Johansson's Controversial "Ghost In The Shell" Role Draws Different Reaction Overseas

[CBR News]

Japenese industry members and fans are surprised at the claims of "whitewashing" that followed Scarlett Johansson's casting.


Full article here.

[Joker]

I like that's it's just Japanese guys going 'duh, of course they cast a white person.'

[marvelousmetalmouse]

I'm not surprised. Japan has never had much of a great understanding of American racial politics, much like how America doesn't have a great understanding of East Asian identity politics.

[MarvelMaster616]

I think it's pretty telling when the outrage over a casting decision is restricted to one particular region and one particular demographic. It seems the Japanese reaction had too much logic to it. The studio making this movie is based in Hollywood. Hollywood is an American outfit. They're going to cast an American cast. A Japanese studio would likely cast a Japanese cast. Shocking how logical this is, right? It's almost as if the outrage comes from a petty, self-important crowd with nothing better to do.

[Nisus]

well, after all in Japan they always cast Japanese actors for caucasian roles, like in Attack on Titan or Terra Formars movies.

[Hypestyle]

Cast Zoe Saldana.

[He-Kal]

What's interesting about anime and manga is that so many characters look more Caucasian than Caucasians can actually look
(pale skin and super large eyes), so it's strange that people get upset about some anime characters being portrayed by white actors...
That being said, the main character from Ghost in the Shell looks Japanese in the anime (she even works on the Japanese PD), so they should have her played by a Japanese actor.

[Mockingbird]

The biggest problem with the casting is that the supporting cast shows that they could find Japanese actors for roles, so it's not even the usual 'crappy American adaptation of an anime only casts white people.' They actually did hire Japanese actors.

But only for the supporting characters.

When it came to the main character, they cast a white woman and even experimented with using CGI to make her look Japanese. Because apparently that was a better option than actually casting someone who was Japanese or Japanese-American.

[Scott Taylor]

When it came to the main character, they cast a white woman and even experimented with using CGI to make her look Japanese. Because apparently that was a better option than actually casting someone who was Japanese or Japanese-American.

Really? Thats kind of reminiscent of the 1950s, making white people look Native American. Remember Rock Hudson as Young Bull in Winchester '73?

Oh well, I think ScarJo will do a great job with the role.

[Mikael]

Sure - let's cite one critic that was invited to the set, a handful of tweets and a few quotes as the entirety of "overseas".

[xJ25x]

I know it's hard to believe, but it's possible this wouldn't have gotten the green light if someone like Scarlet Johansson wasn't attached to the project. Casting a very unknown Japanese woman would be a risky move, whereas ScarJo puts asses in seats here and elsewhere. Not saying it's right, but that's how those cards get dealt.

[Osiris-Rex]

When it came to the main character, they cast a white woman and even experimented with using CGI to make her look Japanese. Because apparently that was a better option than actually casting someone who was Japanese or Japanese-American.

Actually that is false. The CGI was just an experiment on a background character and was abandoned after they realized how ludicrous that idea was. It was never ever going to be used on Scarlett Johansson. Just another internet rumor that went viral with no one bothering to check the facts.

[Sighphi]

This is all PR to get the movie is good standing.

You dont ask the people that printed the comic that probably got a cut from the deal if they are ok with it.

People have been translating 2ch stuff discussing this and the reaction is the same as here. Some folks saying they are fine while some other folks saying that Hollywood should be big enough to not cast the same people over and over.

[Nyssane]

Hollywood is an American outfit. They're going to cast an American cast. A Japanese studio would likely cast a Japanese cast. Shocking how logical this is, right? It's almost as if the outrage comes from a petty, self-important crowd with nothing better to do.

Why should "American cast" equal white?

[minuialear]

I think it's pretty telling when the outrage over a casting decision is restricted to one particular region and one particular demographic. It seems the Japanese reaction had too much logic to it. The studio making this movie is based in Hollywood. Hollywood is an American outfit. They're going to cast an American cast. A Japanese studio would likely cast a Japanese cast. Shocking how logical this is, right? It's almost as if the outrage comes from a petty, self-important crowd with nothing better to do.

Did you read that before you posted it? Since when can Asians not be American?