Ghost in the Shell

One of anime’s truly magnificent experiences.

Released in 1995, this animated film directed by Mamoru Oshii was credited being the inspiration for the Wachowski brothers’ Matrix trilogy.

But it wasn’t until Thursday that I got my hands on it. For all you lost souls who are wondering what is Ghost in the Shell about, I decided to write a review on this anime to enlighten you. Although it is about nine years late, I hope it will inspire you the reader to at least watch this animated film.

Ghost in the Shell, the ghost refers to individual identity and shell refers to bodies both artificial and organic. In the year 2029, an expansive computer network unites the world. In Japan, a covert police division investigates cyber crime in this futuristic world of city-states and mega-corporations.

Major Motoko Kusanagi, a member of Section Nine, searches for a deposed foreign despot seeking political asylum, leading to a person known as the Puppet Master, a hacker who is capable of penetrating even the strongest of the world’s Internet firewalls.

But as Motoko and her partner, Bateau, approach the hacker, the paramilitary security division of the Foreign Service interferes, executing a secret agenda. Meanwhile, Motoko must consider why the Puppet Master seeks her out specifically for his plans. In essence, it is the question of the nature of self.

The movie uses the film noir visuals that are common in anime, and it shares that peculiar tendency of all adult animation to give us women who are (a) strong protagonists at the center of the story, and (b) nevertheless almost continuously nude.

Kenji Kawai’s music contributes wonderfully to the atmosphere of the film, occasionally moving into the foreground as well. A rich blend of orchestral and choral timbres, the vast majority of his composition is understated and calming, making the occasional dissonance even more striking. His expressed doubt of the music’s worthiness is to be ignored; the score is fantastic.

Perhaps the beautiful unity of Ghost in the Shell is best conveyed through example. At the film’s midpoint, haunting music accompanies Motoko as she traverses the city. But an innocent interlude quickly evolves into thematic commentary as Oshii presents the viewer with a series of images; each passively provokes thought and gives the film’s abstract concepts a more concrete foundation. Mokoto first notices several women casually moving through the city who share her facial composition, inviting the viewer to contemplate other similarities.

The human tendency to link body and personality is strongly disrupted by this walk; among millions, Motoko sees time after time faces like her own. These confounding images are followed by scenes of warehouses, store windows, mannequins without faces, bodies without personality. In a mellow scene with no dialogue, director Oshii forcefully presents the dilemma of ghost and shell to the viewer. Once limited to Motoko’s internal conflict, this theme, this independence of spirit and body, expands to infuse itself in every element of this spectacular film.

I for one usually prefer stories that move at a deliberate pace, I found Ghost in the Shell really enjoyable. Director Mamoru Oshii presents many fascinating concepts to consider and the experience is amplified because of his focused direction of the plot. Ghost in the Shell is of one of anime’s truly magnificent experiences.