Official Report on the 20th Anniversary Screening and Talk Show of ”Ghost in the Shell: STAND ALONE COMPLEX”
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the first broadcast of the final episode (episode 26) of the TV series “Ghost in the Shell: STAND ALONE COMPLEX” in November 2003, the 40th anniversary project of “EMOTION,” a video label of Namco Bandai Filmworks, “EMOTION 40th Anniversary Program,” a screening and talk show commemorating the 20th anniversary of “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” was held on November 12, 2023.
Akio Otsuka, who plays the role of Batou, the right-hand man of the main character Motoko Kusanagi, and Kenji Kamiyama, the director and series writer of the film, took the stage at the event before an enthusiastic audience of Ghost in the Shell fans immediately after the screening of four specially selected episodes from the series! With the release of the latest film in the series, “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, the Last Human” just around the corner, the two men looked back on the 20-year history of the series so far and talked once again about the appeal of this series.
EMOTION 40th Anniversary Program “Ghost in the Shell: STAND ALONE COMPLEX” 20th Anniversary Screening & Talk Show Outline
Date/Time: November 12 (Sun.) Talk show 13:30-14:00 *After the screening
Speakers (titles omitted):Akio Otsuka (Batou), Kenji Kamiyama (Director, Series Composition)
Location:Shinjuku Piccadilly Theater 3 (3-15-15 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
The 40th anniversary project of Namco Bandai Filmworks’ video label “EMOTION,” the EMOTION 40th Anniversary Program “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” 20th anniversary screening and talk show was held at Shinjuku Piccadilly on November 12. Akio Otsuka, voice actor, and Kenji Kamiyama, director and series composition director of the film, appeared on stage to the enthusiastic applause of the packed house of fans.
Otsuka took the stage immediately after the screening of episodes 1 “Public Safety Section 9 SECTION-9,” 2 “Runaway Proof TESTATION,” 10 “The Perfect Day for Jungle Cruise JUNGLE CRUISE,” and 12 “Tachikoma’s Runaway: Film Director’s Dream ESCAPE FROM,” which were specially selected for this event. In front of a packed room full of fans, Otsuka said, “It’s a strange feeling, like it’s too short or too early. I was about 42 years old at the time. I think I was young too.”
On the other hand, Director Kamiyama, who was 37 years old at the time, said, “I had a strange feeling about this film, and my physical experience was about three times the actual number of years I was involved in this work. But looking back, it was only for a moment. I was in the booth thinking how blessed I was to be in front of such great people as Mr. Otsuka while directing the postrecording by myself.”
Otsuka played Batou, the right-hand man of Motoko Kusanagi, the main character. “I was told by Director Kamiyama that I should be bouncier than Oshii-san’s work (“Ghost in the Shell”), and I remember bouncing around as I played the role,” he said, recalling the time he recorded the scene. The moderator’s comment that “Bateau is a heroine” was met with laughter, and he went on to develop his own theory, saying, “Bateau is the image of Andre in The Rose of Versailles.”
Otsuka also commented on Director Kamiyama, “I felt like there were invisible sensors all over the place, and I thought that was amazing (laughs). Daisuke Aramaki, the chief of Section 9 of the Public Safety Bureau, has that kind of feeling, and Director Kamiyama had that same air about him. I felt the strength of his will to create this film.” Director Kamiyama also commented on the heavy responsibility of “Ghost in the Shell,” saying, “I was so excited to be directing this work by myself that I was pumped with adrenaline. Maybe that’s why everything around me seemed to be moving so slowly. Even when I was driving, visions of the next episode would pop into my head, and I would write them down and go to the studio.”
Otsuka said that the script for “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex,” which was handed to him every time he recorded postrecording, seemed to shine brightly. “I enjoyed receiving the scripts, and so did the rest of the cast, who were all excited. The cast members didn’t argue with each other, but we tried to find out how each other would play the role, and then we said, “That’s the way it’s going to be, isn’t it? It was like we were working as a team on Public Safety Section 9. ”
Finally, Otsuka, who plays Batou, said, “I am delighted to have been involved in so many productions and to be at the heart of the story. Batou is a tremendous role in my life, but it also takes time to make an animation, so if I were to do it again, I would be around 70 years old. Whenever I think about it, I am sometimes deeply moved, wondering if this might be the last time I will play the role. I am so grateful to be able to play such a role in a work that I love so much, and to have everyone’s support…I am truly grateful. ” Then, Director Kamiyama said, “If I ever make another Ghost in the Shell, no matter how long it takes, I will cast you, Atsuko Tanaka, and everyone else as long as you are around, and I will write scripts for Batou and Motoko Kusanagi that you can play at that age.” Otsuka said, “Now I feel a twinge in the back of my nose,” and smiled, as the event ended on a high note.