The first thing I noticed when I saw the trailer a few months ago was that it was Ziyi Zhang playing Sayuri (or Chiyo if you want to argue). Maybe its because I'm an Asian boy but that was the first thing I noticed. I was like, "WTF, she's totally Chinese."
Guys, you can't even believe how many times American (or non-Asian) movie productions use mismatched Asian actors in relation to each other. Like sometimes a Korean actor would play a character who is a son of a Chinese guy, for example.
I understand the Japanese's anger towards this movie because its majorly ironic.
1.) Chinese actresses. The girl that played Pumpkin was Japanese. And the Chairman was Japanese - Ken Watanabe - He was in The Last Samuri (another ironic movie about Japan).
2.) They spoke English, even the old Japanese ladies. We all know that the law of the universe is that old Asian ladies never ever, under any circumstances, speak English. Ever. At all. :-p
3.) The book was written by a Caucasian GUY. About Asianic WOMEN. To be fair, the guy had some sort of degree on Japanese studies or something something from Columbia or something something.
But I did see the movie and I really liked it. Purely from a "I-don't-care-about-those no-good-Japanese-protesting-I-just-wanna-see-this-goddamn-movie-and-eat-my-popcorn-with-my-date-and-maybe-a-little-macky-mack-later", I thought it was alright.
I LOVED THE SOUNDTRACK. I mean, I. Perlman and Yo Yo Ma and John Williams. Can't get any better music. You can't.
*References to Japanese Hate is totally meant to be funny. I, in fact, heart Japanese people. My mom, however, likes to despise them. It's an Asian thing that I don't really understand.
