Because KIRA is literally Killer in Katakana. Katakana is a writing system for foreign words and for onomatopoeia in Japanese. I dont really understand why the original translation for the manga or anime didnt translate it as Killer or just make up an entirely new name but thats how it is.
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Death Note - Official Trailer
- Thread starter Theorry
- Start date
Because KIRA is literally Killer in Katakana. Katakana is a writing system for foreign words and for onomatopoeia in Japanese. I dont really understand why the original translation for the manga or anime didnt translate it as Killer or just make up an entirely new name but thats how it is.
I still think going with what appears to be a scorned white dude as Light isn't pushing any boundaries. We've always had ansty white dude films. It would have been interesting to see Light as a minority lead, especially someone who is Asian (Japanese American) as a commentary on the US's race relations. A white lead is so typical that even Keith being cast as L doesn't offer up a real difference in perspective since the film is centered mostly around Light.
And I'm sorry but I really don't believe that they couldn't find an Asian actor who could speak English. If this was in the 90's without the advent of the internet I could understand(not really) but literally one tweet asking for an Asian actor to try out for Light and they would be flooded with Asian Americans, if their casting director was really that bad at their job, they should have hired another one. They just didn't want an Asian lead.
Expecting a 1 to 1 adaptation isn't what I would expect but I don't really understand the direction of this film. And I'm a huge of Death Note, and I'm just not amazed by anything regarding this production.
And I'm sorry but I really don't believe that they couldn't find an Asian actor who could speak English. If this was in the 90's without the advent of the internet I could understand(not really) but literally one tweet asking for an Asian actor to try out for Light and they would be flooded with Asian Americans, if their casting director was really that bad at their job, they should have hired another one. They just didn't want an Asian lead.
Expecting a 1 to 1 adaptation isn't what I would expect but I don't really understand the direction of this film. And I'm a huge of Death Note, and I'm just not amazed by anything regarding this production.
lightskintwin
Banned
LMAO.
They were honestly surprised by the reaction to Death Note, being one of the Asian American producers (Roy Lee) has spent most of his career remaking/adapting Asian films such as The Ring, Grudge, Internal Affairs, A Tale of Two Sisters, etc... into American films with White casts.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
i know. i was questioning the line of argument about the 2 girls named kira in america. like that has nothing to do with Kira being used as Killer
Vicetrailia
Member
It doesn't seem like any of Yagami Light is there. Not the looks, charisma, social circles, etc. It just a trailer, but it seems to be a completely different character minus the core of inevitably thinking that he's justice and that whole superego. So they probably will. Someone mentioned edge lord, lol, it's possible.
Killer sounds dumb in English. Kira makes it sound like an actual alias, so I can see why they went with that.
lightskintwin
Banned
Wrong. 4 producers: Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Jason Hoffs, Masi Oka
It doesn't look that awful but I feel like they completely wasted the potential and themes of Death Note with this.
By trying to stay too true to the original (while ignoring what made it work in terms of character relationships and how believable it was that they were connected) I feel it's gonna hurt it and take away from the movie.
By trying to stay too true to the original (while ignoring what made it work in terms of character relationships and how believable it was that they were connected) I feel it's gonna hurt it and take away from the movie.
I meant to quote mjc. i went back and edited the post.
Chuck Norris
Banned
L seems like he is going to be misused entirely. He should be an odd ball, awkward but still charming and intelligent. This guy seems eloquent and charismatic, and angry
Light is also miscast. Light is supposed to be the model of student perfection. Exactly the person you wouldn't suspect. I can totally buy a serial killer vibe off the guy playing him
If anything it seems like they could have switched the two around for a better portrayal
Light is also miscast. Light is supposed to be the model of student perfection. Exactly the person you wouldn't suspect. I can totally buy a serial killer vibe off the guy playing him
If anything it seems like they could have switched the two around for a better portrayal
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
I like everything except the main character. Light just comes off as a whiny white kid.
Idk about "lovable" but yes, Light is suppose to be this elite smart guy that is secretly a sociopath and is disgusted with certain human beings. I'm not getting that at all with this Light.
Idk about "lovable" but yes, Light is suppose to be this elite smart guy that is secretly a sociopath and is disgusted with certain human beings. I'm not getting that at all with this Light.
The problem is not that is is called KIRA. It is how he came up with the name. Unless he has a somewhat more in depth understanding of the Japanese language than the average American he wouldnt know what KIRA means, which is my original point. That unless is kind of into Japanesr stuff its kind of weird for him to label himself that. I dont have a problem if he is into Japanese or even the name itself but I question the origin of his picking that name.
Absolutely. And I would have no problems with that whatsoever. But if he is clueless about Japanese stuff, itll be really weird.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
I mean, I guess he looks like one of those dudes that watches anime and reads manga and thinks they're an expert on Japanese culture.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
imdb credits 10 producers. co producers and executive producers are still producers
jasminlovesyoux
Banned
Ryuk seems fantastic.
Everything else, ehhhhh. It's based on the original but way too different for me to tell if it'll be OK from the trailer. Guess I'll watch it and find out!
