Ghost in the Shell Teaser Trailer - Scarlett Johansson

The first set of teasers for the new live-action Ghost in the Shell film starring Scarlett Johansson is here! And I just do not know how to feel. Honestly, this is just a series of teaser clips more than anything, but the quality of the cinematography looks incredibly cheap. Rupert Sanders is not known for being a good director, but I am really hoping that this movie will not suck. I want it to good so bad! Scarlett Johansson does look good as the Major, so  that's something. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know!

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Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in Shell

The first image of Scarlett Johansson as the Major in the upcoming Ghost in Shell has been released. Ghost in the Shell has begun filming in New Zealand and will release on March 31, 2017. In addition to Johansson, the cast includes Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale), who plays the Major's boss Daisuke Aramaki, Pilou Asbæk (Lucy), and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire).

Ghost in Shell is based on a Japanese sci-fi cyberpunk manga (aka comic book) series. However, it is most well known in the west by the 1995 and the anime TV series, which aired from 2002 to 2005. After Akira, Ghost in the Shell introduced many audiences outside of Japan to anime in the 90s, although the film did take a more philosophical approach to the original source material, which blended philosophy, action, mystery, and a bit of humor. Regardless of which direction the film takes, hopefully Rupert Sanders will craft a film worthy of the Ghost in the Shell. And oh yeah, my stance on the whitewashing of the cast is a little negative, but the business reasons are valid enough and ScarJo is a capable actress most of the time, so I will stay optimistic. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know! 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Psycho-Pass Review

To continue the mystery thriller theme, today I will be reviewing Psycho-Pass, a crime drama with a unique science fiction twist. 

Psycho-Pass is set in the year 2113 where the mental state of the populace is measure by a government run computer system designated The Sibyl System to determine a citizen's potential for criminal activity exceeds a certain level. Depending on the "hue" of a person's "Psycho-Pass," Inspectors and Enforcers are task with incapacitating or killing the person in question using a special gun named the Dominator. Dominators directly measure a target's hue, and if the person's Crime Coefficient (the possibility to commit crimes) is over 100, the Dominator will be set to stun and the person is designated a latent criminal. If the Crime Coefficient the person is over 100, he or she is designated a serious threat to the society, and therefore the Dominator is set to kill. While this system may sound complex, it, along with some other aspects of the world, are explained effectively in the first episode or two. 

Psycho-Pass is an original work by the great Gen Urobuchi. He is famous for series such as Fate/Zero, one of my personal favorites, Madoka Magica, another favorite, and Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom. Considering the last original work by Urobuchi was Madoka Magica, my expectations were understandably high, and, for the most part, the series does not disappoint. 

The Team

The Good: One of the best villains in a long time, Intriguing concepts and themes, Occasional humor, Cyberpunk aesthetic, Dominators are cool weapons, Classic sci-fi references, Excellent animation (Blu-Ray version), Superb English dub, Morally ambiguous, Unexpected plot twists,

The Bad: One particularly weak story arc, One or two supporting characters are underdeveloped, 

Plot: 8.9/10- For the most part, the series follows a new inspector Akane Tsunemori, who has an unusually low and stable Crime Coefficient, which makes her particularly effective as an inspector. In Psycho-Pass' future, a person's Psycho-Pass determines the possible jobs that one can apply for, and Akane was among the highest scoring people of her generation, yet she still chose to be an inspector. As an inspector, she leads a group of subordinates, aka Enforcers, who are individuals that are designated as latent criminals. These latent criminal are sometimes former inspectors that allowed their "Hue to be clouded" (Crime Coefficient to go up) due to the nature of the job, while others are former criminals. They may have not done anything particularly criminal, but Psycho-Pass’ world is ruled by the seemingly all-knowing Sibyl System and those with the potential for criminal activity are held as criminals.

Akane's holographic clothing is cool

Essentially, the series has an episodic narrative structure with story arcs of 2-4 episodes revolving around a case. Due to the episodic nature, not all of the story arcs are well written with one story arc (episodes 6, 7, and 8) making me lose interest in the series for a short period of time, due to how dark the episodes compared to the others, which led to a massive tonal clash. Other than that story arc, the series captured my attention after the first episode. I was sucked into this new, yet familiar, sci-fi world that both reminded of classics such as Blade Runner, which is directly referenced in the series, and new sci-fi like Almost Human.

