Golgo 13

The legendary manga, Golgo 13, hit Japanese airwaves as an anime series last month (12th April 2008) to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the original manga.

If you didn’t know, Golgo 13 is about a laconic and cold-blooded professional super sniper. With his uncanny accurate shooting skills and physical toughness, Golgo takes any assignment for any employer and fulfills it. Even the seemingly impossible.

This is the first time the manga has been serialized as a TV anime although it has been adapted for a live-action movie twice and a animated film once.

From Anime to Hollywood

Last summer’s Transformers movie was one of the biggest box-office draws in 2007. The toys and anime series originated from Japan. For 2008, if you have not noticed yet, Speed Racer is another anime that has become a Hollywood movie. It’s an adaptation from a 1960s anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida.

Whether this one will be a big hit is another story, but it looks like more and more animes are moving from the television box to Hollywood.

Robotech (one of my favorites) will also have a Hollywood version. Tobey Maguire is slated to star in this one. Imagine these mecha coming to life in a Hollywood blockbuster. This will be bigger than Transformers.

Others include Akira, Astro Boy and Dragon Ball Z.