Sep 18, 2026
AI Filmmaking
How to Create a Live-Action Anime Adaptation with AI
Turn anime characters into a realistic live-action short film with AI. The exact character, location, and fight-scene prompts behind a live-action Naruto vs. Sasuke sparring match, ready to copy.

In this article, we will go through how to create a live-action anime adaptation using Yapper, from turning an anime-style character into a realistic live-action version to generating the final cinematic scenes.

For this tutorial, I'll be using Naruto and Sasuke as the main example to demonstrate the workflow.

The video above walks through the whole project, and this article is its companion: the exact prompts and assets from the sessions the video was recorded in, so you can copy the workflow. The finished short film is at the end of this article.

Jump to a part of the video:

  1. Characters that don't get blocked
  2. GPT Image 2.5 Flare vs Sunburst
  3. How to make engaging fight scenes and what not to do
  4. AI camera movements
  5. Generating music
  6. Final results and the cost breakdown

One of the biggest challenges when creating AI-generated anime videos is copyright. Many AI video models may reject prompts that directly mention copyrighted characters, franchises, or other protected material.

However, that doesn't mean the project has to stop there.

There are several ways to restructure your prompts and describe the character visually while staying within the platform's generation rules, instead of relying entirely on copyrighted names. None of the prompts in this article name a character. The video prompts only talk about "the blonde fighter" and "the dark-haired fighter," and the reference images carry the likeness. The video covers this at 0:49.

Below, you'll find the prompts I use to create the characters and locations for this project. Feel free to copy them, experiment with different details, and adjust them to fit your own live-action anime adaptation.

1. Create the Live-Action Characters

Both characters wear the same headband, so start with one clean headband reference and attach it to each character prompt.

The headband reference image attached to both character prompts
The headband reference image attached to both character prompts

Naruto

Attach the headband reference image, then generate the character sheet.

Generate a young Japanese boy, 13 years old. Blonde, spiky messy hair, blue eyes, He is wearing a traditional hakama, main color is orange and dark blue accent He wears black shinobi trousers and open sandals. Create a 4 panel Character element sheet. It has full body front, side and back view + a medium closeup. Light gray background, no text overlay. Remove the head from the full body front view. He wears this @image1 headband. realistic, taken from a camera, bright soft light. no anime, no cartoons, no drawings, no cgi.

Live-action Naruto character element sheet with front, side, and back views plus a close-up
Live-action Naruto character element sheet with front, side, and back views plus a close-up

Sasuke

Attach the clan symbol as the first reference image and the headband as the second, then generate the character sheet.

Generate a young Japanese boy, 13 years old. medium long hair, messy, center split, dark eyes. He is wearing a traditional hakama top, main color is dark blue, and white accent he wears dark blue fingerless gloves He wears white shinobi trousers, half length till his knees, and open sandals. Create a 4 panel Character element sheet. It has full body front, side and back view + a medium closeup. Light gray background, no text overlay. Remove the head from the full body front view. He wears this @image2 headband. He has an @image1 symbol at the back. realistic, taken from a camera, bright soft light. no anime, no cartoons, no drawings, no cgi.

Live-action Sasuke character element sheet with front, side, and back views plus a close-up
Live-action Sasuke character element sheet with front, side, and back views plus a close-up

2. Create the Location

Attach one or two reference images of the place you want to recreate. The prompt uses them for the layout and terrain and rebuilds the scene as a real, empty location.

Cinematic eye-level landscape still photographed on 35mm cinema glass. Subject: An empty open training clearing with dry, flat, compacted sandy dirt and loose pale dust, completely devoid of people or characters. In the immediate background stands a dense, continuous wall of tall, dried straw-colored susuki grass and reeds swaying gently under a pale open sky. Composition: Eye-level medium-wide landscape framing matching the spatial layout and terrain of reference image 1 and reference image 2, with generous open sandy earth in the foreground and the tall dry grass bank defining the horizon line. Lighting: Crisp, direct midday sunlight matching the natural exposure of reference image 1, casting subtle soft shadows across small ground undulations with warm, natural highlight roll-off. Style: Grounded live-action cinematography, natural film grain, fine tactile texture in the dry dirt and parched grass stalks, muted earth-toned color grade, no figures, no CGI look.

An empty dry dirt training field in front of a wall of tall golden reeds under a pale sky
An empty dry dirt training field in front of a wall of tall golden reeds under a pale sky

3. Create the Props

The fight uses a shuriken, and the first scene also mentions a kunai. Give each prop its own reference image so the weapon keeps the same shape from shot to shot. Attach a reference image of the prop you want to recreate.

