Last week, Paramount Pictures launched #IAmMajor, a social media effort aiming to drum up excitement for Ghost in the Shell, the studio's upcoming adaptation of the popular anime franchise.
She is hunted. She is the hunter. She is Major. Who are you? Go to https://t.co/jGc5YZ7g2T and tell us. #IAmMajor
The controversial project provoked months of backlash and accusations of "whitewashing" after it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would play the film's protagonist, who is Japanese in the source material.
The tweet included a link to a meme generator that fans can use to upload a photo and caption responding to the question "What makes you unique?"
Soon after it launched, some people began using the meme-maker to call out Paramount for casting a white actor as the lead in a beloved Japanese property.
The Ghost in the Shell Website https://t.co/eqy8CpndC6 has a meme maker of sorts where anyone could "become Major"… https://t.co/DFixqtYe47
I Am White. I Am Appropriated. #IAmMajor https://t.co/SrLHTgQgsT
:))) #IAMMAJOR
#IAmMajor The Real Major. 5 Real Japanese actresses who should be Major in #GhostInTheShell. #UnderratedAsian… https://t.co/qomofcP1TJ
People also attacked the Hollywood tradition of "whitewashing" generally, citing a slew of examples including Mickey Rooney, who played I. Y. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Tilda Swinton, who recently portrayed the Ancient One in Doctor Strange.
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im bored so i made some memes in the ghost in the shell website
Some also took aim at the Netflix series Iron Fist, which has been accused of perpetuating the tired "white savior narrative."
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