Ghost in the Shell’s First Two Minutes Recreates Original Anime Opening


The first full trailer for the live-action, western adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell finally hit the web today, featuring remarkably sharp visuals and teasing The Major’s not-as-it-seems backstory. Predictably, Scarlett Johansson’s (Captain America: Civil War) visual depiction of the character was slightly more obfuscated than the barenaked lady style of the original, but otherwise, the imagery of the anime classic appears to be intact.

Leading up to this moment, there has been no shortage of advance curiosity and criticism over the new take, including the “white washed” casting of The Major and concern over the pedigree of one-time feature film director, Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman). Fortunately, the trailer has given everyone something more tangible to dissect. Even better, this isn’t the only thing fans will have have to chew on.

IGN recently released footage of the first two minutes of The Ghost in the Shell (see above). Just like the 1995 animated film, this features the “Shelling Sequence,” in which The Major’s robotic body is created. The video features the original film’s composer, Kenji Kawai, performing on the drums for a new, live (yet familiar) score for the film.


If nothing else, the film seems to have also nailed the aesthetic of the original anime’s opening sequence, though the new version is (again, as expected) far less explicit in its exploration of the newborn shell’s anatomy. The off-the-screen footage is of so-so quality, but what is visible seems to be an effective and artistic use of digital magic. A lot of the tricks on display seem reminiscent of the Academy Award-winning work from Ex Machina, which blended live actors with CG machinery. If nothing else, Jess Hall’s (Hot Fuzz) cinematography looks like it will be a high point of the film.

There will still a number of pressing question for fans to ponder, like how closely the adaptation will mirror the myriad of source material from the manga, anime film’s, and television series. Perhaps even more important though will be whether or not the character work will be accessible to American audiences between the intrigue and action.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Ghost in the Shell release date: Mar 31, 2017