Major Scarlett Johansson

Major Scarlett Johansson

Some kinda big news happened recently with Scarlett Johansson being cast in the main role as Major Mottoko Kusanagi in the live-action western adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Course this has been met with some, ehh, let's call it disgruntlement within the online anime community. Perhaps a little bewilderment. Maybe even anger?

lol

Ghost in the Shell takes place in the near future and is one of the mainstay representatives of cyberpunk as a genre. In a future where nearly everyone is technically a cyborg with electronic enhancements the question of 'what makes us human?' is sort of the main theme. Core ideas of the 'self', self-perception and how we define our conscious reality. Heavy philosophical ideas against the backdrop of technologically advanced fictional Japanese city 'Niihama' following the main characters of what is essentially an shadowy special operations team. Between action and moving the plot along we have the characters that will stop to discuss Descartes or quote passages from the bible. It's not as clunky as I'm making it sound here. Fact the strength of the franchise is how it seamlessly melds these themes and ideas together. Also it's a franchise with separate story arcs and cannon depending on whether you watch the film or the TV series or whatever else. For the sake of this piece of writing I'm gonna mostly be referencing the original film and it's direct sequel Ghost in the Shell: Innocence.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Waifu

 

Anime, Internet, Waifus and Amazon Reviews 

 

   

Me and Anime

 

So. If you know me you'll know I've been wandering back into the dark medium of Anime - Japanamation, Manga, Chinese Cartoons - whatever you want to call it. Why? Well it kills some time and as someone that more or less needs constant entertainment the millions upon millions of Anime episodes available cheaply on the internet cater to this. Also I'm incredibly lonely. 

Anime in the West much like video games have sort of grown up with the internet - speaking about either of these cultures they are linked to the internet be it memes or rather the communities online that create them - I remember back trying to get into anime when I was younger and paying like fifteen quid for a VHS with two episodes of some awful cringe worthy thing. I had nothing to go on but the back of the box and 12 year old me was taken for a fool. Thanks Forbidden Planet.