DreamWorks' Ghost in the Shell Slated For April 2017
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HdE
Comic Book Guy
Well, the 2017 film looks set to reference EVERYTHING. SAC's allusions to Motoko's past were done very well, I thought, leaving things implied instead of outright stating them, only leaning very heavily in the direction of 'this is actual fact' when the story was serviced by it in a meaningful way.
It might be worth mentioning that a quick glance at the movie's wikipedia page reveals some worrying info. 2nd Gig's Kuze seems to be in it as a character, which makes little sense. And teh name 'Motoko Kusanagi' is nowhere to be found.
We're squarely back in territory where this could either be a decent movie or a fanwanky car crash, as far as I'm concerned.
crashmatt
Death Scythe
I don't really care much for the whole sexual preference question it throws up. Not only should it not be an issue, it's not really what the show is about. I will admit they seem to have the look of the movie pretty spot on an the action scenes look cool. I'm cautiously optimistic so far.
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qaiz
Pokémon Master
Ath
Pokémon Master
Loved that live performance. Kenji Kawai's score was one of the best things about the 1995 film, glad this one is paying homage to it.
Buzz201
Mad Scientist
Perhaps an indicator of how influential the original was and how a lot of modern sci-fi is inspired from the same sources.
But not even anime sci-fi is safe. Psycho-Pass is clearly very heavily influenced by the works of Philip K. Dick and some of it's film adaptations (notably Blade Runner.)
[Should clarify I haven't actually seen GitS, I'm just theorising.]
HdE
Comic Book Guy
Yeah. This. Looks like that scene was included just to be all edgey and progressive, like. When it isn't at all.
I saw somebody posting on Facebook about how great it was that they'd included Kusanagi's bisexuality. Bollocks. Made them look just like the idiot on ANN insisting that the Dreamworks Voltron reboot was requried to feature gay characters because it's 2016. What would that add, exactly, given the limitations and perceptions of such a show?
Smeelia
Thousand Master
I couldn't comment on the new film but I think the sexuality issue is an interesting one in Ghost in the Shell and probably worth including. If we have people with artificial bodies and can connect more directly through the brain/mind, then that could have an affect on people's sexuality (or at least their view of it). I suppose we're basically already at the point where at least some people are acknowledging more complex sexuality anyway, so if we get to the point of artificial bodies ourselves then it might not really change our views (since our views may already be fairly flexible) but it might at least add some new options.
Ghost in the Shell often deals with the idea of the difference between sensations/perceptions that are real and those that are imagined, and sexuality can be an interesting aspect of that.
I suppose you could argue that just including reference to it but not really doing anything with it might be doing the issue a disservice. That said, people made a big deal of that one brief scene in Star Trek Beyond (not always in a good way, but still) so at least it can act as something of a talking point/point of interest.
Ghost in the Shell often deals with the idea of the difference between sensations/perceptions that are real and those that are imagined, and sexuality can be an interesting aspect of that.
I suppose you could argue that just including reference to it but not really doing anything with it might be doing the issue a disservice. That said, people made a big deal of that one brief scene in Star Trek Beyond (not always in a good way, but still) so at least it can act as something of a talking point/point of interest.
Lutga
Mad Scientist
In that instance I think the thing I'd take issue with more is 'Major' becoming like a name - ie. 'I'm playing Major' - just sounds so wrong on a grammatical level.
Major is her title - so say in the show if Batou says 'Hey Major' - that's fine, because it's like saying 'Hey boss'
But yeah, hopefully they'll iron that out or give more clarity in future trailers.
Also - on the topic of sexuality, the thing I always found more interesting about it in the manga was how the actual essence of 'sex' itself had changed - and that it could essentially be done mentally/completely in your mind as some kind of intermingling of the pleasure centres of two (or more) people into one.
Major is her title - so say in the show if Batou says 'Hey Major' - that's fine, because it's like saying 'Hey boss'
But yeah, hopefully they'll iron that out or give more clarity in future trailers.
