Ghost in the Shell

Mamoru Oshii directs with a staccato rhythm, alternating sequences of rapid-fire action (car chases, gun battles, explosions) with static dialogue scenes that allow the characters to sort out the vaguely mystical and rather convoluted plot. Kusanagi's final quote from I Corinthians suggests that electronic evolution may compliment and eventually supplant organic evolution. The minor nudity, profanity, and considerable violence would earn Ghost in the Shell at least a PG rating. --Charles Solomon

Amazon.com
The skillful blending of drawn animation and computer-generated imagery excited anime fans when this science fiction mystery was released in 1995: many enthusiasts believe Ghost suggests what the future of anime will be, at least in the short term. The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when an unnamed government uses lifelike cyborgs or "enhanced" humans for undercover work. One of the key cyborgs is The Major, Motoko Kusanagi, who resembles a cross between The Terminator and a Playboy centerfold. She finds herself caught up in a tangled web of espionage and counterespionage as she searches for the mysterious superhacker known as "The Puppet Master."

Mamoru Oshii directs with a staccato rhythm, alternating sequences of rapid-fire action (car chases, gun battles, explosions) with static dialogue scenes that allow the characters to sort out the vaguely mystical and rather convoluted plot. Kusanagi's final quote from I Corinthians suggests that electronic evolution may compliment and eventually supplant organic evolution. The minor nudity, profanity, and considerable violence would earn Ghost in the Shell at least a PG rating. --Charles Solomon

Image Quality: Very good for the most part. The anime's dark atmosphere and dull colours transfer well to DVD. The blacks aren't as good as I would hope and at some points the image quality is, for some reason, a tad worse (the intro shots for example), however times like these are few and far between. The whole image is very soft and I hoped the edges would be a little more sharp. I'm not sure if this is because of the transfer or the movie itself because I haven't seen 'Ghost in the Shell' in any other digital format and I certainly aren't going to take for reference the VHS edition *grin*. But don't let what I said put you off, as for the most part you'll be more than satisfied at the image quality. For an example, when the optic camouflage kicks in and you have the 'rainbow' effect (if you see it you'll know what I'm talking about) all the colours are very well defined and very crisp and you'll find yourself thinking how cool it looks. On another shot of Bateau inside his car more to the end, you can see water drops on the side window... try doing that on VHS. Very nice.

Sound Quality: When I bought this DVD I wasn't expecting anything special on the sound department. Boy, was I wrong. The sound comes in two flavours: English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 The stereo version is nothing to write home about. It's adequate... just. The only good thing about it is that you get to hear the Japanese voice acting which is always nice, other than that (if you've got a 5.1 setup) just forget about it. The 5.1 version is where the sound really comes to life. It hasn't got an intricate and complex soundstage like 'Twister' for example, but it sure delivers the sound with a punch. Your subwoofer will love you every time you pop in this DVD. From the roaring explosions, machine gun fire or the deep drums on some parts of the musical score, the bass is always deep and clear. Music is all around you, coming from all channels most of the time, so this at least creates an involving atmosphere, especially when the music is of the ambient type I've described. The surround channels are also nicely used. When shots are fired you get a sort of 'echo' effect going in the two surrounds. It might not be accurate, but when those HV bullets start flying around, you'll be glad to have the right setup. On the market chase scene, for example you get voices and sounds coming from the surrounds bringing the market to life. The surround channels are never aggressive nor overused, but I think this is the best you can expect out an anime.

Extras: Well, they're better than most DVD I've seen. You get a 25-30 min 'Making of Ghost in the Shell' which is narrated by the guy who does the voice of Bateau in the English version (I hope I'm right about this, it does sound a lot like him). This won't tell you anything terribly new, but it does provide a little insight at some of the techniques used.

The DVD also has a sort of index that provide information on certain aspects of the universe of 'Ghost in the Shell'. Characters, machine design, the various sections involved, etc... again, nothing terribly new, but I can see how it can shed some light in certain areas to those who aren't very familiarised with Shirow's universe or the anime itself. The rest of the extras are just ads for manga video, polygram, fan clubs, etc...


