I'm still trying to figure out what it is about Japanese cyberpunk compared to Western cyberpunk, but it always just hits different. I mean, they draw from the same sources in terms of combining hard sci-fi and action with hardboiled noir. They both cover the same philosophical topics (robot and AI rights, technological singularity, cybernetics and the man-machine interface, bio-manipulation (let's not forget that biopunk is considered a subgenre of cyberpunk), what does it mean to be alive, what does it mean to be human, can artificial life have soul, what does a future where corporations and government have become inextricably intertwined look like and are we on the fact track to that kind of neoliberal globalist nightmare state, etc.), but there's something just...different...about how the Japanese do it. The best explanation I've heard is that Western cyberpunk is more political. Western cyberpunk is rooted in the anarchist/diy ethics of punk. In general, it tends to be about individuals and small groups working in confederation to do what they can to challenge these omnipresent, oppressive, hierarchical megacorporations and a system of capitalism run amuck. Japanese cyberpunk is more philosophical. It's more focused on issues of identity and the human condition in a wold where man and machine are fast becoming merged. This is also why leads in Japanese cyberpunk tend to by members of the authority rather than rebels against it. Armitage is a cop. The Major is a counterterrorism agent. Deunan and Briareos are soldiers turned SWAT officers. Leona from Dominion Tank Police is another cop. Kei and Yuri from Dirty Pair are goddamn insurance agents! Because the point of Japanese cyberpunk isn't the individual against oppressive authority. It's about what it means to be human/alive in a world fast tracking to the Singularity like a bullet train jumping the tracks.
Interesting! Trying to think of an example of Western cyberpunk which isn`t philosophical, but more about anarchy...but can`t really pin-point one. Bladerunner and The Matrix movies are philosophical. Deckard is a cop. Neo was an office guy/hacker by night so I *guess* he fits the rebel role, but the trilogy is deeply themed around consciousness & "what is reality?". The only example of "punk cyberpunk" would be Mad Max but is it 100% cyberpunk? I guess the "Cyberpunk 2077" videogame could also front the punk aspect, but again, its core is philosophical. I`m genuinely interested in hearing about your examples of Western cyberpunk, because I do agree the Japanese version hits different.
this is actually a really interesting question. I'd like to add a bit about western vs eastern beliefs that i heard somewhere. So the western world is very 'human' focused. all western thought and belief finds its roots in abrahamic faith and mythology, which is generally speaking about people, and rarely god or the devil which can be interpreted as abstract definitions of good and evil. But japanese mythology is much more 'anthropomorphized', there's a lot of things out there that kind of look and kind of talk and kind of think like humans. Ghosts and spirits, demons, shapeshifter, minor gods and so forth. So in western thought machines are machines, mechanical slaves, and becoming a cyborg can be seen as becoming 'less human' or becoming subservient or controlled by others which leans into themes of authority, control and (lack of) community. But in japanese thought machines could be just as human as a human, becoming something different than human doesn't necessarily mean lesser or worse, just different, like those spirits and gods of mythology. So the focus is less on the consequences of becoming other, and more on the distinction. not 'where is the line between man and machine' but 'what is he difference between man and machine'. And of course japanese society, history and culture is much more authoritarian and communal than in the west. Family and clan/country first, yourself second has always been the historical and heroic standard. So being anti-authoritarian isn't viewed as being a strong-minded free thinker, but rather as the traits of a selfish or stupid person. So naturally when you want sympathetic likable heroes you make them law-abiding citizens or even civil-servants (i.e. police or goverment workers). of course this is all generally speaking, there are exceptions and other factors at play. I'm not saying that the difference between western/eastern cyberpunk originates from the fact that eastern religion featured talking animals and western religion doesnt.
@@dms-f16 What I'm thinking of is the Cyberpunk tabletop game, Shadowrun, Aeon Flux, and even moreso the original cyberpunk literature like Neuromancer or Mona Lisa Overdrive, Johnny Mnemonic, and the Mechanist/Shapers series. William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and that cadre from the Mirrorshades anthology. As well as newer authors like Scott Westerfield with the Uglies series.
Exactly. The Oriental cyberpunk school of thought is more philosophical which was present in GHOST IN THE SHELL for example. There is though an exception in the rule regarding the Western approach and that was the first BLADE RUNNER (I know we are talking about a film and not an anime but we cover the whole perspective here).
Actually rotoscoping refers to the method of tracing live action footage. This was probably achieved with backlighting of the cell while taking a photo of it (yes each cell used to take a pic per frame in the old days)
3draven actually rotoscoping is generally just going through frame by frame and tweaking what was made. It why we still have rotoscoping now in like post production etc. Rotoscoped was yes originally frame by frame of live actor movement tracing but now it is used to refer to frame by frame ‘tracing’ of footage.
I lost this title, but still have the sequel Armitage III Dual Matrix. I'll be buying Armitage III Poly Matrix again. I do wish it was on Blu-Ray though.
At the same time, Joe Romersa and Les E. Claypole III took part in the technical creation of the dubbing. Joe Romersa also dubbed one of Thug Guys in OVA-version =]
I got here thanks to a comment on: BEAST IN BLACK - Moonlight Rendezvous (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) Let me return the favour and guide those here to it as well :)
Yes, "Supervising Sound Editor: Les Claypool III" in credits. And "Magnitude 8 Post - ADR Recordist: Joe Romersa; Music Editors: Joe Romersa, Les Claypool III" =]
"Blade Runner" film is based on book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick. And I would not argue that the almost plot is the same. General concepts - yes. But is it all in the plot? Absolutely not. =X
One question......... only one, does it have a happy ending? I mean, does Armitage stay alive at the end? Don´t tell me anything else, but only this ^^ I couldn´t bear knowing that she died :(
!["Armitage III: Poly-Matrix" (Trailer) [Widescreen]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