Also - on the topic of sexuality, the thing I always found more interesting about it in the manga was how the actual essence of 'sex' itself had changed - and that it could essentially be done mentally/completely in your mind as some kind of intermingling of the pleasure centres of two (or more) people into one.
HdE
Comic Book Guy
The thing is, when you're talking about the way Ghost in the Shell gets into the whole issue of cybernetic sex, you have to wonder, what did it actually contribute to the story?
In all honesty, not a lot. At least, that's the conclusion I've come to. It might be an interesting thing to muse upon, but it's more than a bit superfluous to the narrative of the original manga. Even if that infamous orgy scene DOES give rise to one of the best jokes in the whole book.
In all honesty, not a lot. At least, that's the conclusion I've come to. It might be an interesting thing to muse upon, but it's more than a bit superfluous to the narrative of the original manga. Even if that infamous orgy scene DOES give rise to one of the best jokes in the whole book.
Smeelia
Thousand Master
I suppose it depends on what you'd consider the story to be, or maybe it has more to do with what you're getting out of the content. If the way that people interact and define themselves is important to the story, then changes in sex and sexuality could be relevant to that. Some people like to have different ideas/details presented to them that they can analyse and ponder, for some that sort of thing can sometimes be more important than the main story.
I haven't read the original manga, but I did find that I generally preferred the "Stand Alone" episodes to the "Complex" ones in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I suppose they're mostly self-contained stories but they are also sort of "optional" additions to the main story that can contribute to the overall experience but aren't crucial to the main plot.
Those kinds of extra details can be more important to some than others, so it's not always a case of them clearly being essential or irrelevant. I suppose if they randomly cut to Batou playing a Ukulele in the mountains during a major action scene then that might be difficult to justify but it'd probably still have it's supporters.
I haven't read the original manga, but I did find that I generally preferred the "Stand Alone" episodes to the "Complex" ones in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I suppose they're mostly self-contained stories but they are also sort of "optional" additions to the main story that can contribute to the overall experience but aren't crucial to the main plot.
Those kinds of extra details can be more important to some than others, so it's not always a case of them clearly being essential or irrelevant. I suppose if they randomly cut to Batou playing a Ukulele in the mountains during a major action scene then that might be difficult to justify but it'd probably still have it's supporters.
Lutga
Mad Scientist
One of the joys of GITS is that as both a story and a collection of different mediums, it offers many things to many people. Different incarnations of it play up different aspects - and you can take and choose which parts of it you find most interesting.
Is it a straight up techno thriller? A police procedural? Hard sci-fi psycho-ethics study?
Also - considering Shirow went on to pretty much solely produce porn after GITS, you can kind of see where that infamous scene in the original manga came from.
Is it a straight up techno thriller? A police procedural? Hard sci-fi psycho-ethics study?
Also - considering Shirow went on to pretty much solely produce porn after GITS, you can kind of see where that infamous scene in the original manga came from.
IncendiaryLemon
Captain Karen
Eh, I've yet to see a GitS thing that didn't hit you over the head with the philosophy BS. SAC didn't as hard, but it was certainly there in places. If there is a version of GitS with none of that, I'd like to see it.
ayase
State Alchemist
I wouldn't. The speculation about the future and contemplation about humanity is what makes GitS GitS. There are a million other thoughtless sci-fi action shows and movies to watch.
With all the hype on this all over social media at the moment it makes me feel like such a bitter, cynical bastard that I still hope this bombs harder than a Lancaster at Dresden and causes Hollywood to stay away from anime. But then I am a bitter, cynical bastard.
IncendiaryLemon
Captain Karen
If that floats your boat, cool, but I find it to be incredibly up its own arse and pretentious, not to mention immeasurably dull.
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Zin5ki
Railgun
With the addition of Dreamworks' latest project, it will a million and one!
All we need is Shrek to make a cameo. The intellectual property is theirs, after all!
Buzz201
Mad Scientist
Sadly, Dramworks Animation and Dreamworks are two separate companies, with the former now owned by Universal and the later undergoing a transition into Amblin Partners, owned by Participant Media, Reliance, Entertainment One and Stephen Spielberg.
As such, a cameo from the green god himself is unlikely.
