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Update: Further clarification of planned format added. At the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France today, French animation company Mangouste Anim announced that it will produce a new animation based on the late Buichi Terasawa’s popular Space Adventure Cobra manga. A teaser visual was released for the new series. Cobra French Animation Teaser Visual Related: Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening Game Highlights Action, Animation in ‘Anime Trailer’ Details on the new Space Adventure Cobra animation are sparse, with no mention of when the new work will be released. Animation Business Journal reports that Mangouste Anim states, "Cobra will return to our screens" and lists it as an animated series. Source: Animation Business Journal , press release...

A release date was recently revealed for Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening , a side-scroller that aims to bring Buichi Terasawa’s classic series to life on consoles and PC this August. We didn’t have to wait long for a followup preview, with the new “Anime Trailer” mixing in some character animation with the action. You can see Cobra running and gunning along with other playable characters in the video below. Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening ‘Anime Trailer’ Related: Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening Locks in August 26 Launch Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening hits PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and Gog on August 26. As previously reported, it will cover the first 12 episodes of the anime adaptation, which originally aired in Japan for 31 episodes from 1982 to 1983. It also takes inspiration from Terasawa's original 1978-1984 manga, which went on to...

Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening was previously revealed as a side-scroller based on Buichi Terasawa’s legendary manga and its anime adaptation. Now publisher Microids and developer Magic Pockets have locked in a release date, lining the action game up for an August 26 launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and Gog. Related: Space Adventure Cobra Side-Scrolling Action Game Targets 2025 Launch As previously reported, Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening covers the first 12 episodes of the anime adaptation, which originally aired in Japan for 31 episodes from 1982 to 1983. It also takes inspiration from Terasawa's original 1978-1984 manga, which went on to inspire the aforementioned classic anime along with OVAs, a 2010 anime and, perhaps most famously, Osamu Dezaki's 1982 classic Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie . Source: Microids on X (formerly Twitter)...

In the past few decades, the influence of anime and manga has reached the absolute corners of the world, making almost every other individual a fan of the art form. It is slowly transitioning into the mainstream world, and much of the credit for this goes to Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise, which serves as the epitome of the anime and manga industry.

Dragon Ball Franchise | Credit: Toei Animation

The influence of the industry was recently witnessed when legendary football player and coach Thierry Henry talked about his favorite anime character and taunted others for not watching or reading Dragon Ball. He pointed out that Son Goku, the protagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise, was definitely one of his favorite characters.

However, at the last moment, he changed his choice and decided to go with Cobra, from the underrated Japanese manga series by Buichi Terasawa, which came out in...

Space Adventure Cobra is on the way back to our screens, but perhaps not in the way you expected. Developer Magic Pockets has hooked up with publisher Microids to bring a side-scrolling action game inspired by Buichi Terasawa's classic series to consoles and PC in 2025.  Details were light at the time, but the project was first revealed as being in active development in March 2023. According to the description, Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening covers the first 12 episodes of the anime adaptation, which originally aired in Japan for 31 episodes from 1982 to 1983. Terasawa's 1978-1984 manga also went on to inspire OVAs, a 2010 anime, and perhaps most famously, Osamu Dezaki's 1982 classic Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie . As for how Cobra and his Psychogun translate to side-scrolling action, let's take a peek: Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening Trailer Related: Space Adventure Cobra Manga Author Buichi Terasawa Passes Away at 68 Beyond the single-player adventure,...

Quick Links Goku Midnight Eye is an Adaptation of Journey to the West Goku Midnight Eye’s Heavy Cyberpunk Aesthetic is What Makes it So Memorable Goku Midnight Eye Took a Radically Approach to its Source Material Than Other Anime Journey to the West is a classic Chinese novel that combines comedy, fantasy, action, and historical drama. Goku Midnight Eye is a unique cyberpunk anime adaptation of Journey to the West with a heavy cyberpunk aesthetic. Goku, the protagonist of Goku Midnight Eye, shares similarities with Sun Wukong from Journey to the West and possesses incredible powers.

