Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Rupert Sanders delivers a stunningly beautiful cyberpunk vision of the future to life in his adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s anime classic, Ghost in the Shell. Based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell, tells the story of the development of the perfect killing machine, Major Mira Killian, played by the lovely Scarlett Johansson, whose sole purpose is to be a counter-terrorist solider. In a scene straight out of Frankenstein, Mira’s brain is inserted into a cybernetic body. She is given a body, face, and memories that are all artificial and transcend any particular race. As Oshii expressed in an interview at IGN, regarding the whitewashing controversy that Johansson was the lead,  

“"The Major is a cyborg and her physical form is an entirely assumed one. The name 'Motoko Kusanagi' and her current body are not her original name and body, so there is no basis for saying that an Asian actress must portray her.”

Ghost in the Shell, with its urban sprawl with a distinct Japanese/Hong Kong feel, is simply wonderful. The way the tenement apartments loom up skywards show the overpopulation problem only getting worse. The inventive way large virtual people stand among the skyscrapers create a unique surreal style as the people perform simple motions. All this draws you into the cyperpunk world that is ruled by evil corporations, slick and subtle cybernetic implants, and the criminal element best represented by the Yakuza with their bizarre torture fetish.

However all that great eye candy would dissolve if it was not for Scarlett Johannson’s acting and athletic ability as Mira. Johannson proves she can handle the Ghost in the Shell franchise with solid acting, empathy to her plight, and being a total bad ass. Mira’s perfect companion is Batou, played by Pilou Asbaek, a no nonsense tough cyborg who is handy with his gun.

My favorite scenes in Ghost in the Shell are those the show the philosophical angle as Mira tries to remember her  past and confronts question that we have all thought about at some point, like who am I? What is my purpose? To attempt to come up with a workable answer, Mira must get in touch with her own ghost or soul that is the only thing of her former self that not artificial. She has a major mental breakthrough when she meets Hadley Cruz, an older model, who is the hacker that caused Mira to experience hallucinations. Thus develops a strong bond between the two that enrages Cutter, the ruthless CEO of Hanka Robotics that created Mira, Batou, Hadley, and others.

For arguments that Ghost in the Shell does not live up to the source material, I propose to enjoy the anime and manga for what it is and to enjoy the movie for what it is. I can like both without whining and complaining over some detail that was left out, overly exaggerated, or muddled.

I have a great time watching Ghost in the Shell when live action anime is so harshly criticized by all the online arm chair critics. I recommend seeing it at the movies in 3D. Even if you feel the source material was missing, go see it for the visual look and the chemistry between Scarlett Johannson, Beat Takeshi, Pilou Asbaek because the cast is wonderful regardless of the plot.

I hope this sparks a cyberpunk revival, particularly in books and film.

Panda and the Magic Serpent Review

So what were the first anime released in the United States? Astro Boy? Speed Racer? Actually anime hit America way back in 1961 with Magic Boy yet it was Toei’s second theatrical release. Although from a historical perspective it should have been Panda and the Magic Serpent. Here is why. In 1958, Toei released Panda and the Magical Serpent which was the studio’s first full color and feature length film in Japan.  However, due to MGM, Globe Pictures, and AIP all competing to get dubbed movies out for the kiddie market, Magic Boy was released first, soon to be followed by the real first anime movie in color, Panda.

Panda and the Magic Serpent is based on Chinese mythology written during the Song Dynasty and based on the folktale, Legend of the White Snake. It tells the tale of a young boy, Xu-Xian, who falls in love with Bai Niang, a beautiful princess who is really a white snake and has magical powers. Fa-Hai, is a monk, who is determined to break up the lovers. However, it will not be so easy because, Xu-Xian is aided by the strong and fearless Panda and his pal, Mimi, who is called a cat in the US dub but is actually a red panda. Panda and Mimi get in various zany adventures as Xu-Xian searches for Bai Niang.

Sadly, Panda did not perform well at the box office regulating anime to a niche market. Anime fandom didn’t really get started in the US until 1977, so the first three anime movies were all box office bombs. Anime movies could be picked up cheaply and were shown during kiddie matinees throughout the 60’s. 

Part of the problem was that Panda was based on Chinese mythology that didn’t engage Western children, in the same way that Disney movies did. Also, Panda lacked the mad capped humor of Looney Tunes shorts. America was just not ready for this type of anime movie.  Children watching a cartoon so foreign and alien to Western culture were bored to tears.

Despite Panda not being successful it does have merit and every serious anime fan needs to see it. The colors in Panda are very vibrant and the animal characters lack the Disney look, causing them to stand out and offer a fresh take on animal character designs. The music fits in nicely with the Chinese setting. What is unfortunate is the bland narration by Marvin Miller who delivers his lines like Droopy hosting an insurance seminar. 

Also, a bad decision was made in that only certain characters were dubbed in English, with so many other characters left in Japanese. The biggest flaw, is the jarring editing that doesn’t even allow characters time to finish speaking before jumping several frames to a different scene, leaving the viewer to wonder what happened during the missing gaps.  

Panda did make a great impression on a young Miyazaki who might have never gotten into anime if Panda was never made. Watching Panda, you can see scenes with characters interacting that would inspire Miyazaki films.

I feel that most new anime fans lack a sense of history and despite all its shortcomings should view Panda and the Magic Serpent, and also Magic Boy and Alakazam the Great to see how anime has evolved over time and how it has had a global impact and for a better appreciate of anime’s popularity and success.  So the next time you are watching your favorite anime, you will realize how far the medium has come. I just wish that Panda and the Magic Serpent would be released with the original, longer running, Japanese cut.