Ghost in the Shell (live action film)

[eyeresist]

Even if that's true (and I'm hardly about to take some YT comment ranter at their word) it's an excuse you get to use exactly *once*. It only applies to the Major, not the whole cast and as we've seen, most of the prominent roles in this movie seem to be played by non-Asians and that's a problem.

They certainly aren't casting Asian actors in all roles, but of the Section 9 characters: Chief Aramaki is played by Takeshi Kitano, Togusa is played by Chin Han, and Saito is played by Yutaka Izumihara. The first two are definitely major characters, though admittedly Batou is probably slightly more important.

For what it's worth, I rather enjoyed 'Lucy' for the silly, fun little adventure that it was.

I haven't seen it, but I've read someone saying it was a rip off of the anime Elfen Lied, which I find mind-boggling. Has anyone here seen both?

 

[Mach5]

The first two are definitely major characters, though admittedly Batou is probably slightly more important.

The live action version of Batou looks ridiculous.

 

[Reverend]

I haven't seen it, but I've read someone saying it was a rip off of the anime Elfen Lied, which I find mind-boggling. Has anyone here seen both?

I have and it's as much a rip-off of that as that is a rip-off of 'Akira' or Stephen King's 'Firestarter'.
They all feature people gaining scary super-powers from shady government sponsored experiments. But that's about it. It's all surface level stuff.

 

[Mach5]

From The Internet:

 

[Set Harth]

Before this devolves into a canon discussion, I'll just say that to me manga and the movie are two entirely separate entities.

The manga, movies, and the series are all separate continuities.

 

[Commander Richard]

And most Animé characters do not look like a Japanese person.

A best as I can remember most of the cast (main characters) in the animated series did not look Asian

Anime characters in general tend to have "Caucasian attributes".

I used to think so too but this article agrues that it's a matter of perception. People see what they want to see because in the absence of stereotypical "otherness", they default to what they know. Japanese see Japanese and White/Americans see caucasian. The article does suggest though, that maybe it's not all perception and that perhaps there's some Western influence involved in the look of anime characters.

 

[BJ Wagner]

Now the truly important issue: Will we see any type of Tachikoma or Fuchikoma?

I know they're not in the original movie, but are they popular enough to be included in this film?

 

[Mach5]

I used to think so too but this article agrues that it's a matter of perception. People see what they want to see because in the absence of stereotypical "otherness", they default to what they know. Japanese see Japanese and White/Americans see caucasian. The article does suggest though, that maybe it's not all perception and that perhaps there's some Western influence involved in the look of anime characters.

This reinforces the whitewashing argument, only from another angle. It basically nullifies the argument that a white lead is acceptable because the Major was never meant to look Asian in the first place.

Now the truly important issue: Will we see any type of Tachikoma or Fuchikoma?

If they plan on selling some toys, sure.

 

[Tosk]

I know they're not in the original movie

There is that Spider Tank though!

The new movie isn't just adapting the original film though, so it's entirely possible. I'm betting they're very briefly seen or teased, to be used extensively in the sequel if this one doesn't bomb.

 

[Reverend]

I used to think so too but this article agrues that it's a matter of perception. People see what they want to see because in the absence of stereotypical "otherness", they default to what they know. Japanese see Japanese and White/Americans see caucasian. The article does suggest though, that maybe it's not all perception and that perhaps there's some Western influence involved in the look of anime characters.

There's never been any question that the anime art style has been influenced by the west. If you go back to the old Astroboy cartoon from the early 50's, you'd have to be blind not to see it was patterned directly off of Walt Disney's classic art style from the 30's & 40's. Of course it's come full circle since then with a lot of western cartoons from the 80's onward being animated in Japan and the character design of western cartoons taking more and more queues from anime, to the point now where there isn't much of a dividing line between east & west.

None of that matters though since it's just a set of conventions and how they are drawn has little to nothing to do with the ethnicity of the characters in GitS. I mean just how many foreign nationals would one propose that the Japanese government would employ in it's most secret anti-terrorist task force? Probably zero.

 

[Mach5]

I mean just how many foreign nationals would one propose that the Japanese government would employ in it's most secret anti-terrorist task force? Probably zero.

