George Takei Decries 'Akira' Whitewashing, Potential Cast of Pattinson and Timberlake

I'm against Akira going live action anyway. But casting the these dimwits will turn akira in to some silly thing for fangirls, they cannot do that...

I can't believe you guys are focusing on the casting, when the main issue is that they made Kaneda's bike a scooter. That's like casting a Volkswagen Beetle in the role of a Ferrari! The injustice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7v3XmgcC0I

The name Akira is Japanese(duh), and isn't that uncommon of one at that. An English equivalent might be George, Robert, Johnathan, Christopher, and so on..... The point is, if you're going to make an American version of the comic/movie then you should completely Americanize it, a la "The Departed." Use an American name and use white people.....go ahead....it'll be great. But, don't use a Japanese name, set the story in Japan, and then use white people.......I can't help but think that would be very dumb.

Abraham Lincoln is going to be played by a Brit! Nobody seems to care about that. Why are the same people who are angry about Akira staring white actors not angry about arguably America's greatest President being played by a Englishman???

It's unfair. Asians created the manga so Asains should be allowed to take the lead roles. They already ruined DragonBall Z by white-washing it. Many Asian kids looked up to Goku. He was like their Asian hero because most of the other heros are white and what did they do to him in the American movie? Made Goku WHITE. That's not fair how Asians NEVER get lead roles in American movies. What? Just because you think Asians aren't "cool enough"? It's pretty much like discriminating Asians. I think Asians deserve a right to play lead roles.

If the movie is going to be set in America it wouldn't make sense for all the actors to be Asian.
Now, name me an Asian actor they could cast in this thing.
I think that if all goes well this movie could be fun. There will be one version set in Japan and one that takes places in America. It’s like then they take Shakespeare and modernize it and change the settings.
For those who say that it’s a story that is simply too Japanese to be Americanized I ask you, what about Seven Samurai / The Magnificent Seven?

I'd not waste my time going to see Akira if the lead actors are white.

It'd be like making a movie about politics in the 70s and then casting an Indian dude as JFK.

Akira should be cast with Asian actors/actresses. The characters are Asian and so the actors should be as well.
Capt. America should be white
Malcom X should be black.
Ect ect ect
Dear Hollywood,
Please stop destroying cultures for money.
If you would like to make a buck either come up with a new original story yourself, or if you must use someone else's story, Be true to the story you are using.

Yeah, there are cases where it doesn't matter if the actor is Asian, British, American or Scottish.. But Akira has a certain feel to it that should remain intact by keeping it Japanese. I'm also fearing the casting decisions for another demographic..age. I'm sorry but the characters in Akira were teens. All of the actors they are considering are too old for the part. Just my take on i

Why does everyone hate Hollywood???
The Last Airbender was a movie that should have starred Asians because it was a story that took place in Asia and simply couldn't be Americanized being that it was about monks which we all here don't have in the West.
Akira could easily be translated to the Western World.
I don’t disagree that Asian actors have a tough time in Hollywood, but this is a big budget movie and the studio isn’t going to cast an unknown/ B-Lister.