As with any Gen Urobuchi’s work, he likes to demonstrate certain themes, although, unlike most other creators, his themes are often subtle and never overpowering, and Psycho-Pass is no different. He explores some familiar themes about science fiction and society, and how a world where crime is almost a thing of the past would be like; all of which are thought provoking.

Characterization: 8.3/10- Psycho-Pass has several memorable and likable main characters, as well as one of the best villains in quite some time. Akane Tsunemori is a strong female protagonist that is never too perfect to the point of annoyance. She may be a smart person, but she is still young and inexperienced, and her morals are tested throughout the series. By the end of the series, she has gone through quite a lot of character development. Akane's main sidekick of sorts is Shinya Kogami, and their buddy-cop type relationship is entertaining to watch. Kogami is an Enforcer that relies on his instincts rather than the system. His character is given a good backstory, and he is one of the best aspects of the series.
Since revealing the name of the series' antagonist would spoil the mystery, let me just say that he is a very complex and intriguing villain that has elements of other iconic villains. The series' main weak point in terms of characterization is that one or two of the Enforcers are not given much development, which makes the parts later in the series where that character's role is expanded less impactful than it could have been. On the other hand, the ones that are developed, have excellent character arcs.

Action: 8.2/10- Psycho-Pass is not necessarily the most action packed for a sci-fi series, but every story arc has at least one impressive fight scene, which is always entertaining. Towards the end of the series, there are several great hand-to-hand fights that are reminiscence of Cowboy Bebop's stellar action scenes with Spike.

Dominators are awesome!

Acting: 9.5/10- Psycho-Pass is the type of series that seems to benefit from the English dub. The dark and gritty crime drama elements of the series mesh better with the English voices. Usually, I would say that both dubs are about the same, but thanks to Robert McCollum's strong performance as Kogami, and an equally strong performance from the main antagonist's voice actor, the dub is noticeably better, at least in my opinion. However, as usual, one or two of the background actors in the dub are a bit flat. As for the Japanese, it is perfectly fine, but some voices do not seem to fit all that well.

Art Style: 9.1/10- Production I.G are known for their high production value and Psycho-Pass is no exception. The eyes on the female characters are a little too big, but I honestly did not mind it, and the use of spiky "anime hair" was a bit excessive, but overall, the character designs are appealing and consistent. Thanks to the dark and gritty background art, the cyberpunk aesthetic is brought to life. The use of 3D animation is actually effective, particularly with the Dominators guns. Somehow, the 3D animation used for them blends well thanks to the sci-fi art style. On an important side note, the animation for the Blu-Ray release, which I believe is the version I watched, is improved compared to the one aired on TV, thus fixing the animation problems that some criticism the series for initially.

Soundtrack: 8.6/10- While not revolutionary, Yugo Kanno, not to be confused with Yoko Kanno, does a fine job with the score. The use of electronic sounds in the soundtrack provides a fitting atmosphere for the series.

Humor: 7.3/10- Psycho-Pass is not a particularly funny series, but as with most crime dramas, there is enough humor spread throughout to keep things entertaining.

Opening and Ending: 9.0/10- All four of the opening and ending songs are rather good, particularly the second opening and the first ending. The animation in the second opening is worthy of note for complimenting the series perfectly.

Non-Otaku Appeal: If it were not for the one odd story arc and spiky anime hair, I was even recommend the series to people that I know since Psycho-Pass follows the American crime drama formula enough to feel familiar, while simultaneously departing from it enough to feel unique. However, if you do not mind one unnecessarily dark storyline and the character models, Psycho-Pass is a great series for the uninitiated, especially if you like Blade Runner.

Entertainment Value: 9.1/10- The cyberpunk storylines with action and mystery are right up my alley in terms of personal preference. With the exception of the aforementioned weaker story arc, the series grabbed my interest and rarely ceased to entertain me.

Overall: 8.6/10- Despite its few weaker elements, Psycho-Pass is yet another top notch achievement from Gen Urobuchi that delves into themes of this sci-fi world he created, while also giving the viewer an entertaining action and intriguing mystery crime drama that sets itself apart from the rest.

Closing comments: Psycho-Pass is the type of series that fans of sci-fi, cyberpunk, Gen Urobuchi, and crime mystery thrillers will surely enjoy. If you like any of these things, you should give Psycho-Pass a watch, although, be warned that it can be very dark and mature at times. Also, season two will be airing later this year!

