject of race bending. He sent this tweet out into the ether through Twitter last week:

Akira epic fail--all actors up for Kaneda & Tetsuo are white? Sign & RT the petition here: http://ow.ly/4ALY4

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Help-Mr-Sulu-Save-Akira-From-White-People-24261.html

[Dappleganger]

1. Akira cannot be saved, it's too late.

The screenplay is a major fail as it stands. I am definitely of the mindset to not give it the english curse (and most real Akira fans would automatically prefer Japanese actors anyway), but this entire project should be abandoned, IMO.

[CBGLuthier]

2. Will they get M. Night Shamalamadingdong to direct it.

he has experience in whitewashing characters.

[piratefish08]

5. give a dollar to send M. Night back to film school

save the world from another shitty movie.

http://mnightschool.org/

[Codeine]

13. The trees killed everyone?

[OwnedByFerrets]

16. and destroying a wonderful anime.

[OnlinePoker]

3. And, yet, when people complained about a "Black" Norse god in Thor, they were called as racists. n/t

[sudopod]

8. I think you've got that backwards.

Lots of people thought it was dumb and moved on, but Stormfront made an enormous internet fuss. It is always hilarious to see grown-ass men enraged about comic books, but it takes a certain mindset to get in an emotional argument about such nonsense.

In hindsight, I'm sure the casting decision was made purely for the lulz. XD

[sudopod]

9. nt

[Erose999]

4. The Whitest of White guys? Has James O' Keefe auditioned?

[CBGLuthier]

6. So I guess the names will change to Tom and Ken and Akira will still be a

japanese kid (probably japanese/american) so they can still call it Akira only it all goes down in Los Angeles or New York or Chicago, whichever city it would look coolest to race through and filmed in Toronto.

Plus lots and lots and lots of CGI.

I think I will go watch the real thing and forget this foolishness once and for all.

[Zanzoobar]

7. Never heard of it. Just watched a youtube trailer.

You can see the same tripe watching 40 year old Speed Racer cartoons.

Is it worth saving?

[kentauros]

10. Are you saying you've never heard of the original anime?

If you're any kind of science fiction fan (and I mean the kind that reads, and doesn't rely solely on Hollywood's interpretations) then you would know about Akira. You might even have the manga books ;)

The quality of animation in Akira is no comparison to forty-year-old cartoons from Japan. If all you saw was a trailer, then you really have not seen enough to make any comparison, and certainly not one to Speed Racer! I mean, come on! You might as well watch a trailer for 2001: A Space Odyssey and compare it to the silent A Trip to the Moon.

[Zanzoobar]

11. Are you kidding?

The trailer has to be some indication. It's the same jerky computer generated crap you can find on any TV station.

Heavy Metal and American Pop look better.

[jsamuel]

18. kind of like saying the beach boys are just like lady gaga

because they are both American music stars

[kentauros]

19. Watching a trailer on Youtube is akin to

trying to appreciate fine art from photos on a smart phone. See it in a theater. Barring that, find a friend that has it on blue-ray and a projection home-theater system. You really aren't seeing enough to make a decent judgment.

My guess is that you've been 'corrupted' against anime due to all the crap that got popular over here, versus the truly beautiful anime that those of us outside of the mainstream know how to find and enjoy. Go find a copy of "Grave of the Fireflies" as a better representation of anime than Akira. No computer assisted animation there. There was some computer graphics in Heavy Metal, too, or did you forget the opening sequence to "So Beautiful and So Dangerous"? ;)

[Codeine]

12. Akira is pretty good, and I really seriously hate anime

and Japanese popular entertainment in general. It nicely transcends its genre.

[OwnedByFerrets]

17. If you are really comparing Akira and Speed racer, you are

profoundly uneducated. I'm putting it in the nicest possible terms .

[girl gone mad]

14. Can we help save the world from this movie being made, instead?

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Surpised he knows anime exists?!?!?

That's just an odd statement for many reasons.