Of all the classic Chinese novels, Journey to the West is arguably not just the most famous, but the most influential. Combining comedy, fantasy, action, and historical drama into a single narrative, Journey to the West tells the tale of a monk who travels far from his home in China in search of Buddhist sutras.

Buichi Terasawa is an unsung creator in the anime and manga worlds; he recently passed away, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to influence the industry. Terasawa's iconic works, such as Cobra and Goku Midnight Eye, were examples of more "adult" manga that had gritty storylines, mature content, and unique art styles. Terasawa's creations—particularly Cobra—inspired various adaptations, merchandise, and even other franchises like Devil May Cry and The Fifth Element, solidifying Terasawa's impact and widespread recognition.

The anime and manga worlds are mourning the passing of one of their most unsung creators. Buichi Terasawa recently died after a series of health issues, though his legacy is sure to live on. A pioneer in more adult-oriented manga, his most popular work is one of the best-selling manga of all time.

Terasawa's works were popular outside Japan, as well, with one manga and anime series in particular making a...

Digital Media Rights (Dmr), a leading global distributor of movies and television programs, and publisher of popular Ott channels, today announces the launch of RetroCrush, a new digital channel, on March 30, 2020. Devoted to streaming classic anime TV and movies, including more than 100 series and 40 features at launch, RetroCrush will be available with new video-on-demand (VOD) apps on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and smart TVs, and on desktop at www.retrocrush.tv. RetroCrush joins Dmr’s expanding family of Ott channels that also includes AsianCrush, Midnight Pulp, YuyuTV and Cocoro.

RetroCrush is available now with popular anime titles from the 70s, 80s and 90s. It will be available as a free, ad-supported video on-demand (Avod) service. Will Chao and Mary Gibson are RetroCrush’s content curators, with Selin Kilic and John Stack providing acquisitions support. Remarked RetroCrush curator Will Chao:

What makes this channel exciting is its focus on...

With director Alexandre Aja’s next project Cobra: The Space Pirate coming to theaters in 2013, fan Michael Paris has gone ahead to create a fan film teaser that’s inspired by the upcoming live-action adaptation of the popular cartoon, the old-school manga by Buichi Terasawa, which stars Johanna Genet. Cobra: The Space Pirate stars a rogue [...]

Continue reading Cobra: The Space Pirate Fan Film Teaser on FilmoFilia.

Related posts: Alexandre Aja’s ‘Cobra: The Space Pirate’ Teaser Poster Dead Space Movie Confirmed, D.J. Caruso Directing Safady Entertainment Acquires Film Rights to “Cobra 405″...

Sale artwork to promote director Alexandre Aja's next project - a live-action adaptation of the popular cartoon "Cobra: The Space Pirate" - has appeared on the front page of Variety's international edition. The art was created to drum up interest at the Cannes Film Festival. The art gives you an idea as to where Aja is guiding the look for Cobra himself. The French filmmaker behind "Piranha 3D", "The Hills Have Eyes" and "High Tension" announced his intentions to bring Cobra to the big screen last summer after he acquired the rights for the Japanese manga from Buichi Terasawa. He is writing the script with his usual collaborator Gregory Levasseur, who will also produce. The film follows the eponymous rogue space pirate, a man who has surgically altered his face and erases his...

Back in August of last year, we brought you the news about director Alexandre Aja (Piranha 3D) and his plans to adapt the Japanese manga-turned animated series, Cobra: The Space Pirate into a tent pole-sized live action franchise for the big screen. Aja was granted the rights by creator, Buichi Terasawa (Goku Midnight Eye).

At the time, Aja said of the project:

“I grew up dreaming about Cobra: The Space Pirate. My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. For many people there is Star Wars and nothing else, but for me and my writing partner, there is Star Wars and Cobra. I am so surprised it never crossed the ocean and made the same impact in the U.S., because it is so big everywhere else. There are 60 books,...

Alexandre Aja, riding high on the coat tails of his hit horror flick Piranha 3D, ploughed straight into his next dream project with Cobra – The Space Pirate. Seemingly doing the impossible and lobbying Cobra creator Buichi Terasawa for the film rights – which he was duly given! Aja has written the script for Cobra – The Space Pirate with Gregory Levasseur and will produce with Levasseur and Alexandra Milchan.

