If it were American...

[Chad Bonin]

I like to revisit this line of thought once in a while. If a series made in Japan (and culturally dependent on Japan), how would it fare if it were set in America?

For example, would Inuyasha be set in the Wild West/Los Angeles, instead of Fuedal Era/Tokyo? Instead of a sword that can save anyone and a sword that could destroy anything, would there be guns in their place? Instead of being a half dog demon, would our main guy be a "mad dog", born of a bandit father and a law-abiding mother? Should Miroku be a Baptist Priest? Would Sango and her family be out taking down monsters more remiscent of "Tremors"?

Evangelion? After the Second Impact, would Neo-York be the base of operations?

Please Teacher- Would their love be broken up in some major court case?

To tie back to the era of Inuyasha, would Kenneth Himura be a former member of the President's Secret Service, on a mission to redeem himself for all his murders, aided by a gun that shoots newfangled rubber bullets?

[Aquadementia]

I like to revisit this line of thought once in a while. If a series made in Japan (and culturally dependent on Japan), how would it fare if it were set in America?

For example, would Inuyasha be set in the Wild West/Los Angeles, instead of Fuedal Era/Tokyo? Instead of a sword that can save anyone and a sword that could destroy anything, would there be guns in their place? Instead of being a half dog demon, would our main guy be a "mad dog", born of a bandit father and a law-abiding mother? Should Miroku be a Baptist Priest? Would Sango and her family be out taking down monsters more remiscent of "Tremors"?

Inuyasha would have a better analog to an American Indian culture then a European one.
It could easily be pre-Columbian.
If it included any European characters, and I don't think it would need to, I would probably put in colonial times, or at least pre-railroad.

[Chris Wood]

I'm sure there are a number of anime that take place largely in North America.

For example:

Robotech The New Generation
Lupin Episode Zero
The Dagger of Kamui

[FlyByNite77]

Chrno Crusade takes place in America during the late 1920's, mainly NYC and California (San Francisco I think).

If Sailor Moon took place in America, the girls would all be going to catholic school for catholic schoolgirl uniforms ;)

Of course in the actual show Rei really does go to a catholic school already...

I could see a lot of the futuristic/post-apocalyptic stuff taking place in the US. It's easy to see NY or LA standing in for Tokyo in Bubblegum Crisis or Burst Angel.

[Duke]

The problem with any anime that takes place in America is that the script writers have no clue on how to write the setting, since most of their info is gotten from travel brochures and Fox News.

[Weatherman]

The Gunsmith Cats/Riding Bean guys got Chicago down pretty well, and R.O.D. got NYC down too.

I would see something like GitS:SAC moving to America pretty easily. Set it in neo-New York or Chicago or some place like that.

[Chad Bonin]

Thanks for mentioning that, Weatherman. I forgot to state that I could see some of the current dramas being easily made and set in America. Paranoia Agent, for example, although I still slightly envision that Tsukiko Sagi and Maromi would remain products of Japan... unless Maromi was a comic book character or a cereal mascot, a character like that could only come from Japan, and given how another import, Pikachu, was prevalent in America, I could see something that... weird... spiraling out of control in America.

[jethrek]

If Turn A Gundam was made in America, they'd spell "America" correctly.

(notably, the mecha designer, Syd Mead, is a Western, and the entire series takes place in English, America, and Mexico anyway. However Yoshiyuki tomino uses English just because he thinks it sounds cool and refuses to let anyone advise him on what the language is actually like. see: New Yark)



Now I must giggle at the thought of Evangelion being set in New New York :anime:

[Duke]

Now I must giggle at the thought of Evangelion being set in New New York :anime:Bender vs. an Angel. I'd pay to see that!

[Artimus Gigan]

I don't think IY would work like that if it took place in the Americas

Mainly because

A) Fedual Era in Japan(where it takes place) America wasn't officaly discovered yet and was pretty much At the time a tribal society before the europeans came

B) Inu-Yasha is a japanese name, you would need somthing more fitting, I mean the Native Americans had tons of names for the different spirits and such.

I mean you could easily use and adapt the different characters in the tribal mythologies. Heck why not have it take place in the American Southwest so you can use the Aztec and Maiyan elements as well....I mean Latin America had a bunch of stuff that could be adapted, and the advanced arcitecture to serve as evil fortress...

