Dragon Ball live action (CRAZY IDEA)

[M0nsoon07]

okay so here goes: (feedback appreciated!)

Had an idea for a live action dragon ball franchise- okay so OG DB is movies (movie 1- Pilaf and the tournament after saga, movie 2- red ribbon and baba saga, movie 3- tien arc and king piccolo arc, movie 4- piccolo jr arc, those filler eps at end of OG anime but adapted in live action, and finally dead zone)

Then from Z, it goes to a more seasonal basis like the one piece live action so (season 1- saiyan saga, season 2- frieza saga and a short telling of garlic jr saga, season 3- trunks saga-cell games saga, adaptation of the trunks special between 3 and 4, season 4- cell games saga and other world tournament saga and bit of great saiyaman, season 5- buu-kid buu saga, and season 6- kid buu and end of Z sagas)

And then back to film style for last entry (guessing that the issue with super probably wouldn’t be fixed hypothetically by then) would be an adaptation of GT (but only baby and shadow dragons sagas, and Goku remains adult rather than turned into a kid)

I'd also adapt some of the Z films, not all though (ones i defo would do is the two cooler ones, fusion reborn etc)

[The Dark Knight]

I think a seasonal approach would work best for both Dragon Ball and Z, as the run times of movies aren't enough to tell the story faithfully. Also, I wouldn't bother adapting stories not in the original manga, as besides maybe Daima, none of these stories have enough going on (or enough good going on) to justify a live action adaption.

[JulieYBM]

I think that one could do either television or film format to pull off any story. I would be more inclined to go with a television format in part because I think it makes more sense to rely on writers and actors over constant special effects shots for most of these stories. Toei and their superhero shows like Kamen Rider have proven that even on short production schedules and small production teams, they can still create really incredible battle scenes, but I don't think it's strictly necessary to only do Hollywood films or series. Kamen Rider Gavv Episode #36 (Director: Sugihara Teruaki) has a really incredible fight scene that kind of proves that directing and editing are really important to selling a fight scene.

The problem with switching back-and-forth between television and film is that it makes things difficult for casual audiences to follow. This is one of those issues that I think has kind of plagued the MCU since the start of Phase 4. The first three phases were, "Go to see one of three new Marvel movies coming out this year" and that worked in guiding audiences toward the big Avengers films. Ping-ponging back-and-forth won't work like it does for, say, Chainsaw Man or some other anime franchise, because those franchises have a different type of audience: a niche core fandom, rather than the sort of general/family audiences that the Marvel stuff does. This is part of why Star Trek: The Next Generation didn't do films mid-series and instead officially ended the series to do films, instead of a Season 8.

[Kenji]

By principle, I don't agree with the idea that Dragon Ball (or any other illustrated/animated story for that matter) needs to be live-action in order to be appreciated and respected as a serious form of storytelling, the kind of audience this is made to appeal to is extremely insecure, superficial and this kind of production usually happens to milk more money out of original artistic integrity.

That said, I agree with Julie. A show doesn't need to have super realistic CGI and special effects in order to tell a story or appeal to an audience. Power Rangers/Super Sentai was just as great and entertaining as it was with its ridiculous over-the-top acting, heroic poses, its rubber monsters and sparks everywhere. In stark contrast, the "serious" Power Rangers live-action adaptation in 2017 felt like a soulless bore-fest and is remembered by nobody.

Also: The "cringe-worthy" Sailor Moon live-action TV show is the best version of Sailor Moon, fight me.

[Kid Buu]

Also: The "cringe-worthy" Sailor Moon live-action TV show is the best version of Sailor Moon, fight me.

I swear by it. As does Gaffer Tape who has made some really good videos on his YouTube channel.

[Shaddy]

I think saying it needs to switch between being a movie and being a TV series shows a lack of focus. If you don't care about the early arcs enough to adapt them as fully as Z, just say it. The manga isn't going anywhere, if a new adaptation had a new vision and wanted to be more consistent than the way Toriyama reinvented the wheel, I would prefer they just bite the bullet and do it instead of some weird half-measure that ends up being one-size fits nobody. Mix elements of the first three arcs together before heading into the 22nd tournament and Piccolo Daimao, why not.

