Fuse "Blade Runner" with a Playboy cartoon and the result points in the direction of Masamune Shirow's animation. Imagine a dystopian sci-fi world, in which a strong female character both kicks ass and busts juicily out of her hi-tech body suit....
[more]Fuse "Blade Runner" with a Playboy cartoon and the result points in the direction of Masamune Shirow's animation. Imagine a dystopian sci-fi world, in which a strong female character both kicks ass and busts juicily out of her hi-tech body suit. Muscled sexuality flies everywhere as she defeats all the forces of evil one could heap upon her shoulders.
This manga master was born in Kobe in 1961, and began his early artistic life painting with both oils and watercolors. He first worked with animation in college by illustrating books with some of his colleagues. These initial endeavors led to the publication of his "Black Magic M-66" in 1983. Soon after, he made his official debut in 1985 with the manga, "Appleseed" -- a rare occurrence considering that most manga artists serialize in Tokyo newspapers before they publish a comic book. Inspired by Huxley's 'Brave New World,' 'Appleseed' features a totalitarian government that has created a post-apocalypse 'utopian' society. And yes, there is an ass-kicking, bust-swelling female character involved.
Much of Shirow's work consists of high-tech themes underscored by tongue-and-cheek humor. He also fuses the world of science and technology with religion and spirituality. As the Internet and other technological advances continue to dominate society, he questions our ability to retain our humanity. That's not to say Shirow doesn't embrace the new world order -- in fact, he postulates that technology has a mythic element to it. "I do think science and technology are becoming more like magic," he explains.
Despite such an auspicious start, Shirow still struggled to achieve mainstream success. In the competitive world of Japanese cartooning, true fame often comes when comic books are translated onto film. Shirow experienced this boost while supporting himself as a high school art teacher -- his "Ghost in the Shell" (1995) story was blessed with both a large budget and the directorial supervision of Mamoru Oshii.
As in Shirow's previous works, the story features a prominent leading lady. 'Ghost in the Shell' offered his most complex female character yet: Motoko is a sexy cybernetic heroine who is inhumanly violent (often while conveniently disrobed), yet sympathetic in her existential angst. The work was a departure from genre norms, with its valorization of a fully mature female character as sexual and strong, rather than childishly cute ('kawai"). The work was also a career breakthrough for Shirow, as the film version gained his work favorable comparisons with that other anime giant, 'Akira.'
Shirow still lives in his hometown of Kobe. During the 1990s, he watched as his home was destroyed by an earthquake and a cult leader place tear gas in the subways. Certainly, such apocalyptic events filter through the thoughts of this intensely private individual. In his delicate hands, these events, among others, have become the everyday stuff of popular Japanese culture.
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