In the film, the code that comprises the Matrix itself is frequently represented as downward-flowing green characters. This code uses a custom typeface designed by Simon Whiteley, which includes mirror images of
half-width kana characters and Western
Latin letters and
numerals. In a 2017 interview at
CNET, he attributed the design to his wife, who comes from Japan, and added, "I like to tell everybody that The Matrix's code is made out of Japanese
sushi recipes"; this has been debunked by several people including some well known Japanese influencers. The effect resembles that of older generation
green screen displays of monochrome
phosphorescent computer monitors. One predecessor of the digital rain exists in a "code-scene" of the movie
Meteo, a Hungarian experimental-pop culture movie from 1990. The 1995
cyberpunk film
Ghost in the Shell, a strong influence on
The Matrix, features opening credits similar to the digital rain. No official version of the code's
typeface actually used in the
Matrix trilogy and in the website for the game
Path of Neo has been released. Several imitations have been made, mostly in the form of
screensavers. == Cultural impact ==