The unfortunate side effect of both a greater reverence for the source material and the understanding of bad dubs is that stuff like Evolution gets trashed for being inaccurate, when the problem is that it didn't build anything good with the pieces it had. It's fine to radically change things when you're making a new version of a series, especially when a relatively-faithful adaptation already exists, as long as it's good.

[JulieYBM]

I think saying it needs to switch between being a movie and being a TV series shows a lack of focus. If you don't care about the early arcs enough to adapt them as fully as Z, just say it. The manga isn't going anywhere, if a new adaptation had a new vision and wanted to be more consistent than the way Toriyama reinvented the wheel, I would prefer they just bite the bullet and do it instead of some weird half-measure that ends up being one-size fits nobody. Mix elements of the first three arcs together before heading into the 22nd tournament and Piccolo Daimao, why not.

The unfortunate side effect of both a greater reverence for the source material and the understanding of bad dubs is that stuff like Evolution gets trashed for being inaccurate, when the problem is that it didn't build anything good with the pieces it had. It's fine to radically change things when you're making a new version of a series, especially when a relatively-faithful adaptation already exists, as long as it's good.

Yeah, the problem with Evolution is that it's not a good movie, not that it is not a good Dragon Ball movie.

[WittyUsername]

For all its faults, I think DBE had the right idea in doing a mashup of the very first arc of the series and the Piccolo Daimao arc. I don’t even think there was any problem in aging Goku up or tying Ozaru in with Piccolo (although it does make you wonder how they would’ve made sense of that if they ever did a sequel with the Saiyans). The problem was that the movie was a cheaply made Spider-Man wannabe that spent too much of its incredibly short runtime on Goku being in high school.

Anyway, if the success of the Netflix One Piece show is any indication, I suppose television would be a preferable format for live action Dragon Ball than a film series.

[MasenkoHA]

If a tv series is the safe or preferred format I’d do it like this.

Assume each episode is about an hour long

Season 1 - First Hunt for the Dragon Balls and 21st Strongest Under the Heavens Tournament
1. Bulma and Goku
2. Meeting Kame Sennin and getting Kinto Un
3. Oolong
4. Yamucha
5. Mt.Frypan and first Kamehameha
6. The Dragon is summoned
7. Kuririn and Lunch
8. Turtle Hermit Training
9. Arriving at tournament and prelims
10. Quarter Finals
1 1. Semi finals
12. Finals

Season 2- Red Ribbon (Penguin Village can be omitted entirely) and Baba

1. Goku goes solo
2. Muscle Tower part 1- Murasaki
3. Muscle Tower part 2- Buyon, Eighter, and confronting White
4. Monkey King in West City
5. Pirates Cave
6. Enter Tao Pai Pai
7. Karin Tower
8. The Assault on Red Ribbon HQ
9. Baba’s tournament part 1 (up until Yamucha is taken out
10. Baba’s Tournament Part 2

Season 3- Tenshinhan and Piccolo

1. The Crane School
2. Quarter Finals
3. Tenshinhan vs Chun
4. Goku vs Kuririn
5. The finals: Goku vs Ten
6. Great Demon King Piccolo
7. Yadjirobe
8. Piccolo’s Youth Restored and the death of Roshi
9. The Super God Water
10. Goku’s Revenge
11. Meeting Kami
12. 3 years later
13. Goku gets married (covers all of quarter finals)
14. Goku vs Tenshinhan: Rematch
15. God vs The Devil
16. Goku vs Piccolo Jr part 1
17. Goku vs Piccolo Jr part 2
18. Goku vs Piccolo Jr part 3

Season 4- Saiyans

1. Raditz
2. The journey through Snakeway and Gohan’s moonlight transformation
3. Kaio
4. Saiyans arrive
5. The Z Warrriora Die
6. Goku Returns
7. Goku vs Vegeta part 1
8. Goku vs Vegeta part 2
9. Goku vs Vegeta part 3

Season 5- Namek
1. Voyage to Namek
2. Frieza: Emperor of the Universe
3. Vegeta’s ambitions
4. The Ginyu Corps
5. Goku is here
6. Switching Bodies
7. Porunga
8. Frieza transforms
9. Death of the Prince
10. Goku vs Freeza part 1
11. Goku vs Frieza part 2
12 . Goku vs Frieza part 3
13. Goku vs Frieza part 4