A mere six months after the initial announcement it looks like Aja is on the Cobra offensive again, with the film up for “sale” at the Cannes Film Festival, where this artwork comes from:

In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate whose refusal to align with the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild puts him on the business end of a huge bounty. As he tries to keep his identity secret and avoid capture,...

Here is a banner for for Alexandre Aja's upcoming live-action adaptation of Cobra: The Space Pirate. Yesterday we shared some teaser art being used to promote the sale of the project at the Cannes Film Festival. Aja announced the project last summer after aquiring the rights for the Japanese manga from Buichi Terasawa. Gregory Levasseur is writing the story and will also produce. 

Here is the synopsis for the film:

In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate whose refusal to align with the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild puts him on the business end of a huge bounty. As he tries to keep his identity secret and avoid capture, Cobra teams up with a sexy bounty hunter named Jane, who is out to locate her sisters and decode a treasure map tattooed on their backs. Their...

The first banner has been released for the upcoming manga adaptation Cobra - The Space Pirate, which should hit theaters sometime in 2013. Take a look at concept art for this genre adventure below, and read on for more details on this project.

Back in August we reported that director Alexandre Aja is adapting the Cobra - The Space Pirate manga, which was created by Buichi Terasawa. It isn't known when Cobra - The Space Pirate will start production, although Alexandre Aja is currently shopping the project around. Take a look at the synopsis for Cobra - The Space Pirate below.

In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate whose refusal to align with the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild puts him on the business end of a huge bounty. As he tries to keep his identity secret and avoid capture,...

Paris-based Onyx Films has signed on to co-produce the $100 million+ budget manga adaptation "Cobra: The Space Pirate" which Alexandre Aja ("Piranha 3D") is helming for Studio 37 reports Variety.

Described as a tent pole-sized live action sci-fi franchise, the story is set in a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space. Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate with a large bounty on his head who teams up with a hunter and seeks a lost treasure hidden on Mars.

Buichi Terasawa's manga and animated series was hugely popular across Europe which is how Aja knows the property. Aja and Gregory Levasseur penned the script and both will produce alongside Aton Soumache and Dimitri Rassam.

Pre-production will kick off in the Fall, with production to start early Spring 2012 for a Summer 2013 release.

As the Cannes Film Festival is but one week away from kicking off in the South of France, posters and other such studio marketing ads will no doubt begin to be plastered across the Crosiette this week, if it hasn’t begun already.

One such ad that is due to be erected is the following sales poster for Cobra: The Space Pirate, director Alexandre Aja’s (Piranha 3D, Haute Tension) attempt to adapt the Japanese manga turned popular animated t.v. series into a live-action feature film. The french director bought the rights to the source material from creator Buichi Terasawa last summer and is now in need of a studio to back his vision.

See the poster in full below and predict whether it might do the trick of enticing a financial backer;

I’ve never heard of the show personally (Manga isn’t my thing), so I’m...

I always love seeing this stuff, because it's really just early sales art to create some buzz. ComingSoon has posted a photo of a cover containing some promo art for Cobra: The Space Pirate, the new film from director Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, Piranha 3D). It's an adaptation of a Japanese manga about a rogue space pirate who teams up with a bounty hunter on an adventure to Mars in search of lost treasure. The pirate, who isn't even cast yet (as far as we know), has "surgically altered his face and erased his memory to hide from enemies," but regains those memories to find the treasure. Sounds fun. Update: We've added the nice, clean, high res version of the poster below, as it was debuted on Premiere.fr. Cobra, as it was known in Japan, is a space-opera manga series written & illustrated by Buichi Terasawa,...

Here is some teaser art in promotion of director Alexandre Aja's upcoming live-action adaptation of the popular cartoon Cobra: The Space Pirate. The art was created to promote the sale of the project at the Cannes Film Festival. It gives us a glimpse of what is to come by showing what Cobra himself will look like in the film.

