Ghost in the Shell

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

 

 

 

 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Meh, they have a lot to live up to (I'm a die hard GitS fan so they better do this movie right) and I'm far from impressed with these teasers. Considering how well Arise did (though it kept to the ideals of the franchise and the overall story wasn't bad it was still an underhanded blow to fans) this movie has a lot to prove.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I still haven't watched Arise. I'm keeping low expectations for this movie so the disappointment wont be too bad. If this movie does good, it could potentially spawn a new series of anime/manga to movie adaptations like the comic movie industry. The last live action anime live action movie I saw was Dragonball: Evolution and I'll just leave this here as a reminder of what that mess was:

 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I have more faith in the Netflix Deathnote than this. 

[Sledgstone 8,672]

So do I. Netflix teaming up with Marvel to make series has potentially given them the experience they need to tackle other properties. Netflix has made alot of crap content over the last year tho so it could be hit or miss with Deathnote. If its good, then Netflix knows what they're doing. If its crap, then I'll assume Marvel is doing the majority of the shot calling on their properties even on Netflix.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

I honestly have no faith in Western live-action adaptations of anime and never have (the only real one we had was Dragonball and I that was atrocious by all accounts (what I've heard, I never watched it)). Honestly I don't have any real faith in Japanese live-action adaptations either (I mean they're not bad but they're not that good. The best one I saw was the Nana live-action movies and they were ok (the first one was the best, second one kinda flopped imo)). I'm not a fan of Deathnote (the premise never interested me so I never read the manga or watched the anime) so I hope Netflix does it justice (I mean they have had some great original series come out over the last few years and a few flops so who knows they might do good).

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

I hope they pay homage to the epic chip eating.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

The most dramatic potato chip consumption in all of anime.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

On 9/22/2016 at 9:18 PM, Sledgstone said:

I still haven't watched Arise.

Don't get me wrong they're not overly bad (I mean I bought the first two when they came stateside and plan on buying the last two when I get the money (or if it's on Rightstuf's Black Friday or 12 days of Christmas sale)) they just weren't as good as the original movie or the SAC series's and movie. It was such a huge departure from what made the setting and the character's so enjoyable (I mean the Major just rubs me the wrong way in the OVA, she's just not as awesome as she was in the original movie or the series). It was like they decided to just take the framework of the story/background and the characters basics information from Shirow's original manga and throw everything else out the window (it's not like the movies and the SAC series/movie didn't do the same but they were more in line with what they were in the manga (and believe me the manga is completely different from the original movie, they took a lot of liberties when they adapted it)).

The Arise movie however was amazing and I actually enjoyed it, it really went back to what made GitS what it was (I really need to buy it). The Major actually seemed like the Major and while the other characters still irked me (Ishikawa was probably the only real character I liked in Arise, he didn't really change much) it felt more like GitS than the OVA's did.

(Honestly don't know why I didn't cover this in my earlier post but like I said these 10 hour days are slowly melting my brain)

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Thanks for the info. I know Arise is on netflix. I'll watch it soon when I get the chance.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

What's up with the weird ass body suit? Thats more racy than the anime outfit, they could have added some color instead of making her look nude the whole time.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Meh, it's not bad. I mean she does spend quite a bit of time time in the manga and the movie nude so I'm honestly surprised they went with it (would of just been better nude but they would of never got the rating they wanted). Either way I honestly have no hopes for this movie after this trailer. Batou looks retarded (if that even is him, I honestly don't know what characters they're bringing into this movie), I honestly don't think Scarlett is a good fit for the Major (she doesn't have the attitude to be the Major), and this movie looks like a hodge podge of both plots from the original movie and the SAC series (plus there own little original story, Motoko has never really wondered where she came from as she knew (it's different pending on the source material but she knows who she is, she just questions whether or not everything is real and whether or not she has a "Ghost" since she's spent almost her entire life as a cyborg). I swear some of those scenes were pulled directly from the movie and the series (the fight in the water is from the original movie and the geisha dolls is from the first episode of SAC (with its own original twist)).

I'll admit though those effects are amazing and probably the only upside to this movie based on the trailer. I shouldn't be hard on it but like I said I'm a huge GitS fan and I'm expecting a lot from this movie. Sadly it'll probably never deliver what I'm looking for.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

That is Bato, their choice also doesn't fit him. I'll probably go see it regardless. Funny how there was so much talk a few years back about Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion, and we end up with GoTS.

