#although i prefer the anime's version i also think the original has its merits

[psink]

Whilst overall I prefer the manga to the anime, there's one aspect that I think the anime does better - the very ending.

Compared to the manga's very compactly shown thoughts of the cast, the anime gives each of them a short scene.

But although that change already is great, what matters to me the most, is this added scene of Saiko.

Despite it being so short, it feels so fitting and important to Saiko's character, making its absence in the original seem wrong. (They also added Rifuta, though comparatively, her scene isn't so significant.)

[2centsoframblings]

Two cents of ramblings on: “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gō” (Anime)...

...and why I recommend it.

GENERAL DATA

Title: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gō (ひぐらしのなく頃に業 “When the Cicadas Cry: Karma”)

Media: Anime television series

Inspired by: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (ひぐらしのなく頃に “When the Cicadas Cry”) shōnen dōjin soft visual novel by Ryukishi07 and 07th expansion.

Genre: Murder mystery, Psychological horror, Supernatural horror

Directed by: Kawaguchi Keiichirō

Written by: Hisaya Naoki

Studio: Passione

Original run: October 1, 2020 – March 19, 2021

Episodes: 24

WARNINGS: There’s murder, gruesome murder, murder of minors, murder through torture, suicide, child abuse, violence, literal seas of blood spraying around, corruption, mental illness.

The plot in short: The quiet village of Hinamizawa is again trapped in a loop of tragedy that circles around Maebara Keiichi and his classmates. Furude Rika, who was hoping to have finally escaped June 1983, finds herself back into it. Believing now she knows how to fight fate she thinks she can escape from it again but rules are changed and now someone else is her opponent.

HOW DID I STUMBLE INTO IT

Well… I used to enjoy the “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” anime, but as “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira” and “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Outbreak” didn’t impress me much, I postponed watching “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gō” (and “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu”) for a while in fear of a new disappointment and decided to watch them only when positive reviews piled up.

THINGS YOU MIGHT WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE TACKLING THIS

I’ll mention the previous “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” series and also “Umineko no Naku Koro ni” and “Ciconia no Naku Koro ni”.

MY TWO CENTS ON IT

THE SHORT VERSION… or what I can tell you about this while trying to keep spoilers at the very bare minimum.

Opening & ending: The anime uses as opening “I Believe What You Said” by Asaka and, as ending

- for episode 1 “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” (ひぐらしのなく頃に ‘When the Cicadas Cry’) by Shimamiya Eiko.

- for episodes 2 to 17 “Kami-sama no Syndrome” (神様のシンドローム ‘God Syndrome’) by Ayane.

- for episodes 18 to 23 as opening “Fukisokusei Entropy” (不規則性エントロピー ‘Irregular Entropy’) by Ayane

Although I miss Shimamiya Eiko’s songs, Ayane’s also are pretty nice. The opening is visually good, it introduces the characters and set an unsettling mood with the camera waving as it moves other the characters, as if to hint their inner turmoils while there are noise effects and a colouring that reminds old movies. I like the characters’ expressions that seem a mix between depressed and worn out. I also liked the creepy glimpse of Eua, who became fully visible only from episode 21 onward. The scene of Rika escaping feels like a callback to the opening of “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai” but I liked how this time she’s also running for an uphill road and seems even more desperate of escaping. The idea she ultimately reaches the shrine and then we see mirrored in her eye two hands moving to grab her is also interesting. The visual shows us also the places relevant in the story as well as the fragment of Oyashiro-sama’s sword and the weapons the characters used. As a personal preference I like to think of the lyrics as sung by the culprit of the game.

As for the ending, the first one is merely a black background with the credits, its only merit being that the song was actually the FIRST opening theme of the FIRST “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” series.

The second ending starts with a hand trying to reach for the page of the calendar and then shows beautiful draws of scenes relevant in the series which at first are peaceful, then there’s hands grabbing away more pages from the calendar (which is a scene used in the anime as well) and the scenes starts to turn tragic. We end with tons of days ripped from the calendar in a room which has a lot of blood marks, so this one too well fit with the mood of the series.

The last start with what looks like the wheel of fortune spinning, and then shows images of Satoko and Rika that move from their childhood to their teenager years… and then switch to show Rika and Satoko in the sea of fragments… before what looks like the wheel of fortune but it’s very likely a huge round chandelier fall on the floor in a spray of blood, a reference to an important scene in the anime. So it’s good.

The plot: The idea of taking the old arcs of “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” and, through small variations, create new arcs (which, at first, was meant to lull the viewers into the idea this was merely a remake, to surprise them when it turns out this is not the case) is interesting, and so is the reason behind this new loop of tragedies.