Aja is the director of such films as Piranha 3D, The Hills Have Eyes and High Tension. Last summer he announced he was bringing Cobra to the big screen after aquiring the rights for the Japanese manga from Buichi Terasawa. Gregory Levasseur (Aja's partner) is writing the story and will also produce. The film follows the "eponymous rogue space pirate, a man who has surgically altered his face and erases his own memory to hide from his enemies. Cobra gradually regains his memories and unites with his old partner Lady Armaroid and his ship Tortuga.

Sale artwork to promote director Alexandre Aja's next project - a live-action adaptation of the popular cartoon Cobra: The Space Pirate - has appeared on the front page of Variety 's international edition. The art was created to drum up interest at the Cannes Film Festival. The art gives you an idea as to where Aja is guiding the look for Cobra himself. The French filmmaker behind Piranha 3D , The Hills Have Eyes and High Tension announced his intentions to bring Cobra to the big screen last summer after he acquired the rights for the Japanese manga from Buichi Terasawa. He is writing the script with his usual collaborator Gregory Levasseur, who will also produce. The film follows the eponymous rogue space pirate, a man who has surgically altered his face and...

Alexandre Aja is currently writing his next movie, a live-action 3D adaptation of Buichi Terasawa’s popular manga, Cobra the Space Pirate. The Piranha 3D director had already shared his enthusiasm about this project few months ago, and it really seems like a personal goal that he has set for himself. “Cobra is unique. Of all the animés I used to watch as a kid, it’s the most avant-garde, in both rhythm and imagination,” he told French site Cinemateaser. Hit the jump to find out more. Cobra, or Kobura, is a manga series written and illustrated by Buichi Terasawa, who apparently drew inspiration from French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, famous for his action-adventure movies from the 60s and 70s. Cobra embarks on a series of adventures himself as he tries to escape his enemies. His tactics include surgically altering his face and erasing his own memory which he later regains.

With the release of Alexandre Aja's latest film, Piranha 3D, it's only appropriate that news of his next project has begun to surface. After his success in the horror genre, Aja now plans on branching out to sci-fi with Cobra: The Space Pirate. Based on a Japanese manga created by Buichi Terasawa, Cobra was adapted into an animated series which was popular in Europe and a childhood favorite for Aja. Deadline [1] provides a basic storyline: In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate whose refusal to align with the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild puts him on the business end of a huge bounty. As he tries to keep his identity secret and avoid capture, Cobra teams up with a sexy bounty hunter named Jane, who is out to locate her sisters and decode a treasure map tattooed on their backs.

Director Alexandre Aja ("Piranha 3D", "The Hills Have Eyes") has selected his next project, a film adaptation of Buichi Terasawa's manga and animated series franchise "Cobra: The Space Pirate" reports Deadline. Described as a tent pole-sized live action sci-fi franchise, the story is set in a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space. Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate with a large bounty on his head who teams up with a hunter and seeks a lost treasure hidden on Mars. The animated series was hugely popular across Europe which is how Aja knows the property. Aja and Gregory Levasseur will pen the script and both will produce alongside Marc Sessego and Alexandra Milchan....

Director Alexandre Aja (Piranha 3D) has apparently already chosen his next project. The director plans to adapt the Japanese manga-turned animated series, Cobra The Space Pirate into a tent pole-sized live action franchise for the big screen.

Deadline reports that Aja has he’s been granted the rights by creator, Buichi Terasawa (Goku Midnight Eye), and is currently shopping the project around to different financiers, hoping to start production on the film soon.

Aja says,

“I grew up dreaming about Cobra-The Space Pirate. My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. For many people there is Star Wars and nothing else, but for me and my writing partner, there is Star Wars and Cobra. I am so surprised it never crossed the ocean and made the same impact in the U.

So apparently, "Cobra -- the Space Pirate" is a big deal! It's a Japanese manga from Buichi Terasawa that became an animated series and very popular in Europe. According to Deadline Hollywood, "Piranha 3D" director, Alexandre Aja, who grew up loving the series, wants to turn it into a big-screen adventure.

