Tuesday, April 19, 2016

[Music and Opinion] Ghost in the Shell – Some Theme Songs

Posters for Ghost in the Shell


Scarlett Johansson vs. Motoko Kusanagi

 

1. A headline in today's BBC News app grasps my attention (BBC News 2016):

"Scarlett Johansson's casting sparks 'whitewashing debate' "

"Scarlett Johansson's latest role has caused a stir because she plays an Asian character."

"Johansson has been cast in the Hollywood remake of the Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell. It's led to a row about 'whitewashing'. "


2. ("Ghost in the Shell", Wikipedia):

"Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊 Kōkaku Kidōtai?, literally "Mobile Armored Riot Police") is a Japanese media franchise originally published as a seinen manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized in 1989 under the subtitle of The Ghost in the Shell, and later published as its own tankōbon volumes by Kodansha, told the story of the fictional counter-cyberterrorist organization Public Security Section 9, led by protagonist Major Motoko Kusanagi, in the mid 21st century of Japan."


3. I have been a fan of the Ghost in the Shell anime franchise for a long time.

I watched Season 1 of the TV Series when it was first broadcasted on Canada's YTV channel in 2005.

I must have watched Season 1 of the anime, called Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, at least 5 times; also more than once of Season 2, the 4 anime movies, and the third TV series Ghost in the Shell: Arise.

In terms of the storyline, Ghost in the Shell: Arise is the prequel for the series.

There are some original video animations that have not been subbed or dubbed into English and I have not watch them.


4. A listing of the Ghost in the Shell anime TV series and anime films ("Ghost in the Shell", Wikipedia):

(a) Anime TV:

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002 - 2003) (26 episodes)

Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG (2004 - 2005) (26 episodes)

Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2015) (10 episodes)

(b) Anime Films:

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2006)

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)


5. Ghost in the Shell (2017 film) starring Scarlett Johansson will be the first non-anime film in the franchise and irony of ironies, it will be a Hollywood production.

There is a controversy about the casting because Scarlett Johansson, a white person, is casted as Major Motoko Kusanagi, a very Japanese character and this leads to the controversy of "whitewashing".

What is also surprising is that the controversy is mainly a western affairs while the Japanese fans themselves seems more or less ok with it (Blair 2016).

Kwame Opam has a thoughtful discussion of the issues in (Opam 2016).


6. I find all the anime of the franchise to be very thoughtful.

Many themes are explored in the anime and they are wide ranging and some are in depth.

I will just mention one minor theme -- the Japanese animators' impression of the Chinese people.

(Since the anime franchise is spread over many years with many different animators, by "Japanese animators" I mean only a generalized group of Japanese people.)

(a) The Japanese animators’ impression of Hong Kong is one of exotic curiosities.

In the anime movie Ghost in the Shell (1995), there are two sequences that recognizably use Hong Kong as their backdrop: one is of Yau Me Tei District on the Kowloon peninsula and the other is of Causeway Bay District on Hong Kong Island.

The Causeway Bay sequence is obviously viewing Hong Kong while riding the tram line.

(b) The Japanese animators have a low opinion of the quality of mainland Chinese.

Season 1, Episode 14 of the TV Series is called "SA: Automated Capitalism – ¥€$" (Zenjidō Shihonshugi ¥€$" (全自動資本主義 ¥€$)).

("List of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex episodes", Wikipedia):

"Acting on a tip, Section 9 breaks up a cabal of thieves planning to rob a Japanese financial institution. Shortly after the raid, a Chinese intelligence official contacts Section 9 and informs them of suspicious activity that he believes may indicate an assassination attempt by Chinese Socialists on Kanemoto Yokose, a prominent, yet reclusive, Japanese billionaire."

The Chinese intelligence official talked with the head of Public Security Section 9, Aramaki, through video conferencing.

In the video conference, instead of the actual person, an avatar of the person speaking was displayed to the other side.

But the Japanese animators showed that the Chinese intelligence official was actually clipping his toenails while talking with section Chief Aramaki.

Not complimentary at all.

(c) The Japanese animators' impression of Taiwan is one of familiarity.