Intellectual, existential action anime   March 6, 2004
Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan)
68 out of 72 found this review helpful

An existential action anime? That's what Ghost In The Shell, a.k.a. Kokakukidotai (Shell Mobile Force) is, with animation sporting top-of-the-line computer imagery in the Bladerunner-like metropolis of Newport, but that's secondary compared to the underlying intellectual theme.

Major Kusanagi Motoko is a skillfully trained cyborg assassin in Newport's Section 9, who's taking out a diplomat illegally trying to give immunity to a listed programmer, demonstrates her training, including an amazing moment when she dives off a building, picks off her target, and via a thermoptic camouflage (i.e. portable cloaking device), vanishes from sight.

She and the members of her team, consisting of the mostly human Togusa, Ichikawa, and Batou, a burly no-nonsense blond cyborg with electronic eye implants, are trying to track down the Puppet Master. The Puppet Master is a master hacker who hacks into people's brains and uses them for his dirty work, presumably to carry out espionage or terrorism, leaving his puppets no memory of their infiltration. One of his puppets keeps using a public computer to try to infiltrate the brain of his wife, who is divorcing him and wants custody of their child. When he's picked up, he is told by Section 9 that his wife, child, and divorce are all false memories imprinted by the Puppet Master, causing further distress to the man when he is told the fake memories can't be erased.

However, there are two conflicts going on. One is Kusanagi's mission to hunt down the Puppet Master. The other and the one with a deeper meaning is the search for her identity within the scheme of a whole, or rather, something beyond her individual self, highlighted by her words taken from the Book of Corinthians: "For now we through a glass, darkly." This reflects an earlier statement when she says in observation of a victim of the Puppet Master, "all data that exists is both fantasy and reality. Whichever it is, the data a person collects in a lifetime is a tiny bit compared to the whole." A postmodernist flair is introduced when the Puppet Master says "While memories may as well be the same as fantasy, it is by these memories that mankind exists."

The question thus is, is it possible for the soul to exist in a highly technological world, where special operatives have cyborg shells, metabolic control systems, ESP, and cyber-brains?
The search is also symbolized when she surfaces, and the animated image of her rising up to meet her reflection, representing her true self. She wonders if she has a ghost, an animating soul or spirit. In looking at the construction of her body in the opening credits, one sees that she's heavily mechanized, with an outer layer of flesh surrounding her.

Her attempt at defining the self begins with a unique face, voice, childhood memories, feelings for the future, and the set of mental processes producing a consciousness that is "me." However, upon a discovery involving the Puppet Master, she further worries that what if there wasn't a real "me," that "I believe I exist based only on what my environment tells me. ... What if a computer brain can generate a ghost and harbor a soul? On what basis then do I believe in myself?" In other words, what if there is no higher power to connect to, bringing into mind the word "religion," which means "to reconnect to."

The action sequences aren't extreme, ultraviolent, or gratuitous in the chase sequences, but are moderate, that is until the heavy artillery is brought out, at which point glass, metal, and rock starts to fly. A very intelligent, thought-provoking, one-of-a-kind existential, soul-searching anime, with Kusanagi despite its cyborg dominance showing some human traits.


Really a unique film for the genre.   August 10, 1999
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

