AceShowbiz -

The Super Bowl spot for "Ghost in the Shell" has been released ahead of the big game. The 30-second video shows an intriguing part where Scarlett Johansson's character has her mask stripped off. Thus, the cybernetic flesh beneath her mask is revealed.

"Ghost in the Shell" is based on Masamune Shirow's manga and classic cyberpunk anime of the same name. Set in mid-21st century in fictional Niihama or New Port City, it centers on the Major (Johansson), a cyborg and master hacker who leads elite task force Public Section 9. The Major's team is working for Hanka Robotics and in charge of stopping dangerous criminals and extremist. Their prime target is a terrorist called The Laughing Man.

"Ghost in the Shell" has drawn whitewashing criticism, due to the fact that they cast a Caucasian actress instead of a Japanese one for the lead role. Comic writer Joe Tsuei said that "Ghost in the Shell" was deeply rooted from Japanese identity, and to whitewash it means stripping off its essence.

However, director Rupert Sanders explained that Johansson was actually the best actress to portray Major. "There are very few actresses with 20 years' experience who have the cyberpunk ethic already baked in," he said. "I stand by my decision-she's the best actress of her generation."

Also starring in "Ghost in the Shell" are Pilou Asbaek, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche, Takeshi Kitano and Kaori Momoi. The movie is set to hit U.S. theaters on March 31.