Already it’s looking like this version of Ghost in the Shell might be better received by fans than the Scarlett Johansson version that was accused of whitewashing in such a big way. Either the person editing clips of the soundtrack during the trailer was trying to cram as much in as possible or the soundtrack is going to sound a bit nuts when it comes along since really it does sound a bit aggressive and capable of taking control if one isn’t fully devoted to the story. With that aside however this almost looks as though we’ll be watching a video game, which is a good thing and kind of an odd thing since the graphics have that quality that one might be accustomed to seeing on a lot of different video games, but thankfully it’s continuous and won’t be breaking into a lower grade after certain scenes have run by. All in all it does look like it might be worth the watch since it’s been well done and would appear to be closer to following the source material, hopefully, so fans can rest easy and not be quite so quick to shoot it down without taking a good long look at it first.
As Megan Farokhmanesh of The Verge reminds us all this idea was first brought about in 2018 and will be finally releasing on Netflix this coming April, so it’s been a bit of wait but fans might agree that it was worth it, hopefully. It stands to reason that some people might want to see the original animated version while others might fully enjoy this new and more streamlined look that does offer up an interesting appearance and much smoother movements that appear to mimic real life in a much more efficient manner. Others however might just call it a poor attempt at recreating a story with CGI that doesn’t work nearly as well as animation did, so it’s likely that we’ll be reporting on fan reaction here in a couple of months given that people are hardly ever satisfied when it comes to being given what they want. Still, given that the Ghost in a Shell series has stretched from manga to animation to games to the big screen, where it was vilified by many, it’s held on for an incredible number of transition and been enjoyed by a wide range of people that have been anticipating each and every version.
Fans are already divided if you follow Anthony Gramuglia of CBR since those that have been around long enough and been fans of the series have already stated that the CGI looks like something from a mobile game. That’s not much of a diss really but it’s enough to make it clear that some people just aren’t having it and likely won’t be swayed since they’ve been enjoying the series too much to watch it change in such a manner. That’s kind of amusing really when one thinks about fan reactions and how similar they are between stories. In just the past few months there have been a few stories that have been accepted and disrespected by various fans so it’s very funny to think that fans are pretty much the same no matter which story is being told and which world is being represented since they’re going to complain and be divided for their own reasons and nothing is going to stop it really. The only thing to do in this case is push the idea and see how it tracks with the fan base, who will eventually decide the fate of a show by watching it and enjoying it or watching it and lambasting it online where they can say what they want with impunity. There’s a big difference between an opinion and an attack, as an opinion will at least try to see different sides of the issue, while an attack doesn’t care, the attacker is bent on showing why they’re right and won’t stop talking until they feel that they’ve proven their point. All of us have done this at least once or more in our lives and it takes a great deal of humility and understanding to realize that the stories we enjoy and the ideas we cling to aren’t always going to get the representation we want. Ghost in the Shell is no different, and like it or not, there are already fans that are thinking this looks great.
On a personal note the animated series is still impressive and has a certain look that’s hard to top since not only was it there first, but for some reason the animation tells a different story than CGI. But at the very least fans should try to give this new version a chance. Perhaps it will surprise them in a big way.
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