Masamune Shirow created an interesting set of complex characters in Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell. I appreciated the thought he put into constructing a world that involved deeper questions about life. Read through the Appleseed manga, I was struck with the themes of humanity, struggle, political positioning and the theme of a digital soul. Example of some dialog:
Deunan: “Still, I like the way they’re picking a fight with Olympus and both Americas straight on. You gotta give ’em credit for balls.”
Briareos: “All the third world countries are like that. What they don’t have is money. This whole OP could be an Aegis-backed diplomatic ploy.”
I highly recommend the great write-up on the recent Ghost in the Shell movie. I haven’t seen it yet, and after reading this excellent review, I’m not sure I will.
Apparently, “you can’t lead” with philosophy in Hollywood….But I’m not sure Sanders understands how or why these moments became so iconic. His interpretation of the original film—which was slower, indeed almost glacial in places—centers on explosive energy and plumes of broken glass; it’s Daft Punk gone the way of the Boondock Saints. Consequently, Sanders’ rebooted version of Ghost in the Shell is a peculiar hodgepodge of original scenes and lines, sutured together without much rhythm. We get the hacked garbage collector without the poignancy of his subsequent revelations, while the water fight that Sanders mentions is almost caricatured. And Mira Killian has none of Motoko Kusanagi’s restraint as she beats her quarry without compassion.
As the action gets more frenetic, the thoughtful theme of humans merging with machines becomes blander. –Cassandra Shaw