I made the kunai with GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst. The video compares Sunburst with Flare at 3:12.

Kunai

Studio product photograph of a realistic Japanese kunai dagger, matching the weapon silhouette, blade geometry, wrapped hilt, and ring pommel of the reference image. Subject: Hand-forged high-carbon steel kunai with subtle physical hammer textures, beveled diamond-cross-section blade, and a sharp double edge. The hilt is tightly bound in genuine weathered off-white cotton cord wrap over an exposed steel tang, terminating in a seamless forged iron ring pommel. Composition: Centered full-length view of the kunai angled slightly across the frame, isolated cleanly against a solid pure white seamless background. Lighting: Soft diffused commercial studio lighting with clean specular highlights defining the blade bevels, gentle fill, and subtle soft contact shadows below. Style: Premium tactile feature-film prop photography, authentic metal grain, realistic fabric weave, natural edge roll-off, physically grounded textures.

Shuriken

Studio product photograph of a realistic four-pointed Japanese shuriken, replicating the geometry, four beveled blades, and circular center ring aperture of the reference image. Subject: Hand-forged carbon steel hira-shuriken with subtle surface hammer marks, oil-quenched dark iron finish, and razor-sharp ground beveled cutting edges on each of the four tapered points. Smooth beveled inner rim around the central circular cutout. Composition: Centered overhead studio shot of the shuriken flat against a pure seamless white background, angled slightly for natural visual interest. Lighting: Soft directional studio key light creating crisp metallic edge highlights along the blade ridges with subtle, soft contact shadows underneath. Style: Grounded live-action feature film prop photography, authentic metal grain, realistic tactile surface texture, natural highlight falloff.
Photorealistic steel kunai with a cord-wrapped hilt and ring pommel on a white background
Photorealistic four-pointed steel shuriken on a white background
The kunai and shuriken prop references.

4. Generate the Action Scenes

Now it's time to generate the action sequences.

For this project, I split the fight into three separate videos instead of trying to generate the entire battle in one go:

  1. Pre-battle buildup: setting the tension before the fight begins.
  2. Naruto and Sasuke exchanging blows: the main hand-to-hand combat sequence.
  3. Fire Jutsu and Chidori: Sasuke launches his Fire Jutsu before transitioning into the Chidori sequence.

I described each scene to Yapper Assistant in plain words and let it write the timed prompt. Every clip was generated with Seedance 2.5 as a single 20-second video. Attach the references in this order: the location as reference image 1, the Naruto sheet as reference image 2, and the Sasuke sheet as reference image 3. The second scene also uses the shuriken as reference image 4.

For more on directing the action, the video covers how to make engaging fight scenes, what not to do in fight scenes, and AI camera movements.

Scene 1: Pre-Battle Buildup

Location: The arid field with dry golden reeds and pale sky from @image1. Characters: - Blonde fighter: A young boy matching the facial identity, spiky blonde hair, and orange/dark ninja attire from @image2. - Dark-haired fighter: A young boy matching the facial identity, dark hair, and navy top with clan crest and white shorts from @image3. Props: - Kunai: Steel throwing blade matching @gpt-image-25-sunburst-fe506bbe. - Shuriken: Four-pointed black steel star matching @nano-banana-pro-fdb6f2e8. Style: Live-action 35mm feature-film cinematography, natural sunlit exposure, organic handheld camera breathing, shallow depth of field, authentic film grain, diegetic audio only (wind through dry reeds, footsteps on dirt, blade draws, physical impact). All dialogue is spoken in natural, anime-inflected Japanese, recorded on location with accurate lip sync. No background music. Cuts only at the specified points; the camera does not cut on its own. [0.0 - 4.5s]: Medium two-shot with subtle handheld float. Both boys stand several paces apart in ready fighting stances in the dry field of @image1. The blonde boy (@image2) shifts his weight forward and speaks in spirited Japanese: 「来いよ、手合わせだ!」 ("Koi yo, teawase da!") [4.5 - 8.5s]: Hard cut to over-the-shoulder medium close-up facing the dark-haired boy (@image3). Handheld operator drift. He maintains a cold, stoic posture and mutters calmly in Japanese: 「フン… 負けて泣くなよ。」 ("Fun... Makete naku na yo.") [8.5 - 13.5s]: Hard cut to medium close-up on the blonde boy (@image2). He grins defiantly, rubs the tip of his nose with his index finger, and declares enthusiastically in Japanese: 「へへっ、新しく覚えた術を見せてやるよ!」 ("Hehe, atarashiku oboeta jutsu o misete yaru yo!") [13.5 - 16.0s]: Hard cut to close-up on the dark-haired boy (@image3). A subtle, knowing smirk curls the corner of his lips as his eyes sharpen with intensity. [16.0 - 20.0s]: Hard cut to low tracking two-shot. The camera tracks aggressively alongside as both boys explode into a full sprint across the dry ground, kicking up dust, they collide and throw punches and starts fighting [0-4.5s] Medium two-shot, ready stances. Blonde boy (reference image 4) speaks in Japanese: '来いよ、手合わせだ!' [4.5-8.5s] Hard cut to medium close-up on dark-haired boy (reference image 5) muttering coldly in Japanese: 'フン… 負けて泣くなよ。' [8.5-13.5s] Hard cut to blonde boy (reference image 4) grinning, rubbing his nose, speaking in Japanese: 'へへっ、新しく覚えた術を見せてやるよ!' [13.5-16s] Hard cut to close-up on dark-haired boy (reference image 5) showing a subtle smirk. [16-20s] Hard cut to low tracking shot as both charge, colliding in close-quarters combat.
The pre-battle buildup. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.
The pre-battle buildup. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.
0:00/0:00
The pre-battle buildup. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.