I mean they obviously travel everythwere in Japan in the series...so if you have it start in America it is in relative proximity to the others

[Dogasu]

It's hard to say, really, since Japan is about a few hundred years older than the US and therefore has more history to draw upon.

[MonkeyFunk]

It's hard to say, really, since Japan is about a few hundred years older than the US and therefore has more history to draw upon.
What if they were set in Europe?

[Sr.Infierno]

If Turn A Gundam was made in America, they'd spell "America" correctly.

(notably, the mecha designer, Syd Mead, is a Western, and the entire series takes place in English, America, and Mexico anyway. However Yoshiyuki tomino uses English just because he thinks it sounds cool and refuses to let anyone advise him on what the language is actually like. see: New Yark)



Now I must giggle at the thought of Evangelion being set in New New York :anime:
I thought that the mispronounciation in Turn A was supposed to signify that the show takes place in the far future and the names have been changed slightly. It's happened throughout history(Amerigo to America)

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

I can see them create one set during the 1600's when Quebec City was slowly being formed.

Not only that, I can see them make a viking invasion of Newfoundland, but not using the actual Norse men we know.

Matter of fact, I can see those two ideas in my head right now.

[Conan-san]

Bender vs. an Angel. I'd pay to see that! The 3rd angel, instead of Self Destructing, gets eaten by the horrible gelatious blob.

[Hordesman]

I think this question works better in relation to how a show might be different if it was produced in America rather than Japan. Geographical errors in a US-set show can occur in a show produced in America, if my cousin's (a D.C. resident his whole life) comments on Invasion America's "Running through DC" scene are any indication.

The shonen genre is fairly easy to note in terms of how US producers would approach it differently. I think they'd simply keep Kuina alive and have her as the aspiring swordmaster on One Piece, rather than Zoro. And the "boy? girl?" bishonen issues of the likes of Naruto's Haku and Mankin's Lyserg would be scrapped in favor of just making them girls to begin with. I do see them both having much in common with Teen Titans' Terra. TT is what shonen looks like when girls are part of the fighting group on a regular basis.

[Aquadementia]

The problem with any anime that takes place in America is that the script writers have no clue on how to write the setting, since most of their info is gotten from travel brochures and Fox News.
I took the question as asking how things translate, like if a Kurosawa Samurai movie was made as a Clint Eastwood western.
Oh, well....



What if Rurouni Kenshin took place in America?

The time period would work well, putting it just after the civil war.
I guess that would make Kenshin some sort of former Union officer. Being a wonderer would probably get him mistaken for a carpetbagger.

Kaoru's Dojo has seen better days, that could make her a plantation owner. Seeing how she has skills, maybe she would be a horse breeder/racer. That would kind of make Yahiko a jockey, which is amusing, and Kenshin would nodoubt be the wondering horseman/ex-cavalry officer?

Sanosuke would have been a Confederate Soldier, I think that's a given.

[Zyber]

Bender vs. an Angel. I'd pay to see that!
Sounds like a 60 min PPV to me :)

[RADRAD]

Full Metal Panic in America... my god... Sousuke would be in jail...

[Chris Wood]

The problem with any anime that takes place in America is that the script writers have no clue on how to write the setting, since most of their info is gotten from travel brochures and Fox News.

???? Er, do you mean to say American cartoons shouldn't write about foreign countries either? That would have shut down Johnny Quest.

It would be a boring entertainment world if everyone wrote only about their own countries. Sure cartoon writers usually don't have the resources to do the same degree of research that Hollywood does, but some of them do a great job.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

If anime were set in America, New York wouldn't exist. Instead, it would be called "New Yark."

[Artimus Gigan]

Full Metal Panic in America... my god... Sousuke would be in jail...Actualy Japan has a strict "no civilian able to carry guns" law...

Heck not even they average regular police officer carries a gun in Japan, however they do have a special sect in the Japanese police that are able to carry guns and other fire arms...It is sort of like the equivelent to the SWAT teams...

