Blade Runner's influence on anime

[Shawn Hopkins]

I was watching Bubblegum Crisis today when this obvious Bladerunner connection finally hit me. Priss and the Replicants!

A lot of the anime I've seen, especially from the 80s, seems to draw partial inspiration for the way their futuristic dystopias look and feel from Bladerunner (along with other obvious sources like Metropolis). Seeing little nods to this is kind of neat.

Has anyone else seen other animes that have references to Blade Runner? Other Sci-fi movies?

[Vekou]

I think that Cowboy Bebop was somewhat influenced by "Blade Runner" and some of Phillip K. Dick's short stories.

[2Divine]

Three words:

"Armitage the Third."

:)

[Ssedrey]

yeah, Bladerunner's been a big influence on anime along with just about any of Philip K. Dick's novels.

But there is one science fiction series I can say has many references to it in a lot of different anime. Two words. "Star Wars". I've seen a ridiculous amount of Star Wars references in anime from the blindingly obvious to the more obscure. A couple of the more notable ones being...

Slayers Next
Auntie. Short, green with long pointed ears, a walking stick, and white hair. Hmmm...

Excel Saga
There's a very clear silhouetted image in the background of one of the episodes that gives advice to Excel. Again, short with pointed ears, kind of hunched over. Double-hmmm...

Real Bout High School Manga, 2nd Graphic Novel
In Ryoko's dream sequence where Tatsuya outright states "May the Force be with you"

Love Hina Manga, 5th Graphic Novel
to accurately portray Keitaro's words cutting deep, we have a clear depiction of a lightsaber stabbing into Naru

and again in Slayers
when Lina talks about the nature of Black Magic. Anger, Fear, Agression...

These are just a few of the various SW references I've seen throughout anime.

[Zero Angel]

Phillip K Dick is huge over in japan having most of his literary work translated and in print over there. he is one of the best selling sci-fi authors over there and alot of his material has had an impact on the way people over there view machines and humanity.

other titles

Ghost in the Shell
Armitage : the Third
Bubble Gum Crisis

these three titles have so much in them that refer back to the book title that is my header.

another movie that isnt anime but has certain aspects to it that are similar is Total Recall which was based on another Phillip K Dick short story.