Last month, I wrote an article called "The Oscar's 'Race' For Inclusivity" about diversity in the Hollywood film industry. In it, I praised the industry for being more inclusive and giving minority actors and filmmakers the praise they deserve, but felt that there is still more work to be done. One of the issues I touched on was "whitewashing," where casting directors select white actors and actresses to portray characters that are anything but. While I still agree that whitewashing is an issue--I will never get over Emma Stone portraying a half-Asian/half-Polynesian character in Cameron Crowe's "Aloha"--it seems as though we are pointing fingers at any American adaptation whose story originates from a predominantly non-white country, but uses white actors and actresses.

With the live-action "Ghost in the Shell" adaptation set to release this Friday, and the stir that Netflix's "Death Note"--another American adaptation of an anime--caused immediately after the release of the trailer due to casting Nat Wolff--a white actor--as Light Turner (can a name be whiter than Turner?), social justice warriors and upset otakus took to the internet to speak their mind. Confused? The character's original name from the anime is Light Yagami, clearly Japanese. The fact that Nat Wolf is playing a character that was originally Japanese, but was made American for the adaptation, is somehow angering people.

The issue with these accusations in regards to American adaptations of anime is that they're made in the United States. It's similar to remaking American dramas and sitcoms in foreign countries. Is anyone outraged that Diego Trujilo portrays Walter Blanco (yes, the one who knocks) in "Metastasis", the Colombian adaptation of the American crime drama Breaking Bad? I doubt it. Is it wrong to have an entirely Chinese cast portray originally American characters in "Planet Homebuddies," the Chinese adaptation of the American sitcom "Friends?" I don't think it is. In fact, the name alone makes me more inclined to watch it.

Remakes of television shows and movies in other countries accommodate for cultural differences. For instance, in "Metastasis," Walter and Jose (Jesse's Colombian counterpart) cook their crystal concoction in a school bus instead of an RV because RVs aren't popular in Columbia. For this reason, I commend the producers of the "Death Note" adaptation for taking an internationally understandable story of moral relevance and making it feel American without trying to replicate something it's not. If you don't believe me, watch the trailer:

If the cheerleaders and angsty Nat Wolff don't scream 'Murica, I don't know what does. All kidding aside, I'm interested to see how this turns out, and I'm excited to see the "Ghost in the Shell" live-action film when it hits the silver screen this Friday. No matter how you feel about the issue, I think we can all agree that, as long as neither film turns out like "Dragon Ball: Evolution," we shouldn't have anything to complain about.