These movies are so much better than Netflix's Death Note.
Anime and manga are increasingly taking their place in popular culture. If in the early 2000s they remained a niche entertainment for a handful of fans, then a few years ago the finale of Attack on Titan was almost more anticipated than the last episodes of Game of Thrones.
And of course, we should not forget that many works are also being adapted for the big screen.
1. Rurouni Kenshin Part 1: Origins, 2012
The 2012 movie raised concerns among many before its release: it seemed that the writers were trying to cash in on the popularity of the manga and anime, but in reality, everything turned out differently.
Keishi Otomo's film not only successfully adapted the first part of the manga, but also did a good job with the fight choreography and characters. Remarkably, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin Nobuhiro Watsuki himself praised the movie.
The success of the first movie was supported by the release of subsequent ones: in its completed form, the series has five films, the last of which was released in 2021.
2. Blade of the Immortal, 2017
Speaking of anime adaptations, we can't ignore Takashi Miike, an incredibly prolific master of Japanese cinema. Among other things, he directed Blade of the Immortal.
The huge manga fit into 13 anime episodes, and for the movie it had to be compressed into a few hours. As expected, this led to some simplifications.
But even with that in mind, the movie is still a blast to watch: Miike, in his typical style, created spectacular and brutal fights, which he combined with a fascinating narrative that holds the viewer's attention throughout the movie.
3. Death Note, 2006
Shusuke Kaneko approached the subject with all due care: the images of the characters were chosen quite close to the original, but the plot was changed quite a bit.
The plot is divided into two parts, and while in the first movie the changes are local, albeit strong, the second movie deviates completely from the original source. Suffice it to mention that Kira never gets new brilliant opponents and L himself finishes the job. But what remains unchanged is the brilliant detective plot.
4. Assassination Classroom, 2015
A school comedy with an unusual plot turns out to be quite traditional: a large part of the story is devoted to everyday life, in which the kids of a special class, where the most difficult students are sent, try to fix their lives with the help of an unusual teacher.
At the same time, the boys and girls learn the art of killing mysterious aliens. Everything is presented rather in the form of disparate episodes, for which you should be prepared: the original adhered to the same structure.
If you accept all the conventions, you will get an excellent comedy that manages to combine a light mood, moderate severity and touching moments.