It is becoming more and more common for animation studios and companies to opt for remakes of successfulanimeto appeal to the fanbase of all-time-popular titles, which is seen with new projects on the horizon, such asOne Pieceby WIT Studio orFist of the North Star. Among those, some anime remakes are far worse in narrative quality; they have not lived up to or have destroyed the original work, becoming controversial and disappointing millions of fans. Thankfully,there are also positive examples of well-done anime remakes for fans to enjoy.
While some viewers often claim that some anime franchises are overdue for a modern version, some remakes pay tribute to their past, playing it safe without offering something new to the story, which causes many fans to prefer the atmosphere and nostalgia of the classic. However, although redoing a fan-favorite story is never easy,some anime remakes come across as outstanding productions that have surpassed the original series.
TheSpice and Wolfanime, released in 2008, was highly praised for its quality for the time and its original story that moved away from the clichés of fantasy worlds and focused mainly on economy, commerce, and street vending. As a result,Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolfis one of those remakes that seem unnecessary, but that gladly surprised fans.
WhileSpice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolfremake matches a great part of the original, with the same dialogue and similar shots,the difference is in the technical section, which is far superiorand serves to introduce the series to a new generation of fans who appreciate the fluid and detailed modern animation. The remake also adds color to the rather muted palette of the original series, delivers great comedy moments and soundtrack, and conveys perfectly the atmosphere of the story.
Yaiba, by the same author ofCase Closed, Gosho Aoyama, was deeply influenced byDragon Ball,becoming one of the most representative anime of the 90s. The anime tells the story of a young boy who follows the path of the sword, having grown up in a wild environment without understanding modern life, and who dreams of becoming the best samurai. Although the original 1994 series had a great retro style and constant comedy moments, like inRanma 1/2orDr. SlumpinYaiba’s remake, the number of gags has been toned down to emphasize each character more.
Additionally,Yaiba’s remake still follows faithfully the manga’s art style but with an upgraded character design, and although it is less extravagant, goofier, and fast-paced than the original, it’s a perfect modern take on the story, especially given that it was under thesupervision of Gosho Aoyama himself. Furthermore,theYaibaremake’s spectacular animationput it at a level higher than the 1994 anime, delivering dynamic and intense epic action scenes in every fight.
AlthoughHorimiyais a popular manga that gained more recognition asone of the best rom-comafter its anime adaptation in 2021, most viewers aren’t aware that, almost a decade before, the original webcomic was adapted into a series of OVAs. As a result, not only does CloverWorks' adaptation have some differences in some characters' introductions and storylines, but it alsohas improved characters and beautiful and impressive animation compared to the simpler style of the OVAs.
Furthermore, as there are only 6 OVAs, there is a lot of characterization missing from the side characters due to time constraints.Horimiya’s remake had 26 episodes that, despite rushing and cutting some scenes and being nonlinear,offer viewers the possibility of seeing more of the charactersand even the ending of the manga, all with a carefully thought-out production and amazing soundtrack.
Fate/Stay Nightis based on a visual novel, which means that the story follows different routes depending on the love interest chosen, with the first adaptation by Studio Deen covering Saber’s route. While Ufotable’s adaptation follows Unlimited Blade Works, which is the route of Rin, this was also previously covered in a film by Studio Deen. By being only a feature film,Studio Deen’s adaptation didn’t have enough time to delve into the story, leaving some characters' interactions forgotten.
Ufotable also adapted Sakura’s route, Heaven’s Feel, into a trilogy movie series.
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Workshas some of the best production quality in anime history,with fluid animation and spectacular effects that elevate the fights, and a marvelous soundtrack and opening. Because of this, in Studio Deen’s movie, viewers have less depth in terms of exposition on the characters, relationships, and the conflict of the Holy Grail, serving more as a recap version of the visual novel with a lower quality.
Dororois a masterful work by Osamu Tezuka that is one of the best anime recommendations for fans of samurai stories. Set in a historical Japanese period following the tragedy of Hyakkimaru, who is forced to face demonic entities to recover his body, and travels with a young companion named Dororo. Similar to other works by Tezuka, likeAstro Boy,Dororowas originally adapted into anime in 1969, with great quality at the time, but that has aged sincedue to the growth of the animation industry.