The backdrop for Season 2, Episode 17 of the TV Series, called "DI: Mother and Child – RED DATA" (Shūkō Boshi RED DATA" (修好母子 RED DATA)), is Taiwan.

Although the animators tried to depict some local distinctives of Taiwan, but the Taiwan in this episode seems like just another Japanese city.

Maybe this is due to Taiwan being a former Japanese colony?


7. The opening theme song of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is "Inner Universe":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVgSuuUTwQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BJG2tQnwQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWhM_x_g6p4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgP8YHHq1uY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovHnkKvYZ74


8. The closing theme song of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is "Lithium Flower":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XESreJjGx-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9byLoIsqeto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnyGKtSgfLU


9. The opening theme song of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG is "Rise":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqhDFYSlj0U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhHMI_0mFZ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOG-Bhrmn_0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxgCMh204Rc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIbP_cKwg24


10. The closing theme song of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG is "Living Inside the Shell":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7t_BjXid-w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSj91yopjDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWf8P00Fw7E


11. "I Do" -- A tribute to and lament for the love between Motoko Kusanagi and Hideo Kuze that was not meant to be:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqmofWAAh1U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UGRlJPmLrY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIR8UEpMUJQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wzb2pT05DQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXg5dm3lavA

 

12. Added: Wednesday, April 20, 2016

When introducing the songs of Ghost in the Shell, how can I forget the hauntingly beautiful introductory song for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64HCi2rQkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc53Hya6iO0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IGTiFuDjTI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh9TriiyVHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJsEYwguuj8
 


References:

Ashcraft, Brian. 2016. "The Japanese Internet Reacts to Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell". Kotaku, April 18.
http://kotaku.com/the-japanese-internet-reacts-to-scarlet-johansson-in-gh-1771544034
(accessed 2014-04-19).

BBC News. 2016. "Is Scarlett Johansson casting Hollywood 'whitewashing'?". BBC News, April 19.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-36083113
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Blair, Gavin J. 2016. "Scarlett Johansson in 'Ghost in the Shell': Japanese Industry, Fans Surprised by 'Whitewashing' Outrage". The Hollywood Reporter, April 19.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/scarlett-johansson-ghost-shell-japanese-885462
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Chan, Melissa. 2016. "Photo of Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell Reignites ‘Whitewashing’ Controversy". TIME, April 18.
http://time.com/4297950/scarlett-johansson-ghost-shell-whitewashing/
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Child, Ben. 2016a. "‘Whitewashing’ row over Scarlett Johansson's Ghost in the Shell role reignites". The Guardian, April 15.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/apr/15/scarlett-johanssons-role-in-ghost-in-the-shell-ignites-twitter-storm
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Child, Ben. 2016b. "Why Max Landis is wrong about Scarlett Johansson's 'whitewashed' Ghost in the Shell remake". The Guardian, April 18.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/apr/18/scarlett-johansson-ghost-in-the-shell-max-landis
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Han, Angie. 2016. "Why Hollywood’s Whitewashing of ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Is So Frustrating." Film - Blogging the Reel World, April 18.
http://www.slashfilm.com/doctor-strange-ghost-in-the-shell-whitewashing/
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Opam, Kwame. 2016. "Scarlett Johansson’s Ghost in the Shell casting is even worse than it seems". The Verge, April 18.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/18/11455160/ghost-in-the-shell-scarlett-johansson-hollywood-casting
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Romano, Nick. 2016. "Max Landis on Scarlett Johansson's Ghost in the Shell casting". Entertainment, April 16.
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/16/ghost-shell-scarlett-johnasson-casting-max-landis
(accessed 2014-04-19).

Sampson, Mike. 2016. "Exclusive: ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Producers Reportedly Tested Visual Effects That Would Make White Actors Appear Asian". Screen Crush, April 15.
http://screencrush.com/ghost-in-the-shell-whitewashing-scarlett-johnasson-vfx/
(accessed 2014-04-19).

"Ghost in the Shell", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell
(accessed 2014-04-19).

"List of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG episodes", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ghost_in_the_Shell:_S.A.C._2nd_GIG_episodes
(accessed 2014-04-19).