Season 6- Androids (omit 19 and 20 and have 17 and 18 show from the start)
1. Frieza and his father
2. The boy from the future
3. The Androids appear
4. The deadly beauty vs Super Saiyan Vegeta
5. Piccolo and Kami reunite
6. The creature Cell
7. 17 absorbed
8. Super Vegeta vs Cell
9. Cell is complete
10. The Broadcast
11. Cell Games : Goku vs Cell
12 . Cell Games part 2: Gohan awakens
13. Cell Games part 3: Goku’s sacrifice
14. Cell Games part 4: The Father and Son Kamehameha
15. Aftermath and saving the future

Season 7 - Boo
1. Seven years later : Gohan goes to school
2. Great Saiyaman
3. Reunions
4. The Lord of Lords
5. The Dark wizard Babidi
6. Vegeta’s evil ambitions return
7. The genie Boo
8. Vegeta’s atonement
9. Super Saiyan 3
10. Hercule and Boo
11. Super Boo and the end of humanity
12. Gotenks
13. Ultimate Gohan
14. The Potara earrings
15. The original Majin Boo
16. The final battle part 1: Battle in the realm of the Kais
17. The final battle part 2: The earth’s Spirit Bomb
18. 10 years later

[JulieYBM]

The structure of the original manga is kind of weird in that a sixty minute-long episode would wind up making for a weird season-long arc. That being said, I really don't think it would take six hours to adapt the first hunt for the Dragon Balls. Rearranging the plot and cutting down on scenes would be a lot more beneficial.

Assuming that seasons follow the small episode count format now popularized on Netflix:

Season 1:

Episode #1: Ideally, a 90 minute episode that adapts the first arc. Blooma is the POV character and the primary character arc of the episode.
Episode #2: 45 minutes, adapting Chapters #24-34. Gokuu meets Kuririn and Lunch. Gokuu and Kuririn train together. Kuririn is the POV character and we see Gokuu through his eyes, ala how Blooma was the POV character of the first episode.
Episode #3: 45 minutes, adapting Chapters #35-46. Kuririn, Namu and Jackie Chun share the POV as we see each of their thoughts as the tournament unfolds.
Episode #4: 45, minutes, adapting Chapters #46-54. Jackie Chun and Gokuu POVs. The focus of this episode is on Jackie Chun trying to impart his wisdom on Gokuu and Gokuu gaining the resolve to continue growing stronger, no matter what. This could serve as a culmination of a season-long arc for Gokuu, built up since the first episode.

All-in-all, this is probably going to wind up being a season that is as long as the season of the Yuu Yuu Hakusho live action series. I didn't put a ton of effort into my weird example above, but if I were to, it would probably be best to take the first two arcs (Chapters #1-54) and rearrange them into a single season-long arc, instead of how I did it above. The One Piece live action series did this a lot better, while making the smaller individual story arcs into either a single episode or a two-parter.

[taikufuru]

I reflected a lot on this idea and coincidentally decided to write drafts of what would be a Dragon Ball trilogy adapting all 194 chapters.

I made a 12-page draft of what would be the first film, which mixes the Dragon Ball's Hunt arc and the Red Ribbon Army arc. I'm looking for literary and cinematic influences to help me tell this story.

I think it's important to maintain the economical essence that allows these characters to start with a naive boy in the middle of a bunch of young people with selfish desires. At the same time, I don't want it to seem too theatrical or a cheap copy that doesn't understand that they are different media. It's difficult. I'm not a good screenwriter. I'm not even a professional screenwriter. But I wanted to take on this challenge and put an end to this obsession of mine.

[PowerPhantom245]

This is an interesting topic.

I think TV/streaming series works better for live action than theatrical movie; I just don't think format of the series won't work well for 2 hours movie. Netflix One Piece is the perfect example of how to do adaptation correctly.
If it is going to be serialized, like source material, then it would have to be like Harry Potter series, where it start with Goku actor in their pre-teen ~ teen, growing up as series progress; I can see it as 6~7 movies, spawning 8~10 years.

Since we got adaptation in Taiwan, Korea, and America (latter 2 are unofficial), I would like to see Japan makes it.
I'm sure Toei studio has plenty of people who grew up with franchise, who can do their work.
Granted, Japanese company doesn't always make good live action adaptation; I've seen live action adaptation of Japanese movie, that was just as bad if not WORSE than Dragonball Evolution (...seriously).