[Myk JL 1,731]

I think this trailer looks very bland.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I'm interested in this but I'm a bit burned out on origin movies. I never kept up with the overall plot of GitS but I remember Stand Alone Complex and 2nd GIG was good without having to be stuffed full of everyone's origins and backstories.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

I forgot to post this the other day when I watched it. Ricky got to go down and interview some of the cast and the director. Pretty much this confirmed that they're using multiple sources for this movie, taking bits and pieces of what they liked from the original movie and the tv series and adding their own original flair. Just thought I'd post it for a little more background on the movie. I'd post the newest Spacebar ep from Primr but half the episode talks about the new mini-NES console and Black Friday but the last half goes over GitS as well (just their thoughts and ideas) but it's almost 30 minutes long and you guys can look for it of you're interested (plus like I said the first half is just random crap).

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Meh, I'm still not feeling this movie. I don't know if its the trailers not doing a good job at selling it for me or if it's just the concept but I just don't feel it (I still don't think Scarlett is a good choice for the Major, she doesn't doesn't fit the persona for me). Again the effects and visuals look amazing but story wise this is just meh. I'll probably still see it but I don't think its going to be overly good.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

They could have picked anyone to play Major, how the story is portraying her doesn't match her character. That's what is throwing me off. I don't have high hopes for Bato either. Its clear that the story is dumbed down for American audiences. Hollywood treats us lessers as if we can't handle complex stories... which is why we watch anime to get them.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

It looks great but even if the characters are dull, at least the plot will still be focused around them instead of the director throwing a human audience substitute into the movie like Shia Labeouf in Transformers. My other concern besides character development issues is that flesh toned body suit.. I hope they don't screw over the look more by having her entire body CG'd partial camouflage while having a head floating on top or we'll get another repeat of this look:

[Dubird 6,815]

So, saw it last night.  I've only seen the original movie, and that was a long time ago, so I can't really comment on where the story diverged.  HSpoon said they pulled elements from the manga and Stand Alone Complex to add to the story, so there's that.

It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen but it was ok.  One thing I did really enjoy was the setting, it was beautiful and well-shot.  The cinematography was really well done.  It's the first live-action movie that actually looked very anime, which was kinda weird.  I kinda feel about it like I feel about Andromeda.  The settings were amazing and well put together, the story was ok.  Just, ok.  Not horrible, it was watchable and flowed ok, but there were odds and ends that felt out of place, mostly in the dialogue.  Still, it's worth seeing for the visuals, but don't expect an awesome story telling experience.

 

Oh, and the do the camouflage really well, no floating head.  And it was fun watching her in a physical fight while being invisible.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Dubird

[Sledgstone 8,672]

14 hours ago, Dubird said:

Oh, and the do the camouflage really well, no floating head.  And it was fun watching her in a physical fight while being invisible.

Yay! This movie will be watchable for me.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Ok so I finally watched this and I'll give my thoughts on it (because I know everyone wants to hear them (yea I know you don't)) but be forewarned I have some major issues with this movie. I will point out that I did not hate this movie, as an action/sci-fi movie it's pretty damn good and the visuals are fucking amazing (some of the best cg I've seen in a long time, damn did they do a good job on it). The soundtrack is also pretty damn amazing, has hints of music from the original animated movie in their. Now anyways lets get on with what I thought (from now on things will be in spoilers, read if you wish too but I'm doing this for those who don't want anything ruined).

The Bad:

Spoiler

1. I have some problems with how the Major is portrayed here. Scarlett did a wonderful job so it's not really her I have a problem with (but I still don't think she was the right choice). My problem is with how they set her up and made her into something she never was. The whole major plot point running through this movie is how she is the first successful cyborg (a.k.a the first successful brain transplant into a cybernetic shell) and that she would be the future of mankind. I'm sorry but this is a fucking bad way to introduce a character who is as iconic as Motoko is. She's the epitome of what it means to be a bad ass and I feel they underplayed this way to much (though I get the feeling this won't be the only GitS movie). Don't get me wrong she's still fucking bad ass and the fight scenes are amazing but I just feel they underutilized what makes the Major the Major. They also leave out the whole hacker aspect of who the character, a major defining aspect of who she is in the manga as well as the animated movies and series. Instead they don't even mention it and she gets easily hacked pretty early in the movie. The origin of her character is another point I have a problem with. Now they've never really covered how she became the way she is (the manga never mentions it, the movie never mentions it, SAC is a different universe from the manga/movie and they go over their version of it, and Arise has it's own take) but I just don't like how they did it here. She's a runaway who's against technological advancement that gets kidnapped, basically murdered, and placed into a shell with false memories of who she is. Sorry what? You're telling me this iconic character is nothing more than a teenager with societal issues turned into a cybernetic weapon. Yea, no thanks. Oh and when she takes off her trench coat that is a suit she's wearing so she is not naked and that is not a cybernetic body. The suit allows her to use her Thermoptic Camo.

