Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

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Uso_Evin
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Saying that Gundam could never be adapted into a film for Western audiences is just not true. I actually think it could be reasonably easy if the spot-for-spot events of the original series are downplayed in favour of character development.

For the first film, it could start in an identical way, and would be a brilliant opening. They leave the colony after Amuro fights well, but then face Char and Amuro looses badly but survives. Then cut straight to going down to earth, que another brilliant action scene. Land on earth, skip to character development. Amuro meets his mother while Char meets Gharma - backstory explained and focus on Sayla's relationship with Char during another short battle scene (following the brilliant moment Amuro shoots a man in front of her mother.) Have the Gharma attack, and Char betrayal and end the film with the footage of the funeral and a reminder of how Amuro has changed, and how his mother doesn't recognise what he has become. This would be a brilliant film with nothing to alienate western audiences imo, and could fit into 2 hours or so as long as you didn't dwell on every action sequence.

Second film focus on Ramba Ral, but maybe ties these events more closely to Odessa day (maybe the final confrontation with Ral takes place during the operation). The key here could be to focus on the effect battle has on Amuro, really damaging his mentality and leaving him unable to act. Change him running away to him being relieved of duty and Sayla piloting the gundam/meeting Ramba on the battlefield. Extend Amuro's interaction with Ramba and have Amuro's experience prepare him to fight for what he cares for, even if it damages him. Personally, I think it would be a great idea to introduce Lalah here, and have her part of Ramba's party testing out new mobile suits and Amuro forming a relationship with her. While this is going on, on white base you could develop Bright and Mirai's relationship, and perhaps have Kai replace Amuro in being infatuated with Matilda (and mauybe have him play more of a role in fighting the black tri stars after her death). You could then move straight to white base crew in Jaburo meeting the Fed forces, and an attack from Zeon suits including the black tri-star and Char. Focus on Amuro finding out more about secret Newtype research in Jaburo, and have an encounter with Char and Lalah during this explaining newtypes (much better use of time than getting rid of bombs). End on white base going to space and the crew's new resolve (Kai to avenge Matilda, Bright to secure his future with Mirai, Amuro to find out about new types and reunite with Lalah). This film would be busy but very action packed, but being economical with the story could keep the reigns in, and the mid-way shift would keep things fresh.

For the final film, it could start with a focus on newtype weapons, more Zabi focus and Amuro meeting Lalah again - as well as the brilliant colony battle between Amuro and Char (the version in the Gundam novels is brilliant, and they should go with this - including the gundam being wrecked.) Then they could shift to the key battles from the original, including Amuro with a new Gundam (maybe some nice nods here to side story's by using another gundam design) fighting Lalah and Char, killing Lalah and going full newtype for the final battle. As long as all the character beats were maintained while this was happening, it would be another brilliant film. You could also borrow 00's idea and a gundam-less Amuro find an Rx-78-2 in time for a final iconic battle.

I really don't see how these films would alienate western audiences. They bring together the epic scope of Lord of the Rings, the mech action of Transformers, the Sci Fi staples of Star Trek/Star Wars and the characterisation of the best Speilberg works. There are lots of characters in Gundam, but by focusing on Bright/Mirai, Kai, Amuro, Sayla and Char, you could save alot of time. Also, by playing with the time line and bringing events together, you could discard the 'monster of the week' forumla that was essential to the show and replace it with a few huge set peices each film, with character moments dispensed between them. Bringing the newtype theme and Amuro's relationship with Lalah in earlier also allows you to save time and avoid the need for Amuro/Sayla relationships.

The only thing, I believe, that will stop this film is budget. But as greenscreen/cgi enhances and becomes more widely available and therefore cheaper, I think this will happen one day. Asian economies are growing rapidly, and countries like China are becoming more conscious of the need to market to Hollywood. If anything, I can see a Chinese/Korean/Japanese Gundam trilogy with a mixed cast of eastern/western actors happening if Hollywood doesn't beat them to it.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Uso_Evin wrote:The only thing, I believe, that will stop this film is budget. But as greenscreen/cgi enhances and becomes more widely available and therefore cheaper, I think this will happen one day. Asian economies are growing rapidly, and countries like China are becoming more conscious of the need to market to Hollywood. If anything, I can see a Chinese/Korean/Japanese Gundam trilogy with a mixed cast of eastern/western actors happening if Hollywood doesn't beat them to it.
You're far underestimating how much it costs to make movies. To make even one Gundam movie, in comparison with other action movies, would probably cost $100 to $150 million. Let alone three of them. Gundam's not at all popular enough to at minimum break even on budgets that high. So there will never be a Hollywood live action Gundam.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Why would you even want a live action Gundam movie? Wasn't G Saviour bad enough for you? I honestly think some things should stay animated and Gundam is definitely one of them. If anything, they should make more original animated movies of Gundam.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Uso_Evin wrote:There are lots of characters in Gundam, but by focusing on Bright/Mirai, Kai, Amuro, Sayla and Char, you could save alot of time. Also, by playing with the time line and bringing events together, you could discard the 'monster of the week' forumla that was essential to the show and replace it with a few huge set peices each film, with character moments dispensed between them.
...isn't that pretty much almost exactly what the movie trilogy we've already got does?

