Netflix’s City Hunter Live Action continues to break the anime adaptation curse

Despite anime’s notorious track record for live-action adaptations, City Hunter Live Action has surprisingly received an incredible reception from fans. This unexpected success has challenged the negative expectations that have been instilled by past terrible adaptations and has made members of the animanga community more willing to give live-action adaptations a chance.

It is undeniable that Dragon Ball Evolution ranks among the poorest live-action adaptations ever released, serving as a prime example of the disastrous consequences that can result from a production team straying from the original source material.

Despite this, the City Hunter live action film released on April 25, 2024 appears to have defied this trend. As a Netflix-exclusive film, it was met with positive reception from fans who were pleased with the end result. Many took to various social media platforms, such as X, to express their opinions about the film.

Why did fans react to the City Hunter Live Action film released in April?

The City Hunter franchise began with the release of its manga series in 1985. Over the years, it has also been adapted into anime and live-action versions. In fact, a previous live-action adaptation starring Jackie Chan was released before this movie. However, this latest film does not disappoint in any aspect. Fans are thrilled with how it stays true to the essence of the original manga series.

The main reason for the fans’ positive reception is the film’s ability to stay true to the manga while also making necessary changes to fit the live-action medium. Fans were pleased with the filming style and fight choreography, making City Hunter Live Action stand out from other unsuccessful anime adaptations.

How fans reacted to the Netflix City Hunter Live Action film

“This is a rare exception”, said one fan.

“It will never be as good as Jackie Chan city hunter,”said another.

“Jackie’s is fun and all… But this is easily the best City Hunter adaptation bar none,”replied another fan.

Despite not having watched it yet, fans have been drawing comparisons between Netflix’s City Hunter Live Action movie and the one starring Jackie Chan. This hesitation is understandable, as live-action adaptations of anime and manga have historically been disappointing. However, One Piece’s recent live-action adaptation has received notable acclaim, and even die-hard fans seem to highly praise Netflix’s City Hunter version.

“Yeah it was amazing! The actor that played Ryo really did a good job he even sound like him!,”said one fan.

“I am so excited to watch this when I have time,”said another.

“Some of Netflix’s recent live action stuff has been pretty decent, like also Yuu Yuu Hakusho & Parasite: The Grey. I’m actually super interested to see what they adapt going forward!,”said a netizen.

The positive response from fans towards Netflix’s approach to anime live-action adaptations is evident, and this sentiment extends to their adaptation of City Hunter as well. Fans were particularly impressed with the performance of Ryohei Suzuki as Ryo Saeba. Not only did he deliver a great performance, but he also closely resembled the character and captured the essence of his voice from the original anime. This successful casting choice, along with a director who shares a passion for the source material, is crucial in determining the success of live-action adaptations.

Keep an eye out for further updates on anime and manga news throughout the year 2024.