Action anime is one of the more popular sub-genres, largely because of its global appreciation — One-Punch Man, Tokyo Ghoul, Code Geass, Cowboy Bebop, all critically acclaimed. Of course, many of these examples also include superpowers and/or some form of magic, but there are considerable quantities of never-ending combat scenes, as well.
As such, it would be an interesting thought experiment to consider which iconic action movies could be translated into their anime counterpart (whether as a film or a TV series). At the same time, this categorization process would necessarily exclude several others that simply don't fit the thematic and narrative gist central to the anime format.
10 Great Anime: The whole journey taken by Douglas Quaid in Total Recall (1990) can easily be extended into a short series
This Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi flick is one of the more impressive Hollywood productions, in part for its complex storyline and incredibly developed internal universe. In fact, several popular anime have displayed similar trends — the Mars theme in Cowboy Bebop and the "mind-manipulation" protocols in Pyscho-Pass, among others.
The whole journey taken by Douglas Quaid can easily be extended into a short series, as the depth of information provided can be elaborated without taking away from Total Recall's narrative pith.
9 Not Really: The Raid (2011) offers a bare minimum of plot
The Raid is an exhilarating action movie, starring a then-unknown martial artist Iko Uwais, as Rama, a police officer whose brother has been kidnapped by Tama, the villain.
Most scenes are packed with end-t0-end combat, considerably long and gory, which is one of the reasons it would not work if converted into anime. There is a bare minimum of plot, and it is common knowledge that the Japanese animated genre thrives on exposition and character development.
8 Great Anime: Speed (1994) is one of the more unique action thriller concepts
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock make the perfect disaster-avoiding couple in Speed, one of the more unique action thriller concepts produced by Hollywood.
As an anime, it would be best as a feature-length film, given the break-neck pace followed by the plot. Another interesting feature that could be added by this revision is the relocation of the movie's events from Los Angeles (known for its horrible traffic) to Tokyo (a city with noticeably improved vehicular congestion levels).
7 Not Really: the super emotional story told by Gladiator (2000) cannot be completely expressed through the anime medium
Although there have been anime that have taken on ancient Rome as their subject matter, such as Thermae Romae, the super emotional story told by Gladiator cannot be completely expressed through this medium.
On the other hand, it's possible to make it work if the structural bedrock is altered to, say, Edo period Japan. That being said, the film can effortlessly be remade into an animated version of itself (à la Disney but with much darker overtones).
6 Great Anime: Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) could be reconstructed into anime without losing its sense of adventure & camaraderie
Not just A New Hope, the entire Star Wars franchise can be smoothly reconstructed into anime, without losing any of the sense of adventure and camaraderie they spark in their countless fans.
The best thing about this transformation is the ability to go all-out with the animation (as live-action CGI still has a ways to go before it can match the unrestricted style of this genre.) Besides, epic space opera anime is already a thing, and Star Wars will be a worthwhile inclusion.
5 Not Really: Dunkirk's (2017) thematic core opts for specificity & clarification
Dunkirk is far too clinical a description of the Second World War, although it makes for a visually stunning Nolan masterpiece. It could, in theory, be rendered into this new medium, following the pattern of Hayao Miyazaki's graceful artistry and the lingering moments shared by his characters on screen.
Unfortunately, Dunkirk's thematic core, as mentioned already, opts for specificity and clarification, which doesn't seem like something Miyazaki would do.
4 Great Anime: Léon: The Professional (1994) teems with personal growth & unexpected partnerships when considered from an emotional perspective
A prepubescent child becoming "best friends" with an assassin is flawless anime material, from the plucky schoolgirl to the gruff, but secretly soft-hearted hitman.
Even the plot, filled with violence and betrayal on the surface, teems with personal growth and unexpected partnerships when considered from an emotional perspective. Léon: The Professional can be developed into an anime series or a film; both versions are capable of encapsulating the truly poignant tale to its maximum extent.
3 Not Really: The Revenant's (2015) earthy plot could be a bit unwieldy for it to flow without a hitch if made an anime
Alejandro G. Iñárritu's The Revenant got Leonardo DiCaprio his first (and well-deserved) Academy Award, but its earthy plot could be a bit unwieldy for it to flow without a hitch if made an anime.
First of all, the survivalist motif is heavily dependent on the sociopolitical context of the US during Frontier times, which is tricky to effectively interpret in the anime form. This rationale especially applies to the cold, brutal environment of an uncharted continent and its unique wilds.
2 Great Anime: Any James Bond Movie (1962 - ) needs the audience's attention for the full length of its duration
The James Bond franchise is best known for three things — guns, gadgets, and girls (the last of which is rightfully problematic). Still, it's pretty much the same setting for many shonen anime, even if the guns and gadgets are replaced with magic and spiritual powers, the remainder of the concept does not change, whatsoever.
TV shows are liable to be inadequate representations because the James Bond plot needs the audience's attention for the full length of its duration.
1 Not Really: Baby Driver (2017) isn't exactly anime-worthy
It's not implausible to consider Baby Driver as an anime from its overarching story model (and the utterly exquisite background score). Heist movies in general fit the trends often seen in this genre.
And yet, however outstanding Ansel Elgort's performance might be, the movie, according to The New Yorker's Richard Brody is "burdened with a pointless complexity that serves, above all, to mask... the insignificance, impersonality, and indistinctness of each of its elements." He claims that "the weirdness factor of Baby Driver is close to zero," which isn't exactly anime-worthy.