What’s the fuss about?: GitS 2.0

In a recent post, Sean from Film Junk.com says:

“It’s official… live action remakes of anime films are the next big thing…Last year we heard that Production I.G. were looking into a live action adaptation of their own smash hit animated film Ghost in the Shell; this week we have news that Dreamworks has acquired the rights and are moving forward with the project. This film joins the growing list of anime adaptations in production that includes Akira, Speed Racer, Dragonball and James Cameron’s Battle Angel. Taking another cue from James Cameron, it looks like Dreamworks will also be doing Ghost in the Shell in 3-D.”

That’s pretty much the substance of it. On the surface, this seems like an innocent little announcement (I know that I certainly didn’t think it threatening) but when one looks at the blogosphere as well as discussion boards and forums everywhere, one find almost incessant discussion and debate going on. So, what could the fuss be about?

One issue that seems to be uppermost in most anime fans’ minds is the faithfulness of Dreamworks’ rendition of the beloved classic. As diehard fans, we all are supposed to be ‘worried’ about this; in fact, I’ve seen some people even say that they need to ‘keep vigil’ on the studio to see how they create the movie. What’s worse, this kind of thing is actually being taken seriously.

Again, some other discussion boards are actively promoting independent studies and ‘reviews’ of the movie. In all, this paranoia is creating a very hostile environment for the movie to come out.

But some people don’t even want this to happen. Some posters that I’ve talked to on most DBs are coming up with amazing theories on why GitS 2.0 shouldn’t come out. Some interesting ones are: “Why waste so much money on 3D and CGI when the original anime is still around?”, “GitS has ended in terms of storylines; there’s nothing more to do in the story department,” or even “Who’s gonna play the characters? There is no actress good enough to play Motoko Kusanagi!”

All bs, IMO.

Here’s my piece: let the movie come out. Sure, it’s a 3D movie, and a Hollywood version at that. I’m also aware of Hollywood’s horrible track record when it comes to live-action remakes of anime (Speed Racer made me cry in sheer frustration). But we trust Spielberg with a lot of things; surely the guy who made E.T. and Schindler’s List has enough brain cells to make this a success too.

And please. Just stop with the argument about money. That’s totally disingenous. The anime versions took as much money to make, especially Innocence, with its cutting-edge graphics and animation techniques. Also, when you’re talking about an industry which spends millions of dollars on animation techniques every year, the statement about money sounds totally childish.

As for character selection, here’s a little quote from a respondent who commented on the post quoted above:

“I can’t see why they can’t pull it off. I could picture Erika Sawajiri, or some girl like her, maybe a little older as Kusanagi. Thats what I would do, if they don’t want to do it right, then they should leave it alone!!”

So…there are actresses who can play Motoko Kusanagi, don’t worry! A cast in a remake doesn’t always have to be faithful to the original, especially if the original is a work of animation. And don’t forget: the Major is only as real as Atsuko Tanaka and Masamune Shirow-sensei could make her. So stop with the worrying!

The story angle is also similarly unimaginative. There are thousands of storylines out there, just waiting to be picked. For example, after GitS 2nd Gig ended, what happened to the rebels at Deshima? Also, what was the real history between Kuze and the Major? These, and many more, stories could well qualify for fuller treatment in the movie.

Therefore, I say, just wait till the movie arrives in theaters. Then you and me and all of us GitS fans will know whether the live-action 3D really hits the spot or not. All our questions will be answered, and all doubts put to rest. Until then, please don’t encourage panic reactions and knee-jerk reactions. And above all, keep the Net flowing without spam and flaming. That way, we can all enjoy GitS our own way-as well as the rest of the anime phenomenon.

Till then, enjoy the trailer:

Fight On

Tonight, let’s fight
with all our might!
Come, come, dear brother,
Fight on!

When the battle begins,
Don’t think on who wins;
Just try and try, dear brother,
and fight on!

When destiny hates you,
and the world berates you,
just ignore them, dear brother,
fight on!