Scene 2: Exchanging Blows

Location: The dry dirt clearing with tall golden reeds and open pale sky from reference image 1. Characters: - Blonde fighter: Boy matching the face, spiky blonde hair, and orange/dark ninja attire from reference image 2. - Dark-haired fighter: Boy matching the face, dark layered hair, and navy/white attire from reference image 3. - Shadow clones: Three identical copies of the blonde fighter, each identical in face, hair, and clothing to reference image 2. Prop: - Shuriken: Four-pointed black steel throwing star matching reference image 4. Style: Gritty live-action martial arts choreography emphasizing agile evasions, ducks, and acrobatic body mechanics over repetitive forearm blocking. Handheld documentary camera with energetic organic shake and whip pans, shallow depth of field, authentic 35mm film grain, harsh sunlit exposure. Audio is 100% diegetic: heavy breathing, cloth snaps, whooshing air on dodges, sliding sandals on dirt, whistling metal, soft popping smoke bursts, solid wooden thud of the log, physical punch impacts. No background music or score. Cuts only at the specified points; the camera does not cut on its own. [0.0 - 2.5s]: Handheld medium shot, intense camera motion. Scene opens mid-sparring: dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) throws a sharp jab and follow-up cross, but blonde fighter (reference image 2) fluidly ducks under the first strike, slips his head to the outside of the second punch, and lands a quick body tap before gracefully rolling out. No repetitive arm-to-arm blocking. [2.5 - 5.5s]: Low-angle tracking shot. Dark-haired fighter pivots with a rapid low sweeping roundhouse kick. Blonde fighter reacts with effortless acrobatics, launching into a high backward flip directly overhead, feet clearing the kick cleanly, and landing softly in a balanced crouch. [5.5 - 8.5s]: Handheld over-the-shoulder tracking. Dark-haired fighter presses in with a spinning kick; blonde fighter executes a swift lateral cartwheel to evade the arc. Rebounding off the dirt, dark-haired fighter launches into an agile, spring-loaded backflip, creating five meters of distance. [8.5 - 12.0s]: Hard cut to a wide shot with continuous fluid motion. In one uninterrupted take, dark-haired fighter whips the shuriken (reference image 4) across the clearing. The spinning blade strikes blonde fighter (reference image 2) squarely in the chest, and in the exact same continuous backward momentum, blonde bursts into a sudden puff of white smoke and instantly transforms into a heavy wooden log that hits the dirt and rolls. [12.0 - 14.5s]: Hard cut to frontal medium shot on dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) as three dense clouds of white smoke erupt violently directly behind his back. [14.5 - 20.0s]: Continuous, non-stop assault with erratic shaky handheld camera. With zero delay or pause, three identical blonde clones (all matching reference image 2) leap explosively right out of the expanding smoke mid-air. One clone dives from above with a descending hammer fist while the other two flank from left and right, immediately swarming and pummeling the defenseless dark-haired fighter with rapid bare-knuckle strikes until the shot cuts. [0-2.5s] Agile opening: dark-haired punches, blonde ducks, slips, and rolls out instead of blocking. [2.5-5.5s] Dark-haired throws low sweep kick; blonde acrobatically flips backward overhead to evade. [5.5-8.5s] Dark-haired kicks, blonde cartwheels to dodge; dark-haired backflips to create space. [8.5-12s] Continuous wide shot: shuriken (reference image 2) strikes chest, instantly bursting into smoke and a falling log. [12-14.5s] Frontal shot: three bursts of white smoke explode behind dark-haired fighter. [14.5-20s] Continuous leap attack: three blonde clones (reference image 4) jump directly from the smoke and overwhelm dark-haired fighter.
The hand-to-hand exchange, substitution log, and shadow clone attack. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location, both character sheets, and the shuriken as references.
The hand-to-hand exchange, substitution log, and shadow clone attack. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location, both character sheets, and the shuriken as references.
0:00/0:00
The hand-to-hand exchange, substitution log, and shadow clone attack. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location, both character sheets, and the shuriken as references.