Recommended for *Mature*: Sci-fi fans, Gen Urobuchi fans, Cyberpunk fans, Mystery thriller fans, Crime drama fans, Blade Runner fans,

For another opinion of Psycho-Pass, you can click here to read Arvin Saints' review of the series.

Also, if you have reviewed this anime, leave a comment with a link to your review and I will post it here (providing it does not contain any explicit content).


To read more of my anime reviews, you can click here.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Ghost in the Shell Review.

Ghost in the Shell, the film inspired the Matrix, and a film that was far ahead of its time, and one that is getting a live-action Hollywood adaptation coming in a few years.

Ghost in the Shell is a one of the classic anime films that introduced many American audiences to the genre. My expectations for Ghost in the Shell where relatively high considering that the film is said to be similar to the Matrix and that the genre of sci-fi is usually my type of thing. Except for a few minor flaws, Ghost in the Shell was satisfying and smart action thriller that presents complex themes of technology that are even more revelation today than they were years ago.

According to Wachowskis, Ghost in the Shell was said to have inspired the Matrix, which is one of my favorite movies of all-time, and the similarities are noticeable, particularly the setting, granted, there are plenty of differences. Ghost in the Shell reminded me of a combination of Blade Runner and the Matrix since it shares many of the concepts that both films explored. While some of the concepts are confusing at first and definitely require further thought to fully understand what the film is trying to accomplish, anyone that enjoys a complex message about technology should watch Ghost in the Shell.

On a side note, Ghost in the Shell was one of the first anime films that I had seen when I watched it for the first time last year. At the time, Akira was the only other anime movie that I had seen. Since then however, I have seen about twenty other feature length anime films.

Directed by: Mamoru Oshii
Genre: Sci-Fi, Anime, Animation, Action, Cyber-Punk, Thriller,
Release Date: November 18, 1995
Running Time: 82 minutes
MMPA rating: R

The Good: Thought provoking themes, Intriguing sci-fi concepts, Several impressive action scenes, Created a unique sci-fi world, Inspired the Matrix, Complex plot, Strong female lead,

The Bad:

Warning: This film is rated "R" for violence, profanity, and other mature content.


Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
In the distant future, the world has become interconnected by a vast electronic network that permeates every aspect of life. Much of humanity, including the protagonists, has direct access to this network through cybernetic bodies, or "shells", which possess their consciousness and can give them superhuman abilities.
Major Motoko Kusanagi, a female police officer and leader of Public Security Section 9's assault team, is assigned to capture an elusive hacker known as the "Puppet Master". Her team, Batou and Ishikawa, triangulate their activity with a garbageman. The man believes he is going through a divorce and thinks he is using a program obtained from a sympathetic man to illegally ghost-hack his wife's mind to find his daughter. Kusanagi and her team arrest both the garbageman and the man who gave him the program, but they discover that both men's memories were either erased or implanted, which means they themselves were ghost-hacked by the Puppet Master, who remains at large.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 9.0/10- Ghost in the Shell combines the genres of psychological thriller and sci-fi thriller with a very complex plot. At first glance you may think it is a standard sci-fi action film, that, however, is not the case. While there is some action, the Ghost in the Shell is more complex than the typical science fiction movie and it requires a surprising amount of thought to comprehend the plot. Due to the film's short length, a sizable amount of the exposition is told through dialogue, which works for the most part, but it does give an odd "tell not show" presentation.
Unlike like many movies that try to convey some "deep" philosophical message that either was a lot less meaningful than the creators thought it was or make no sense entirely, Ghost in the Shell's commentary on technology is quite fascinating and well thought-out. Many of the same concepts have been used in other films, most of which where made after Ghost in the Shell.
My only issue with the plot is, as I stated earlier, it has a tenacy to tell and not show what is happening or why the characters feel as they do. On the topic of characters, while the characters are well realized enough to move the plot forward, the film does not give enough time to develop them, fortunately however, there is a TV series and manga to watch/read.
Also, the mystery element is quite good, albeit not a main draw.



Action: 8.4/10- Ghost in the Shell has several unique and inventive devices that are used excellently in the film's action scenes. Since the main protagonists are essentially cyborg-robot, there are few limits on what they can do in an action scene, which makes for some great set-pieces. Another thing is the Thermo-optic Camouflage, basically what the Predator uses in stealth mode. There are several awesome scenes that unitize it well. Although the action that is there was great, I almost wish there could have been more because it was done so well, but that is actually not a big issue.

