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Rating: 6 out of 5
A lot of anime has significantly influenced the Western world and is considered untouchable. When you think of some of these series, you might think of Bleach, Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and the earlier Gundam series. When you think of influential anime films, few come to mind as ones you should bow down to and give all your respect. Akira is a legendary anime film that some might consider the king of all anime. How can you not love the Akira slide? There is also another anime film that stands on the same level as Akira. That anime film is Ghost in the Shell.
Ghost in the Shell has been cited as a freakin masterpiece in the field of so many areas. Out-of-this-world anime? Check. Fantastic story? Check. Compelling characters? Check. It checks all the boxes; even after all these years, it is still great to watch. The story is great, and as AI starts to become more influential in the world today, this film makes more sense. Ghost in the Shell is so influential that many directors and creators have cited it as its inspiration. The Wachowskis, the visionary geniuses behind the Matrix franchises, said they took concepts from this film. Legendary director James Cameron stated that this film was a source of inspiration for Avatar. With all of those, you know this film is excellent.
In 2029, the human body can be further enhanced with the advancement of cybernetic technology. You can have that missing arm or leg replaced. If you feel like it, you can have your whole body replaced and become like the Terminator. Another advancement in the world is the cyber brain. This mechanical casing allows the brain to access the internet and other networks. Hope that WIFI signal is strong. The title gets its name from “ghosts,” where the consciousness inhabits the body (the “shell”).
Major Motoko Kusanagi is a badass woman who is the team leader of an assault team for Public Security Section 9 in Japan. After getting orders from Nakamura, chief of Section 6, she shows one of the greatest and most iconic scenes in anime history. She successfully assassinates a diplomat to prevent a defector from defecting. The Foreign Minister’s interpreter is ghost-hacked, whose goal is to assassinate the VIPs. The team believes that the mysterious Puppet Master is behind the assassination attempt. The group is led to Megatech Body, a shell manufacturer with suspected close ties to the government, being hacked and assembling a shell. As it escapes, the shell is hit by a car and a lady. As the team investigates, it learns the shell has a human ghost inside it. Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 must now track down the Puppet Master before it starts making other cyborgs become aware and leading to a new revolution.
Yoooooooooo! I honestly forgot how awesome and thrilling this anime was. I was completely invested from start to finish. Ghost in the Shell is a freaking fantastic anime, and the story is excellent. Watching Motoko do her thang throughout the film was truly amazing. She has all the iconic scenes from jumping from the building and becoming camouflaged and fighting a dude while camouflaged, and the entire tank scene is mind-blowing. Back to the story. Even though it revolves around the stopping of the Puppet Master, it has a ton of themes. It explores the nature of human cyborgs, consciousness, self-aware computer programs, and memory alteration. The Puppet Master makes some excellent and thought-provoking suggestions, such as DNA is nothing more than a program. If you’ve seen Jurassic Park, you know it’s a code that can be altered. As you watch and start understanding the motives of the Puppet Master, you wonder who is human and who is not.
The animation is still top-notch after all these years. The animation still looks damn good, and the design of everything is a chef’s kiss. The scene where Motoko jumps from the room and slowly camouflage will make you drool with joy. The entire tank scene was perfect in every way as homegirl’s arms tore off. Fighting the dude in camouflage and seeing the steps of water as they fought was everything you wanted to see and hoped for. The animation adds significantly to this anime. It brings you in because some scenes are dark and violent while others are bright and joyful.
Let’s give props and kiss the feet to the one and only Ghost in the Shell. One of the world’s most iconic anime films. It is one of the greatest movies of all time. If you are a true anime fan, this is one of the films you MUST watch. You can’t be considered an anime fan if you don’t watch this anime. Kiss the feet and knell before the great film Ghost in the Shell!
BONUS CLIP!!!
