Would a Live-Action "Pokemon" Serial Work?
Computer-generated animation seems to have evolved to the point where it doesn't cost the moon to produce it and there's no shortage of people who know how to do it. These improvements can only continue with time. So I've been wondering if, when children who grew up on the games and anime back in the 90s are adults in the media, we'll ever see the games re-adapted into a live action series with CGI pokemon? And what's more, do you think the format would work. Assuming the animation was strong enough to make the pokemon look organic and the budget was high enough to allow for fluid animation and a respectable cast of competent (if not necessarily famous) actors, do you think it would work?
I think that in 24 or so 44-minute episodes, provided the battles are kept fairly brief, you could show a complete journey from starting trainer across the eight gyms, the villain subplot and the championship without it feeling too rushed or having to drop anything too substantial from the games. Then do a different region with each season, adapting each series of games. There's five years worth of storylines already right there!
One thing I think would have to change: having 10-year-old protagonists. This wouldn't work in live action at all. I say it would be better to have leads who are 15 or so at least.
Also, while I don't think they should be gratuitous about it, they should at least make the show somewhat darker than the anime (more akin to the Manga in tone) with more mature subject matter.
Do you think a live-action serial would attract new fans and more respect to the franchise? Or do you think it would wind up trying to do too much and not satisfying anybody?