General Zelda Can Zelda Work in Other Mediums?

[DuelMark]

So, in case you weren't aware, over the years, thanks to the DIC cartoons like Super Mario Bros Super Show and Captain N, along with the Super Mario Bros movie (RIP Bob Hoskins), Nintendo has been extremely iffy, by that I mean near reluctant to "no way Jose" about adaptations of their works. The only exception to that rule is Pokemon, though I think because the show is made in Japan that's different, since there's also anime about Kirby and F-Zero (I'm just guessing since those were made in Japan, where Nintendo is stationed, I don't really know for sure) But lately, due to the Wii U still not making the money they need (Instead of gaining money, they lost money since it wasn't even half the amount they were hoping to make) Nintendo has been making some business decisions. First is their upcoming project (which is Skylanders/Disney Infinity but with Nintendo characters, obviously) the other is decision to allow their works in different mediums.

So with that said, let's look at the four mediums where The Legend of Zelda COULD be featured in. Cartoons, books, comics (not counting manga) and movies.

Cartoons: Like it or hate it... one thing for sure can be said about the Zelda cartoon... it isn't the show that Zelda deserves nor would it entice people to play the games the same way someone watching Batman: The Animated Series would be enticed to read comics. I've said before that the reason I'm taking animation classes to enter the industry is mostly because I want to help make the cartoon that I think Zelda deserves. Personally, I'd think a 2D animated Zelda could work (Mostly because the upcoming Sonic Boom is a CG show and people would compare it to the games because it's in CG)

Books: Personally, I'm not sure Zelda could work here. I'm aware there are book adaptations of the Oracle games, but today we have well known books like Lord of the Rings or A Song of Fire and Ice out there. I could be wrong.

Comic: Joe Madureira once asked Nintendo to let him do a Zelda comic, even drew a picture of Link to show what he can do. I'd say, with the right people for writing and editing, it could work.

Movie: So recently it was shown Imagi studios, the same people who did 2007's TMNT and the Astro Boy movie, wanted to do a Zelda movie, but the idea wasn't approved. I could think of two reason why. One is the already mentioned iffyness from Nintendo. The other is that those movies weren't exactly as big as Pixar or Dreamworks films. If we are to have a Zelda movie, animated or otherwise, I think that it should work in one of the other three mediums first since movie adaptations are a big deal these days. They need to find a way to make it work (looking at the Marvel Cinematic Universe) or else it'll look like a mess (looking at DC's plans for their own Cinematic Universe)

Do you think Zelda can work in these mediums? If so, how? Obviously they'd need people familiar in these fields working with people who know the games very well.

 

[Ocarina_Player]

I think a Zelda cartoon/anime could work if the people actually cared about making a decent one, because that 80's one was just... yeah. Mind you, I think they would have to make up an entirely different plot from any of the games because none of them really lend to making an extended storyline, but I think there is potential.

As for graphic novels, for the love of God, Himekawa, give me my TP and SS already! I've waited ever so patiently!!!

As for movies I don't think one will ever get approved. Video game movies are hardly well received as it is, the only halfway decent one I've ever seen was "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time", in that it was watchable, not god-awful. They're better off sticking with a tv series.

 

[Farore's Chosen]

Sure. Zelda has had books and a cartoon box set back in the day which I own and which little kids in my family do enjoy which must say something because a cartoon is there to entertain lil kids and at least it was well animated and it was fun to see my favorite videogame characters come to tv when I was a kid, unlike the crap from today.

There are Zelda mangas at my local Barnes n Noble, I don't read them though, mangas aren't my thing and I have found some truly excellent well-written, professional grade Zelda fanfiction.

I personally don't like the videogame Archie comics, I find them tepid with little to no imagination, thought or creativity put into them and they're only coasting by on big name factor. e.g.

Me: OMGS! Mega Man comic! *read read read* Me: Who paid for this boring crap to get published?

A Zelda anime might be fun if done by the right people, as for a movie...no. part of me wants to see it and part of me remembers the awfulness that were the Mario bros and street fighter movies.

 

[Ocarina_Player]

I will admit, the manga series is something a kid would like more, but I started reading them as a kid and so the nostalgia factor is a big reason why I still read and buy them. But it's nice to see a more developed story version of the games and to see Link actually have a personality and properly interact with other characters.

Which is why I think a cartoon series could work if they could come up with an original plot.

 

[Justac00lguy]

It's all about how they choose to handle them. When you have the a series with such a local fanbase--like Zelda--which doesn't deviate away from its comfort zone then you could potentially harm the series. We know this series is game based and I guess it can expand into other entertainment mediums, but would it be the right choice? People tend to be sensitive about these types of things. Would a one off bad movie really damage the series' reputation? Could an anime really affect the way we view the series? Would a book alter the path ways in which plot lines usually follow? These are all questions that are hard to answer, but I think it's good to at least consider them.

