So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: Japanese movie

Neuromancer by William Gibson

I like the movie, The Matrix. So, my friend strongly recommended Neuromancer. He said " if you like The Matrix, you have to read Neuromancer. It's the originator of cyberpunk like The Matrix."

I'm not familiar with science fiction. I learned by his explanation that the science fiction such as The Matrix is called cyberpunk. Before, I have seen the animated movie, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. I know the famous Japanese comics, Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊 Koukaku Kidoutai). I've ever read only one comic book of Ghost in the Shell series. I've read the Japanese comics, AKIRA, too. I found out that all of those were categorized as cyberpunk.

In Neuromancer, there are many various city images of Chiba City, the Eastern United States, Istanbul and a space colony. All of them are very likely future scene. The reason is that each smell of regions remains at the future of the cities in the novel. I was excited at author's imagination of Chiba City, because I'm a Japanese. Only the description of Chiba City will be able to shoot a two-hour movie. Eventually Blade Runner was created by only one city of the future Los Angels that was to all intents and purposes Shinjyuku Tokyo. I was overwhelmed by the enrichment of author's depiction of fiction. The author wrote so many new ideas that the novel possibly enables to shot for almost six movies.

Anyhow, Neuromancer was published on 1984 before The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, AKIRA and Blade Runner. If Neuromancer had been the first time experience of cyberpunk, I wouldn't have been able to follow the description of frequent and quick scene changes of cyberspace. In fact, I've learned the cyberspace visualization without my knowing it.

No matter how colorful idea, I think that the theme of Neuromancer is serious. The main character doesn't care about his body but he exchanges the body messages in cyberspace at the end part of Neuromancer. How inconsistent human beings are!

Neuromancer
William Gibson

Ace Hardcover 2004-11-02
Sales Rank : 22087
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Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence [Blu-ray]
Artist Not Provided

Bandai 2009-01-13
Sales Rank : 9466
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Ghost In The Shell Volume 1 - 2nd Edition (v. 1)
Masamune Shirow

Dark Horse 2004-11-17
Sales Rank : 95472
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Akira Volume 1 (Akira)
Katsuhiro Otomo

Kodansha Comics 2009-10-13
Sales Rank : 25290
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Blade Runner the F [Blu-ray]

2008-12-16
Sales Rank : 37264

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The Matrix [Blu-ray]

Warner Home Video 2010-01-12
Sales Rank : 9155
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When I saw Lost in Translation on DVD, it surprised me that the sound of Happy End (はっぴいえんど) came out at the end of the film.

Happy End is an old acoustic band in Japan in the 1970's. Each former member became a big musician or big producer and so on. They work at the center of Japan music currently. People say that Happy End is a legendary band that all members are too talented to get together again right now. Members are Haruomi Hosono, Eiichi Ohtaki, Takashi Matsumoto and Sigeru Suzuki. Melancholic and political music like flower children flooded here and there when Happy End appeared. Their music was light, and had dry humor. Some people felt they were a new band, but Happy End weren't in mainstream because of their stance of staying at the cutting edge.

Keiichi Suzuki (鈴木慶一 SUZUKI Keiichi) joined Happy End as a member of backing band. He provides his music to Takeshi Kitano's movie. The other big musicians were related to Happy End. Sometimes talented people interact each other at a very narrow point. Happy End was such a place.

Digitally remastered CD of Happy End