The characters: The new takes on the characters are done well enough and differences in characterization with the previous series are explained so that they make sense and some of them are well psychologically analyzed.

The visual: The character design is much better than the previous, the funny faces work well as well as well as the creepy ones. The colours are bright, the scenery detailed and Hinamizawa seems really pretty, which is something that’s also relevant for the plot.

There are also some very nice shoots or choices (like for example, in a particular gori scene, paint everything in red so it feels more dramatic and less splatter).

If anything there’s an overabundance of blood… which actually fits with the series but it’s still so over the top sometimes is ridicule. Also they censored the scenes that were too bloody (and they’ll likely remove the censoring dots in the dvd) but the effect isn’t that good so I wish they had chosen to draw the scenes so they wouldn’t need censoring… but I guess that seeing the scenes without censoring is a huge incentive to buy the dvd so I get why this was done.

The musical background: Kawai Kenji’s music is, as usual, good, with many different pieces from the creepy ones to the funny ones with traditional ones as well. Overall they’re really well fitting the story.

Overall: It’s an interesting idea to revisit the “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” world and a good series on its own. It however comes with the ‘downside’ you’ll enjoy it a lot more if you’re familiar with the old series and the other Ryukishi07’s works but I think you can still appreciate it even if you aren’t (though you might feel a little lost if you don’t).

THE LONG VERSION… or what I loved and hated about this with, of course, TONS OF SPOILERS.

I’ve already mentioned it but I loved the overall visual, from the new character design to the bright colours and the care put in depicting the scenery. Hinamizawa seems beautiful, I loved the way they used colours for the sunset moments, the good moments are filled with light and colour, which really deliver well the message of love for Hinamizawa as well as the daily, ordinary happiness of the characters. The computer graphic for the sea of fragments is nicely done.

The funny expressions can be so very cute and endearing!

Still it’s worth to mention the creepy expressions are very good as well without being over the top deformed.

The bloody rooms are also very nicely drawn, though as usual there’s just too much blood.

I liked quite a bit the use of “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” when Keiichi discovers the magazines about the murder, it well reminds you THIS IS “HIGURASHI”.

I also liked how they introduced the changes in the storyline right from episode 1, by presenting Rena watching Keiichi and Rika watching them.

The idea of the red eyes to symbolize when the ones who travel in loops are using their powers is nice and I liked how they, starting from episode 2, set Rika’s battle, showing her with the belief she can easily overcome this new set of loops… and it’s rather interesting how her beliefs backfires, how she suggests Keiichi to doubt himself when he feels afraid of Rena, when actually this time Keiichi was right and Rena was being dangerous… or how she basically surrenders as soon as she hears Keiichi and Shion entered the storeroom… and when Hanyū gave her the power to remember who murdered her, she was already considering giving up… but still, I think they portrayed Rika’s drama well.

Rika being forced to say goodbye to Hanyū was a good scene as well as Rika hiding herself, planning to kill herself and the others managing to understand she wanted to find her and keeping on searching until they find her, while Rika is breaking down, crying because she can’t find Hanyū’s sword… and then she finds that fragment of it but decides to postpone and die herself 5 more chances because her friends managed to find her.

Going on, for who saw the previous versions of “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni”, it’s good to see Rena and Keiichi fighting each other… even though, if I have to be honest, the last part, in which Rena crazily stabs Keiichi while he kept on hitting her felt unbelievable.

I also liked how they reduced the pervert fanservice, though the scene in which Shion is asked to clean the clothes of a customer is still pretty gross.

The 5 additional loops are kind of rushed but works well to introduce how Rika wanted to leave Hinamizawa and attend to St. Lucia…

Rika: Why did I begin to hate Hinamizawa in the first place? Teen Rika: The answer is simple. I was trapped here for the longest time. Rika: Yes, that’s why the moment I was released from this curse… Teen Rika: I wanted to get out of this hick town, enroll at a fancy, wonderful school, and live a sophisticated life. Was it so wrong to dream of that? Rika: A hundred years. A century I was trapped here. [She remembers Hinamizawa] What was it I disliked about Hinamizawa? Teen Rika: I didn’t dislike it. Not at all. The tragedies that tortured me, the series of mysterious murders, they were brought about by people, plotting and clashing with one another. Rika: There were times when I was having so much fun, I barely felt time passing. There were times when I was lost in despair, sobbing on the floor. But no matter what happened, Hinamizawa had me wrapped in its warm embrace. Teen Rika: Despite that, when peace returned after a hundred years of grief, and Hinamizawa smiled, knowing I could finally stay here without worry… Rika: I… I… I wished to be rid of this hick village! Why would I want something so stupid?

