Copyright Screen Rant
Netflix knocked it out of the park with one live-action adaptation of a critically acclaimed anime, creating a show that is 10/10 from start to finish. Live-action anime adaptations are notoriously tricky to make, with flops like M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender and Cowboy Bebop sparking ire. However, it’s not entirely impossible to make a successful live-action anime adaptation. One Piece and Alice in Borderland are often cited as the best examples of this. Another adaptation from 2016 deserves just as much praise as those two, though. Netflix’s Erased did the impossible by creating a masterpiece adaptation of an anime with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Netflix’s Underrated J-Drama, Erased, Is A Masterpiece From Start To Finish The 2016 mystery anime Erased stands out for its impactful storytelling, relatable characters, and compelling twists. Given the prestige of the anime, it would seem impossible for a live-action to live up to expectations. Shockingly, the Netflix adaptation was just as good as the anime. In 2016, a live-action movie adaptation of Erased was released, which flopped with critics and audiences alike. The cast, especially the child actors, does an incredible job of embodying the characters without feeling too cartoony. Their reactions and facial expressions are a little toned down, which feels appropriate for the format. A noteworthy change is that Saturo is a little less abrasive and condescending as an adult, which works better for the live-action format. On top of that, most of the scenes maintain the basic narrative arc, and the live-action even uses some of the anime's dialogue. However, they are cut a little differently, allowing the live-action’s gorgeous cinematography style to shine. Erased Has A Smart & Refreshing Time Travel Plot Both the anime and live-action versions of Erased have a refreshing sci-fi plot. The entire story is a psychological thriller. Saturo is trying to solve his mother’s murder, a present-day kidnapping, and the disappearance of Saturo’s classmate, Kayo, 18 years earlier. All of this is made possible by Saturo's ingrained ability to jump back in time with “The Revival.” Saturo cannot control how or when “The Revival” kicks in, nor how far back in time he goes. However, it always happens just before something bad is about to happen around him. Brilliantly, the mechanics of this time travel story are never explained because, frankly, it isn’t necessary. Any explanation would have bogged down the plot. Erased Combines Details From The Hit Anime & Manga The Erased anime’s ending is highly controversial among fans of the manga (via CBR), as it severely condenses the manga’s ending. Without spoilers, the action isn’t as drawn out, and there’s less character development. Luckily, the live-action version of Erased fixes this. All the way up until the ending, it uses the anime as the foundation of the show. However, the Netflix adaptation achieves masterpiece status by using the manga's ending, which feels so much more satisfying.