"List of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex episodes", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Stand_Alone_Complex_episodes
(accessed 2014-04-19).

"Music of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Stand_Alone_Complex
(accessed 2014-04-19).

End.

Friday, April 15, 2016

[Music] Long Nights like the Blue-Green Sky and Ocean -- Cheng Kam-Cheong

Cheng Kam-Cheong


1. First Chinese Poem of the Day:


李商隱 (813 - circa 858)


<< 嫦娥 >>

雲母屏風燭影深,長河漸落曉星沈。

嫦娥應悔偷靈藥,碧海青天夜夜心。


2. Second Chinese Poem of the Day:


張若虛 (circa 660 - 720)


<< 春江花月夜 >>

春江潮水連海平,海上明月共潮生。

灩灩隨波千萬里,何處春江無月明。

江流宛轉繞芳甸,月照花林皆似霰。

空裡流霜不覺飛,汀上白沙看不見。

江天一色無纖塵,皎皎空中孤月輪。

江畔何人初見月? 江月何年初照人?

人生代代無窮已,江月年年只相似。

不知江月待何人,但見長江送流水。

白雲一片去悠悠,青楓浦上不勝愁。

誰家今夜扁舟子,何處相思明月樓。

可憐樓上月徘徊,應照離人妝鏡台。

玉戶簾中卷不去,擣衣砧上拂還來。

此時相望不相聞,願逐月華流照君。

鴻雁長飛光不度,魚龍潛躍水成文。

昨夜閒潭夢落花,可憐春半不還家。

江水流春去欲盡,江潭落月復西斜。

斜月沉沉藏海霧,碣石瀟湘無限路。

不知乘月幾人​​歸,落月搖情滿江樹。


3. Long Nights like the Blue-Green Sky and Ocean ("碧海青天夜夜深") by Cheng Kam-Cheong is one of my favorite songs from childhood.

Looking back, I am mystified why as a child I would like this song -- the lyrics are way beyond the comprehension of the I of that time; maybe it was because of the melody.

The name and melody of this song have a rather complicated pedigree.

Per Wikipedia ("春江花月夜"), the original is an ancient Chinese melody called Flute and Drum at Sunset ("夕陽簫鼓") and is for the string instrument pipa.

At the early years of Nationalist China (circa 1910s and 1920s?), someone rearranged the song into a duet for the instruments pipa and guzheng and the song title was changed to Moonlit Blossoms by the Spring River ("春江花月夜").

Moonlit Blossoms by the Spring River ("春江花月夜") itself is the name of a very famous Tang Dynasty's poem.

In the early 1950s, the composer Peng Xiu-wen (1931-1996) further rearranged the melody into orchestral music and it became popular in communist China.

Two Cantonese versions of this song came out in the late 1960s and early 1970s:

(a) Long Nights like the Blue-Green Sky and Ocean ("碧海青天夜夜深") by Cheng Kam-Cheong.

(b) Moonlit Night by Lover's River ("鴛鴦江月夜") by Liza Wang.

Furthermore, the song title "碧海青天夜夜深" is itself parasitic on a phrase of the late Tang Dynasty poem "嫦娥" ("Chang'e") -- "碧海青天夜夜心".

Chang'e ("嫦娥") is the Chinese goddess of the Moon.

("Chang'e", Wikipedia):

"In 2007, China launched its first lunar probe, a robotic spacecraft named Chang'e 1 in the goddess' honour. A second unmanned probe, named Chang'e 2, was launched in 2010. A third Chang'e spacecraft, a robotic lunar rover dubbed Chang'e 3, landed on the moon on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013 at about 9:12 p.m., Beijing time, making China only the third country in the world to achieve such a moon feat after the former Soviet Union and the United States. The lander also delivered the robotic rover Yutu ("Jade Rabbit") to the lunar surface to begin its months-long driving mission. It has performed the first lunar soft landing since the Russian Luna 24 mission in 1976."