When you’re out of breath,
and your sword’s in your sheath:
Remove it, dear brother,
and fight on!

When your blood and your bones,
in utter exhaustion moan:
Light your heartfire, dear brother,
and fight on!

When you’ve lost all hope,
and cannot seem to cope,
Have no fear, dear brother,
Fight on!

When enemies come in tides,
and you’re surrounded on all sides,
Think of us, dear brother,
and fight on!

For when the sunshine comes,
and the horrid darkness runs,
the world shall remember, dear brother,
that you fought on!

Playing old games on a (somewhat) new PC

I’m not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination, and I don’t pretend to be otherwise. But I do like playing sometimes, especially when I’m really frustrated (which is most of the time) or very disturbed. I usually have some games that I like to fall back upon at these times, and so I play them and just lose myself in imagined worlds.

My most favorite game at present is Quake 3, that seminal FPS from id Software that knocked everyone off their chairs when it was first launched in 1999. I have the demo version, which gives me 4 levels (or arenas, as they’re called) to play. I’m looking for the full version at present, preferably on a CD. But the demo’s what I generally use, because it takes up less space on my PC.

I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to play these old games on my newer PC. When it’s raining outside, or even when it’s hot, I find it very enjoyable to just sit on the PC and start up the game. Within seconds, I’m lost in a world of aliens and arenas, fighting for my (simulated) survival. I go on playing for hours, stopping only to drink water or eat some food. Thus for me, the game is my outlet, the one and only mode of venting my anger that I allow myself.

But these games have a practical purpose as well. Most of the time, my internet connection’s either on the blink or not working properly. At these times, I feel that pure combination of rage and frustration that I’m sure everyone who’s ever used second-rate goods feels. The game comes to my rescue here too, letting me mash buttons to my heart’s content until I’ve either exhausted myself completely or the net connection comes back. Thus it becomes my catharsis.

I find a peculiar pleasure in blowing up enemies on Q3. Not only do they die with accompanying grunts or screams, they also sometimes blow up, spreading their body parts everywhere. This gory sight provides a sort of satisfaction to me, because in my mind, I’m usually killing hated enemies from my own life. Not only that, this bloodbath gives me a sort of therapeutic feeling of control, because I know that in some part of the world, in some region, I rule. And what I do is law.

I cannot say if old really is gold, or whether it is calcium pyrite, but for me games like Q3 are definitely worth their prices in gold. And I wouldn’t trade this method of self-healing for all the riches of the world.

Blade of the Immortal: First Impressions

Blade of the Immortal, or Mugen no Juunin in Japanese, is a 13-episode anime series by the legendary Production I.G. This is the second anime that I’ve tried to watch on the Net and -when frustrated- dropped.

The anime’s story is about an immortal samurai named Manji who pledges to kill a 1000 men in exchange for his sister, who has been killed by a band of ronin. The story, based on the bestselling manga currently being published by Dark Horse, is dark, gory and unremitting-just the way I.G. likes its stories. The story-as it seemed to me-hurtles you into the lives of the characters almost from the first second.

Speaking of characters, the character design is flawless, drawn just the way I.G. characters are famous for. All the characters look human and life-like, partly owing to the complete absence of the pink and green shades of hair and eyes. Manji looks exactly like a man of his class while the female characters retain their sense of being average humans even when they’re doing seemingly impossible feats.

Considering the fact that this is a historical anime, Blade does pretty well in terms of costume design too. The men’s kimono and hairstyle (except for Manji’s) fit perfectly with the traditional samurai appearance. The women’s costume is likewise; discriminating perfectionists won’t find a single flaw in the costume department.

The actual story on the ground is highly interesting. Manji is shown from the outset as a man with a few skeletons in his own closet, and his sister, cutely named Machi, comes across as the epitome of the type of character she portrays: an insane woman whose traumatic past has forced her to take refuge in her own mind. The other characters too are completely valid doppelgangers of real-life people we meet everyday: the power-hungry priest, the shameless ronin, the unhesitant band of killers and, of course, that perennial stereotype, the damsel in distress. This tinge of reality makes the anime even more realistic, if not outright scary, the ever-present frisson of nervous danger inciting a deep interest in the welfare of the favorite character.