Everything else, ehhhhh. It's based on the original but way too different for me to tell if it'll be OK from the trailer. Guess I'll watch it and find out!
jack_package_200
Banned
You are getting Atticus and Leopold Ross and you are going to like it!!!
lightskintwin
Banned
It's still just 4 producers. Literally only those 4 names on IMDB Pro for Producers.
https://pro-labs.imdb.com/title/tt1241317?d=tt_prodnotes_seemore
No different when you look it up on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Note_(2017_film
I mean it's the reason why they're the ones from behind the scenes that are commenting on the "controversy" of this film.
AcademicSaucer
Member
Man, this actually looks not terrible, color me surprised
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
UnemployedVillain
Member
Yeah, I said the exact same thing earlier in this thread
lightskintwin
Banned
Ok, but it's still 4 producers. I just showed you the IMDB paid pro membership page. Obviously those other guys don't get full producer credits.
Principate
Saint Titanfall
Nah that makes no sense. Light is the epitome of privilege and the status quo he's the son of a police officer and genius elite on the fast track to an easy life it's the main bulk of his character. What your talking about is an entirely different story. Death note is note a revenge story and your not supposed to root for light.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
its 10 dude. co producers and executive producers are still producers. who do you think gives the OK and are in charge of the producers? the executice producers fam...
and the reasons they are the ones commenting on the controversy cause it would be better if its asians addressing the lack of asians than someone whitesplaining. stop drinking the kool aid.
lightskintwin
Banned
LOL So you're saying they had no control over the casting?
Maybe there's an internal logic for why a white guy would call himself kira that's not in the trailer.
Either way, "kira" is a better name for a killer than "killer", it could be as simple as that.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
they probably have some control but at the end of the day, they answer to people
BronsonLee
Member
They kept Kira because of branding
They went white because they wanted a white guy and they suck
Light's always been a flop edgelord loser with delusions of grandeur
L always sits that way
They went white because they wanted a white guy and they suck
Light's always been a flop edgelord loser with delusions of grandeur
L always sits that way
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Light in the manga and anime was always a privileged kid. He was smart and thought he knew what was good for the world and other people. He never struggled in his life, he didn't face hardships, he didn't start from the bottom. He was the elite and he knew it and loved it. From the trailer, this version of Light is not that guy from the original story. He looks like someone that the movie instantly wants us to root for cuz he gets bullied and the world doesn't understand him. We don't need to show pity for the edgy white kid. What we need is the movie to immediately have no problem showing us that Light is as scummy as fuck as the original. He didn't need to be non-white but the movie needs to not make us feel like we gotta root for this guy. This is a lot more complicated than Breaking Bad.
Executive producer is a pretty nebulous title. Stan Lee was an executive producer on Spider-Man (2002). I doubt he did much more than film his cameo, watch the working print, and say "Looks good fellas!"
Not really feeling the amount of action in the trailer and the idea that Light shared his identity with the girl (unless it's supposed to be Misa), but we'll see.
Simple way to do this: Light kills someone in Japan or a Japanese person and the Kira phenomenon blows up there first. Then the name propagates abroad as notoriety grows.
Simple way to do this: Light kills someone in Japan or a Japanese person and the Kira phenomenon blows up there first. Then the name propagates abroad as notoriety grows.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
stan lee is a different thing. they probably gave him that credit out of respect.
but typically executive producers are the inbetween with the studios and the producers
Vicetrailia
Member
Since this movie takes place in America I hope that it doesn't seem too simple and therefore unfulfilling due to the many layers of issues in our system. Hopefully some adjustments are made if required.
lightskintwin
Banned
I mean, looking it up, you're right they're all producers with various titles and responsibilities, but I guess they title the one's simply "producers" because "within the production process they can oversee, arrange, manage and begin every single aspect. They are involved in every single stage of the overall production process."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_producer
However I'm sure you agree they were never going to cast an Asian American in the role of Light, nor any other minority.
Beren the Empty-Handed
Member
Crossing my fingers.
UnemployedVillain
Member
It really isn't. I feel like all the people saying you can't have a character like the original Light in an American setting need to watch the excellent Better Luck Tomorrow by Justin Lin. It basically is about a group of Asian Americans (which Hollywood often seems to forget the existence of), and the fact they get away with a series of crimes because of who they are
Thank you! That's one of my primary issues. They completely changed Light's motivation and made a unique character into a generic, often overdone, one. It's the same shit they pulled with Ghost in the Shell. The Major often questions her identity and what it means to be human. In the original properties that was from her extensive history of switching bodies and her sexuality (which is asexual or pansexual, depending on the version). In the new one they changed it to a generic story about her being forced into a cyborg body and made it another Robocop reboot
Aaronology
Member
Yes! Gosling's portral of Richard Haywood in Murder by Numbers is the type of Light that would have worked better in this, I think.
An attractive, charming, elite student who is secretly sociopathic and homicidal as hell. And like Light, he's an extreme narcissist who excels in manipulation.
*Light finds the Death Note*
"This is just like my Japanese anime"
*Light sees Misa for the first time*
"M... Moe..."