Here's my hot take I've mentioned in other thread:
If the series is going to be made in America (which is unlikely), then casting of Goku does not have to be Asian; it should be open casted.
As long as writing is good, the ethnicity really shouldn't matter.
Comic book movies have gone in liberty, of casting different ethnicity, different from source material that was successful.


If it is going to happen, maybe in 2028~2030; I just don't see it happening anytime soon if not ever.

[taikufuru]

The cast doesn't need to be entirely Asian. For example, the people of West City could be American actors. But I think it's a terrible idea to do the same with characters like MutenRoshi, Kuririn, Tenshinhan, Yamcha, Chi-Chi, and others who carry Asian influences in every aspect. From their names to their clothing.

[PowerPhantom245]

The cast doesn't need to be entirely Asian. For example, the people of West City could be American actors. But I think it's a terrible idea to do the same with characters like MutenRoshi, Kuririn, Tenshinhan, Yamcha, Chi-Chi, and others who carry Asian influences in every aspect. From their names to their clothing.

But at the end of the day, if the writing is good, it doesn't matter.
Ancient One (male asian in comic) in Doctor Strange movie was Caucasian female, portrayed very well by Tilda Swinton.
Granted, that might be exception, and I don't expect Dragon Ball live action to do that drastic; though, it would be interesting.
I didn't have issue with casting choice for Dragonball Evolution (including Goku); if anything, that was LEAST among the issue.

I don't mind Kuririn (my favorite character) portrayed by Middle Eastern actor.

[M0nsoon07]

Gonna keep it TV then... i've kinda thought more and here's how I put it...

Season 1 (OG DB) covers Pilaf, 21st tournament, bit of RR up till maybe muscle tower (8/9 eps)

Season 2 (OG DB) covers rest of red ribbon, Baba arc, Tien arc (8 eps)

Season 3 (0G DB) covers King Piccolo and Piccolo JR combined, with one ep at end for Goku and Chi-Chi's wedding (9 eps)

Season 4 (DBZ) covers Saiyan and Frieza sagas (10 eps)

Season 5 (DBZ) covers entire Cell saga (12 eps) and Trunks TV special

Season 6 (DBZ) covers entire Buu and end of Z saga (12 eps)

Season 7 (DBGT) covers Baby and Shadow Dragons sagas (12 eps) and A Hero's legacy TV special

[ABED]

Are we assuming weekly drops or full season drops? I think part of this hypothetical scenario is to think how the seasons break down. What's the finale? Is there a mid season finale? I think you could do Piccolo and Piccolo Jr.. in the same season by breaking the season in half.

[Kid Buu]

I never saw the film, but I remember people saying that the action scenes in Man of Steel (2013) could have worked for a live action DBZ.

[JulieYBM]

I never saw the film, but I remember people saying that the action scenes in Man of Steel (2013) could have worked for a live action DBZ.

Those action scenes were directly lifted from Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE lol, so it's definitely not impossible. Considering what Kamen Rider Gavv is capable of doing now on a TV budget and schedule, I would definitely say that doing crazy CG fights is also not impossible.

[Kid Buu]

I never saw the film, but I remember people saying that the action scenes in Man of Steel (2013) could have worked for a live action DBZ.

Those action scenes were directly lifted from Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE lol, so it's definitely not impossible. Considering what Kamen Rider Gavv is capable of doing now on a TV budget and schedule, I would definitely say that doing crazy CG fights is also not impossible.

Fair enough, as I mentioned I never saw the film. Likewise a lot of Hong Kong films have fight scenes comparable to Dragon Ball too.

[JulieYBM]

I never saw the film, but I remember people saying that the action scenes in Man of Steel (2013) could have worked for a live action DBZ.

Those action scenes were directly lifted from Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE lol, so it's definitely not impossible. Considering what Kamen Rider Gavv is capable of doing now on a TV budget and schedule, I would definitely say that doing crazy CG fights is also not impossible.

Fair enough, as I mentioned I never saw the film. Likewise a lot of Hong Kong films have fight scenes comparable to Dragon Ball too.

I'm wasn't discounting your idea, either! Just stating that the movie is literally drawing from an anime for its big final battle, too.