…as well as why she forces herself to stop wishing for such thing.

I found interesting how Rika, once finally arriving to a ‘perfect’ world, is unsettled by it. It reminds me of another ‘perfect’ world, Saikoroshi-hen, which appeared in “Higurashi no naku koro ni Rei” and Rika rejected that world as well.

I liked Satoko’s definition of happiness with this bit of dialogue with Rika.

Satoko: Perhalps you just haven’t realized the true nature of happiness, Rika. Rika: Huh? Satoko: Painful moments, no matter how small, stay in our hearts forever. But tiny moments of happiness are quickly forgotten. Forget them, and you forget how truly blessed you are, and you instead yearn for a happiness far greater than you can bear. I cannot think of a more unfortunate turn of events. Rika, you’re happy now, yes? What more could you possibly want? Rika: You’re right, Satoko. I’m so happy I can be with you here right now. So happy… …that I can’t help but think something bad will happen. Satoko: Not to fret, Rika. Our lives will be happy and healthy from here on out. After all, this is Hinamizawa. As long as we’re here, Oyashiro-sama will protect us.

Satoko is partially right. She’s right in how we’re prone to forget the happy moments and remember the bad ones, but she’s basically longing for the same thing as Rika, a happiness far greater. She doesn’t realize because her happiness, differently from Rika, is based on things ‘not changing’ (aka Rika remaining in Hinamizawa) where Rika instead wants to change them.

Satoko can’t understand how Rika wants to escape from Hinamizawa, but Rika’s words deliver it in a way. She’s been trapped there for so long that for her ‘tragedy’ feels tied to that place. It’s not Hinamizawa’s fault, she too loves Hinamizawa but, to her, tragedy is tied to Hinamizawa. Her wish to escape Hinamizawa, to her old self, is tied to her wish to escape tragedy.

Away from Hinamizawa she can delude herself tragedy won’t strike her and she won’t have to repeat it over and over.

Rika, in a way, grew while trapped in an endless loop, but she had to keep on acting like a young child because she ‘technically’ didn’t grew. So for her becoming different also probably means finally being free to express that adult part of her.

Plus in “Higurashi no naku koro ni Rei”, more specifically in “Saikoroshi-hen” we learnt Rika, in a different world, would act like a spoiled princess fawned by her entourage and who never did anything for herself, so the act she will put up when she’ll manage to reach St. Lucia fits with her character. And the fact always in “Saikoroshi-hen” she would be willing to reject a ‘perfect’ world, because it’s not the one she liked, to the point she would be willing to kill to go back to the world she chose explains also why she has troubles accepting the new world with no tragedies.

I also liked the Satoko reveal… even if, in truth, it made little sense.

I mean, Rika in “Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai” has learnt people can keep memories of the past loops, Keiichi remembering his past killing. We saw it in this series too, how Keiichi remembered how he killed Rena and Mion or how he attacked Teppei. So really, is it so surprising and suspicious Satoko would remember Rika’s trap?

Sure, it wasn’t a traumatic fact, but who says it has to be traumatic?

Whatever, so now we get to the part which constitutes the big revelation of how those loops came to be and who’s the culprit.

I’ve never been really fond of the whole Hinamizawa syndrome, so the implication it was caused by Hanyū distrusting humans and that once she started believing them again the Hinamizawa syndrome slowly vanished leaves me a little cold, but this is probably just me.

I liked quite a lot how the breaking of Satoko was handled.

Rika pushed on Satoko her own dream, Satoko put a huge effort to fulfill it for Rika’s sake, but it ended up all for nothing. As going to St. Lucia wasn’t Satoko’s dream the burden to remain in that school grew too much while, at the same time, there was no reward for her as Rika became the princess that was mentioned in “Saikoroshi-hen”, cultivated her group of supporters and left her alone. Credits when it’s due, Rika didn’t really meant to cut ties with Satoko but, at the same time, she clearly wasn’t supportive enough. Satoko also, out of pride, didn’t ask for help… but the story will show that wasn’t really the point.

While I find perfectly understandable how Rika might have wanted to leave Hinamizawa and start another life, her mistake was to push her own dream on Satoko too.