For me, I hate the idea of an anime series based around Zelda. It would have to be largely focused around Link which means him talking. Not sure how I would feel about that. Would they get the right voice actor? Well let's face the facts, it's hard to exactly find a voice actor that personifies a character who never speaks. The characters and overall charm of the Anime would, in a lotion ways, contradict the tone of some Zelda game and I feel it would be too comedic for me to take seriously. The story would also mean a lot of filler and random story arcs that have no relevance - this is something that would e painful to watch. Of course then you have to create a plot, a timeline placement, a canon storyline etc. could they do that without pissing off the fans? We have to remember that Zelda Is a fantasy series that bases it's lore around obscure legends with multiple gaps in between details. We have to fit the puzzle pieces together, whereas in an anime series you just can't do that. So they potentially would have to go into a lot detail and that would mess many things up.

A movie on the other hand would be more a one off event (unless it's a series) and as such it wouldn't be as harmful. It wouldn't be as light hearted and corny as an anime, but in some ways the expectations would like greater. While I view the series as an epic fantasy adventure, would that be tarnished by the over exaggeration by some producers? We could see the nicely balanced charm out weighed with gimmicks. 3D effects, CG effects, massive action packed cut scenes. Like I said before, even though I do view the series as this epic adventure, it's also very subtle and this tone would be very hard to capture in a movie in my eyes. Then again, like with an anime, you have to focus more on story, character development etc. and the same problems which I mentioned before arise.

I guess a book series would be the safer approach as a lot of fans are into the whole fan fiction side of things. However one thing irks me about a novel of sorts; they're very detailed. You have to describe every little thing, build up the story, the characters all to create a vivid picture and an idea of what is happening in the readers mind. This amount of detail kind of contradicts the simplistic ways of Zelda games, so would it be too much of a change?

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Overall I wouldn't rule out any, but it's not about could they happen, it's if they should happen. And in my eyes, the series is just too sensitive to change for it to be a successful branch into other mediums.

 

[Ocarina_Player]

I have never had a problem with Link talking, I don't know why so many others do. I mean he's obviously NOT mute, he does talk to the other characters, you just never hear him. I think they do that because Link is supposed to be the player's stand-in for the game and so having him talk would make the player feel more like an observer than a participant. But Link most certainly talks in the manga and nobody seems to have a problem with that, but then again you can't hear him. So if they got the right voice actor and a decent script writer it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[PalaeoJoe]

I have never had a problem with Link talking, I don't know why so many others do. I mean he's obviously NOT mute, he does talk to the other characters, you just never hear him. I think they do that because Link is supposed to be the player's stand-in for the game and so having him talk would make the player feel more like an observer than a participant. But Link most certainly talks in the manga and nobody seems to have a problem with that, but then again you can't hear him. So if they got the right voice actor and a decent script writer it shouldn't be an issue.

At one point (I think it was Aonuma) said that link would never speak, so it is not a matter of whether or not it is good for Link to talk or not because he will never any way.

 

[Ocarina_Player]

Well Anouma was referring specifically to the games, and I am inclined to agree with him. We've all gone for so long not hearing Link speak that if they suddenly decided to make him do so it wouldn't be received well. What they should do is allow the dialog be more interactive like they did with SS. Have multiple response options with distinctive personality types that generate different reactions from the NPCs. I liked it a lot because I felt like I was participating more.

But I don't see why that should affect a movie or tv series, since Link would then be his own character and not a stand in for a player.

 

[DuelMark]

Sure. Zelda has had books and a cartoon box set back in the day which I own and which little kids in my family do enjoy which must say something because a cartoon is there to entertain lil kids and at least it was well animated and it was fun to see my favorite videogame characters come to tv when I was a kid, unlike the crap from today.

A cartoon isn't there to just entertain kids, it's there to do more.
Also, yeah, crap today. Like Green Lantern, Young Justice, Sym-Bionic Titan, Steven Universe, Transformers Prime, Wander Over Yander, Legend of Korra... oh wait, those don't suck at all.

Also, to add to what I've said before, another thing I think a Zelda show/comic/novel/movie/whatever should do is have an original story as opposed to adapting one specific game.

 

[Link12]

No it wouldn't work simply put. Zelda is loved by many people and if you did any of those things you would make people very mad! The problem with making a movie is that which zelda do you use? I believe there is a z-talk that covers this question in depth. Din and Rish go over it very well and I agree with them about the matter of making a zelda movie. It is just to risky on nintendo's part so they should just stay to making games not movies or any other type of medium.

 

[Farore's Chosen]

A cartoon isn't there to just entertain kids, it's there to do more.
Also, yeah, crap today. Like Green Lantern, Young Justice, Sym-Bionic Titan, Steven Universe, Transformers Prime, Wander Over Yander, Legend of Korra... oh wait, those don't suck at all.

Also, to add to what I've said before, another thing I think a Zelda show/comic/novel/movie/whatever should do is have an original story as opposed to adapting one specific game.

I was referring to stuff like SpongeBob, Adventure Time, Reality Show, Gravity Falls, Uncle Grandpa etc. ya know the over the top stupid and gross Ren and Stimpy humor type shows.

I never liked Korra as much as I thought I would have.

 

[Sheik]

I think Zelda could work in any medium, as long as it's, you know, done right. If they make a Zelda movie or anime or whatever, fans will most likely hate on it at first, but later come to respect it... Which is kinda what this fanbase is known for. :trollface: