History Main / AdaptationFirst

* ''Little Nemo: The Dream Master'' was released in 1990 in the U.S. and in 1991 in Europe; the anime feature it was directly based on, ''Anime/LittleNemoAdventuresInSlumberland'', was not released outside Japan until 1992.

* Pretty much any anime based on a VisualNovel (Such as the WhenTheyCry franchise)

* ''ShinMegamiTensei'' would be another famous example; the franchise began with the novel ''Digital Devil Story'', which was adapted into the original ''Megami Tensei'' games for NES.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' started off as a [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo pair of video games]], which was adapted into a few manga, and was then adapted into an [[{{Anime/Pokemon}} anime]]. The anime was the first to be released outside Japan, and when it proved extremely popular, the games were released as well (though America got the games and cartoon simultaneously as part of a big marketing blitz).

* The ''NightWatch'' books were first released in English when the film of the first book proved a surprise hit internationally.

* ''WanganMidnightMaximumTune'' and its sequels have all been released worldwide. The manga and anime, however, remain [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]].

* The ''HaruhiSuzumiya'' anime got a global release long before the books it was based on. ....Except in Spain, where it was ''manga'' first, then the novels two months later. The anime is still unavailable. Who knows why.

* The starting lineup of ShonenJump was half determined by popular anime (''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'', ''YuYuHakusho'', and ''DragonBallZ'').

* ''{{Memento}}'' is based on the short story "Memento Mori" by Jonathan Nolan, ChristopherNolan's brother, which would not be published until after the film was released. Because of this, the film did not qualify for a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination at the Academy Awards (it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay instead).

* ''DragonBall: The Magic Begins'', the ''first'' live-action DragonBall movie, was released in the US several years before the anime film it was based off of, ''DragonBall: Curse of the Blood Rubies''

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' started off as a [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo pair of video games]], which was adapted into a few manga, and was then adapted into an anime. The anime was the first to be released outside Japan, and when it proved extremely popular, the games were released as well (though America got the games and cartoon simultaneously as part of a big marketing blitz).

* The [[HammerHorror Hammer]] film ''[[TheFilmOfTheSeries Doctor Who and the Daleks]]'' was released in America a good decade before the [[Series/DoctorWho TV series it was based on]].

* Second adaptation first: The video game based on ''TheWitcher'' is better known than the successful Polish literary series that has yet to be fully translated for international release. The previous film and TV adaptation were shown to the rest of the world first, but not many saw it.

** And most everywhere else got the games first, so... probably not that good an example.

* The [[HammerHorror Hammer]] film ''[[TheFilmOfTheSeries Doctor Who and the Daleks]]'' was released in America a good decade before the [[DoctorWho TV series it was based on]].

This is, so far, standard practise with {{anime}}, since a cartoon tends to be marketable to more demographics than the {{manga}} or LightNovel it was based on. However, now that manga are getting more popular, that tendency is fading somewhat.

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC: Literature]]

[[AC: Video Games]]

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* The SoBadItsHorrible ''Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run'' was supposed to be a tie-in for the [[DevelopmentHell cancelled movie]].

* The ''HaruhiSuzumiya'' anime got a global release long before the books it was based on. ....Except in Spain, where it was ''manga'' first, then the novels two months later. The anime is still unavaiable. Who knows why.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' started off as a [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo pair of video games]], which was adapted into a manga, which was adapted into an anime. The anime was the first to be released outside Japan, and when it proved extremely popular, the games were released as well (though America got the games and cartoon simultaneously as part of a big marketing blitz).

* ''{{Fist of the North Star}}'' is a bit subversion. The original manga was released in America first by Viz in 1989, [[TooGoodToLast but it only lasted the first two volumes]]. Viz only resumed publication after the cult success of the [[{{Streamlined}} Streamline Pictures]]' dub of the film, but it only lasted three more volumes before Gutsoon brought the rights to the series, who only published nine volumes before they went out of business. While the remainder of the manga still remains officially untranslated, the TV series can easily be view by U.S. citizens on many streaming video sites such as Funimation and Crunchyroll.

* The starting lineup of ShonenJump was half determined by popular anime ({{Yu-Gi-Oh}}, YuYuHakusho, and DragonBallZ).