Rika: There’s something I’ve secretly dreamed of doing for a long, long time. Satoko: Huh? Rika, do you mean… Rika: And I want to make that dream come true with you, Satoko. Satoko: Huh? A dream? I’m not sure if I quite follow, Rika. Rika: I’ve been thinking about this for a long, long time. One day, when I’m finally able to leave the village on my own… I want to experience a new way of life—one I’ve never known before. I want to wake up in the morning and turn the page of the calendar, wondering just how the day will unfold. And when it does, my new reality will be as I never could have imagined: filled with wonder, splendor, and new surprises. I want to go to a school where I can live that life. Of course, I want to go there together with you, Satoko. I want to experience high society at a fancy school with you! Nipa!

Satoko has to come with her and share her dream… but Satoko is not a pet Rika can take along with her and Satoko has no wish to live such a life. The first time they discuss it, Rika pushes Satoko to agree by hitting on her pride, claiming she doesn’t want to do it because she doesn’t like to study, which is absolutely true and Rika knows it, but she also knows Satoko won’t admit it so Satoko ends up roped in and, while she’s clearly not enthusiast or interested in fancy life, she tries to keep up on studies solely for Rika.

After experiencing how that world wouldn’t work well for her, Satoko tries to change Rika’s mind about it and Rika refuses. While a part of her is entirely legitimate in not wanting to give up on her fancy life in St. Lucia, the way she put things aims at making Satoko feel bad because she was refusing to help her with her dream. However, while a good friend should help you with your dreams, there’s a limit to how far you can ask. Rika could have asked for Satoko’s support and encouragement, not for Satoko to also share her dream because, well, that’s Rika’s dream and Satoko is entitled to have her own. And with the following loops things get worse.

The next time Satoko outright refuses to listen to Rika and makes clear she won’t take part to Rika’s dream.

Satoko: Rika. I’m not as smart as you are. Moreover, I absolutely detest studying. Rika: Yes, so do I! That’s why we can work together— Satoko: Please, stop talking and let me speak. Even if we get into that school, I won’t be able to keep up with the academics. And those ladylike types would never befriend a country bumpkin like me. Though you’ll fit in well, so I’m sure you’ll be surrounded by friends. I don’t want to be all by my lonesome. Rika: Don’t worry! I’m your best friend. I’ll be by your side the whole time! It’ll be okay! Even after we get in, I’ll be your best friend. I won’t let you be alone! I promise! Satoko: You’re lying! You’re lying. You’re a filthy liar, Rika! I know what your idea of “together” is! It’s studying for exams “together” because it’s boring alone. Or going to the exam results posting “together” because it’s sad going alone! Or going to the bathroom at night “together” because you’re scared! That’s all you mean by “together”! Rika: Th-that’s not what I mean… Satoko: Tell me, Rika. Being able to accomplish anything with effort is a talent in and of itself. You tried to learn to walk with stilts or ride a unicycle, but did you succeed? Rika: I… Satoko: I could do both with ease, yet you kept struggling and failing, over and over. Rika: I never… Satoko: Everyone has things they simply can’t do, no matter how hard they try. I’ll put it simply: no matter how hard I try, I will never excel in school. And I don’t want to try! I hate it! I can’t endure the pain I must suffer to help you with your “dream”! And then, when we get into the school, you’ll forget all about me, and instead spend all your time with your fancy little friends! You’ll have nothing to do with your stupid “friend”! I know that’s what happens! Rika: Why are you saying all this…? Satoko: So now, you have to decide! Do you want your fancy school, or me? Pick one and live with it! Rika: Why are you this upset about it? I don’t understand! Satoko: Are you going to live a fun, happy life with me here in Hinamizawa, or abandon both Hinamizawa and me?! Make a decision, right now! Rika: I’m sorry. I can’t pick just one. I want both the school and you!

Satoko is very direct here. She told her she doesn’t want to go to that fancy school, that studying makes her feel bad that it would be too much of a burden on her but Rika just doesn’t listen. She doesn’t understand why Satoko is upset and refuses to accept she has to concede, that she can’t force Satoko to join her in that school, that she has to choose. Rika doesn’t really try to understand Satoko, she just wants to get what she wants. Again she would chose a world built on another’s misery because that world would be one which would treat her kindly.

On the other side Satoko has, at the beginning, compromised for her own sake and tried to understand her point of view. She has accepted to go to St. Lucia with her, she had put up on studying, she has accepted Rika wanted to spend time with other girls who looked down on Satoko. And this probably had made matter worse because all this went unrewarded, becoming additional burden.