Besides, don't allow your hopes and dreams to go un-crushed by Hollywood, because deep down inside you KNOW how a Gundam movie would end up: Shia Labeouf as Andrew Ray, Johnny Depp as Charles Aznable (who is an amalgamation of, like, four villains including Ramba Ral), Bright Noa is played by a black actor for no discernable reason, Mirai is played by a super sexy actress and is chosen as Andrew's love interest and replaces Frau Bow (who is removed completely from the story), Channing Tatum is Keith Jose (who is Ryu, Hayato, and Kai rolled into one to get rid of that whole messy stable of second fiddles - don't want to confuse the audience!), everyone wears black spandex and leather uniforms that make them all look totally identical, the mobile suits are all redisigned to the point that they look almost unrecognizeable, and in the end it is painfully obvious to anyone that somebody in Hollywood took an existing script that was 'close enough' and slapped the GUNDAM title on it.

OR a team of Hollywood investors and a major studio greenlight a Gundam script and production that is totally true to the original while making it more palatable to their vision of Western tastes without ruining what makes it Gundam and totally nails it, and it makes a billion dollars worldwide.

Which do you guys think is more likely?
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

MV6000 the Ace Zeon Pilot wrote:
DuelGundam2099 wrote:Putting too many human scenes into a Gundam movie was attempted and the result was G-Saviour. Remember that human characters are always a penny a dozen, most franchises only get a shot to fame once.
In my opinion the reason why Gundam is so good is mainly for the characters. Characters that are introduced have their own story as to why they are fighting in this terrible war. They also show that not everyone in each army is a good/bad guy. Gundam is an anime war drama showing the struggles of these young people trying to survive.

As for G-Savior the reason why I think it wasn't very successfull is because it doesn't look or feel like anything Gundam related until the very end. The motives of the characters and the characters themselfs are very boring and not interesting (The acting itself doesnt seem too good either). The MS battle at the end was interesting at first but even then it was waaaay too slow compared to every other Gundam show which has had fast pace battles since the very beginning. The whole movie just feels like a low budget Sci-Fi film (They even re-used the cool looking Starship Troopers uniforms).

G-Savior had alot of potential but failed. Whenever I think of live action Gundam I think of this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiTosK80Wfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzb16ug6 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwWxxY0I ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ATzU_bl ... re=related

You know those clips aren't that bad I think that would be a start of a great movie with a budget and better actors.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

NastyNate wrote:
MV6000 the Ace Zeon Pilot wrote:

You know those clips aren't that bad I think that would be a start of a great movie with a budget and better actors.
I think so too. Yes it's corny and poorly done but gets the job done (And is a waaaaay better representation of Gundam than G-Savior was).

Since it was an old PS1/PC game the graphics were not that good; But just imagine that with the budget and CGI of the Transformers movies (It would be awesome).

No matter what we think or say I don't think a live-action Gundam movie would ever be made. Even the fact that G-Savior exists still surprises me today.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Duke??

