Ghost in the Shell Highly recommended

Publisher
Manga Entertainment
Director
Mamoru Oshii
Production
Bandai, Kodansha, Production IG
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
70 mins
Year
1995

Ghost in the Shell

By Rob Argent
28th Apr 04

Ghost in the Shell. Recognise the name? To many, the best anime to grace the Earth, a stunning mix of 2D and 3D animation, coupled with a world-class screenplay that touches on a variety of deep, existential questions. To others, an over-hyped, overrated film that is too short and too big on ideas. But in all honesty, the real Ghost in the Shell lies somewhere between the two, intended for people who want something meaningful, but unfortunately appearing to be an action film. The way to enjoy this film is by approaching it in the right frame of mind.

Critically adored from its release back in 1995 in Japan, this film has received the kind of universal praise that Hollywood blockbusters could only dream about. On inspection of the DVD case, James Cameron, the Guardian newspaper and Empire film magazine line up with Japan anime awards to say just how much they like it. And they aren't wrong. From the Matrix-inspiring introduction to the sombre, thoughtful ending, style and intelligence are in abundance here. The characters on display - Motoko, Batou and the numerous crooks and villains - are all well rounded and look believable. Mamoru Oshii brings smooth yet dynamic direction to Masamune Shirow's plot, the creator of this, Dominion Tank Police and Appleseed.

In a Blade Runner-esque neo-future, people are so dependent on technology that they resort to having their bodies interact with computers in all manner of different ways. Micro-computers increase physical prowess, the Internet can be reached by plugging a lead into the base of your neck, etc. While these designs are by no means revolutionary, the beauty of these ideas is the way that they all contribute to how the characters go about their business - rather than a novelty, they are a necessity. The world that the story is set in is so convincing that you can't help but be impressed.

On the surface, the themes of human consciousness and emotion are hard to find, as the introduction centres on the actions of a suspicious Government branch that uses any means necessary to get their job done. Being science fiction, this means that we are treated to a raid on a meeting between important ministers, which is interrupted (again) by the sinister Section 9 security force, sending one of their agents in with the aid of Thermo-Optic camouflage i.e. invisibility a la Predator. The Section 9 agents then take centre stage as they track down a suspected terrorist known only as the Puppet Master. As you may have guessed, there's a fair bit of suspicion and distrust, which means that a conspiracy is obviously going to pop up sooner or later.

Now, the plot is slightly formulaic - anyone who likes Tom Clancy novels will be in familiar territory here - but then the second major plot is there too. Rather than a mere sub-plot, Ghost in the Shell uses its characters' situation to pose some very intriguing questions. Since these people are nearly entirely machines, are they really human? Have we taken technology for granted? Do we really want little holes in us to plug the radio in? All of these ideas (well, except for the last one) are brought up, but it's for the viewer to decide on the answer that's given. This anime is one for those of us who like to contemplate not just the action, but what causes the action, what drives the protagonists. A thinking man's action film, if you like.

And the action is there. Oh yes, there's action aplenty if you like that sort of thing. Shootouts where all of the scenery gets shot up, car chases with helicopters flying around, tanks blowing up walls and blood by the bucket load. For its pretentious statements, it is a very violent film, shaking you from your musing of the past few scenes and making you pay attention to what is going on. A word of warning though: on the current DVD release, the English dubbing is out of sync by a second or so, making the shootouts a bit odd.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to read the manga that this film is based on, so I can't tell you how it squares up to the original version (as I'm sure you're aware, old manga is very hard to get a hold of in this country). But, the story is intricate without being unexplained - a feat that not even the almighty Akira could achieve, and if anything, this anime should interest fans into looking into what inspired it. But, action fans beware, this more than just a violent cartoon for those post-pub moments. Invest some time and thought into it, and you'll see why Ghost in the Shell is one of the best animes to be made. Ever.

9/10

-- Rob Argent 28th Apr 04

Ghost in the Shell Images