Ghost in the Shell has a very cranial plot, so those viewers who think anime is nothing more than flying guts and warped tentacles might as well crawl back into their sewer, because they're not going to like it. On the other hand, anyone who has seen and appreciated 2001 or Royal Space Force: Wings of Onneamis will love Ghost in the Shell. The movie is much more complex than it actually appears, and has a fascinating plot surrounding the destination of the human soul in the future, although the more memorable images are of rampant gunfire and Motoko Kusanagi's omnipresent bare breasts. The animation is excellent in both its computer and cel forms, although the character design is very original - and very worthwhile. Ghost in the Shell surpasses Akira as a vehicle for the popular display of anime largely because of its more charismatic cast and its fascinating plot. Akira dealt with similar subject matter, had a longer running time, and had the same high-quality animation that Ghost in the Shell has, but Ghost is better because it can be widely appreciated not for its spectacle but for its intelligence. Both Akira and Ghost in the Shell had important messages in them. Unfortunately Akira's violence has become a myth in its own right instead of incidental. Some people will fault Ghost in the Shell for not going to the same extremes. They should stick to Akira. In short, if you want beautiful, intelligent and original anime, Ghost in the Shell is for you. It is the showcase that Manga Video promoted, but not in the way they think it is. Still, you don't want to miss it.


Brilliantly made and intelligent   January 22, 2000
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is on par with "Akira". Okay maybe a close second, but real close. For those of you who had a hard time understanding "The Matrix" you should leave, read a book, rent "Dark City" and then try this movie. For those of us who understood the movie clearly, this is a masterpiece. A little short, "Akira" was much longer, but flawless unless you're picky like a MF'er. Amazing doesn't cover it... more like perfect. This is a movie for smart audiences who actually think for themselves and if you're like me, you seem to dispise a lot of things mainstream 'cause they force opinions and decide what's cool for you, you'll love this movie. Don't worry if you don't "get it" the first time, it does get you thinking. This is a movie that doesn't stop halfway through the film to explain itself to you, you learn along the way. It's like a river, you jump in and go with the flow. This in no way is 'long and boring' like some other viewer said it's only 82 minutes long. For a short film to be this complex shows the genius of it. It's a challenging and intricate masterpiece. Science Fiction done right.


