From One Piece to Bleach, most anime are jumping on the bandwagon of live-action adaptations. Kentaro Miura wished for his series’ live-action adaptation. However, with his untimely and sudden death, this remained unfulfilled. The mangaka pictured Guillermo Del Toro as the perfect director to recreate Berserk.
However, there has been no confirmation of a live-action movie so far. While Toro hasn’t made an official statement, there might be an alternative. Although it may not live up to Miura’s wish, Quentin Tarantino could direct the movie. Furthermore, the acclaimed director would notch up the adaptation.
Quentin Tarantino would bring out the explicit and dark nature of Berserk through his direction.
Quentin Tarantino is one of the most celebrated directors in Hollywood. His notable works include Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, and Kill Bill. His movies outline blood, gore, and violence perfectly. Moreover, his movies have inspired several mangas. This holds especially true with the infamous violent sequence from Kill Bill. However, there’s more to it.
Tarantino’s love for anime is reflected in his works. He collaborated with Production I.G for the anime sequence in Kill Bill. Besides that, the studio is popular for its anime Ghost in the Shell and Blood: The Last Vampire. Tarantino also cited these two anime as his favorites. He revealed the process of fusing anime in his movie in an interview.
In an interview with IGN, Tarantino revealed his motive behind that anime scene. He quotes:
I want to have the fun of doing anime and I love anime, but I can’t do storyboards because I can’t really draw and that’s what they live and die on. So, what I did is that I took a script and I wrote it exactly, like, shot for shot, because it’s all about shots. So, I wrote a big, long, detailed script broken down into shots like you would do with a storyboard. I was like, ‘Here are all of the shots
Apart from his stint with anime, Tarantino would do justice to Miura’s legacy. This is true with the symbolism of dark themes in his movies.
Guillermo Del Toro was Kentaro Miura’s 1st choice for his series
Kentaro Miura’s untimely death triggered a loss for the manga industry. His manga Berserk is one of the finest Seinen masterpieces. Although Miura’s magnum opus is deemed an adventure manga, it deals with explicit themes. From trauma to abuse, the series lives up to its name in every sense. Understandably, Guillermo Del Toro would’ve done justice to his work.
Miura revealed Del Toro as his first choice for a live-action movie. He did so in an interview before his passing. While the mangaka was hesitant about an adaptation. Considering the inauthenticity of live-action adaptation, he revealed his concerns.
Some bookshelves in Anime / Manga / Japan cabin pt 4 pic.twitter.com/RPkm4DMuhA
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) June 26, 2018
However, the Hellboy Director is adept at bringing out fantastical elements into his stories. From Crimson Peak to Shape of Water, he has directed a versatile range of films. He is an ardent fan of anime. This is evident in his live-action project for Monsters.
All in all, both directors are excellent choices for the movie. Tarantino could bring out the element of gore and revenge perfectly with his direction. On the other hand, Del Toro excels in his writing of fantastical elements. However, there’s no confirmation as of yet regarding the live-action. Though it would be nothing short of iconic.
Berserk is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