[Crash]

If it were made in America.... People would yell out the make and model of their gun as they fired! The Lone Ranger would have get a show and a transformation sequence! Every giant robot series would feature a battle either a) in the Grand Canyon b) under the St. Lois arch c) through downtown Las Vegas or d) within sight of the statue of Liberty. ...The Statue of Liberty would actually fight the giant robots in at least one series. Her and the giant Jesus statue in San Palo! (The one in South America):p

Actually, InuYasha would be kind of interesting set in America. Kagome would be Native American, a reincarnation of her tribe's medice man/woman... InuYasha would probably be half-Cyote spirit... Naraku some super-evil skinwalker... I'm sure someone with actual knowledge of N.A. culture could find a suitable parallel for all the important characters. And for some chronic comedy relief, instead of bringing back her bike for transportation, Kagome could bring back a horse and really confuse the locals.

[Weatherman]

I think this question works better in relation to how a show might be different if it was produced in America rather than Japan. Geographical errors in a US-set show can occur in a show produced in America, if my cousin's (a D.C. resident his whole life) comments on Invasion America's "Running through DC" scene are any indication.
No one ever get DC geography right.


A) Fedual Era in Japan(where it takes place) America wasn't officaly discovered yet and was pretty much At the time a tribal society before the europeans came
'Secuse me? America was discovered. It was "discovered" by the natives man. Shesh.


I could see something like Saikano beign set here very easily. Granted, that show already featued Americans of a sort, but It could have very easily been done the other way around.

[Artimus Gigan]

'Secuse me? America was discovered. It was "discovered" by the natives man. Shesh.


I could see something like Saikano beign set here very easily. Granted, that show already featued Americans of a sort, but It could have very easily been done the other way around.I said officialy discovered

which means documented and mapped...

[Chris Wood]

'Secuse me? America was discovered. It was "discovered" by the natives man. Shesh.

Yeah, but those sneaky guys didn't tell anyone. Which really didn't do the tourist industry any favors. The Algonquins lost a fortune on wigwam snowglobes until the British showed up.

[Dudley]

Most of the story in Sonic X is based in America...

[Feslmogh]

FLCL could be set in America...

[ToonKid]

i can imagine Sailor Moon in America, more specificly here In Miami BeAch, Florida

Serena and gang would wanna be in the beach instead of fighting the negaverse

[Hordesman]

If FAKE was an American series, would it be set in Japan instead? :p

[Elven Moon]

Hmmm...

Inu-Yasha - The past would be the wild, wild west (going back to pilgrim or colony times might not be as chaotic and interesting). Inu-Yasha would be the son of a bandit and a simple pioneer girl. The well could still be the entrance, only maybe it could involve a ghost town that her grandfather owns, she goes exploring, and falls into the well.

Daa! Daa! Daa! - Instead of a buddhist monk's home, Miyu would be moving in with a man who is principal of a Catholic school, and his son. Or maybe just a priest and his son.

Saint Tail - A lot wouldn't have to be changed since there are already Nuns and a Private Catholic School where the characters go to.

[beren]

Most of the Anime I like isn't really even set on the earth,! It takes place on far away planets, or in the future, or out in space or in the past, or in some sort of fantasy world. In alot of Anime America and Japan do not exist, however I will go over a few that might be intereseting if the setting changed,

Paranoia Agent, I think almost any major US city could work for that with little diffrence.

Anything Samurai could work at any time/location pre 1900 in America. However the number of people that die would have to be limited if it was in the 1500- 1600 period due to the lack of civilization.


gits could work, I think tenchi muyo could work also, his grandfather is a rancher in new mexico near the town of roswell, Tenchi and his father live in Santa fe etc. etc. etc.


A few Anime movies are set in America, for instance "A wind named Amnesia" that recently aired on azntv. However they got a few thing sin the movie very bad, they are attacked by a robot type thing in washington dc, then by dot dot dotting on the map during a chase scene where the robot is chasing and closing in on them while they are in a jeep, they arrive in new york in a matter of 5 minutes.

[guinaevere]

The Algonquins lost a fortune on wigwam snowglobes until the British showed up. And years later, it was (ironically) Custer's men who set up a tourist bidness selling, "I survived Little Bighorn" shirts... they didn't sell terribly well. if only the Sioux and Cheyenne had more entrepreneurs.