I know pretty much everyone has heard the news by now.

America is remaking Death Note into a live-action film.

What I don't really get is that almost every Death Note fan I've heard talk about this thinks America remaking something is a bad thing. No, America is not running out of ideas. Actually, a lot of movies that have been pouring out of the theatres are absolutely spectacular, plot-wise and visually. 9 (omg fucking amazing), and the upcoming Avatar (ALL YOU LAST AIRBENDER FANS CAN STOP READING NOW, YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLY HOPELESS), which is apparently using this new 3D filming technology that looks incredible, and many more have been amazing. So yes, America is capable of being completely original. And yes, America likes remaking things. It's what we do, because it's American nature to think that we can always take something from another country (often some popular Japanime franchaise) and make it better (*cough*DBZ*cough*). Plus, we like things to be in english, with American actors. In the past, they may have been a bit unsuccessful, but that does NOT mean that the American Death Note movie is automatically going to be horrible. And don't go act like it's the end of the world when they make this movie! GOD, SHUT UP. I'm not saying it's going to be a really good adaptation, but I recommend all Death Note fans, and anime fans in general, to keep an open mind about it.

( no offense to Avatar: The Last Airbender fans. I've actually watched the entire series, I was bored okay, and it wasn't bad. But the movie will suck. )

I think that with the people they have working on the project, they may actually be able to make a decent movie. Vertigo Entertainment, the studio that made those movies like The Ring and The Grudge, is no longer on board (I repeat, in case you immediately stopped reading at the mention of these horrible notions, NO LONGER ON BOARD) and now Warner Brothers is in charge. HALLE-FUCKIN'-LUJAH. If you don't know this already, Warner Brothers was responsible for Harry Potter and the Dark Knight, and these are some of my favorite movies!

And now I've come to know from several sources that the movie will be based solely on the first three books of the manga, rather than the Japanese live-action films or the anime. Although I practically drooled from Alessandro Juliani's voice as L (omgomgomg -spazzflail-), the manga was still made of fifty different kinds of awesome. And the first three books includes the epic tennis match!! I'm looking forward to that So if they can follow the plot well, then the success of this movie really depends on great casting.

And here comes my rant. You may need earplugs. Or eyeplugs, maybe.

SHUT UP ABOUT DEATH NOTE BECOMING A MUSICAL, PEOPLE.

We all know Zac Efron was in High School Musical. GET OVER IT. We all know Zac Efron became famous through some crappy movie-musical. GET OVER IT. We all know Zac Efron is the spitting image of Raito Yagami. GET THE FUCK OVER IT. I feel sorry for him, that HSM happened to be his big break. And now that's all he's really known for. I used to hate Efron myself, only because of the over-obsessed popularity he was getting because of his looks. But Efron himself regrets all the HSM attention, and he's now trying to get away from all the musical stuff and he's gotten into more serious roles as an actor, not some fantarded popstar. And frankly, Zac Efron is a really good actor. I saw him in the recent Orson Wells movie, Orson Welles & Me, and he played his role brilliantly. I believe that if he devotes himself to the role of Raito the way he's been committed like he has to his other movies, Zac Efron will make a great Raito Yagami.

SO SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT "DEATH NOTE THE MUSICAL". IT'S FUCKING RETARDED, IT WON'T HAPPEN, AND I'M SO FUCKING SICK OF THE STUPID BANTER THIS GETS. IT PISSES ME OFF, OKAY

DISSPELL THE STUPID RUMOR THAT EFRON'S ALREADY RAITO, BECAUSE CASTING HASN'T EVEN BEGUN.

( no offense intended to HSM fans about the HSM comments. it's just my opinion, so ignore it if you happen to like it. )

Rant over.

Wait.

Actually, no. I'm not done yet.

The other roles in the series will prove more challenging, I think. L especially. Kenichi Matsuyama (the L of the Japanese live-action movies) was the greatest L there ever could be and there probably isn't anyone on earth, let alone America, who can top his outstanding performance as the sweet-toothed panda-eyed detective we all know and love. Currently, I can't think of anyone who would make a great L, nevermind someone who even looks remotely like L. But casting directors are wonderful, fabulous people who devote their time solely to hunting down the perfect actor for a role. AS MUCH AS I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP, I DOUBT HE WILL BE L. SO SHUT UP. And, if I recall my knowledge of the first three books of the manga, Misa Amane isn't even introduced yet — it's only the appearance of the Second Kira. OH MY GOD HILLARY DUFF WILL NOT BE MISA. If anyone even suggests such a horrible stupid thing I WILL EXPLODE YOU.

And as long as Aizawa still has his afro, I'm good.

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

I'm really hoping the "rumor" isn't true about the name-changing. From what I've heard (in only one or two sources, maybe), the movie may have the Japanese surnames changed to American ones. I don't know whether or not this is true, or anything definite. In the Japanese movies, they did change Raye Penber's name to Raye Iwamatsu or something, even though he wasn't Japanese. So we're not the only ones. Besides. LIGHT ISN'T EVEN ASIAN TO BEGIN WITH. HE WAS ADOPTED. IT'S SO FUCKING OBVIOUS, COS HE LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE REST OF HIS FAMILY. So I'm personally hoping they don't change the names at all, and leave them as they are. And I have no idea if they're going to go with Light or Raito. I have no preference (though "Raito" is actually a lot more fun to say XD).

So who knows, they could either 1) make a decent adaptation, 2) make an incredibly awesome movie, or 3) completely ruin Death Note forever, for all of us. But I doubt 3 will happen — how bad could it possibly be? I'm hoping they at least improve the poor Playstation-like graphics that they used on Ryuk in the Japanese films with technology these days, I won't be surprised if Ryuk turns out awesomely badass-looking. And if they follow the plot closely, I'm sure there won't be too many problems.

But really, do try to keep an open mind. I'm tired of hearing people saying they think it'll be horrible and they won't even consider seeing it when they probably don't even know anything about it.

Don't worry too much about it (like I did just now, grrrr). There's plenty of time — the scheduled release is 2011, and they haven't even casted yet.

Holy shit this was long.
*phew* Rant over now. Really.

EDIT: My thoughts are that the casting directors should bring over Kenichi Matsuyama and dub him over with Alessandro Juliani like they did in Japan. Because they are both too amazing *flail*


Comments plz! I'd love to know what you all think on the subject.


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By the way (seriously, I'm done right after this), the amazing Robotech is also coming to the big screen, and from what I heard from the Anime Expo Robotech panel, there are brilliant writers and producers on board and it'll be freakin' epic, trust me on this. Better than Transformers, guaranteed!