Scene 3: Fire Jutsu and Chidori

Location: The dry dirt field with tall golden grass and open pale sky from reference image 1. Characters: - Dark-haired fighter: Boy matching the face, dark layered hair, and navy/white attire from reference image 3. - Blonde fighter: Boy matching the face, spiky blonde hair, and orange/dark ninja attire from reference image 2. - Shadow clones: Three identical copies of the blonde fighter, each identical in face, hair, and clothing to reference image 2. Blocking & Orientation Lock: The dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) must face directly toward the three oncoming clones at all times. His chest, head, and eyeline never turn away; he retreats backward while looking forward at his targets. Style: Gritty live-action martial arts cinema, dynamic handheld camera tracking the retreat, natural harsh daylight interacting with intense practical flame illumination and electric arcing highlights, authentic 35mm film grain. Audio is 100% diegetic: heavy breathing, rushing whoosh of roaring flame, soft pop of dispersing smoke, solid punch impact on jaw, crackling high-voltage electrical hum of lightning, gravel tearing underfoot. No background music or score. Cuts only at the specified points; the camera does not cut on its own. [0.0 - 3.5s]: Handheld wide two-shot profile tracking. In the dry dirt clearing of reference image 1, three blonde clones (reference image 2) sprint aggressively forward. Facing directly toward them, the dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) keeps his eyes locked on them as he executes two rapid, athletic backward backflips away, opening ten meters of clear distance while never turning his back. [3.5 - 7.5s]: Reverse-angle medium shot looking past the dark-haired fighter toward the oncoming clones. Still facing head-on toward the charging clones, the dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) brings his hand to his mouth in a circular hand seal and exhales an enormous, roaring torrent of bright orange flame straight forward like a flamethrower. The expanding flame engulfs two oncoming clones directly in front of him, instantly bursting them into twin dense clouds of white smoke. [7.5 - 11.5s]: Hard cut to low-angle dynamic tracking shot. Soaring clean over the top of the forward flame jet, the true blonde fighter (reference image 2) leaps through the rising smoke, descending forward and driving a flush cross punch straight into the dark-haired fighter's cheek, knocking him a step backward. [11.5 - 15.5s]: Hard cut to low medium shot. Staggering back onto the dusty ground, the dark-haired fighter (reference image 3) drops into a low combat stance. Blinding neon-blue electrical lightning crackles violently around his right hand with intense sparking arcs and a loud high-voltage buzz. [15.5 - 20.0s]: Low-angle tracking push-in. The dark-haired fighter sprints directly forward at the blonde fighter (reference image 2), dragging his lightning-charged handand electric sparks. As the lightning fist is inches from striking the blonde fighter, right in the chest the camera ramps into dramatic optical slow motion right on the brink of impact. [0-3.5s] Dark-haired fighter (reference image 5) faces forward toward the oncoming clones while backflipping backward. [3.5-7.5s] Facing straight at the clones, he exhales a massive forward flamethrower blast, vaporizing two clones into smoke. [7.5-11.5s] True blonde fighter (reference image 4) leaps over the flame jet and lands a flush punch to dark-haired fighter's jaw. [11.5-15.5s] Dark-haired fighter recovers and charges crackling neon-blue lightning in his hand. [15.5-20s] Low sprint dragging lightning hand through dirt, ramping into slow motion just before collision.
The fire jutsu and Chidori charge. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.
The fire jutsu and Chidori charge. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.
0:00/0:00
The fire jutsu and Chidori charge. Seedance 2.5, 16:9, 480p, 20 seconds, with the location and both character sheets as references.

Watch the Final Film

The finished film adds a few more shots from the same project, including the clone ambush, the rock that knocks the lightning strike off course, and the sensei's arrival.

The completed live-action anime short film.
The completed live-action anime short film.
0:00/0:00
The completed live-action anime short film.

So that's how you can create your own live-action Naruto short film.

Try these prompts yourself, tweak them, experiment with different ideas, and see how far you can push it with your favorite anime!