To be fair, a European-looking synthetic shell does not make Motoko Kusanagi a foreign national. The others, however...

 

[Reverend]

To be fair, a European-looking synthetic shell does not make Motoko Kusanagi a foreign national. The others, however...

Yeah, as I said, that excuse can be used exactly once. Beyond that it's just rationalising and making excuses.

 

[Set Harth]

Now the truly important issue: Will we see any type of Tachikoma or Fuchikoma?

I know they're not in the original movie, but are they popular enough to be included in this film?

Do not want.

Yeah, as I said, that excuse can be used exactly once. Beyond that it's just rationalising and making excuses.

So, the first time it's an excuse, but beyond that it's making excuses. Glad we cleared that up.

 

[ancient]

The appearance of Anime characters is partly due to foreign influence from the French & Americans, partly due to the idealization allowed by animation - we're getting a window into what looks attractive/interesting to the Japanese - and partly due to the need to make character designs distinct. It's really not that big of a deal, the same things are present in American animation.

For example, there are an unusually large number of square jaws in the DCAU because that is a feature we think looks strong - but maybe the Russians, who tend to have squarer jaws than Americans, are having nerdy arguments over why American cartoons look like they feature Russian men. It's a matter of perspective, and it exists mostly in our heads, not on the screen.

As for "whitewashing", that's an American perception, Japanese tend to politely laugh at people who talk about it, since from their perspective, we are actually Japanifying ourselves by making a GITS movie, not whitening them.

 

[Mach5]

So, the first time it's an excuse, but beyond that it's making excuses. Glad we cleared that up.

Oh come on. Clumsy wording, but the point stands. There's a difference between having an excuse, and making excuses.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Now the truly important issue: Will we see any type of Tachikoma or Fuchikoma?

I know they're not in the original movie, but are they popular enough to be included in this film?

I doubt robot tanks with the voices of little girls would be palatable fare for a general audience, 99% of whom I'm guessing are completely unfamiliar with GitS in any form. It's an acceptable conceit for introducing light relief in SAC anime but it would not be a good fit for the dark tone of this film, which now seems to have a plot based on the Individual 11 story rather than the Laughing Man one.

 

[Saul]

Anyone know what the symbology of the Basset Hound is?

Beyond the director owning one not really. But I thought in the second GITS film that Batou, a Cyborg owning a real dog might be an interesting comparison to Decker in 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' owning an artificial sheep.

As someone unfamiliar with the property, that trailer does very little for me. Looks like Lucy crossed with The Matrix crossed with tons of other similar sci-fi properties. (And no, the fact that this franchise pre-dates those by considerable margins is not likely to compel me to buy a ticket.)

Give it a try. I think parts of 'The Matrix' took inspiration from it.

 

[psCargile]

^ Yeah, it just seemed odd to cut to scenes that showed basset hounds on ads while they talk about fake memories and experiences, and while the Major is out walking and contemplating her identity. Just interesting.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I haven't seen it, but I've read someone saying it was a rip off of the anime Elfen Lied, which I find mind-boggling. Has anyone here seen both?

Yup

Aaaannndd. Nope, nothing like Elfen Lied. Not even a little bit. Other than an evolved female called Lucy with "powers" being chased by "The Man".

Lucy has more DNA with Limitless, just with a more juvenile spirit, backflips and superpowers.

I'm not finding the will to care too much about this adaptation. Like with the US Akira remake that keeps on floating around like an unflushable turd, this feels completely redundant. But ScarJo is money, so there is the chance of profit.

Plus, it would be nice to have another female led action franchise (there are more stories, right?) out there with the chance of having some style and message to it

Hugo - Regret is the domain of those who have earned the right to look back at the past. All I have is shame.

 

[Ridcully]

I used to think so too but this article agrues that it's a matter of perception. People see what they want to see because in the absence of stereotypical "otherness", they default to what they know. Japanese see Japanese and White/Americans see caucasian. The article does suggest though, that maybe it's not all perception and that perhaps there's some Western influence involved in the look of anime characters.

Well I am not white, and is used to people looking very mixed up.
Most Animé don't look Japanese nor Caucasian, or what ever sort label people want to put on the thing called humans.
Perhaps I should have been more specific?!
They just look like people, a character that has some trademarks.