Mad Max Might Go Anime, Fueling Max’s Madness

Now Miller is resurrecting the idea as an
R-rated, stereoscopic anime flick for theatrical release. It’s a curious
undertaking, to be sure, but one made all the more certain to happen after the
runaway success in 2006 of his computer-animated “Happy Feet”–not that the
newest, ever-violent “Max” film will have much in common with that kid-friendly
penguin party.
“I see myself as someone who is very curious
about storytelling and all its various media,” Miller said. “I’ve always loved
anime, in particular the Japanese sensibility. It’s something I’ve always
wanted to do.”
…
For the anime release, Miller isn’t looking simply
to mimic Japanese-style animation but rather to adapt it for Western audiences.
“The anime is an opportunity for me to shift a little bit about what anime is
doing because anime is ripe for an adjustment or sea change,” he explained.
“It’s coming in games and I believe it’s the same in anime. There’s going to be
a hybrid anime where it shifts more towards Western sensibilities. [Japanese
filmmaker Akira] Kurosawa was able to bridge that gap between the Japanese
sensibilities and the West and make those definitive films.”