When Netflix announced a live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling, the smash-hit Korean anime about a powerless monster hunter who becomes humanity’s last hope, the internet erupted. Not with cheers, but with groans, memes, and a chorus of “Here we go again.”
For many anime fans, the mere mention of a live-action remake sparks instant dread. “I’ve never had a great experience with live-action, and I don’t see a future, or a need, for them,” says Swedish fan Andre Denisson, echoing a sentiment shared across online forums and fan communities worldwide.
And yet, despite the backlash, studios just can’t stop hitting “play” on these risky adaptations. Why? Because anime isn’t just popular anymore, it’s massive. Once dismissed as niche entertainment for “weirdos,” anime has exploded into a global cultural phenomenon. In 2024, the anime market was valued at around $34 billion, with projections soaring past $60 billion by 2030. Over half of Netflix’s 300 million subscribers now watch anime, racking up more than a billion views in a single year—a threefold increase in just five years. It’s no wonder Hollywood and streaming giants are scrambling to cash in.
But turning animated magic into live-action gold is easier said than done. “It’s a total hit or miss,” says Spanish anime enthusiast Ander Guerrero, eyeing the upcoming Solo Leveling remake with suspicion. “The fight scenes in the anime are insane—how do you even replicate that without CGI looking fake or the action feeling flat?” He’s not wrong. Solo Leveling thrives on over-the-top battles, glowing superpowers, and a world where mysterious gates open to unleash deadly monsters. At the centre is Sung Jin-woo, the “weakest hunter” who gains the unique ability to level up like a video game character—think The Matrix meets Dungeons & Dragons on steroids. The series became so popular it dethroned giants like Demon Slayer and One Piece as the most-watched show on Crunchyroll, Sony’s anime streaming platform.
So when fans hear “live-action,” they brace for disappointment. Past attempts haven’t helped. Remember Dragonball Evolution (2009)? Widely panned, it was so bad the screenwriter later apologised. Or Ghost in the Shell (2017), where Scarlett Johansson’s casting sparked outrage over whitewashing and flopped at the box office, losing over $60 million. These disasters left a stain on Hollywood’s anime ambitions.
And yet… the dream persists. Big studios are doubling down. Legendary Entertainment—behind Dune and Jurassic World—is developing a Gundam movie, with Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney reportedly in talks to star. Lionsgate is working on a live-action Naruto, following the journey of a loud, scrappy ninja who just wants to be acknowledged. “There’s almost a quest now to make the perfect live-action anime,” says Dr. Emerald King, Japanese culture expert at the University of Tasmania. “Like studios are trying to crack the code.”
But why bother when the original anime is already winning? For one, anime’s rise has been nothing short of seismic. “When I was younger, watching anime felt like a guilty secret,” says Parisa Haghighat, a 34-year-old UK fan who fell in love with Doraemon and Sailor Moon during childhood trips to Thailand. “Now? It’s mainstream. People who used to mock me are bingeing Jujutsu Kaisen on their lunch breaks.”
The pandemic helped turbocharge this shift. Locked indoors, millions turned to anime for escapism—its emotional depth, genre-blending storytelling, and cultural richness offering something different from the same old Hollywood formula. In fact, a Dentsu study found one in ten viewers watch anime simply because they’re tired of clichéd blockbusters. In the US, three in ten people turn to anime as a “Hollywood detox.”
So where do live-action remakes fit in? According to Alex Cameron of Parrot Analytics, it’s about engagement. “Netflix knows that if you watch the live-action Solo Leveling, you might then go and watch the original anime. That’s more time spent on the platform more subscriptions, more data, more revenue.”
And let’s be honest: Netflix is learning. After the disaster of its Death Note remake, the streamer surprised everyone with its 2023 One Piece series. Praised for its faithfulness, diverse cast, and playful tone, it proved a live-action anime could work, if done right. “One Piece is fundamentally about freedom, adventure, pirates,” says anime reviewer Geoff Thew, who runs the popular YouTube channel Mother’s Basement. “They didn’t try to make it gritty or ‘realistic.’ They embraced the absurdity. That’s the key.”
Experts agree: authenticity matters. “You can be respectful without exoticising the culture,” says Dr. King. “The cast and crew need to get it, not just the plot, but the soul of the story.” That’s why fans are cautiously optimistic about Solo Leveling it’s being made by a Korean team, with a Korean lead. “It keeps the cultural heart intact,” says Zimbabwean fan Archie Moyo. “Hollywood adaptations often lose those small, vital details that make the story what it is.”
So will this one succeed? Geoff Thew thinks so, if it leans into its roots. “If the fights are epic, and Sung Jin-woo gets to be cool without taking himself too seriously, fans will forgive a lot.” After all, anime has always been about hope, transformation, and beating the odds. Maybe, just maybe, the same miracle can happen for live-action, turning years of failure into one triumphant comeback arc.
Source: BBC