Scarlett Johansson's Adaptation Of If Ghost In The Film

Over the last fifty years, whitewashing has become a disastrous word people used to associate with the film industry. As the global Another key thing to remember is that throughout the series, changes were made to suggest different possible storylines. Ghost in the Shell TV series varies from the video game’s version thus the portrayal of Major Motoko Kusanagi diverges from time to time (Wikipedia). Moreover, Scarlett Johansson is only being referred to as ‘Major’ in the film adaptation. Hence, there will be slight differences between the original and remake version. Adapting a work means “to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly” (Dictionary.com). In other words, fidelity to its source material could be altered …show more content…
A pop culture writer at MTV News wrote, “If Ghost in the Shell's aim was to create a multicultural world, then shouldn't it have led by example with an Asian star?” (Bell) In response to the writer’s argument, audience can easily infer from the movie trailers that some elements of Japanese culture are present in the setting. Thereby, casting a Japanese actress merely complements the environment and does not have much effect on its audiences. For example, if the role of Major went to Rinko Kikuchi, it will just be the latter promoting her own heritage to the rest of the world. On the contrary, the impact of having Scarlett Johansson in a live-action film accentuates the value of Japanese property and elevates the status of Manga artists. Instead of insinuating that a white actress is taking away opportunities from a Japanese actress, there should be a sense pride instilled as Hollywood is expressing a keen interest in developing Japan’s unique culture. As a result, Scarlett Johansson should not be removed from the movie because her role can be seen as a connection between America and …show more content…
Without her, Ghost in the Shell would not have garnered much media attention or intrigued Americans to watch a live-action Japanese anime. From this movie alone, it conveys the message that prior knowledge and background checks are essential to prevent misunderstandings. The controversy escalated because the general public failed to recognize that the Ghost in the Shell centralizes its theme in a fast-paced technological era. It was never meant to be a film that investigates human integration with different ethnicities. Major’s ambiguous identity has already hinted that skin colours do not matter, and therefore preconceived notions can be damaging if one is unable to comprehend the intention of the work. After knowing how the Hollywood industry works, the most pressing issue would be to resolve questions regarding diversity. As visual storyteller Terry Loh explains, “I believe we should aim for fair representation, that is to cast a minority when it is realistic and appropriate, and to do so in a way that is authentic, not idealized, fetishized, or that focuses on limited aspects of that culture” (Loh). Until the day people realize that casting a white actress in an Asian film does not necessarily mean whitewashing, scenarios similar to Ghost in the Shell will continue to exist and impede the development of artistic