So what is "Cobra -- the Space Pirate" about? A quick Wiki trip reveals:

"The series follows the adventures of Cobra who lived an ordinary life until enemies started to hunt him down. Cobra surgically alters his face, and erases his own memory to hide from his enemies. Cobra starts to regain his memories and then unites with his old partner Lady Armaroid and his ship Tortuga. Later in his adventures, Cobra meets the Royal sisters whose map-tattoos lead to treasure."

Aja has been granted the rights by Terasawa and he is writing the script with Gregory Levasseur. This...

With Piranha 3-D opening this weekend, director Alexandre Aja is already setting up his next project, an adaptation of the Japanese manga comic, Cobra - The Space Pirate by Buichi Terasawa. The comic was eventually turned into a animated series shown on European television, and Aja, who grew up in France, told Deadline that the series was a big part of his childhood.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 8/19/2010 by Ryan

Buichi Terasawa | Alexandre Aja | Grégory Levasseur | Piranha 3D...

Piranha 3D director Alexandre Aja is developing a movie based on Japanese manga Cobra - The Space Pirate. Aja has acquired the rights to the property, which was previously adapted for a hit animated series in Europe, reports Deadline. The sci-fi manga, created by Buichi Terasawa, centres on rogue space pirate Cobra and bounty hunter Jane as they seek to liberate a lost treasure on Mars. "I grew up dreaming about Cobra," Aja said. "My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV, and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. (more)...

Director Alexander Aja ("Piranha 3D," "The Hills Have Eyes") has selected his next project, a film adaptation of Buichi Terasawa's manga and animated series franchise "Cobra: The Space Pirate" reports Deadline.

Described as a tent pole-sized live action sci-fi franchise, the story is set in a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space. Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate with a large bounty on his head who teams up with a hunter and seeks a lost treasure hidden on Mars.

The animated series was hugely popular across Europe which is how Aja knows the property. Aja and Gregory Levasseur will pen the script and both will produce alongside Marc Sessego and Alexandra Milchan.

With Piranha 3D about to hit cinemas, director Alexandre Aja is now looking forwards to his next project – inking a deal to bring classic manga/anime Cobra – The Space Pirate to the big screen.

Aja is apparently so passionate about Cobra that he personally lobbied creator Buichi Terasawa for the film rights. As Aja told Deadline:

I grew up dreaming about Cobra. My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. For many people there is Star Wars and nothing else, but for me and my writing partner Gregory, there is Star Wars and Cobra.

I am so surprised it never crossed the ocean and made the same impact in the U.S., because it is so big everywhere else. There are 60 books, a lot of TV animation and so many adventures,...

Director Alexandre Aja's 3D remake of the cult horror film "Piranha” hits theaters Friday but he’s already lined up his next directing gig. According to “Deadline,” Aja will direct the outer space fantasy “Cobra — The Space Pirate,” based on a popular Japanese manga that was adapted into an animated series. Aja told “Deadline” that he finally secured rights to “Cobra” after numerous meetings with its creator Buichi Terasawa.

Alexandre Aja has acquired the rights to Cobra—The Space Pirate, a space-opera manga series written and illustrated by Buichi Terasawa.

Cobra—The Space Pirate is set in a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space. Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate whose refusal to align with the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild puts him on the business end of a huge bounty. As he tries to keep his identity secret and avoid capture, Cobra teams up with a sexy bounty hunter named Jane, who is out to locate her sisters and decode a treasure map tattooed on their backs. Their goal: to liberate a lost treasure on Mars.

Aja, who has battled vigorously for the rights, clearly has a lot of respect for Terasawa’s work and plans to turn the manga series into a full-blown live-action cinematic franchise.

Aja, referring to Cobra—The Space Pirate,...

It looks like we won't have an on-time review of Piranha 3-D, so look for that instead on Friday afternoon. We'll get it to you, though. The film's director, French bloodlust merchant Alexandre Aja, is already turning his attention to his next project.