A Classic,   November 5, 2005
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Ghost in the shell, a classic anime. Ghost in the Shell was originally released in the U.S. November 1995, and amazingly few sci-fi movies fail to live up to it's amazing populariy among fans of the genre. The film takes place in he year 2030, or roughly so, in which almost everyone in Tokyo, or the world for that matter has been equipped with some sort of cybernetic implant. Whether it be an arm, leg, or even a brain, cybernization is now a way of life for society. Anyway, the film opens with a woman named Motoko Kusanagi, who is cyberized to the point where it is only her brain cells that remain human. The movie basically centers around her. Normally I would give more of plot description, but considering I really suck at it i'm just going to get to the review.
Momoru Oshii is an excellent director, even though I'm not a big Jin-Roh fan, I still think he's fantastic. One thing that contiues to amaze me about this film is it's characters. What Oshii does here is he designs these characters in such a way in which we are able to relate to them and ponder our own views and relationships towards the evergrowing technologies and the effect it has on our own lives. So, basically what the whole movie boils down to is if one is enhanced by non-organic substances, meaning man made substances, are they really completely human? In other words once man and technology have merged has the line separating them both blured? With that being said, what then defines humanity? Well, in the end it is actually memories that define humanity. When one obtains a new memory, that memory is their's, it's only unique to them. Before cybernization it was the human spirit, or ghost, that defined our existance. However, if one's cyberbrain could create a ghost, as Kusanagi asks, then what would be the importance of being human then? Meaning that once somthing artificial could create a soul then what's the need of having a human body? You could just be completely artificial and have soul, just like a human. So, since a soul can no longer define humanity then one must turn to memories. They are what make us unique, we must now reley, not on our spirit but our memories for definition. However, in the world of Ghost in Shell there comes a catch. Even though cyberbrains do have amazing abilities, they do have one fatal flaw, like computers, they can be hacked into. So, basically someone could literally hack into your brain and make you think things that aren't true. For example, in the movie a garbage man was conviced that he was having a divorce with his wife, and that his wife was trying to gain complete custody of their daughter, when in reality it is revealed that he never had a wife and kid. He was a bachelor who apparently had never been married, all of his memories were fabrications, caused by a hacker. So basically this line sums it all up. "Man has underestimated the effects of computerization." Meaning that, man has underestimated what technology could do to humanity and what defines it as a species.
So thats basically it, well it wasn't really a review, I guess it was my analysis on the whole world of Ghost in the shell. So, heres a guide on what to and not to expect from the film.
I am going to make one thing clear, now listen carefully, this movie is not for people who just want a straight out action flick, it requires alot of thinking, and while the film has some action those expecting alot from the movie in that area may be a little dissapointed. Also, although the film does have some nudity, there is no sexual content whatsoever throughout the film. I know it may be hard to believe, but it's true. So those of you who have been avoiding the film in fear of it being a hentai, you don't have to worry. I mean I wouldn't recommend it to little kids, but I think Fourteen and up would be appropriate. The only other things to watch out for is some strong language, and some brief but graphic violence. Another thing, this is just a word of advice, but as far as the politics go in the film, your better off just going along with them rather than trying to figure out every conspicuous little detail. I'm not saying you should completely ignore it, because of course you do need a basic idea of what's going on in the film, but it's pretty heavy stuff, your better off devoting more of your attention to the philosiphy in the film rather than the politics that are involved. Also, if your one of those anime fans just looking for big eyed Bishonen/Bishoju animes filled with lots of useless fluff, then I suggest you look elsewhere. One thing about Ghost in the Shell is that it is very adultish, in other words it's very mature anime. It may not appeal to everyone, theres virturally no comedy, and takes itself prety seriously, it even shows in the art style. There are no big eyed people, everyone looks realistic, to a point anyway. Also, and most importantly there are no cute furry little animal sidekicks anywhere. So if your looking for a more mature side of anime then GITS is right for you. Another point, unlike Akira, which ran for over two hours, Ghost in te Shell is a relatively short film. It clocks in at around 83 minutes, so if you see the movie in the video store and it costs thirty dollars, then look elsewhere to buy it. Maybe it's just me but I would feel a little cheated if I bought a movie for thirty dollars and found out that it was only an hour and twenty minutes long. But that's just me. Now this is a warning concerning the movie's music. If your like me you will think it's awesome, however I have spoken to some and not everyone shares my opinion. Some find it very annoying and it's plays throughout alot of the film, so it's just a warning but you may not like the music, and it may effect your overall viewing experience. Besides all that though, I do have some very good news for those of you who hate subtitles. The dub on this film is well done. So if you have a problem with subtitles but at the same time are hesitant to try the dub based on bad experiences, you don't have to worry, I don't think you will have too much of a problem with GITS. The DVD on te film is also very good. It comes in five different languages, English, Japanese, German, Italian, French and Spanish, so if you don't speak english or Japanese you might have some luck with the other languages available. The video and Audio on the disk is also very well done. Now theres one thing viewers must understand about Ghost in the Shell regarding it's reltionship to the T.V. series and the other movie. If you are confused here's how everyting is related: the T.V. series, "Stand Alone Complex" takes place in an alternate reality in which the whole ending of the first movie didn't take place. As far as the Second movie is concerned, it is merely a sequel to the first movie continuing two years after the first movie left off. This actually may sound kind of stange but here's what I suggest you do. If you understand what I said about the T.V. series being an alternate reality in which the whole ending of te first movie didn't take place, and you have seen the series but not the movies then I suggest you watch Innocence first (the sequel) then watch the first movie. That's how I did it and I got more out of it. The thing is that the sequel definitely isn't as good as the first movie was, visually it's much better, but as far as story is concerned it is inferior. So upon watching the first film you may be dissapointed with the results of he second film, but this way you won't be dissapointed at all. Another word of advice, if you have already bought the original GITS DVD then I suggest you don't double dip with the new special edition. It really isn't worth it, the extras are pretty much the same, so if you have the first version that came out, just stick with that one. However if you wan't a remastered edition of the movie then maybe it would be in your intrest to pick it up.

This is truly an excellent film to behold. It highly recommed it to anime and non-anime fans alike. But before I end the review I would like you to think of somthing. Ghost in the shell: Sciece Fiction or Science Prophecy?