My personal speculation is Satoko got to met Eua-san because, when she entered into the ritual warehouse, she committed suicide. She looked depressed and unwilling to go back to St. Lucia after all…

Eua: I digress. By your countenance, it seems you have an unrequited wish. And your longing for said wish has whittled away at your well-being. I can hear your soul crying out in anguish.

…and the fact she sees the horn might actually be symbolic of her seeing a weapon and using it against herself. After all, once she leaves Eua, the time has been reset and Eua said in order to reset time, Satoko would have to die.

Eua: Very well! I will grant you my power! You will become one who lives in loops, repeating through endless spirals of time until your wish is fulfilled. Satoko: What do you mean, live in loops? I don’t understand! Eua: To reset your world from the beginning, all you must do is die.

Though this is just me. Anyway, even if we assume she didn’t commit suicide, afterward Satoko begins to commit suicide over and over and this likely further caused her to break herself.

Satoko: I’ve realized something. Even if someone can live through endless loops of time, they cannot escape the damage done to their mind. Eua: Correct. While this power grants one an endless existence, it does not promise a preserved mind. In fact, it would be correct to say this power does not make you immortal.

So yes, we arrive to a Satoko who’s different from the start, one that’s willing to torture and kill Rika to get Rika to stay with her, to force her own dream on Rika, when the original Satoko basically tortured herself to help Rika fulfill her dream, and sacrificed her own dream for Rika. Satoko got damaged and there was no more turning back.

And I liked how she excuses to herself what she’s about to do, which feels again as a reference to “Saikoroshi-hen”.

Eua: Now, you control whether a tragedy occurs or not, as well as whom it strikes. But will you truly feel no guilt for using this method? Satoko: None at all. After all, there won’t be any tragedy in the world where Rika and I are together. Anything that happens in other fragments never really happens, right? The world I choose in the end is the only world that truly exists. The previous worlds are worth no more than dreams or hallucinations.

Actually this whole new series feels like something “Saikoroshi-hen” inspired, only now we’ve Satoko instead than Rika.

And, although Satoko’s plan ends up like the product of an insane mind, I like her pro-active approach to things, how while Rika hopes in luck when she tosses her dice, Satoko instead works to ensure the dice will pull out a favourable number and the more the anime develops Satoko, and let her interact with Eua (which seems a copy of Featherine Augustus Aurora from “Umineko no naku koro ni”) the more her resemblance with Lambdadelta, who’s also from “Umineko no naku koro ni” becomes visible.

Satoko: How many times must I tell you, Eua-san? Once I decide to win, my victory is certain. I will live with Rika together in Hinamizawa. As long as that is the goal I wish to achieve, then that future is certain to come to pass. Wait for me, Rika! My dear, beloved Rika! Our happy world is within our reach!

Here in fact we can see her references to ‘certain’ (Lambdadelta was the witch of Certainty) and to her mad love for Rika, also known as Bernkastel (always in “Saikoroshi-hen” Rika picked up the name Frederika Bernkastel for herself).

On a sidenote as an “Umineko no naku koro ni” fan I enjoyed the quick cameo of Amakusa Jūza, or better Skylark 13, as this was the code name he used in “Higurashi no naku koro ni”. He wasn’t a big character in “Higurashi no naku koro ni” but he was a beloved one in “Umineko no naku koro ni” so I’m glad they gave him space, as small as it was.

Now for something else… do I buy the narrative that Satoko ‘is’ Lambdadelta? Or better that Lambdadelta is part Satoko part Takano Miyo?

I’ve mixed feelings for this. I mean, Lambda has traits she shares with Satoko and we know Lambda, Satoko and Miyo (as well as Vier and Mitsuyo which Eua-san mentions) can be read as 34 but somehow I’m not really fond of the idea that Lambda is born by both Satoko and Takano.

Though of course this is just me and the whole thing is so vague it can be that Lambda is just a personification of ‘certain will’ that took life with Miyo and was further shaped by Satoko and anyway connections between “Higurashi no naku koro ni” and “Umineko no naku koro ni” are confusing enough (what with Eua being Featherine apparently but her being Bernkastel’s master and no mention with her having a special connection with Lambda?) and maybe I shouldn’t think too much at this or, as Will would say, I would just get a headache.

Still, to sum it up, for now “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gō” feels like an interesting story, with a good care for the visual but also for the characters’ psychology, the right amount of horror and blood to allow it to fit in the splatter group, if that’s what you like.

