The Scarlett Johansson Debate: Which Side Am I On?

Ok, so maybe I’m a little late jumping into the conversation on this issue.  On the other hand, some might not think very highly of me for getting involved with this issue.  But after watching a video on this debate, I figured I’d put my two cents in.

So for those of you who are not aware, it has been announced a while back that a live-action adaptation of the classic Ghost In the Shell will be hitting theaters sometime next year and has casted well known American actress Scarlett Johansson as Major Mokoto Kusanagi.  The Internet has also been kind enough to leak an image from the film earlier this year of Johanson in costume.  That’s where the problem starts.  This image has caused a lot of debate on the casting of Johansson amongst fans of the franchise and many otakus alike.  Much of the disapproval is getting most of the attention.

Why is this Happening?

While I think that there are plenty of reasons why this is causing such a big stir with everyone, there is one theory that might explain why people are upset.  This theory that’s been tossed around is whitewashing.  Whitewashing is a term used in acting where a character of a different race or ethnicity is played by a white person.  Amongst anime fans, this is probably the one theory that’s gaining most of the attention, and it’s not hard to see why.  A die-hard fan of the film that sees a white woman playing a well-known character who’s supposed to be a Japanese woman is going to make a complaint.

Now for me, looking at the situation here, claiming that this issue is a form of whitewashing almost seems farfetched to me.  It’s not that I don’t think it’s a legitimate reason for causing an uproar, I just look at it in a different way.  Going back to the die-hard fan, another reason why this person may not be happy has more to do with the fact that he expected an Asian actor to play the character.  Sure, it sounds exactly like whitewashing-and it is-but think of it like this: as anime fans, we are used to seeing “Japanese” characters in anime and expect to see that in any adaption made .  Naturally, we want to maintain that aspect.  Believe me, I’m guilty of it myself.

I made some comments in my “Hollywood Doesn’t Get Anime” video about a live-action remake of the hit movie Akira in how keeping the cast relatively Asian-American would make the film better.  Admittedly, I regret that comment because I feel I have become a part of the anime community that wants to keep anime strictly Asian.  But really, what got me upset about this remake the most was not disregarding casting all Asian actors, but the plot for the story.  One theoretical plot had the movie set in “New Manhattan.”  As a dedicated fan of the film, I was pissed.  The same thing can be said of fans of the original Ghost In the Shell movie.  Major Kusanagi being  an American is not a part of the original storyline.  What I think is really making fans upset about casting Scarlett Johanson in the film is that they feel that by doing this, something from the original Ghost In the Shell story is being taken away.  And when I mean “original,” I mean Japanese.

Yes, by all means, it can be considered whitewashing, but I also think that fans want to keep the film close to its original Japanese form as much as possible.

What do I think?

In my honest opinion… I think these fans of the franchise and otakus need to stop complaining!  I actually like the fact that Scarlett Johansson is in the live-action remake of Ghost In the Shell!

First off, I already knew that Johansson was cast as the lead for almost a year now.  In fact, I brought it up in my “Hollywood Doesn’t Get Anime Video.”  And even then, I still thought it was a good idea!  Take a minute and look at Johansson’s resume.  She plays Blackwidow in the Avengers movies and also did a good job playing the lead in the action packed psychological thriller Lucy.  And while there are other action films she stared in that I haven’t mentioned, I think she has some really good credentials to play this role, so I say let her have at it!  Plus, have you seen the leaked photo? (Take a look down here)

Look at that!  She looks pretty damn close to Major Kusanagi; another pretty good reason why I think Johanson was a good choice.  When it comes to cosplaying, I’ve always held the belief  that, if nothing else, a good cosplayer tries to come as close as they can to looking like the original character they’re trying to portray.  And honestly, Johansson actually looks almost exactly like Major Kusanagi.  Oh, and something else to keep in mind: anime characters over the years have almost never looked Japanese.  Sure, it’s something that is probably not all that relevant to this issue, I’m using it to make a point.  Many anime characters come in a variety of hair, eye, and skin colors that are not considered “Japanese” or “Asian.”  Even so, as fans, we don’t question if they’re either one.  If that’s the case, why are we complaining about how an American actress is trying to play a “Japanese” character who doesn’t even look Japanese?

Finally, I think we need to cut the producers of the film some slack.  I don’t think they’re trying to push an all-white agenda with this film.  What I think they’re trying to do is take a foreign film and adapt it to an American audience.  Granted, this effort with anime is better made with dubbing.  In fact, one of the big reasons why I think Studio Ghibli films are great anime films to watch if you’re not an otaku is that they star an array of well known actors.  Some familiar names that have graced these films with their talents include Christian Bale, Minnie Driver, Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, and more recently Daisy Ridley from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  But like I said, that’s only when anime is dubbed.

 One thing that I still maintain from my argument in “Hollywood Doesn’t Get Anime” is that Hollywood doesn’t do well in re-making anime films because it doesn’t understand the market like otakus do.  And ever since the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution, I think fans are afraid the same thing will happen with Ghost In the Shell.  But really, I think we need to take a chill pill and just relax.  As far as we know, all that has been revealed about the film is that Scarlett Johansson is playing Mokoto Kusanagi.  I would wait to see what the plot of the film is to see if they stuck close to the original film, the manga, or maybe even the anime series.  That’s the time, I think, fans of the franchise really need to pay attention.

So to sum it all up, while whitewashing may be a factor in the negativity surrounding this issue, I think maintaining the original plot of Ghost In the Shell is what’s really pissing people off.  So yeah, I definitely like the idea of Scarlett Johansson in the remake, and it’s certainly not the worst thing that can happen to this movie...yet.

So what do you think?  Do you agree that Scarlett Johansson was a good pick for the remake?  Is it really whitewashing that’s driving this issue?  Is Hollywood going to get this film right?  I wanna hear what you have to say, people!  Be sure to leave your comments below! And nothing too vulgar please.  And so with that, I’m off for this week!  And remember, I now take requests!  So if you want to suggest a show or topic for me to discuss or review, let me know!

-Hanime on Anime