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Hi folks, random newb here. ^_^
I've been reading the blog for some time but decided to venture forth into the Meatspace after watching part of the recently-released Casshern for the second time last night. It occured to me that while I'm not the most clued-up fan of cyberpunk going, this film seems to show a lot of crossovers between cyber and steampunk and may be worth a review. I'm toying with the idea of reviewing it myself but I thought I'd also test the water to see if anyone else has seen it and can maybe help me define it. Is the film cyberpunk or not?
For those that haven't seen it, Casshern is an Asian film released in 2004 and set in a wartime future in which Asia has invaded the Eurasian continent and become the dictator. the world has become a steampunk dream with factories and power plants all over, and many humans are now forced to wear gasmasks and other respiratory aidsin their daily lives. Naturally, there are rebellions to this dominion over Europe and war continues, but back at home there is technology being developed to produce 'neo-cells' - cells that can be programmed to construct all manners of organs in order to help those who suffer from the pollution and who have bits blown off in war.
A year later, a freak electrical storm causes the casualties of war to spawn back to life from a neo-cell ooze and the on-site military reacts with extreme force, killing most of the horde. As the new life forms, known as 'Neoroids', inevitably takes their vengeance against mankind, they escape to a long-forgotten factory where there happens to be an army of robots with which they can wreak their havoc. the scientist's son, killed in battle, is brought back to life with this fluid in order to fight the Neoroids, helped along by a rather futuristic set of armour in the mould of Halo's Master Chief.
Granted, the film would score low on the cyberpunk narrative other than scenes of mass carnage involving Casshern (the hero) leaping around with complete pwnage over mechanical enemies, but there's a real contrast put between these robot armies and the steampunk world, wherein the Neoroids' mechs lay waste to anything involving cogs rather than silicone. My question is, just how far does 'cyberpunk' stretch to defining a film like Casshern both in general and the sort of content you welcome on this site?
EDIT: GOD I'm an idiot. Never mind... sorry for the long-winded and pointless topic there! ^_^;;
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