Japanese director Mamoru Oshii's "Ghost in the Shell" was a strong influence. Producer Joel Silver has stated that the Wachowskis first described their intentions for "The Matrix" by showing him that anime and saying, "We wanna do that for real." Mitsuhisa Ishikawa of Production I.G, which produced "Ghost in the Shell", noted that the anime's high-quality visuals were a strong source of inspiration for the Wachowskis. He also commented, "... cyberpunk films are very difficult to describe to a third person. I'd imagine that "The Matrix" is the kind of film that was very difficult to draw up a written proposal for to take to film studios." He stated that since "Ghost in the Shell" had gained recognition in America, the Wachowskis used it as a "promotional tool." Similarities to the 1985 anime film "Megazone 23" have also been noticed, but the Wachowskis claimed to have never seen it.