Ghost in the Shell

I have stumbled upon Ghost in the Shell (GITS) so many times. Every time I was determined to watch this series, I got lost, not knowing where to start from. With the release of the Hollywood adaptation this year, I realised it was time to get started with it. The first ever anime related to the series came out back in 1995. Honestly speaking, I didn’t expect much from the movie.

I was expecting some old animation with bad audio but it was the complete opposite. The artwork was so good, it felt nothing less than a recent work. Set up in a futuristic world in the mid-21st Century where people possess cyber-brains, which enable them to connect their biological brains to different networks. From minimal modifications to prosthetic bodies, people can turn into cyborgs in this post-war society. The story revolves around a counter terrorist unit, Public Security Section 9, which specialises in cyber technology related crimes. Motoko Kusanagi, often call Major by her team, is the main protagonist of the series who holds the position of squad commanding officer of Section 9.

Ghost in the Shell (1995) movie follows Major in a case where section 9 investigates a hacker known as the ‘Puppet master’.The thriller has intense fight scenes, along with many philosophical questions about one’s soul, gender and human identity in such an advanced age of technology.

Entire articles can be written for each of the movies and series in the franchise. Let’s focus on which ones to watch and what to expect from them.

The sequel for the first GITS movie, named Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence was released in (2004). It was a disappointment from my side. Although it has good animation and music, but its storyline is outright lame. There was also a remastered version of the first movie in (2008). Therefore, you can jump to the television series right after the 1995 movie.

The television series, GITS: Stand Alone Complex (SAC) and its sequel GITS: SAC 2nd Gig is the best the franchise has given. Although the characters are somewhat different in their personality from the movie, I liked this version of Major. The English dubbing was more than satisfactory. And the sound is outstanding. The opening song by Origa was so good I never skipped even a second of it. The storyline is unique, rich in politics and action. After SAC the last remaining anime to watch is GITS Arise (2015) followed by a movie, GITS: The New Movie (2015). It is a prequel, where the formation of section 9 is shown. Not on par with SAC, but it’s still good.

Ghost in the Shell’s creator, Shirow Masamune’s vision of the future is rich, with a developed political landscape and technological innovations unimaginable. For newcomers, thinking the word ‘ghost’, used in the series, as ‘consciousness’ or ‘soul’ would make it easier to understand the concept. It is a must watch for anime fans. Ghost in the Shell is surely one of the top anime ever, with the 1995 movie and the Stand Alone Complex delivering some of the most iconic scenes in anime industry.

Ghost in the Shell

I have stumbled upon Ghost in the Shell (GITS) so many times. Every time I was determined to watch this series, I got lost, not knowing where to start from. With the release of the Hollywood adaptation this year, I realised it was time to get started with it. The first ever anime related to the series came out back in 1995. Honestly speaking, I didnt expect much from the movie. I was expecting some old animation with bad audio but it was the complete opposite. The artwork was so good, it felt nothing less than a recent work. Set up in a futuristic world in the mid-21st Century where people possess cyber-brains, which enable them to connect their biological brains to different networks. From minimal modifications to prosthetic bodies, people can turn into cyborgs in this post-war society. The story revolves around a counter terrorist unit, Public Security Section 9, which specialises in cyber technology related crimes. Motoko Kusanagi, often call Major by her team, is the main protagonist of the series who holds the position of squad commanding officer of Section 9. Ghost in the Shell (1995) movie follows Major in a case where section 9 investigates a hacker known as the Puppet master.The thriller has intense fight scenes, along with many philosophical questions about ones soul, gender and human identity in such an advanced age of technology. Entire articles can be written for each of the movies and series in the franchise. Lets focus on which ones to watch and what to expect from them. The sequel for the first GITS movie, named Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence was released in (2004). It was a disappointment from my side. Although it has good animation and music, but its storyline is outright lame. There was also a remastered version of the first movie in (2008). Therefore, you can jump to the television series right after the 1995 movie. The television series, GITS: Stand Alone Complex (SAC) and its sequel GITS: SAC 2nd Gig is the best the franchise has given. Although the characters are somewhat different in their personality from the movie, I liked this version of Major. The English dubbing was more than satisfactory. And the sound is outstanding. The opening song by Origa was so good I never skipped even a second of it. The storyline is unique, rich in politics and action. After SAC the last remaining anime to watch is GITS Arise (2015) followed by a movie, GITS: The New Movie (2015). It is a prequel, where the formation of section 9 is shown. Not on par with SAC, but its still good. Ghost in the Shells creator, Shirow Masamunes vision of the future is rich, with a developed political landscape and technological innovations unimaginable. For newcomers, thinking the word ghost, used in the series, as consciousness or soul would make it easier to understand the concept. It is a must watch for anime fans. Ghost in the Shell is surely one of the top anime ever, with the 1995 movie and the Stand Alone Complex delivering some of the most iconic scenes in anime industry.