Dororo’s remake in 2019 improved the experience for viewers by showcasing the dark tone of the storywith a less cartoonish character design compared to the original series, which closely followed the manga’s artstyle. The remake also had a different ending and is more ruthless when representing the horrors of war with a lot of graphic violence and stunning battle choreography. This has made Mappa’sDororoone of the best anime in recent years.
Fruits Basketis one of the best examples of a classic anime conquering a newer generation.Fruits Basketwas a popular shojo series whose original adaptation failed to reach the true intensity of the original manga. However, the adaptation by TMS Entertainment pays more than a tribute, with amazing direction and animation that improved the original art style and developed the secondary characters for the audience, exploring their individual arcs, with their struggles and growth.
The remake ofFruits Basketnot only captivated new fans but rose up to become one of the highest-rated romance anime of all time with an adaptation that appeals to the sensitive side of viewers. This way,the remake ofFruits Basketlived up to the original series and delivered the perfect ending to the storyby completely adapting the manga andeven a prequel film.
TheDevilmanadaptation of 1972 has a kaiju style, being influenced by the tokusatsu popularity of the time and targeting younger audiences. Later, the franchise released an OVA adaptation, which followed the originalDevilmanstory with dynamic and great animation that lived up to the horror of the manga and has become a classic must-watch for an anime fan. Yet, due to its short length,the OVAs left out a lot of content from the manga and couldn’t adapt the final arc of Nagai’s story.
However,Devilman Crybabyputs something new on the table, completely different from the originalDevilman,but in a good way.Devilman Crybabyhas the signature style of the director Masaki Yuasa, having a modern twist and incredible animation quality by Science Saru, but also properly develops the darker elements of the story.
Hunter x Hunter’s story was first adapted into an anime in 1999, and later released a remake in 2011 that covers the last completed arc of the manga, which is still in publication due to the author’s hiatus. Although the franchise has sparked constant debate about which adaptation is better, with fans arguing that1999’s adaptation is darker and more mature, having less censorship when compared to the remake of 2011, the latest is a fairly accurate adaptation and faithful to the adventure spirit of the original manga.
Hunter x Hunterfrom 2011 didn’t include filler episodes and has a unique visual style and animation that does justice to the best fights of the story, as well as adapting the Chimera Ant Arc, which is considered by many to be thebest arc in anime history. As a result, whileHunter x Hunter’s 1999 adaptation has a nostalgic feeling and great atmosphere in arcs like York Shin City,the remake gave new life to the franchise and more recognition to the series, being considered one of the greatest shōnen anime of all time.
Fullmetal Alchemistis one of the few anime that got a remake less than a decade after its first adaptation. The first anime ofFullmetal Alchemistwas released in 2003, and not so many years later, in 2009, Bones' adaptation came out, which is more faithful to the manga by Hiromu Arakawa.Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodhas better quality and more episodes, but also gives more time to shine to the main characters, like Roy and Bradley.
Furthermore, the biggest difference is thatFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodadapts the real ending of the story, contrary to the original series, which came before the manga was finished and created a different finale. Since one of the biggest charms of the Elric brothers' story is its satisfying and emotionally charged final arc,Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodreigns supreme as a better adaptation, still being considered a masterpiece anime to this day.
DespiteSpace Battleship Yamato 2199already being a good story, the best part of the remake is that it didn’t make a carbon copy of the classic, opting to insert new characters to differentiate and enhance the series. While the old series is comparable to a modern version of a classic epic likeThe Odyssey, being an incredible space adventure with characters dealing with several conflicts to reach a goal, the remake introduces relevant subplots that are not present in the original story but that greatly enrich the series.
The remake also brought back the old soundtrack, with the opening being a remix of the original theme.Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199is unforgettable and leaves a mark on both old and new viewers,making it the perfect anime remake that surpasses the nostalgia of the original.
