Mamoru Oshii Quotes

• We weep for a bird’s cry, but not for a fish’s blood. Blessed are those with a voice.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Blessed, Blessing, Blood

  "Fictional character: Major Motoko Kusanagi". "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence", www.imdb.com. 2004.

  49 Copy quote

• As well as Japanese animation, technology has a huge influence on Japanese society, and also Japanese novels. It's because before, people tended to think that ideology or religion were the things that actually changed people, but it's been proven that that's not the case. Technology has been proven to be the thing that's actually changing people. So in that sense, it's become a theme in Japanese culture.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Technology, Thinking, People

  Source: www.avclub.com

  12 Copy quote

• I think overall, making a movie is like putting a stamp on the world. Every time I make a movie, I feed in elements to make sure that it's my movie. I'm marking poles like a dog does. This is how I show my movies to the world.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Dog, Thinking, World

  Source: film.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

• Eventually, I think, by using such elements as flocks of birds or biblical quotes, repeatedly I add meaning to my final product. I'm still exploring how to express my feelings through these elements. I've always felt that in order to portray humans, you should not be shooting humans; you should be shooting something else. And what I've used is animals, which are very important in my films.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Biblical, Animal, Thinking

  Source: film.avclub.com

  7 Copy quote

• Ever since I was a child, I always had insecurity or suspicions about my own personal identity. That's why I started going to a lot of movie theaters, because I felt more comfortable there than at school. Now, the search for a personal identity is becoming a common topic for young Japanese people, and it's a big theme in their own lives. But it's been a theme in my life, as well, ever since I was young.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Children, School, People

  Source: film.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

• I was always interested in technology. When personal computers came out, I was one of the first to pick one up and begin playing with it. My hobbies tend to be not about going fishing or hiking, but about playing on machines. Just like some people like helicopters and tanks and cars, I like technology a lot.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Technology, People, Car

  Source: film.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

• I do have huge pressure in terms of making my animation, because a lot of audiences and producers are expecting me to make films with a lot of action. They all know that I'm very good at action scenes, but I tend to not use many, so they're all frustrated with me. But I do that intentionally. Yes, if I do a movie with a bunch of action, it's going to be a lot more successful than the types of movies I'm making right now. The producers often say, "Instead of using all these philosophical phrases, why don't you change this into an action scene?" But I intend to continue to make these movies.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Philosophical, Successful, Frustrated

  Source: film.avclub.com

  6 Copy quote

• Just because a movie is satisfactory means that the person who makes it is satisfactory. One can make a wonderful movie but still not be a wonderful person. In terms of interviews, it's probably not a good idea, because moviemakers tend not to tell the truth, even when asked a question.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Mean, Ideas, Wonderful Person

  Source: www.avclub.com

  9 Copy quote

• Japanese animation tends to need high budgets. If I have a high budget for a movie, I usually make animation, but if the project has a low budget, then I would ask the producer to consider live action.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Needs, Action, Projects

  Source: www.avclub.com

  6 Copy quote

• I do have more directorial control over animation, because it's like trial and error: If something doesn't work, you can always go back and change certain things. Whereas in live action, every day is a challenge, and you have to make decisions on an hourly basis. So in live action I have more freedom as a director, but in animation, I have more control over the final product.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Errors, Decision, Challenges

  Source: www.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

• Blessed are those with a voice.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Blessed, Voice, Blessed Are Those

  "Fictional character: Major Motoko Kusanagi". "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence", www.imdb.com. 2004.

  6 Copy quote

• I do feel that there are things you can learn from an artist, but I think you need to be very close to that person, and to know that person fairly well, in order to acquire anything from them. I do have a teacher myself, and I have learned quite a lot from my teacher, but it's not how to make a film. It's more how to approach my life as a director, how to approach and how to lie to a producer.

  Mamoru Oshii

  Teacher, Lying, Artist

  Source: film.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

• If I really feel that I want to shoot live people and live backgrounds, then that movie will become live-action. If I don't have any particular actors I want to use, I'd probably consider animation for that project. Which medium I use doesn't really make that much difference to me.

  Mamoru Oshii

  People, Animation

  Source: film.avclub.com

  4 Copy quote

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