Upcoming Live-Action Anime Movie Can Continue Invincible & The Boys’ Best Superhero Trend

Summary The Boys and Invincible have both parodied popular superhero stories on the heels of the MCU's success.

A live-action One Punch Man movie promises to continue this trend, poking fun at the genre and its trropes.

Whether the live-action One Punch Man movie becomes as successful as Invincible and The Boys depends on recapturing the source material.

Live-action anime adaptations seem to be on the rise after the success of Netflix's One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a recently announced live-action movie can continue a great superhero trend showcased in Invincible and The Boys. While superhero fatigue seems to be increasing alongside the number of live-action adaptations being announced, some series within the genre are finding success. These hits typically break the mold in some way, putting a new spin on the standard superhero story.

And one upcoming live-action anime adaptation promises to do this, building on what The Boys and Invincible already started. Amazon has struck a good balance when it comes to telling superhero stories, and it's for a good reason. Its original superhero series have one thing in common, and that will continue in the upcoming anime adaptation poised to follow in their footsteps.

Related 10 Superhero Movies That Broke The Formula While many superhero movies might play it safe, a rare few break the mold by pushing the boundaries of the genre in narrative and presentation.

One-Punch Man Movie Can Continue The Boys & Invincibles’ Superhero Deconstruction

Dan Harmon's Adaptation Can Pinpoint The Flaws In Standard Superhero Stories

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A live-action One Punch Man movie is confirmed, and Dan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell will pen the script (via The Hollywood Reporter). This means viewers can expect the One Punch Man adaptation to be even more critical of the superhero stories it's meant to parody than the anime. After all, Harmon is well known for his comedic take on everything he touches. He hilariously pulls apart sci-fi storytelling in Rick and Morty, and his parodies will no doubt continue in his upcoming anime adaptation.

Since One Punch Man already deconstructs superhero stories, it'll be interesting to see what Harmon and Campbell add to the anime's commentary on the genre. Whatever approach they take, the live-action One Punch Man movie seems poised to continue the deconstruction of superheroes that started with The Boys and Invincible. Both shows put a darker spin on superhero stories, taking apart what makes them great and imagining what these tales would be like with a realistic approach. The One Punch Man anime does this as well, so it's inevitable that its live-action adaptation will fit in with The Boys and Invincible.

One-Punch Man’s World May Be Difficult To Pull Off In Live-Action

Certain Parts Of The Anime May Not Translate Well In This Format

Although it's likely to continue the commentary started in Invincible and The Boys, a live-action One Punch Man risks being worse than previous anime adaptations. This is because One Punch Man's world could be difficult to pull off in live-action. While it's easy enough to capture superheroes in this format, certain characters and abilities from the original anime won't translate well to a live-action series. It's possible to get characters like Saitama and Genos right, but players like Tatsumaki and Boros won't be as easy to recreate.

Likewise, One Punch Man takes a lighthearted and silly approach to superhero stories — one that requires the right tone to get right. It's hard to say if the live-action movie will handle this tone well, as many similar adaptations make too many changes to the original's overall feeling. Removing this element of One Punch Man will throw away what makes the anime so impressive. And that will prevent it from reaching the heights of other superhero parodies like Invincible and The Boys. However, a well-crafted One Punch Man adaptation will undoubtedly continue their best trend.

A Good Live-Action One-Punch Man Movie Can Be The Next The Boys Or Invincible

It All Depends On Getting The Anime's Tone Right

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If handled properly, a live-action One Punch Man movie could be the next Invincible or The Boys — but that's assuming the writers get to the heart of the source material. Both Invincible and The Boys unpack common superhero tropes and archetypes. They also put an entertaining spin on these elements of superhero stories, all while crafting similar narratives of their own. That's why these series have become so popular, especially on the heels of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest heights. People are eager for new perspectives in this genre, and One Punch Man stands to offer that.

The anime does accomplish something similar to Invincible and The Boys, but only time will tell if the live-action adaptation follows suit. Harmon's involvement is a promising sign, as he clearly has a handle on parodies and humor. Hopefully, he'll recapture One Punch Man's strengths, continuing Invincible and The Boys' best trend in the process. That's the only way to ensure the anime adaptation is successful — and that the legacy of superhero spoofs carries on.