MovieWeb says Aja is gearing up for Cobra-The Space Pirate, his first foray into the world of manga adaptation. It is not the first trip beyond the page for Cobra, though; the Buichi Terasawa creation was turned into an anime series back in the 1980s and there were some anime films, as well.

Aja would like to see a live-action franchise grow out of it, although he doesn't have anyone forking over the money just yet. If Piranha doesn't hit...good luck. Anime/manga spin-offs are tough to sell to financiers here in the Us, and it's hard to do a lot with a franchise, at least...

Piranha 3D helmer Alexandre Aja has won the rights to bring forth an adaptation of Cobra the Space Pirate to our screens. Based on a Manga cartoon by Buichi Terasawa, the director is planning to make it his next movie, which will certainly be a change of pace and style from his first four movies.

Cobra: The Space Pirate concerns a pirate dude known as Cobra who flies around the galaxy not even wanting to join other pirates… he’s a total maverick! There’s secret maps, a hot bounty hunter and high adventures. Good stuff!

Aja bagged the rights after pestering the original author and the movie could be a big Hollywood blockbuster. Aja will be writing and producing with his partner-in-crime, Gregory Levasseur and proposes it will be shot in 3D. The comic was turned into a cartoon series in the 1980s and Aja told Deadline:

“I grew up dreaming about Cobra.

Alexandre Aja is currently prepping up to unleash his new film Piranha 3D onto the world, and looks like a hall of a lot of fun! Now it looks like he's got his next film project lined up and ready to rock and roll! The film will be based on a Japanese manga and animated series called Cobra - The Space Pirate. I've never seen the animated series or read the manga, unfortunatley it wasn't really that big of a property here in America.

Aja's plans are to turn this saga into an epic tent pole-sized live action movie franchise. He is going to write the script with Gregory Levasseur. This will be Aja's first sci-fi fantasy film, since his first film, High Tension, in 2003 he's he's been directing horror films such as The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors and Piranha 3D.

Aja talked to Deadline about the new film project,...

Although I haven't ever seen any of director Alexandre Aja's films (High Tension, Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, Piranha 3D - I know, I need to!) he's got one project I'm now quite excited about. He's been doing horror for a while and has had some success, but I've been hoping we would see him branch out into even more genres. So it's no surprise to hear via Deadline that Alex Aja has just been granted the rights to adapt the Japanese manga Cobra the Space Pirate into a "tent pole-sized live action franchise." Aja will be writing the script with Grégory Levasseur (High Tension, Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, P2) and also producing with Levasseur. Cobra, as it was known in Japan, is a space-opera manga series written & illustrated by Buichi Terasawa, originally running from 1978 to 1984. In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra ...

No, director Alexandre Aja isn’t following up his Piranha remake by tackling a re-imagining of the Sylvester Stallone '80s action thriller. He’s nabbed the rights to Buichi Terasawa’s manga Cobra: The Space Pirate, with plans for a sci-fi epic.Aja has apparently been itching to get the chance to make Cobra into a movie for a while now, and has been plying Terasawa with requests to win the rights. Now he’s finally broken down the creator and has ambitions to create a summer tent pole action epic from the story.Terasawa’s work was turned into an animated series that ran across Europe in the 1980s and came across as a blend of Dan Dare and Master and Commander. Merchant spaceships fly across the galaxy, ever at the mercy of ruthless pirate types looking to score a bounty. Cobra is among the most notorious,...

French director Alexandre Aja, who blasted onto the international horror scene in 2003 with High Tension, may be busy with his latest film, Piranha 3d (in theaters this weekend), but that doesn’t mean he isn’t looking forward. According to Deadline, Aja has just secured the rights to the Buichi Terasawa/Black Sheep Studio manga, Cobra-The Space Pirate.

If you’ve never heard of Cobra or his space adventures, you’re not alone. While the space-opera epic manga and TV series was immensely popular in Japan and all over Europe, it never quite found an audience here in the U.S.

“I grew up dreaming about Cobra,” Aja told Deadline. “My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. For many people there is Star Wars and nothing else,...

