They Call Us Bruce - Episode 3: They Call Us Motoko Kusanagi

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.


Hello, podcast listeners! We are back with Episode 3 of our recently launched podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

This week, we welcomed Rebecca Sun, Senior Reporter for The Hollywood Reporter, and Sarah Kuhn, author of Heroine Complex, to have a spirited conversation about the epic travesty of Hollywood whitewashing in the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Spoiler alert: we did not enjoy it. Listen here:

Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Ghost In The Shell

Friday, March 31 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe



It's going down! If you're in Los Angeles, and you want to see some super-fun Asian American comedy, come on out this Friday to Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Ghost in the Shell, the much-anticipated final show in the wildly successful "Scarlett Johansson Presents..." series at Upright Citizens Brigade. The evening, hosted by Will Choi and Keiko Agena, promises standup, sketch, improv and a very special one-time-only presentation of "Ghost in the Shell: The Musical"! You do not want to miss this.

It's happening March 31 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe. Here are some more details:

Look at all this bullshit Asians put up with this year...

...conveniently summed up in this mannequin challenge video.



It's been a hell of a year with a lot of frustrating and heartbreaking moments. This clever Asian American take on the Mannequin Challenge, entitled "A-Woke," attempts to sum it up with some perspective. Produced by Michael Tow and Teja Arboleda, it plays kind of like a "greatest hits" of some of the high profile issues and pop culture flare-ups that have recently gripped the Asian American community.

It's by no means comprehensive -- it's almost entirely East Asian-focused -- but it manages to jam in references to the Academy Awards, Doctor Strange, "Watters World," Ghost in the Shell and more in less than a minute and a half. It's like a weird wax museum of some of your favorite racist bullshit from 2016.

Check it out:

Starring Scarlett Johansson as Super Asian Robot Lady

Look at all the Cool Asian Shit in the 'Ghost in the Shell' trailer



Oh yeah, I forgot this was happening.

In case you missed it, Paramount recently dropped the first official full-length trailer for the live action Ghost in the Shell adaptation. Based on the classic sci-fi anime/manga, Scarlett Johansson stars as the human-cyborg Major -- otherwise known as Major Motoko Kusanagi in the original source material. But you knew that. Yes, for the uninitiated, this is that movie where Scarlett plays a Japanese robot lady.

Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology. And if they get around to it, Section 9 might just crack the baffling case of why the Major is played by a white woman.

Take a look:

Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon)

(Scarlett Johansson will not be at this show.)



Following up the uproarious standing-room-only success of "Scarlett Johansson Presents: AAPI Heritage Month," you are invited to Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange! (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon) -- another fine evening of comedy and trolling.

No, Ms. Johansson will not be appearance (nor will Mr. Damon), but this comedy show -- not coincidentally timed with the release of Marvel's Doctor Strange -- will actually feature some funny, kickass Asian Americans, including Sheng Wang, Jiavani Linayao, Stir Friday Night and Voltron: The UCB Superteam.

It's happening Friday, November 4 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe. Here are more details:

New photos from the set of 'Ghost in the Shell'

(Yes, Major Motoko Kusanagi is still white.)



So... if you're ready to get mad at Scarlett Johansson all over again, here's a new crop of unofficial photos from the set of the live-action Ghost in the Shell remake, currently filming in Hong Kong.

New Ghost in the Shell set pics featuring Scarlett Johansson & Pilou Asbæk

You get a glimpse of Ms. Johansson in her Major Motoko haircut, as well as Pilou Asbæk as Batou, in what is presumably supposed to double as street-level dystopian Tokyo. The location shots, from HK01 and Apple Daily, feature a bunch of extras in various future garb and offer a general sense of the film's visual vibe.

Check it out:

Rila Fukushima joins the cast of 'Ghost in the Shell'

But Scarlett Johansson is still apparently in this shit.



Can it be? There will apparently be at least one more actual Asian person in Ghost in the Shell. Japanese actress Rila Fukushima is joining the cast of the live-action Hollywood remake of the manga/anime classic.

'Wolverine' Actress Rila Fukushima Joins Scarlett Johansson in 'Ghost in the Shell'

As you may have heard, Ghost in the Shell has already received a crap-ton of criticism for casting Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of Japanese cyborg cop Major Motoko Kusanagi.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fukushima will co-star in a yet to be revealed role in the film alongside Johansson. One has to wonder if the late addition of a Japanese actress to the film's cast is an attempt to assuage the accusations of whitewashing.

How to Make Scarlett Johansson "More Asian"

An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the visual effects for 'Ghost in the Shell,' courtesy of RocketJump.



Sometimes the situation is so pathetically ridiculous, you just have to shake your head and laugh. In response to the widely-decried casting of Scarlett Johansson in the live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell, here's a funny video from the folks at RocketJump, in which they imagine the behind-the-scenes special effects tinkering it takes to turn the movie's white star into a Asian robot cyborg.

Yellowface in 'Ghost in the Shell': There's an app for that.

