If you were to ask what science fiction film has had the most profound influence on the genre as a whole, the most likely answer would be Blade Runner from 1982. Many other sci-fi works since then have taken inspiration or paid homage to that great masterpiece. Nowhere is this more prominent than in Japan. Where the Blade Runner style has been utilized in many forms of media, ranging from movies to commercials for contact lenses and clothing lines. Needless to say, this influence also made its way into Anime, and what is arguably the best showcase of this phenomenon is the equally classic masterpiece, Ghost in the Shell. Which not only wears its Blade Runner influence on its sleeve with pride, it also distinguishes itself as its own entity by delving deeper into the philosophical ideology of what it means to be human. While Ghost in the Shell has become a massive franchise, spawning tons of sequels, television shows, reboots, and an American produced live-action remake with Scarlett Johansson (although the less said about that atrocity, the better), the 1995 film will always reign supreme.
Based on the manga by Shirow Masamune, the story takes place in the year 2029. Cyborg technology has advanced exponentially. Civilization has infused itself with computers in every way. People can directly connect their brains to a series of networks for just about anything. Needless to say, they are still susceptible to hackers, who can infiltrate your mind and not only steal information but also implant false memories, turning you into a puppet. To combat this form of crime, the police force has a particular unit known as Section 9, which specializes in counter-cyber criminal activity. Most of their time is spent taking down cyber terrorists and tracking down other such digital criminals. All the while, having friendly debates with each other about their individuality and their level of humanity.
The main attraction to the film is, arguably, its visuals. Ghost in the Shell sports some of the most detailed and striking animation ever put to film. Made all the more breathtaking when you remember that the vast majority of Anime is hand-drawn. Even today, when CGI is utilized in Anime, most of the visuals are still done by hand. Making every bit of detail all the more awe-inspiring. While I mentioned before how Ghost in the Shell took many notes from Blade Runner, I must emphasize that it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a rip-off. It is still very much its own thing and firmly plants its individuality within the first few minutes.
The other main attraction is the main character: Major Motoko Kusanagi, or The Major for short. When I think of robust and awesome female characters in fiction, The Major is one of the first characters that come to mind. She reminds me of Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character from Gemini Man. To say that she is a "bad-ass" would be a gross understatement. A more appropriate description, at least to me, would be Valkarie. She is confident, capable, intelligent, and above all, engaging. The best part is that neither she nor the film ever draws attention to the fact that she's a woman in the police force. She's just a great cop who happens to be female. As a feminist, it often bothers me when movies and television shows try too hard to draw attention to the fact that they have a woman in the lead. As if they were trying to show off how progressive they are or how awesome it is that there's a "chick" in a lead role. While I do not deny that there is still an unfortunate amount of sexism in the world, especially in the entertainment industry, toating the fact that you have women in bad-ass leading roles does not make you progressive. It just comes off as desperate and insincere. If you're serious about having a strong female character in your story, don't draw attention to it. Needless to say, Ghost in the Shell does not. Unlike the American live-action remake. Again, the less said, the better.
Last but not least is the script. For the most part, Ghost in the Shell succeeds in delivering a narrative that is profound and intelligent while remaining viscerally entertaining. The balance between being a cyberpunk crime thriller and an existential exploration manages to stay pretty centered. It's a fantastic script...for the most part.
One of the films most significant flaws is not necessarily with the writing itself, but with the ones who arranged the words. Ghost in the Shell was licensed and localized for the U.S. market by Manga Entertainment. A company that built a reputation of catering primarily to adolescent boys. As such, they tended to take liberties with their localization scripts. Most notably in adding gratuitous, unnecessary cursing. While the English translation of Ghose in the Shell still retains the themes and ideas of the original Japanese screenplay and never goes to extremes with its foul language, it does occasionally have moments of forced cursing that feel out of place. Keep in mind, I have no issue with profanity when it is used appropriately. So when I call out a movie that has is for no apparent reason, other than someone thinks is cool, it bothers me a little bit. In regards to Ghost in the Shell, at the very least, it is not bad enough to take me out of the experience.
I should also mention that there is an updated version of the film known as Ghost in the Shell 2.0. Which is basically the same film but with large segments replaced with CGI animation, different choices in editing, and unnecessary changes in color-correction. I highly discourage you from watching that version. Not only does the CGI not look all that good, but it is also an insult to the time, dedication, and beauty put into the original film. It's basically similar to the Special Editions of Star Wars. The good news is, even on the DVD & BluRay of Ghost in the Shell 2.0, there is still the option to watch the original film in all it's hand-drawn animated glory.
If you are a fan of science fiction, cyberpunk, philosophy, mystery, and everything else in between, I recommend you check out this beautiful classic. Despite a few bumps here and there, it is a must-own for any fan of science fiction.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.
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