I don't remember the Federation fighting John?? Let's just let the Japanese do a live version for us.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Fritz Ashlyn wrote:Bright Noa is played by a black actor for no discernable reason,
acceptable on one condition: that the black actor be Samuel L. Jackson

"oh, but ShadowCell," you may protest," you're just saying that because you want to see Samuel L. Jackson beat the crap out of Shia LaBeouf!"

yes.

yes i do.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Uso_Evin wrote: For the first film, it could start in an identical way, and would be a brilliant opening. They leave the colony after Amuro fights well, but then face Char and Amuro looses badly but survives. Then cut straight to going down to earth, que another brilliant action scene. Land on earth, skip to character development. Amuro meets his mother while Char meets Gharma - backstory explained and focus on Sayla's relationship with Char during another short battle scene (following the brilliant moment Amuro shoots a man in front of her mother.) Have the Gharma attack, and Char betrayal and end the film with the footage of the funeral and a reminder of how Amuro has changed, and how his mother doesn't recognise what he has become. This would be a brilliant film with nothing to alienate western audiences imo, and could fit into 2 hours or so as long as you didn't dwell on every action sequence.
Now that is a great idea. I would pay to see that. :D
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

OK. for this we need something totally original that has never been done before ever.

for the first Movie: Amuro is a young student on side 7 that is contacted by Mirai over the internet to tell him that the world he lives in is not real! Actually all of humanity has been enslaved by the Zeon and is being used as living batteries to power a colony laser that will be used to destroy the SUN! After learning Gundam in the White Base traveling around earth, Amuro will resurrect Frau from the dead, and defeat the space entity Ramba Ral and his giant CGI cloud with tenticles: GUF.

second: After his previous ordeal, Amuro settles down to make Mobile Suits and sell them to the government. Unfortunately terrorists kidnap Amuro to make a gundam for them. After escaping by building his own Gundam out of toilet paper and styrofoam cups, he finds out that gundam is a threat to all life and the only way to stop it is to toss it into the fires of Mt. Doom! Amuro must haul gundam across space as it gets heavier, and keep gundam away from Haro, who wants gundam for himself. With the help of his fellowship of hot chicks (TM) Amuro will find the throbbing will to live and defeat Haro's trio of Black tri-star ninja assasins.

Finale: Thinking Evil had finally been defeated, Amuro is suddenly contacted by Gundam (who is now sentient) and his gundam team. Amuro is taught the newtype force by his robotic ally in order to help him save the planet from a galactic tyranny led by Char. Amuro is nearly killed in college by a seductive human-sized Brau-Bro that looks like a woman and has a ball shoved down his throat. After becoming a symbiote with gundam and confronting Char, Char tells him that he is Amuro's father! A gigantic battle takes place that has gundam grow as big as a galaxy and planets are thrown around. After harnessing his Newtype spiral energy, Amuro resurrects himself from a disembodied head after dying and blows Char away! Char asks Amuro to protect the universe with his dying breath and Amuro goes back to college.

anyway...back to my alcohol
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Fritz Ashlyn wrote: Besides, don't allow your hopes and dreams to go un-crushed by Hollywood, because deep down inside you KNOW how a Gundam movie would end up: Shia Labeouf as Andrew Ray, Johnny Depp as Charles Aznable (who is an amalgamation of, like, four villains including Ramba Ral)

I majorly LOLED at that!
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

After watching a little of the anime if I had my way with a live action movie I would make Amuro end up with Fraw Bow. I totally liked there relationship at the beginning and really wish they would have expanded it.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

The only problem with that is that Fraw would have made him adopt the White Base kids and then Amuro would have had Katz as a son!
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

NastyNate wrote:After watching a little of the anime if I had my way with a live action movie I would make Amuro end up with Fraw Bow. I totally liked there relationship at the beginning and really wish they would have expanded it.
See, I think that's exactly one of the things that would lead to problems with a live action movie. That little relationship they have ends, and if you tried to drastically change it to keep them together, I would imagine it would create some problems later on (Nevermind the issue of ever doing sequels like Zeta or CCA, where they are with different people, but that's something else entirely). In every version of MSG I know of, they don't end up together, so it'd be going completely against the idea of trying to be true to the original (Be that the TV series, or the movies we already have, or even the novel version of events). Changes like that add up, and next thing you know we'd have that disaster of a movie that Fritz described. :roll:
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

NastyNate wrote:After watching a little of the anime if I had my way with a live action movie I would make Amuro end up with Fraw Bow. I totally liked there relationship at the beginning and really wish they would have expanded it.
Yes. Let's make Sayla's existence that much more meaningless.

Also, if you ask me, I saw Fraw as much more like Amuro's pseudo-mother/big sister. I know that it's definitely probable that they could have gotten together, but it's just not ideal. Amuro goes on to become a government-watched Newtype, which is certainly not the ideal father for those poor war orphans.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Rob DS Zeta wrote:
NastyNate wrote:After watching a little of the anime if I had my way with a live action movie I would make Amuro end up with Fraw Bow. I totally liked there relationship at the beginning and really wish they would have expanded it.
Yes. Let's make Sayla's existence that much more meaningless.

