Ghost in the Shell is the product of and response to decades of physical erasure and technological alienation. It's pop cultural fallout, a delicately layered croissant of appropriation upon appropriation. It's as timely as ever, but it feels wildly inappropriate for an American studio and the British director of Snow White and the Huntsman to pick it up and sell it back to us. At the same time, Japan and the US have been stealing and selling images to each other for decades, and the result hasn't always been awful. I would still argue, though, that the knotty history that leads to Motoko Kusanagi will be lost in translation. This isn't The Matrix or Pacific Rim, this isn't just a look and a vibe being lifted. This is the entire history of Japan's relationship with itself, the US and technology, and without that, you're left with nothing but an empty prosthesis.
Beautifully written analysis of the Ghost in the Shell casting issue, by Emily Yoshida.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:
2009-01-09
Actually, I haven't changed anything. In fact, it's Cambridge that's attempting to change the definition of "supremacist", in order to make it seem as though whites/Europeans aren't the only people who can be supremacist. However, that's a fallacy. It's a rather weak tactic designed to pave the way for calling others supremacists, despite the fact that they don't have any actual supremacy. Nice try, but we aren't buying it -regardless of the fact that Cambridge is the one trying to sell it.
It actually validates the point very well -academic publications aren't infallible. Cambridge isn't the authority on the meaning of words. They're just another European group that's key on pushing their opinion as fact.
No one actually gives a shit about that any group in England gives a fuck about. The majority of whitewashing of history originated in England. So, fuck you AND fuck England.
Not even worth responding.
Why would I try to argue the very stance that you've taken?
If you actually think that I give a shit about you & your circle jerk of ass-eating friends, then you're dumber than you originally seemed.