What to watch: Ghost In The Shell. What to read, watch and play before Cyberpunk 2077

Ghost in the Shell became famous not only for its creative universe and philosophical zest but also for its revolutionary animation techniques.

In 2017, Ghost in the Shell received a movie adaptation – which caused considerable controversy, as the casting of Scarlett Johansson in the lead role provoked accusations of "whitewashing" the cast. And unfortunately, this pre-premiere controversy was the only time that Rupert Sanders's movie caused more emotions – because it's a barely good (though visually impressive) and a bit too long film that has nothing of the freshness and sincerity of the original.

Ghost in the Shell is one of those films that even people who are usually allergic to the specifics of Japanese culture can appreciate. This is some heavy piece of science fiction – complex, set in a fully computerized world, and at the same time saturated with philosophical questions. As befits a representative of the genre, it features a megabuilding gathering countess people and isolating them from one another.

It's a picture with a bleak vibe, enhanced by phenomenally choreographed shots and an incredible soundtrack that makes perfect use of female backing singers. And at the same time, an interesting thriller that follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, an almost entirely robotic agent chasing a superhaker nicknamed The Puppet Master. In Japanese cinema, it is a truly revolutionary picture, under the guise of complex intrigue, asking questions about the nature of man. No wonder that when it finally came out in western cinemas, it heavily influenced American and European filmmakers. Among others, the Wachowski sisters - the creators of The Matrix - admit they were inspired by Ghost in the Shell.

What to play: Satellite Reign

The city in Satellite Reign is drenched in rain and dazzled with neon lights. In a word, the Blade Runner aesthetic reproduced as faithfully as possible.

The original Syndicate received an official remake in 2012 thanks to the Starbreeze Studio. The new version did not resemble its original design (except for the atmosphere). This production was changed into... a linear shooter with a strong emphasis on co-op play. It was certainly not a bad game when playing with a friend it could make a lot of fun. Still, the fans of the original were pulling their hair out of their heads, because the elaborate strategy game was used as a foundation for FPS that does not stand out with anything apart from an interesting world.

Had it not been for a different title, Satellite Reign could have been considered a full–fledged remake of Syndicate - an iconic game from 1993. Studio 5 Lives borrowed all the best elements from that classic while improving those aspects that had aged considerably over the past two decades. The result is a great strategy that focuses heavily on the player's freedom of approach to individual missions, the order of execution of tasks, and developing the skills of each of the four agents as one sees fit.

In addition, this project is in many ways quite old-school, which fans of the original Syndicate should not mind. Above all, however, Satellite Reign will appeal to the fans of cyberpunk. This game simply drowning in this vibe, showing a city stacked with genre classics. Rain-soaked streets, puddles reflecting advertising lights, sinister corporations holding everything and everyone together... Getting into the alleys of this metropolis is a pleasure, even if there's not much else to do apart from completing missions.

1. More about Satellite Reign

What to read: Akira

Akira appeared as an animated adaptation in 1988 and is also scheduled for receiving a movie.

It's impossible to write about cyberpunk without looking at the Land of the Rising Sun. The Japanese version of this genre is significantly different from the American one, and the six-volume manga Akira by Katsuhiro Otoma shows these differences perfectly. The story of Tetsuo gifted with powerful and potentially destructive powers and his former friend Kaneda deals with the abuse of power, the isolation of adolescent youth, political intrigues, and the nature of rebellion against authority figures. The theme is universal - but Akira portrays it against the backdrop of a futuristic Neo-Tokyo mega-metropolis built on the rubble of Japan's former capital, plagued by anti-government riots, gang wars, and terrorism.

The distinctive style, detailed surroundings, and thoughtful frames highlight the pessimism and hopelessness of this bleak new world, conveying the loneliness and lack of purpose in the lives of the young characters. It's a heavy, mature piece – and no wonder it allowed Japanese comics to gain such enormous popularity in the West.

What to listen: Carpenter Brut

Franck Hueso – as that's the real name of the artist hiding behind the Carpenter Brut pseudonym - practically pushed himself into this list. Not only does he use mostly synthesizer sounds in his songs, as if taken from the horror and science fiction films of the 1980s. - he also uses a visual style uniquely associated with cyberpunk – neon lights, bright colors, and quirky symbolism. We also cannot forget that this musician was involved in working on 2012's Dredd – a movie that is uniquely embedded in this genre. In his songs, one can hear clear influences of soundtracks written by John Carpenter, Lazerhawk, College, and Justice, while at the same time strong percussion background and brutally fast electronic layer make associations with metal. And perhaps because of this dynamic, his music has been used by producers of games such as Furi, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, and The Crew. We would not be offended if CD Projekt RED followed in their footsteps.