Also, if you ask me, I saw Fraw as much more like Amuro's pseudo-mother/big sister. I know that it's definitely probable that they could have gotten together, but it's just not ideal. Amuro goes on to become a government-watched Newtype, which is certainly not the ideal father for those poor war orphans.

He lives the life of luxury and that is a great environment for raising kids. Plus it could be some good drama when Amuro has to go back to war in zeta and Fraw trys to talk him out of it. Amuro could be like "ADRIAN!!!! I have to fight to prove to myself". :lol: The whole Fraw and Hayato never sat well with me and if I had my way then I would change it. It would be a minor change to zeta and cca. They could even have a spin off movie of Fraw and Amuros son is a gundam pilot.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

If you're going to change Amuro and Frau's relationship simply because you want it that way, what's to stop anyone else from making arbitrary changes and chalking it up to personal taste?

Maybe some producer doesn't like the idea of the pretty boy actor covering up his face, so he tells the guy playing Char to ditch the mask. Then the director opts not to give characters like Ramba Ral and the Black Tri-Stars (assuming they even make it in) their trademark colors because he thinks they look garish. Next thing you know, a writer is giving the movies a severely pro-Zeon slant because he's another drooling Zeon fanboy who lulls himself to sleep at night by counting Zabis instead of sheep.

I don't think adaptations should be completely shackled by the source material, but when the adaptation starts moving too far away from it, you have to wonder why they even bothered pretending it's the same intellectual property anymore.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Fraw and Amuro...really?

Amuro is completely distant and introverted. Fraw has a need to be a mother and caring companion to someone that can reciprocate. Amuro during the OYW...you kidding? The fact that they grow apart and find more compatible people is one of the things that make the original Gundam's character growth so believable.

Fraw and Hayato are a fine match. Hayato is normal, I'm aware that legions of Gundam fans who have never been shot at see him as second rate...but he's closer to real soldiers than Amuro and Char are. Fraw is normal and wants a normal life and a normal guy, Amuro is a super soldier with extraordinary powers.

and really, Amuro and Fraw's kid as a pilot too? He'd be more powerful too! ...but only after undergoing an extreme ordeal and remembering something about his dad. Maybe when uh...his love interest and fellow pilot (who is the daughter of Kai and um...Sayla? derp) is in deep danger! Can we turn his hair yellow? I'm sorry, it's the very definition of contrivance.
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

Frau and Amuro... Really.

Fraw has a need to be a mother and caring companion to someone that can reciprocate.
Clearly not, or she wouldn't have spent so much time with Amuro in the first place.

Amuro during the OYW...you kidding?

Yes/No/whatever/at any rate. That's the guy she loves. Unconditionally, even.

The fact that they grow apart and find more compatible people is one of the things that make the original Gundam's character growth so believable.
The last thing he says to her in in MSG is "boku no suki na Frau" - *my* [insert affection here] Frau... which is actually the most demonstrative thing he says to anyone, at any time, iirc (fitting for someone who's not good at verbally expressing this sort of emotion).
Because the entire Japanese fanbase couldn't believe she'd married Hayato when Z came out?
Because we subsequently see Amuro in a happy, reciprocal, fulfilled relationship at... any point?
Because "the Kobayashi family" starts falling apart pretty much from the second we're aware it exists?

Tomino creating dysfunctional families and relationships is pretty much a hallmark of his work. And it does make for complex characters.

Fraw and Hayato are a fine match.
Except that every one of his actions towards her during Zeta is objectionable. And not only do we never see their child, Hayato himself disappears at the end of the ZIII movie. They're a long, long way from being 'Bright and Mirai'.

As far as Amuro being a dad, all I can think of is he wouldn't have nonchalantly thrown Katz into space with Char as a babysitter... :evil: :roll:
And far from any child of his and Frau's becoming a pilot, I can actually see Amuro doing anything and everything to keep his kids FAR away from wars or WMDs...

And what's wrong with Kai and Sayla having kids? 8)
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Re: Mobile Suit Gundam Live action

ShadowCell wrote:
Fritz Ashlyn wrote:Bright Noa is played by a black actor for no discernable reason,
acceptable on one condition: that the black actor be Samuel L. Jackson
You guys... You guys are aware there are black british people, right? Guys? Guys?
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