Nothing Lost In Translation

It has a new plot and an American A-List star. But, say the makers of big-budget anime adaptaion ghost in the shell, The cyperpunk spirit is still alive

- Owen Williams

As eerie music swells, a figure takes shape on the giant screen. Identifiably female, it rises from a pool of fluid, its ivory-white outer layer detaching and flying from it in paper-like shreds. LED lights twinkle on either side of the screen; the monitor glitches. And as the soundtrack builds to a crescendo, the figure completes its metamorphosis. It’s Scarlett Johansson.

Hollywood has for some time been on a quest to crack anime. With intricate mythologies and devoted armies of fans, the medium has obvious appeal for movie producers. But adapting it is no easy task. James Wong’s Dragonball: Evolution (2009) is a cautionary tale, grossing $57 million from a $30 million budget but drawing scorn from critics. Even the biggest names in movie making have struggled. An adaptation of 1988’s landmark sci-fi anime Akira remains unmade, despite 15 years’ worth of attempts (see page 77). James Cameron puzzled over his spin on Battle Angel Alita for over a decade, before passing it on to Robert Rodriguez (production recently wrapped at Austin’s Troublemaker Studios). Shane Black toyed with Death Note, before ultimately departing to make a new Predator. All of which means Ghost In The Shell is the first mega-budget anime adaptation to arrive in cinemas. The tenacious director who made it happen is not the big name you might expect, but Rupert Sanders, best known for 2012’s Snow White & The Huntsman.