As part of the promotion for the upcoming live-action Ghost in the Shell, a new “I am Major” website was launched that allowed folks to upload their own photos and enter their own text. It’s damn perfect troll fodder.
[Image: pottaertweets | cybel86]
As pointed out by Japanese site IT Media, here’s some of what ensued:
#IAMMAJOR pic.twitter.com/2FWLdojRg9
— Justin Chia (@HelloFuz) March 15, 2017
Because #hollywoodsowhite I’m ready to play @LeoDiCaprio in his biopic #IAmMajor #boycott #asians #Standup #RepresentationMatters #racism pic.twitter.com/74SeguGX04
— John Wusah (@JohnWusah) March 14, 2017
#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/gs6xN7eeJB
— Mister Williams (@MisterWilliams) March 14, 2017
@GhostInShell #GhostInTheShell #IAmMajor . pic.twitter.com/n0MCAgyLua
— Cybel ?? (@cybel86) March 12, 2017
My last tweet, but now in meme form #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/Z2Uf8njVkz
— John Fischer (@johnthemod1) March 15, 2017
#GhostintheShell will deliver the shell alright – seek the “ghost” elsewhere. Casting can kill. #IAMMAJOR #whitewash #GisT pic.twitter.com/X6gcmmWHKm
— Antonio Potter (@pottaertweets) March 15, 2017
I Am White. I Am Appropriated. #IAmMajor https://t.co/SrLHTgQgsT pic.twitter.com/KVzk4XAHqk
— Pink Veronica ?️? (@riotgrrlriot) March 13, 2017
The Ghost in the Shell website https://t.co/cFLKPY3JgL has a mememaker which is starting to backfire on them #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/INRq7FdNZy
— lanalane (@lanalane) March 15, 2017
#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/qdO9cMZLvX
— Sky Crompton (@GUNGHOSCREEN) March 15, 2017
#IAMMAJOR pic.twitter.com/N8qGVP59hM
— 葵白 (@darkpastels) March 13, 2017
#IAMMAJOR pic.twitter.com/EdcizfJBwS
— celia rosendahl (@cheshires0smile) March 15, 2017
#IAmMajor #GhostInTheShell #IShouldHaveBeenCastInThisFilm pic.twitter.com/uiN896QTbF
— BlaxicanMamba (@BlaxicanMamba) March 15, 2017
#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/e4lLpyEnEq
— Paul Stella (@thepaulstella) March 15, 2017
2017 #asiansrepresent #iammajor pic.twitter.com/GtZmoxPlL3
— Devon Hong (@devonhong) March 15, 2017
#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/iInAIr3iXI
— abizar (@ARCHPRINCEALEK) March 15, 2017
The Ghost in the Shell Website https://t.co/eqy8CpndC6 has a meme maker of sorts where anyone could “become Major” so I had some fun…. pic.twitter.com/EadKs04H9a
— VzA (@ValerieComplex) March 11, 2017
#iammajor #whitewashing #whitebread pic.twitter.com/HGW6fIXCp8
— Bella Mariposa (@WendyBird) March 15, 2017
#IAmMajor Meet Rinko Kikuchi ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/MT2PMkZ89n
— Rebeca Rivera (@jadeownscatboy) March 15, 2017
Tragic#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/Gb1iBohjJi
— Richie(Dork)Wood (@Dr_Negative) March 15, 2017
I’m having way to much fun to stop. #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/2FWVLCJSkI
— Vanda (@viva77) March 15, 2017
@GhostInShell #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/LeMZqRZ6vg
— The Fly (@TheFlyBzz) March 15, 2017
Jake Gyllenhaal is #complicit in Hollywood whitewashing ?. #IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/QKjrHSwRV7
— Single Asian Male (@SingleAsianMale) March 15, 2017
And to finish off, #IAmMajor #NoImMajor #ImBrianBlessed pic.twitter.com/jOvxHlygg4
— Vanda (@viva77) March 15, 2017
#IAMMAJOR pic.twitter.com/3MXUKRoz3o
— Jacob (@TayloredBites) March 14, 2017
#IAmMajor pic.twitter.com/J8zpMkDjAG
— Luke Plunkett (@LukePlunkett) March 15, 2017
Comments
22 responses to “Twitter Users Troll The Ghost In The Shell Hollywood Movie”
Sigh… the film’s not even out yet and the trailer looked pretty decent. So many seem to hope this fails instead of hoping it becomes the standard for live-action anime adaptions up there with Death Note and such.