Alexandre Aja to direct Cobra-The Space Pirate With Piranha 3D set to hit theater screens this Friday, director Alexandre Aja isn't wasting any time choosing his next project. According to Deadline, the acclaimed horror auteur is set to helm Cobra-The Space Pirate, a big screen adaptation of the Buichi Terasawa created Japanese manga-turned popular animated series.

Aja plans to turn the property into a tent pole-sized live action franchise. The story follows a space pirate named Cobra who refuses to align with either the United Galaxies Federation or the Pirates Guild, which results in a huge bounty being placed on his head. Hoping to stay one foot ahead of his captors, Cobra teams up with another bounty hunter named Jane who is searching for her sisters in order to decode a treasure map that has been tattooed onto their backs. Together, Cobra and Jane hope to secure a lost treasure hidden somewhere on Mars.

Director Alexandre Aja has emerged from the Piranha 3D fish tank determined to next sink his teeth into Cobra—The Space Pirate. While not well known in America, the Buichi Terasawa-created Japanese manga was turned into an animated series that was hugely popular across Europe and especially in Aja's childhood household. After a long courtship, Aja said he's been granted the rights by Terasawa. He wants to turn the futuristic saga into a tent pole-sized live action franchise. He is writing the script with Gregory Levasseur and will produce with Levasseur, Marc Sessego and Alexandra Milchan. Since directing the 2003 French fright film High Tension, Aja has stayed in horror mode with The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors and Piranha 3D. He wants to step up to a big science fiction fantasy tale. In a future where merchant spaceships and ruthless brigands sail across space, Cobra is a notorious rogue pirate...

Everyone’s favorite whacked out Japanese director is doing the Manga shuffle again, this time with a live action version of Buichi Terasawa’s Takeru. As in the Manga the film would follow the exploits of Takeru Ichimonji, a ninja with blond, curiously styled hair who lives in a sort of hybrid feudal/futuristic Japan. I’ve never read this Manga before by if I were to venture a guess it does have a healthy dose of bloodletting. With an estimated budget of $30 million, this is set to be quite the epic production with not only Japanese production houses involved but several others from Thailand, China and even Korea. It’s nice to see one time sworn enemies work together isn’t it? Especially when what they’re bringing to the rest of the world are futuristic ninjas.

The times they are a changing for everyone’s favorite, once maverick, Japanese film director. Sure, some of wish for the Miike of old, the Miike that challenged our perceptions of cinema, that blew our minds with challenging content and incredible visuals, but with success come great demand and the majors are sure throwing a lot of projects at Miike these days now that he has proven he can also be a box office draw. But unlike other Asian directors that have attached themselves to a multitude of projects you know Miike can get things done. Who knows. With all this coin he is making perhaps he has a few personal projects set aside and he can use these paychecks to fund those.

And so, days after the announcement that Miike would be remaking Thirteen Assassins there was another announcement today of another project for our beloved director. After he...

Is it just us, or is it starting to look like Takashi Miiki is working through his entire back catalogue of fave Manga, to turn them all into films? Hot on the heals of his big budget reworking of Crows Zero and recently Yatterman, comes the news he has now signed up for yet another Manga re-do. This time he’s taking on a $30m adaptation of Buichi Terasawa’s Takeru. Set to be a pan-Asian co-production the films producers are in talks to hire a swathe of A-list actors (of course ensuring plenty of ticket sales in as many countries as possible) from China, Korea and Japan. Shooting is expected to start in 2010 for release at the end of 2011.

Looks like Takashi Miike isn’t fully occupied with his planned remake of Eiichi Kudo’s classic Thirteen Assassins (Juusan-nin no Shikaku) since THR reports that the Japanese director will also helm the live-action adaptation of Buichi Terasawa’s Takeru manga. Miike has already directed several films based on manga sources, such as Ichi, Mpd Psycho, Yatterman and Crows Zero. Takeru is set is a fictious world in which the ninja Takeru Ichimonji fights for his girlfriend’s life. Shooting is supposed to start in October 2010, the 30M Us$ project will be produced by several Pan-asian companies based in Thailand, China and Korea.

[via Ann & @jgtokyo]

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