For fans of “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni” it should be a pleasure to watch it, though I don’t know if new fans would manage to follow everything. Honestly I would recommend to watch at least “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni”, “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai” and “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei” before watching “Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gō” so as to better understand the series and enjoy it more because although the anime tried to explain/hint at things that were in the previous series, it couldn’t really cover what 55 episodes. Or, of course, one might read the manga or the visual novels if they don’t feel like watching the old Studio Deen anime showed (and if you really want to make sure you don’t lose a single reference read the visual novel of “Ciconia no naku koro ni” and manga or the visual novel of “Umineko no naku koro ni” and absolutely AVOID the “Umineko no naku kori ni” anime. It’s a horrid mess).

But whatever, it’s a good series and Passione did a good work. Now if they only consider making a remake of “Umineko no naku koro ni”…

And now let's end this with an AMV about this series I recommend watching Toxic

[odanurr87]

My thoughts on... Ghost in the Shell

On a whim, I decided to watch Ghost in the Shell, the 2017 live-action adaptation with Scarlett Johansson. Having watched that movie it only stood to reason I should watch the 1995 animated film upon which it was based (although some reviewers claim it also incorporates elements from an animated GitS series I have not yet watched), if only to have an idea of how faithful it was to the source material, where it deviated, and why. While I realize this will probably be a very unpopular opinion, I have to say I prefer the 2017 adaptation over the 1995 animated film.

Before you bring out the pitchforks, hear me out! There’s merit to be found in both films, yes, but let me try to explain why I think the 2017 adaptation tells the better story of the two. Let’s start with the original film. You will encounter spoilers from this point onwards so I encourage you to watch both movies, animated first and live-action second (I watched them the other way around, actually), and then come back to read what I have to say on both. Of course, if you don’t mind the spoilers, by all means keep on reading.

The plot

The 1995 animated film follows the character of Major Motoko Kusanagi, an android with a human brain (a "ghost" in a shell) that works for the Public Security Section 9 of New Port City in Japan (an intelligence department that engages in activities in support of national security). Our story takes place in THE FUTURE; a future where we have apparently conquered the stars and perfected our ability to create cybernetic limbs and bodies to replace our fragile counterparts. Indeed, as Batou (another member of Section 9 and perhaps Major’s only friend) states at one point in the film, the majority of the personnel working at Section 9 has been augmented to some degree (actually, if the translation's correct, he flat out states they all have cybernetic bodies but I'll come back to that later).

Unfortunately, with the advent of new technologies also come new dangers, as proven by the Puppet Master (who goes by the name of Kuze in the live action movie), a dangerous criminal who can hack into people's "ghosts" (not sure whey they didn't use the word "mind" or "brain") and implant false memories. The plot follows the members of Section 9 as they track down the Puppet Master to try and uncover his intentions. However, the plot is only a means to an end and that end is to explore the question of what it means to be human. The film toys with the concept of, as Legion would put it, "Can this unit have a soul?"

This is not, by any means, a new concept to sci-fi. It has been explored in anything from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to BioWare's Mass Effect games, with varying degrees of success. One of my favourite writers, Isaac Asimov, delves quite a bit into this question, as reflected in his Robot Series and numerous short stories, and even his Foundation series to some degree. In fact, Alex Proyas used Asimov's works to explore this question in the 2004 movie I, Robot which, incidentally, bears some similarities with the 2017 GitS movie. The issue I have with the GitS animated film is that it foregoes everything else in favour of exploring this question and yet comes up short. What do I mean by this?

The world

This is what the future looked like in 1995.

For starters, this is supposed to be a futuristic society that has made huge advancements in the fields of cybernetic enhancements and space travel, yet none of this is reflected in the world surrounding its characters. Were it not for the odd android appearance here and there, New Port City could be any Japanese city from 1995, not 2029 as the film would have us believe. 

Say what you will about the 2017 movie, I can at least look at what's going on in the background, the holographic adverts, the Geisha robots, the cibernetically-enhanced people, and think to myself, "Yup, this looks like a future where GitS could exist." Sure, I've seen this future before in movies like Blade Runner and Total Recall (the new one), or games like Remember Me and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, to mention a few, but at least it's trying. It can only strengthen your narrative when you show how technological advancements have affected society as well as illustrate their potential pitfalls. 

The future as depicted in the 2017 movie.

A poignant example of this, present in both films, is a scene where a regular Joe is confronted with the notion that his wife and child are illusory constructs placed there by an external agent and how he'll never regain his former memories again. Downright terrifying stuff. Can you imagine it? Waking up one day and being told that all of your life’s memories were planted there a few days ago? The animated film doesn't really capitalize on this notion, that memories are important to building our identity. To be fair though, the live-action version doesn’t fare all that better, (over) simplifying the discussion to the, oft-repeated, quote, “We cling to memories as if they define us, but what we do defines us”; a quote that seemingly tries to avoid the discussion that the animated film actively encourages.