2. Kuze is another problem for me. They took his character as a man who wanted nothing but change for the good of the refugees in SAC and turned him into a terrorist that just so happens to be one of the Major's childhood friends. Oh yeah, he was also kidnapped the same time she was and is pretty much the failure that led to the Major's creation (well him and the 98 other failures who happened to die). Not really sure I'm happy with how he was treated as he's actually one of my favorite characters from SAC. Honestly I feel the screenwriters were just grasping at straws when they created this version of Kuze as well as the Major, trying to pull from the other continuities to bring in more fans from the series.

3. The lack of the supporting cast really kills me. Why the fuck would you cast the other members of Section 9 when they're hardly in the movie (for fucks sake Togusa has like 3 scenes, Saito is in it at the fucking end of the movie, Ishikawa has like two scenes (and he's black, wtf people), Borma only shows up toward the end (and he's also black, I get it lets get some diversity in this movie but he's a fucking asian), and I don't even think you see Paz in the movie at all (which sucks because he's another of my favorite characters). I have no idea who this Ladriya is so I'm assuming she's an original character for this movie and Paz's replacement). As you can also see I have a little bit of an issue with how they cast the movie too (I get it, it's a western take but some of these casting choices are bad).

4. The whole plot of the movie. You can pretty much gather the plot from the above points as it deals heavily with the Major and Kuze (as well as Hanka Electronics, who's CEO/President is the major antagonist of the movie) so I won't go into the nitty gritty.

The Good:

Spoiler

1. Aramaki. Takeshi Kitano was the perfect choice to play this grizzled old ape and I couldn't be happier with how he portrayed him. If there is one highlight from this entire movie it is him and he was such a fucking bad ass. I also like how he's the only one in the movie who speaks in Japanese (considering I don't think he speaks English).

2. Batou. As goofy as he looks in this movie and considering how badly they fucked his past up he was still a welcome edition to the movie. I'm glad they used his manga personality for the movie, added a bit of comedy to the movie. Pilou did a good job of portraying him and I honestly thought, besides Takeshi, his casting was spot on.

3. Again the CG was amazing and I'm happy it was considering how much of this movie is in CG. Everything looked realistic and for the most part not fake (there are a few times where it breaks your immersion in the movie (like with the Major's body and what have you)).

4. The soundtrack was damn good and had that same feeling you got when watching the original movie. Can't say enough about it.

5. The fight scenes are great and the finale against the spider tank was pretty fucking epic (it was staged so damn well and it hearkens back to the final tank battle in the original movie, though slightly changed due to plot mechanics).

6. It wasn't another retelling of the fucking Puppetmaster story. I was afraid we were going to get the Puppetmaster 3.0 and am so happy they gave us something original. As bad as I thought the plot was I would of written this movie completely off if the Puppetmaster showed up again.

Again I didn't hate this movie but as a self-respecting GitS fan I cannot call it a welcome addition to the franchise. It's a good action/sci-fi flick and I recommend giving it a watch if you're not a huge fan of the franchise (and by that I mean like me, if you have a passing interest in the series give it a watch but you'll be sorely disappointed in it if you're a die hard fan). The only thing I fear though is what this means for a Gunm/Battle Angel Alita adaptation (it's in the works but considering how much they butchered the source material for this movie I fear what they'll do with BAA).

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

This is pretty much what I expected. Thanks for the review. Now let's see how if they butcher Death Note. Apparently they are gunning for a Cowboy. Bebop seires now that the movie fell through years ago. 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Adapting Cowboy Bebop into live action would be a travesty, I hope to fucking god they never get the rights to do it. The show is iconic and pretty much what brought the majority of our generation into the world of anime (besides DBZ, Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, and the rest of the original Toonami lineup).

I can't say much on Death Note, the anime never really interested me but considering it's Netflix doing it I don't think it'll be horrible. Then again this is a western adaptation so who can really tell.