Films, games and anime: discover 9 works inspired by Mad Max

Created by George Miller, the Mad Max film franchise is one of the most influential in history. And his great legacy was his post-apocalyptic and dystopian aesthetic, especially that of the first two films.

Since then, several works in different media have been inspired by his chaotic and desolate world, which until then had never been presented in this way.

Films, games and other media set in desert environments, where resource scarcity, gangs of madmen and customized vehicles predominate, owe a lot to “Mad Max.”

How about getting to know some of these Mad Max inspired works? So take a look further below.

Movies inspired by Mad Max

Denzel Washington stars in this film as Eli, a nomad with high fighting skills in a post-apocalyptic world. He crosses the devastated United States carrying a mysterious book with him. Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson and Jennifer Beals also appear in the film.

The Italian action films “The Bronx Warriors” and its sequel “Escape from the Bronx” explore a dystopian setting in New York City. Both are directed by Enzo G. Castellari and follow violent gangs in a post-apocalyptic scenario.

Known as “Mad Max on Water,” “Waterworld” is set in a future where the polar ice caps have melted, covering most of the Earth with water.

Survivors live on floating platforms and fight for scarce resources. Kevin Costner plays a drifter who sails the waters in his trimaran. This film is one of the biggest box office failures in Hollywood history.

The third film in the film series based on the “Resident Evil” game series is different from what we are used to seeing.

This time the zombie apocalypse takes place in a universe similar to that of “Mad Max”, with desert and dystopian environments. The film is directed by Australian Russell Mulcahy, written by Paul WS Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich.

Anime and manga inspired by Mad Max

Set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by nuclear wars, “Hokuto no Ken” is a manga written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, published between 1983 and 1988. Several anime series and film adaptations were derived from the work.

The work follows Kenshiro, a warrior successor to Hokuto Shinken, a lethal martial art style.

Written and illustrated by Yasuhiro Nightow, “Trigun” is a manga series published between 1995 and 2007. The work has received some anime adaptations. The most important is that of the Madhouse study, published in 1998.

The work follows Vash, the Pop Hangman, a gunslinger with a mysterious past who avoids violence. However, destruction haunts him. The plot is set on a desert planet and mixes genres such as western and science fiction.

The anime Trigun (1998) is available on Crunchyroll.

Written and illustrated by Masatoshi Usune, “Desert Punk” is a manga series published between 1997 and 2020. It also received an anime adaptation.

The work is set in a post-apocalyptic Japan transformed into a desert. The protagonist is a wandering mercenary nicknamed Desert Punk, who dates a young apprentice.

Games inspired by Mad Max

Developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks, the “Rage” series consists of first-person shooters.

The plot takes place in a future where the Earth has been devastated by the impact of an asteroid. In the games, you use vehicles to explore a post-apocalyptic desert world and use a variety of weapons.

Rage 1 is available on Steam.

Rage 2 is available on Steam.

The “Fallout” franchise is made up of post-apocalyptic role-playing games. The games in the series feature scenarios devastated by nuclear war, with a retro-futuristic style that mixes 1950s aesthetics with advanced technology. In 2024, the game received a series adaptation, available on Amazon Prime Video.

The post Films, games and anime: discover 9 works inspired by Mad Max appeared first on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.