“Ghost in the Shell” is considered one of the most-loved manga franchises in history, with volumes of stories and a 1995 animated film about lead protagonist “Major Motoko Kusanagi,” a cyborg police officer in a fictional Japanese city. Now, the character is getting the Hollywood treatment, with a live-action movie slated for a 2017 release.
But when fans saw a photo of actress Scarlett Johansson, who is White, as Motoko yesterday (April 14), they went off. The question of the day: Why is yet another Asian character being Whitewashed for the sake of American entertainment? The following tweets don’t hold the answer, but they do break down what’s wrong with this casting.
First look at Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi in live action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell..thoughts? pic.twitter.com/9IQlnnIqZM
— Fan Bros Show (@FanBrosShow) April 14, 2016
@FanBrosShow pic.twitter.com/N7Aae4hH88
— Jamila (@JamilaRowser) April 14, 2016
White women as Asian women, (1944-present). Thanks, Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/V22UGJrSCZ
— Preeti Chhibber (@runwithskizzers) April 14, 2016
Heres the thing about the ScarJo casting in Ghost in the Shell, it’s all about upholding this idea of white being palatable for the majority
— Aiah Samba (@Dualityman81) April 14, 2016
Don’t call Scarlett’s character Motoko in the new GitS movie, give her a new name. Like Miss. Miss Take. There we go
— Dusty Cannonfucker (@Bearpigman) April 14, 2016
when hollywood apparently can’t find asian actors to play asian characters #GhostInTheShell pic.twitter.com/HLxbvweuJd
— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) April 14, 2016
This is a photograph of Rinko Kikuchi next to a drawing of Motoko Kusanagi of GHOST IN THE SHELL. #AsianActorsExist pic.twitter.com/Fd0e2ZEmoF
— bryanedwardhill (@bryanedwardhill) April 14, 2016
(H/t The Wrap)