The music, such as I heard of it, is great. The OP, Akai Usagi by Makura no Soushi, is chilling in the composition of its lyrics and hair-raising background music. The scenes that accompany it are well worth a watch on Youtube (if it’s there yet), and the song is also worth a download, or even better, a buy.

Overall impression: This anime is a must-watch on my list, at least; right up there with D.Gray-Man and Ryoko’s Case File it stands, and boy, does it look tempting. It’s a must for every I.G. fan everywhere, especially those who’ve been bagging on the studio for churning out ‘bad stuff’. It’s also a must-watch for all you fans of Kurosawa and Afro Samurai, coz the battle scenes and the swordfights are simply peerless. I.G. doesn’t mind throwing in decapitated heads or sprays of red blood in plenty, either. A word of advice, though: if you’re gonna watch this anime, make sure you do so alone. There’s two reasons for this: a) you’ll enjoy yourself better, and b)it’s really, really, really unsuitable for kids younger than 15. Otherwise, go ahead, start it up. Let the blood bath begin!

Blade of the Immortal can be seen on Crunchyroll.

Ryoko’s Case File: First Impressions

Ryoko’s Case File, or Yakushiji Ryoko no Kaiji Jikenbo as it’s called in Japanese, is a 13-episode anime produced by the Dogakobo animation house, and currently broadcasting in Japan. I find it kinda strange that I’m writing this after I’ve dropped the series for the foreseeable future, but it’s OK since I will only be talking about my first impressions of the anime.

The anime revolves around (obviously) Superintendent Ryoko Yakushiji of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and her crony and self-confessed ’slave’, the investigator Izumida Junnichiro. Izumida and Ryoko are unlike the ordinary police officers, however; first of all, Ryoko is filthy rich in her own right, and secondly, because they almost always seem to be dealing with supernatural cases. It is cases like these which test Ryoko’s investigative mind most, and it is these cases which we see her excel at. The anime proceeds to tell the method of her solving these knotty cases.

The story (as much of it as I’ve seen) is no different from what we’ve seen countless times in other anime series. Like its more famous cousin, Death Note, this too sends us into mental and visual rollercoasters, in order to excite and enthrall us. However, the suspense and action elements are either too little or too lame, damaging the whole storyline completely. Clearly this anime strives hard to be another detective story with a supernatural twist but fails completely. Somehow Ryoko doesn’t fit into the L category, either.

That said, several other elements quickly fill up the vacuum. The ’sparks’ between Izumida and Ryoko are more like an electric storm. The chemistry between them is palpable, even prominent. Also, the humorous moments of the anime rival some situations that we have seen in comedy anime. The rivalry between Yukiko Muromachi and Ryoko, both fellow investigators and Tokyo University graduates, as well as the hen-pecked attitude of their male suboordinates, is highly amusing.

The character design, I’m pleased to say, is awesome. Ryoko looks like a firecracker waiting to be lit up, while Izumida, though seemingly out of her league, nevertheless manages to convey a suave image, much like David of Blood+ did. Even her rival, Yumiko, looks like a gorgeous, albeit four-eyed goddess, reminding me (and I am sure many others) of Ise Nanao from Bleach. Besides that, all of the sets and storyboards are elegantly crafted and nicely translated onto the screen.

So, my overall impression of the anime (as I saw it, on my super-bad connection, which made it seem like a slideshow) is good. The anime remains on my must-watch list, and be sure that as soon as I get the chance, I’ll be watching this series again. I’ve become a Ryoko fanboy already, and anyone who watches her perform (somehow I can’t make myself write ‘portrayed’) in the show will have no doubt whatsover that this series is good. Maybe not a gem or a cult classic, but a certain must-watch. Therefore, this one is a highly recommended watch for fans of detective anime, as well as for all you eyecandy-fans out there.

Ryoko’s Case File may be viewed on Crunchyroll.