In fact, insofar memory alteration or manipulation is concerned, DONTNOD’s Remember Me (yeah, the guys who created the wonderful Life Is Strange) pulls it off a lot better than either one of these films, not least of why because it is an aspect crucial to the plot. In the game, memories can be stored, downloaded, traded or sold, thanks to Sensen, a neck implant that interfaces with the memory centers of the brain. Of course, once memories can be easily accessed and stored it becomes possible to alter them or erase them altogether. Remember Me explores these implications in a deft manner through her protagonist, Nilin, a woman who has the unique talent to “remix” people’s memories but who has none of her own. Nilin is aided and guided in her search for the truth by a mysterious figure, named Edge, who has been branded a terrorist by the government. Ring any bells? I encourage you to play it sometime.

At least it’s self-aware, right?

The Major

As I've mentioned before, the concept of "ghosts in the shell" is not a new one in the world of the animated film. All of the members of Section 9 have cybernetic bodies protecting their human brains. In the world of the 2017 movie however, not so much. 

Scarlett Johansson's Major is actually the first "ghost in the shell," the result of an experiment ran by Hanka Robotics to engineer the first human (brain) in a cybernetic frame. One need not go to Deus Ex: Human Rebolution to realize the potential military use of such an asset. Indeed, the CEO of Hanka Robotics, by the name of Cutter, wastes no time in stating that Major is a weapon, the first of her kind, and shipping her off to Section 9 as a demo.

I’ll take two!

Already we've established a significant difference between the two movies: in one, Major is unique; in the other, she's not. Thus, Scarlett Johansson's Major is a much better vessel to explore the question of whether she can "have a soul." It's understandable that she's asking herself these questions more than any other character because she’s the first and only one of her kind. The live action movie further deviates from the original as it prompts the character to dig into her past before she became Major (something that explains away her appearance quite nicely), carefully building an atmosphere of suspense.

It can be argued, not without reason, that the execution of this journey of self-discovery is far from flawless. It is easy to guess early on that the Major's background is fabricated, that the drugs she takes are not to combat her mind's rejection of her cybernetic body but to suppress her memories (like in the 2015 movie Self/less, with Ryan Reynolds and Ben Kingsley), and that Cutter is, ultimately, the villain at the core of Project 2571. I can understand why people might look at this and consider it a Hollywood-ization of the 1995 film (I mean, placing Cutter at the scene of the crime, as it were, is a tad too much). There was no main villain in the animated film, just another secret organization trying to cover up one of their screw ups and getting rid of the evidence while they’re at it. In fact, I'd argue that 2004's I, Robot did a much better job with its villain than 2017's Ghost in the Shell.

And yet the combination of these elements makes for a more compelling journey for Major in the live action version, providing some much-needed context for her actions. Johansson's Major sees herself as little more than a machine, a weapon created to put down targets on behalf of Section 9. She also believes herself to be invulnerable, taking risks again and again, like when she dives into the Geisha's "ghost" in order to track down Kuze. This echoes a similar scene in the animated film where Major shows her willingness to interface with another cybernetic body not unlike her own. However, while Johansson's motivation is clear (they have to stop Kuze before he murders more people), the animated movie fails to adequately explain Major's overeagerness to attempt such a dangerous connection and her insistence that only she be allowed to do so. Unfortunately, this is not the only time where the Major acts seemingly out of character.

Thus we arrive at the subject of character development. I have an issue with it, Major has none. Much like the animated film she stars in, Major is a vehicle for the author to philosophize on humanity and the concept of self. It's not even subtle. At one point in the film, Major is having a quiet chat with Batou, explaining to him why she loves to go diving... and suddenly we pan to a close-up of Major as she explains to the viewer the notion of consciousness and being aware of one's self.

Well, it’s not trying to be subtle that’s for sure.

This is not the only time we're treated to the author's thesis, but it is without a doubt the most egregious example of it. We don't see a character wrestling with her own humanity but rather listen to someone else's dissertation on the subject. The scene is then followed by three minutes (I counted) of ambient shots playing to a choir. Am I supposed to use that time to reflect on this astounding revelation of the nature of the self? I mean, the story has been slow-paced thus far, I'll grant you that, but this three-minute break is pushing it. 