Studio reportedly ordered visual effects tests to make Scarlett Johansson look "more Asian."



So the first image of Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell was released the other day, and a large portion of the internet responded with a collective "OH HELL NO." As most of us have been saying for a very long time, a whitewashed live-action remake of the manga/anime classic is a fantastically bad idea. Is it hard to believe that producers were considering using yellowface? Nope.

It's amazing what those darn computers can do these days. Paramount and DreamWorks apparently foresaw the pesky issue of casting white actors in an inherently Japanese story. The solution: computer-enhanced yellowface. Screencrush reports that the studio commissioned screen tests for several of the movie's non-Asian actors to try using CGI effects to "shift [their] ethnicity" and make them appear more "Asian."

Our first look at Scarlett Johansson in 'Ghost in the Shell'

And now the full whitewash cycle is complete.



So this is really happening, huh? Production has begun on DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures' live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, based on the classic manga series by Masamune Shirow. And here is your first look at Scarlett Johansson as the character they're calling "The Major." I guess they didn't have the guts to refer to her by the character's original name: Major Motoko Kusanagi.

And now the full whitewash cycle is complete.

According to the studio's press release, Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, "a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology."

'Ghost in the Shell' remake casts an actual Japanese actor

Takeshi "Beat" Kitano will play Daisuke Aramaki in the Hollywood adaptation of the anime classic.



Wow, for real? Legendary Japanese actor Takeshi "Beat" Kitano has joined the cast of Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks' live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga classic Ghost in the Shell.

Japanese Icon Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano Boards 'Ghost In The Shell'

My only reaction to this is dammit, this project is still happening?

Based on the iconic manga series by Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell follows a female Special Ops cyborg, played by Scarlett Johansson, who is part of an elite task force called Section 9 that's devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists.

Kitano will play Daisuke Aramaki, the founder and leader of Section 9.

Casting Call: 'Ghost in the Shell' remake seeks extras

Whitewashed adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson begins shooting in New Zealand in 2016



Noooooo! As fans may have heard, a live-action Ghost in the Shell remake starring Scarlett Johansson has been in the works. And so, a casting call for extras recently popped up. This thing is really happening.

'Ghost in the Shell' Starring Scarlett Johansson Open Casting Call

Based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell follows a Japanese public security agency's hunt for a mysterious hacker. Produced by Avi Arad, Steven Paul and Mark Sourian, with a script by William Wheeler (Hoax, The Reluctant Fundamentalist), the remake will be directed by Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. Scarlett Johansson will presumably pay the role of Major Motoko Kusanagi.

Rachel Bullock Casting posted an open casting call for extras to appear in Dreamworks and Paramount Pictures' live-action adaptation of the manga and anime classic, which is scheduled to begin shooting early next year in Wellington, New Zealand.

The casting call is for people of all ethnicities, age 18 and over.

Scarlett Johansson signs on to star in 'Ghost in the Shell'

Another anime classic gets the Hollywood whitewash treatment



What? Oh hell no. Previously rumored, now a done deal. Scarlett Johansson has officially signed on to star as cyborg cop Major Motoko Kusanagi in the live-action Hollywood adaptation of Ghost in the Shell.

Scarlett Johansson Signs On to Star in DreamWorks' 'Ghost in the Shell'

According to Variety, Johansson is set to star in DreamWorks' remake of the seminal Japanese animated sci-fi action classic. It was previously reported back in the fall that Johansson was offered the lead, but was still undecided about taking the role. Sources now say she's in.

Scarlett Johansson offered lead in 'Ghost in the Shell'

Anime classic's Japanese cyborg super-cop gets the Hollywood whitewash.



It appears that this live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell keeps chugging along, with none other than Scarlett Johansson now reportedly first in line to star as cyborg cop Major Motoko Kusanagi.

Scarlett Johansson Offered Ghost in the Shell!

It was previously reported that Margot Robbie was in talks to star in DreamWorks' adaptation of the manga/anime classic, but she's now apparently out of the running. According to Deadline, the role has been offered to Scarlett Johansson, who was last seen killing a lot of Asian dudes -- with her mind! -- in Lucy.

Margot Robbie in talks to star in 'Ghost in the Shell'

Another anime classic gets the inevitable live-action Hollywood whitewash treatment



While we wait for the Akira remake to die a fiery death... Hollywood is hard at work remaking another seminal anime feature, Ghost in the Shell. The 1995 animated sci-fi classic is getting the inevitable live-action remake treatment. And of course, to no one's surprise, this baby is whitewashed.

'Wolf Of Wall Street's Margot Robbie Eyes 'Ghost In The Shell'

According to Deadline, actress Margot Robbie, last seen in The Wolf of Wall Street, is currently in talks to star in DreamWorks' live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Based on the manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow, the film follows a Japanese public security agency's hunt for a mysterious hacker.

So... do you think she'd make a good Motoko Kusanagi?