I still remember over 10 years ago when Weta announced they were helping design a live action Evangelion. The concept art they showed off was amazing and people seemed legitimately excited. Whilst that project remains in development he’ll, this project is about to be released with Weta’s amazing visuals ready to assault our eyes.
I am of course not going to hype myself up that it’ll be great, but with the team behind it I expect a good ride. Wish others would be the same instead of focusing on the race aspect (which I find bemusing wondering how many that are angry at The Major being portrayed by a Caucasian are the same as those who praised African-American Hermione?).
Everyone needs to calm their tits.
The movie might be good, it might be god awful, but there’s a good chance that it being awful will be entirely dependent on whether it is a good adaptation, not the colour of the skin of the lead.
Nah. It’s totally about skin colour and not acting talent. It’ll be all Scarlett Johansson’s fault that it flops.
Scarlett Johansson should be deeply ashamed of her words and deeds. Next she’ll be playing Mr Yunioshi in a remake of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and shouting “Miss Gorightry!”
It’s not just the lead though, it’s every single character. Also, in real life it would absolutely be the Japanese who would make some crazy cyborg people.
I’Ve never watched the show (because I hate anime) butit still feels wrong.
Besiades, Scarjo is almost as wooden an actress as Jennifer Lawrence so even beyond the race factore you have to wonder why they would cast her.
Dude their cyborgs. The TWO characters who are not cyborgs are being played by Japanese actors. Dont just assume shit.
This isn’t Ghost in The Shell. Just like the Street Fighter movie wasn’t Street Fighter. I don’t need to see the movie to know it’ll ruin the franchise for me.
At least no one will be game to pull this shit again in the future after the shit storm. Just a shame GiTS paid the price.
Why will it ruin the franchise? Ghost in the Shell will still exist even after this live action adaptation. It’s not like they destroy all the past works so only this will exist.
You either have predictive powers or are conceding that the merits (or lack thereof) of this movie rest solely in your nostalgic memory of it, where the original movie is pure and holy and irreplaceable.
Hmmm this is not just Hollywood.
Anyone remember the Attack on titan live action movies? People Complained about japanese taking white (european) character roles.
Just the internet being the internet. I’m sure half of these people had not even read the manga before deciding to do so just to be part of the troll…
I just don’t get why they seem to be using “Major” like it’s her name? I mean they clearly have reasons (well-founded or not) to avoid calling her Kusanagi but surely “I am the Major” would be less awkward and actually, y’know, English?
Given that 90% of the comments are about Scarlett Johanssen, she seems pretty major.
West losing their shit over a Caucasian being cast, meanwhile Kodansha is stoked that film is being developed and to quote Sam Yoshiba “we never imagined it would be a Japanese actress in the first place”.
Time for the social warriors to put down their megaphones and the movie to come out so we can see if its actually shit.
Should we care about a spokesperson’s views on the creative aspects of a project? Like, shit, Rick the janitor at the US branch of Kodansha thinks the Major shouldn’t be caucasian, so I guess we have a stalemate.
More interested in what the creatives, Shirow and to a much much lesser extent Oshii, have to say.
Dude if you knew the first thing about Shirow instead of assuming, you wouldn’t even be making this comment. I’ll concede that Oshii may have possibly disliked the idea but as you rightly say, his opinion matters less in this case.
If you have something other than condescension to offer, present it. Otherwise, don’t bother showing up to say nothing of substance. Both here and below you’ve made arrogant remarks based on assumptions and misreading, and it’s pointless.
But you are implying that you think that Shirow’s opinion would be different, which is an assumption in itself. Am I arrogant for saying that what I have gathered over decades of being a fan of the guy makes me think that he wouldn’t be against Johanson in the role? Isn’t it arrogant of you to dismiss it as arrogance?
All I’m implying is a spokesperson’s opinion is not the same as that of a property’s creator, and I place more weight and interest in the latter. The writing and the subtext are quite clear to read.
Yes, starting a conversation with vague allusions of having superior knowledge but without presenting anything of value is arrogant. You don’t state that you are well read on the subject, instead you assume someone else doesn’t know as much as you do.
If you actually have something to say instead of doubling down on your obvious misreading, do it elsewhere. I have no interest in continuing a conversation with this type of bullshit.
So much eyerolling. I am 100% positive that most of these memes were made by kids that were not even alive when the movie was made and who probably don’t even understand its themes–if they actually have seen the movie at all.
It’s nice and easy to dismiss information you don’t like. Sorry dude, you’re the minority here. Film is gonna suck.
Right, apologies. I forgot that with your powers to travel to the future you have ascertained this /fact/. Dismissing such claim as fantastical and ridiculous is clearly not warranted.