Yet another beloved anime and manga is being adapted for Netflix, this time coming from the genre’s home of Japan with an all-new live-action version ofCity Hunter. For a long time, live-action adaptations of anime/manga stories have not been very popular or well-received, and Netflix has been regularly guilty of that. Examples of that include the colossal misfire that was theCowboy Bebopshow and the almost unrecognizableDeath Notemovie. Alas, Netflix finally struck gold with the fittingly pirate-themed live-action version ofOne Piece, which became a hit with critics and fans and even scored a Season 2. The success ofOne Piecehas likely inspired Netflix to explore these types of adaptations again, asthey’re apparently trying to take another crack atDeath Notewith the creators ofStranger Things.
Netflix’s subsequent adaptation is a big undertaking, asCity Hunteris among Japan’s most popular and successful franchises. Since the franchise debuted in the mid-1980s, fans have followed the adventures of Ryo Saeba - a charismatic, if not admittedly perverted, private detective working in Tokyo. A property as popular asCity Huntermeans it’s already had plenty of different adaptations, including several other feature films.One of the earliest starred none other than Chinese action iconJackie Chan, where Chan’s Ryo Saeba fought terrorists on a cruise ship. 2018 also saw a French anime remake, where Ryo Saeba had his name changed to Nicky Larson (Philippe Lacheau). Here’s when you can watchCity Hunteron Netflix.
When is ‘City Hunter’ Coming Out?
Ryo Saeba (Ryohei Suzuki) will be kicking his way through Tokyo whenNetflix’sCity Huntermovie premieres on Thursday, April 25th, 2024, wherever Netflix is available.
Where Can You Watch ‘City Hunter’?
City Hunter
A private detective with a penchant for womanizing and trouble embarks on a thrilling adventure through the streets of Tokyo. Using his unorthodox methods, he solves crimes while getting entangled with various clients and dangerous situations, all the while searching for clues to a personal mystery that has haunted him for years.
It’s hardly a surprise that Netflix is the exclusive streaming home of the upcomingCity Hunteradaptation. For better or worse, Netflix has become one of the industry leaders in consistently putting out live-action anime adaptations, such as theDeath Notemovie, theCowboy Bebopshow, and theOne Pieceseries. The animated adaptations don’t end there either, as they also recently brought the world of Nickelodeon’s fan-favorite animated series to life withtheir reimagining ofAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Watch on Netflix
Watch the Trailer for ‘City Hunter’
The streamer released the first trailer for Netflix’sCity Hunteron March 14th, and we’re quickly introduced to the nocturnal world of detective work and crime fighting that Ryo Saeba gets up to every night. However, Ryo’s life changes dramatically when his partner is stopping crime, Hideyuki Makimura (Masanobu Andô), is tragically killed. Now taking on his friend’s sister, Kaori Makimura (Misato Morita), as his new partner, Ryo hopes to find those responsible for the murder of his long-time best friend.
What is ‘City Hunter’ About?
The official plot synopsis forCity Hunterreads as follows:
“An exceptional marksman and hopeless playboy, private eye Ryo Saeba reluctantly forms an alliance with his late partner’s sister to investigate his death.”
Other Live-Action Anime/Manga Adaptations You Can Watch Right Now
‘Death Note’ (2017)
Not many were fond of Netflix’s interpretation ofDeath Note, though it still has some positive aspects, such as a perfectly castWillem DaFoeas the fan-favorite demon Ryuk.Death Notefollows a young high school student named Light Turner (Nat Wolff), who stumbles upon a magical journal known as the Death Note. The book allows him to kill virtually any person and how they die (albeit in possible ways), thus inspiring him to become a supernatural vigilante.Death Noteis streaming now on Netflix.
Death Note
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (2021)
Easily, one of the most recognizable anime from Japan isCowboy Bebop, andthe Netflix remake does admittedly get the look of the show right. Taking place in the far-off future,Cowboy Bebopshowcases the misadventures of Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) - a trio of bounty hunters who will do anything for the right price. The finale of the live-action series did tease the arrival of familiar characters and storylines from the source material, though the show instead ended up being canceled after one season.Cowboy Bebopis available to stream on Netflix.
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
‘One Piece’ (2023-)
Many thought that live-action anime and manga adaptations were cursed forever, but then Netflix’sOne Pieceseries came along.The unique pirate world ofEiichirô Oda’s classic serieswas brought to beautiful, vibrant life in 2023, featuring a perfect cast, a welcome sense of accuracy to the original story, and an astounding and refreshing blend of practical and digital effects. Here, the pirates of the world have been on a multi-decade quest for the dreaded “One Piece” - the name of a legendary and wealthy treasure that the former King of the Pirates hid. That’s a title that young aspiring pirate Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) hopes to take for himself after he gets himself a ship and a crew to helm it.One PieceSeason 1 is available to stream on Netflix, with a second season reportedly in development.
In a seafaring world, a young pirate captain sets out with his crew to attain the title of Pirate King, and to discover the mythical treasure known as ‘One Piece.’
