History has shown that adapting anime into live-action often leads to disaster. However, since Netflix’s One Piece broke the curse, the landscape has completely changed. A successful live-action project requires a delicate balance: preserving the original’s spirit while reshaping the story to fit a real-world cinematic format.
Below is a ranking of eight upcoming (or recently released) live-action projects based on production quality, cast, special effects, and especially how faithfully they respect the original universe’s logic.
8. Bet (Kakegurui) – Season 2
Bet is the live-action adaptation of the popular anime Kakegurui, which centers on Hyakkaou Private Academy, where students are ranked by gambling skills and financial power.
The original’s biggest draw is the intense mind games, psychological manipulation, and obsession with high stakes. Unfortunately, the live-action focuses on a mundane revenge plot for the protagonist rather than the complex psychological mechanics of the games. The pacing is slow and lacks the original’s thrilling tension. At this rate, season 2 is unlikely to turn things around, placing Bet at the bottom of this ranking.
7. Bloody Smart (Based on Junji Ito’s Works)
Bloody Smart adapts classic horror stories by Junji Ito, including tales like Tomie, Slug Girl, and Hanging Balloons. The plot focuses on a town where a mysterious entity called the “Blood Fruit Tree” takes root, triggering a series of terrifying events.
Although Junji Ito personally supervised character design and concepts, his art style is notoriously difficult to adapt. Live-action formats often struggle with CGI or practical effects to capture the disturbing body distortions and eerie details unique to Ito’s work. This poses a significant risk, leading to low expectations for the project’s success.
6. Samurai Champloo
This project adapts the classic 2004 anime series directed by Shinichiro Watanabe. The story follows the trio Mugen, Jin, and Fuu as they journey across Japan searching for the “samurai who smells of sunflowers.”
A concern is that Tomorrow Studios, responsible for the disastrous Cowboy Bebop live-action, is producing this. Cowboy Bebop failed due to misunderstanding the original’s tone, replacing subtlety with forced jokes and cheap settings. Samurai Champloo’s uniqueness lies in blending Edo-era history with modern hip-hop culture. Done well, it could be a masterpiece, done wrong, it risks becoming a chaotic style mess.
5. Kingdom
This series adapts Yasuhisa Hara’s historical war manga set during China’s Warring States period. It follows Xin, an orphaned boy who dreams of becoming a great general, and Ying Zheng, a young king aiming to unify China.
Interestingly, the live-action version often surpasses the quality of the early anime seasons, which were criticized for poor 3D graphics. Using real locations, thousands of extras, and elaborate martial arts choreography, the film captures the epic scale of battlefields.
With Yasuhisa Hara directly writing the script and trimming unnecessary arcs, the pacing suits cinema perfectly. Historical war stories clearly fit live-action better than standard anime.
4. Sakamoto Days
Adapted from a popular Shonen Jump manga, the story follows Taro Sakamoto, a legendary retired assassin who has married, gained weight, and opened a convenience store. However, his past catches up with him, forcing him to protect his family from other assassins.
The project’s biggest strength is its humor and modern urban fighting style. Translating close-quarters combat to film is something action filmmakers excel at. Without relying on complex magic systems or monsters, Sakamoto Days is a perfect candidate for live-action without the risk of cheesy special effects.
3. Blue Lock
Blue Lock centers on a project to train the most selfish striker for Japan’s national soccer team. The recent season 2 anime faced criticism for static animation lacking the fluid movement soccer demands.
The live-action project, developed by CREDEUS since 2022, aims to fix this by prioritizing realism. Actors undergo professional soccer training to ensure authenticity in every shot. Focusing on the sport’s realism instead of camera tricks gives Blue Lock a solid foundation to surpass the anime in visual dynamism.
2. Look Back
This adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s (Chainsaw Man) acclaimed one-shot manga is directed by the renowned Hirokazu Kore-eda, a master of emotionally rich dramas. The film explores the relationship between two young girls, Fujino and Kyomoto, on their journey to become manga artists.
The trailer is a true work of art. Since the original story is already concise and perfect for film, the project faces no challenges in script editing. The focus on acting and character psychology rather than special effects or action makes Look Back almost certain to be a tearjerker and a strong contender for major film awards.
1. One Piece
The top spot goes to none other than One Piece. Netflix has proven that they don’t need to copy every frame of Eiichiro Oda’s work to succeed. Instead, they condense storylines and adjust timelines while preserving core values: freedom, inherited will, and camaraderie.
Season 2, released on March 10, 2026, received widespread acclaim, and season 3 is already in development. With consistent quality and full support from creator Oda, One Piece sets the gold standard and proves live-action adaptations can become legendary in their own right.