Acting: 8.2/10- Ghost in the Shell's only slightly weak point is its English Dub cast. While the main protagonist give decent performances, a few of the supporting cast members could have been better. Later in the film however, the cast started to grow on me and I ended up liking the voices for the main characters. It is also important to know that since the characters have cybernetic implants, they can communicate through their minds to each other and carry on conversations. At first the characters not moving their mouths during conversation is confusing and it is never actually explained, but that is important to know when watching the film. Additionally, as usual, the original Japanese audio is solid alternative with few drawbacks since you can't actually understand why the characters are saying anyway, and they at least as though they express a little more emotion.

Art Style (Original Version): 9.1/10- Considering when Ghost in the Shell was made, the animation is rather impressive for a film not made by Studio Ghibli. The animation is fluid, the backgrounds are well drawn, and the characters are mostly well realized.

The top pictures are the 2.0 version and and the bottom are the original.

Art Style (2.0 Version): 8.2/10- Unfortunately, when I first watched Ghost in the Shell, I watched the "enhanced" 2.0 version of the film since that was the only one was available at the time, and while it still had excellent animation, the CGI additions where entirely unnecessary. Also, the coloring is way off. If you watch the movie, do not watch the 2.0 Version, is it a waste of time when the original still looks so much better.

Soundtrack: 7.2/10- Occasionally the soundtrack is distracting and other times it compliments the films well, overall, good but nothing special.

Comedy: N/A-

Would I Watch This Again: Ghost in the Shell is a film that is worth re-watching because of the complexity of the plot.

Overall: 8.7/10- Overall, Ghost in the Shell is excellent and thoughtful anime film, but those unfamiliar with anime and complex stories about technology will likely not enjoy the film as much as I did. However, if you are a fan of the Matrix and would like to see what inspired the film, consider watching Ghost in the Shell; it is a classic.

Closing comments: Ghost in the Shell is a unique experience that could only have been done in anime, at least at the time it was made, and it is not to be missed by fans of the genre.

For another opinion on the film, you read Arvin Saint's review of Ghost in the Shell here.

Warning: It is important to emphasize that Ghost in the Shell is rated "R" for a reason and it certainly earns that rating with the violence and other mature content. One other thing should be noted is that the star, Major Motoko Kusanagi, wears a stealth suit that turns were invisible using active camouflage, however when she uses this suit, it is extremely skin tight and skin colored, but the male characters in the film can use the same technology while wearing regular clothes.

Recommended for *Mature*: Sci-fi fans, Action fans, Anime fans, Cyber-Punk fans, Matrix fans,

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Ghost in the Shell Live-Action Movie

The revolutionary franchise that inspired the Matrix and many other cyber-punk movies, Ghost in the Shell is receiving a live-action adaptation. Ghost in the Shell is an iconic Japanese comic book series (manga) that has had several adaptations including 1995 film, which I will be reviewing soon, and the popular Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex series. Unfortunately however, Rupert Sanders, director of Snow White and the Huntsman, is taking the helm to direct the movie, and considering his previous work, he is certainly not the best choice. Maybe he will surprise us, but Ghost in the Shell might end up in the long line of mediocre anime to live-action adaptations. My hopes for the film is that it does not directly the follow the first film since it was a loose adaptation of the manga, and instead do something like the series, which I have only seen an episode of thus far. Also, the first movie was only 90 minutes long, therefore this live-action adaptation will have more time to explore the plot and characters. My main concerns are that the movie will not have an Asia cast, the source material will be completely butchered, and that the thought-provoking commentary on technology will be replaced by a stupidly simple plot with too mind-numbing action. On a side note, the franchise stars a female Major Motoko Kusanagi, and if adapted well, should could be the one of the best sci-fi heroines since Princess Leia and Ellen Ripley (Alien franchise). Overall, I am skeptical, but hopeful that the movie will turn out well, despite the unlikelihood of that actually happening. What are your thoughts? Please comment below. Also, please check back next week for my full review of the original Ghost in the Shell movie. If you are interested seeing more of the franchise, you can watch the first episode of the Standalone Complex series in the video below. The entire first season is uploaded officially on YouTube. Also, be sure to check back tomorrow for a rundown of the Super Bowl movie trailers.

This picture is from the series Standalone Complex

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.