Mantan Web reported on a recent talk event hosted for the remastered screenings of Ghost in the Shell and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, where famed director Mamoru Oshii was asked whether he’d like to make a third film. Oshii said yes, with a caveat attached:
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“There are things I want to do with the third film. There is only one thing I have left to do. If I can do it, I would like to do it.” The hypothetical third film would proceed without beloved voice actor Atsuko Tanaka, who passed away last year. Oshii said he didn’t have many personal conversations with her. “When she stands in front of the microphone, she becomes Motoko. For me, she was Motoko herself. When we would chat in the hallway, she was a woman named Atsuko Tanaka,” he added.
Musing on what concepts a third Ghost in the Shell may explore, Oshii said it could be about the existence of a soul. He added that with anime, voices and the characters being voiced are separate. This separation of a character and their voice is also a theme in Innocence. “Even though they’re the same characters, their voices change [in Innocence]. With a flesh-and-blood person [in live-action], that’s difficult. Motoko and Batou only exist within the world of anime. In animation, it’s easier to infuse characters with emotion.”
As mentioned, both Ghost in the Shell films are enjoying a revival screening in Japan, which began on February 28. Per the official Ghost in the Shell revival screening website, Oshii alongside Batou voice actor Akio Otsuka answered several other questions at the talk event.
Otsuka shared that he would like to become a cyborg as long as he could keep his inner self and memories. Oshii found similarities between himself and a dog. The Ghost in the Shell characters that Oshii and Otsuka saw the most similarities within themselves were Aramaki and Batou, respectively. You can check out more of their answers here.
GKIDS acquired the North American distribution rights to both of Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell films and describes Innocence:
In the year 2032, the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. A string of murders perpetrated by a prototype android model has drawn the attention of Public Security Section 9, a unit specializing in counter cyber-terrorism. With none of the victims’ families pressing charges, suspicions arise regarding the nature of the androids and their production company. In the course of the investigation, the almost entirely cyber-bodied agent Batou, and his still human partner Togusa embark on a journey through a technological dystopia, taking on ferocious Yakuza thugs, devious hackers, government bureaucrats, and corporate criminals to uncover the shocking truth behind the crime.
Acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii pushes further into the world and concepts first developed in his groundbreaking film Ghost in the Shell, considered one of the most important and iconic anime films ever made. With its thought-provoking speculations on artificial intelligence, which have only become more relevant in our present world, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE celebrates its 20th anniversary returning to cinemas in a lustrous new 4K restoration.
Source: Mantan Web
© 2004 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA・IG, ITNDDTD
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