Sure, the live action movie brings up these concepts too but it doesn't hit you over the head with them, certainly not to the degree the animated film does (perhaps not nearly enough, it could be argued). It is precisely because the live action movie doesn't philosophize nearly as much that I felt the interaction between the characters was more believable, they felt real. I was able to appreciate Major and Batou's partnership and came to see the members of Section 9 as a family of sorts, with father Aramaki (Major's boss) looking out for his kids. Even Juliette Binoche's character, Dr. Ouelet (similar to I, Robot's Dr. Calvin), predictable as she was, was looking out for her "daughter," a common theme in stories of this sort.

The Puppet Master/Kuze

Perhaps the least convincing aspect of the animated film however, is the agenda of the person at the heart of Section 9's investigations, the Puppet Master (or Kuze in the 2017 adaptation). I'm about to talk at some length about his endgame so, if you wish to remain spoiler-free, I suggest you skip to the next section.

No, that’s not Anakin Skywalker.

In the 1995 film, the Puppet Master was actually an advanced artificial intelligence program, known as Project 2501, created by Section 6 for the purposes of industrial espionage and intelligence manipulation. At some point it went rogue and managed to upload itself into a cybernetic body, eventually ending in the hands of Section 9. This was all part of its master plan to contact Major and make her an offer: to merge their two selves in order to evolve. Indeed, the Puppet Master makes it abundantly clear that it's concerned about the prospect of its own mortality and legacy.

In other words, 2501 wants to have a kid with Major. Why it chose her and not someone more easily accessible is anyone's guess. Its reasoning that it chose her because it sees itself in her is dubious at best, seeing as we've already established that (this) Major is not unique in any way, shape, or form. 2501's argument that it could be easily be destroyed by a virus is equally laughable. Human beings can be killed by those and more. And why would Major consent to any of this in the first place? What is her motivation?

At least in the live action film Major shares a kinship with Kuze, however briefly explored, that works better at explaining why she would consider his proposal. With the truth finally laid bare, Major's arc reaches a major crossroads as she ponders her future. Does she want to join Kuze in immortality and become a part of his network? Does she see herself as beyond humans? Or has she come to terms with her new life and decided to embrace it? It is poignant that Johanssen's Major chooses her friends and family whereas her animated counterpart chooses an uncertain future for the sake of concluding a thesis.

The live action movie has a bit of an idealized ending, true. The good guys finally defeat the bad guy, Major reunites with her mother (I did not expect Major to reveal her identity, I mean, would her mother even believe it?) and fully embraces her new persona. It may be a (somewhat) straightforward story but at least it’s consistent. I cannot say the same for the animated movie and its “brave new world” type of ending.

Conclusions

I hope I have been able to make you understand why I believe the 2017 movie is the better of the two. While admittedly the 1995 film tries and, to some degree, succeeds at being the more thought-provoking of the two, it is also the only thing it tries to do, practically refusing to set up a convincing world or characters. The live action movie may at times be predictable and reminiscent of other films or games (to be fair, these themes have been explored plenty of times) but it tells the better, more coherent, story.

It also doesn't hurt that it faithfully recreates some great scenes from its animated counterpart, such as Major's fight with one of The Puppet Master's agents or her epic showdown with the Spider Tank. It even ends winking at the source material as Major waves herself into camouflage like she does at the beginning of the animated film (albeit in a different context).

Except for that beautiful choir track that plays during the three-minute interlude, and that strongly reminded me of NieR:Automata, I don't recall a lot about the animated film's score. The live action movie, on the other hand, benefits tremendously from having two veteran composers like Clint Mansell (The Fountain, Moon) and Lorne Balfe (Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Assassin's Creed III) at the helm. Sadly, the release of the score was abruptly cancelled several months ago for, as of yet, unknown reasons (this is really weird) and we still don’t know when, or if, it will be released at all.

Now comes the hard part, the rating. Should I even try to rate these two movies? They are similar in some respects, yes, but their approach is remarkably different. The 1995 film sacrifices a lot in favour of its thesis, and while its execution is disappointing it's probably an average or above-average experience overall. Had I watched it back in 1995 I might have rated it higher. The 2017 film may have settled for less, but remains an engaging and consistent experience throughout. I certainly enjoyed it more than the Assassin's Creed adapation (yes, I enjoyed that one too) and while Scarlett Johansson is no Will Smith in I, Robot (let's be fair, Major is a pretty inexpressive character in both films) she gets the job done, in no small part thanks to the great supporting cast, particularly Pilou Asbæk's Batou and Takeshi Kitano's Aramaki. 

So, here goes nothing...

Ghost in the Shell (1995): 6/10

Ghost in the Shell (2017): 8/10

You may resume bringing out the pitchforks.