4. Long Nights like the Blue-Green Sky and Ocean ("碧海青天夜夜深") by Cheng Kam-Cheong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enyT78A51YI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-cka4PhmI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVIVz3o_6fI


5. The music Flute and Drum at Sunset ("夕陽簫鼓"):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbYA_K9QoWc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoXXyiPa4Rg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5nSiJ9TljI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2S26P5VA5A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1Ie2n_icgc


6. The music Moonlit Blossoms by the Spring River ("春江花月夜"):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lykgg5phVJE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjGcMBi5zJY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-arl_sbZfDg


by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WWGyyfXrs


with singing by Tong Li:
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwX4Kl2Ngpo


with singing by Peng Liyuan (= Mrs. Xi Jinping):
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVn_vT6VE2c

 

7. Moonlit Night by Lover's River ("鴛鴦江月夜"):

by Liza Wang:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDzo2g7FNqQ


by Liu Jun-er (female):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twwdzjNqQwY


by Stephanie Gee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjekW5-9wFk


by Yun Cai-hong (female):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hC4P8mpsdY


by Jin Chuan (male):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpiEoCNJYMk


8. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:


碧海青天夜夜深 -- 鄭錦昌

夜月照江前   倍覺波影動
願能渡過萬里山   泛輕舟涉水重重
鴛鴦生死也共   願她記取往日情
當初盡情共眷戀   今朝各分西與東

晚晚相思瘦   歎息分飛
怕看江邊柳   朝思晚想   暗把流長流
以往不堪記   人去後   春已逝
哪天再聚頭   夢中更情投   驚醒已經深秋

別恨更添愁   遠隔關山後
何年複見舊燕歸   慰癡心倆相愛情投
碧海青天依舊   夜間晚風送寒流
孤單寂寥恨句她   不知哪天歸我家


9. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:


碧海青天夜夜深 -- 郑锦昌

夜月照江前   倍觉波影动
愿能渡过万里山   泛轻舟涉水重重
鸳鸯生死也共   愿她记取往日情
当初尽情共眷恋   今朝各分西与东

晚晚相思瘦   叹息分飞
怕看江边柳   朝思晚想   暗把流长流
以往不堪记   人去后   春已逝
哪天再聚头   梦中更情投   惊醒已经深秋

别恨更添愁   远隔关山后
何年复见旧燕归   慰痴心俩相爱情投
碧海青天依旧   夜间晚风送寒流
孤单寂寥恨句她   不知哪天归我家


10. Names, Words and Phrases:

Chang'e (Traditional Chinese: 嫦娥; Simplified Chinese: 嫦娥).

Cheng Kam-Cheong (Traditional: 鄭錦昌; Simplified: 郑锦昌).

Guzheng (Traditional: 古箏; Simplified: 古筝).

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (Traditional: 香港中樂團; Simplified: 香港中乐团).

Jade Rabbit (Traditional: 玉兔; Simplified: 玉兔).

Jin Chuan (Traditional: 金川; Simplified: 金川).

Liu Jun-er (Traditional: 劉珺兒; Simplified: 刘珺儿).

Liza Wang (Traditional: 汪明荃; Simplified: 汪明荃).


Peng Liyuan (Traditional: 彭麗媛; Simplified: 彭丽媛).

Peng Xiu-wen (Traditional: 彭修文; Simplified: 彭修文).

Pipa (Traditional: 琵琶; Simplified: 琵琶).

Stephanie Gee (Traditional: 佩儀; Simplified: 佩仪).

Tong Li (Traditional: 童麗; Simplified: 童丽).

Yun Cai-hong (Traditional: 雲彩虹; Simplified: 云彩虹)


References:

"Chang'e", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang'e
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"李商隱", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%9D%8E%E5%95%86%E9%9A%90
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"張若虛", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%BC%A0%E8%8B%A5%E8%99%9A
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"春江花月夜", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%98%A5%E6%B1%9F%E8%8A%B1%E6%9C%88%E5%A4%9C
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"彭修文", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%BD%AD%E4%BF%AE%E6%96%87
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"鄭錦昌", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E9%8C%A6%E6%98%8C
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"香港中樂團", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E4%B8%AD%E6%A8%82%E5%9C%98
(accessed 2016-04-15).

"童麗", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E7%AB%A5%E4%B8%BD
(accessed 2016-04-15).

End.