This sci-fi anime film is one of the biggest inspirations for ‘Trese’

“Trese” deals with supernatural creatures from Philippine mythology such as aswang, tiyanak, tikbalang, and the like.

But did you know that it was also heavily inspired by a work of science fiction?

In an episode of “The Howie Severino Podcast,” creator Budjette Tan revealed that one of the biggest influences for “Trese” was the anime film “Ghost in the Shell.”

“There's a police unit investigating cybercrime. So every episode investigates what happens to a society that has become too dependent on technology, when they become too dependent on the internet or when they start creating artificial life or androids to take care of their daily routines,” he said.

“So for me, I got that same structure… and transplanted it to Manila, crimes committed by magic, crimes committed by supernatural creatures,” he added.

“Ghost in the Shell” was first released in 1995 and directed by Mamoru Oshii. Its main character, Motoko Kusanagi, incidentally gives off the same vibe as Alexandra Trese -- both of them are stoic women who are dedicated to fulfilling their duties.

However, Tan previously said the main character for “Trese” was initially male and he decided to change it after seeing the character design created by artist Kajo Baldisimo.

Meanwhile, Tan also shared that he became an anime fan thanks to his father’s business as a block-timer for television, buying up anime from Japan and airing them on local channels. As a result, he and his siblings grew up watching untranslated anime on VHS or Betamax tapes at home.

As an anime fan, Tan said he is also delighted to see Manila become the “third character” in the series, as many anime titles feature actual places in Japan.

And with “Trese” also dubbed in Japanese aside from English, Filipino, and other languages, it’s the full package anime experience.

“To see Trese in Japanese brings me back to my childhood again,” Tan said. — Marisse Panaligan/LA, GMA News