Koukaku Kidoutai

In the year 2029, Niihama City has become a technologically advanced metropolis. Due to great improvements in cybernetics, its citizens are able to replace their limbs with robotic parts. The world is now more interconnected than ever before, and the city's Public Security Section 9 is responsible for combating corruption, terrorism, and other dangerous threats following this shift toward globalization.

The strong-willed Major Motoko Kusanagi of Section 9 spearheads a case involving a mysterious hacker known only as the "Puppet Master," who leaves a trail of victims stripped of their memories. Like many in this futuristic world, the Puppet Master's body is almost entirely robotic, giving them incredible power.

As Motoko and her subordinates follow the enigmatic criminal's trail, other parties—including Section 6—start to get involved, forcing her to confront the extremely complicated nature of the case. Pondering about various philosophical questions, such as her own life's meaning, Motoko soon realizes that the one who will provide these answers is none other than the Puppet Master themself.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kusanagi, Motoko Main

Tanaka, Atsuko Japanese

Batou Main

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Togusa Main

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Project 2501 Main

Kayumi, Iemasa Japanese

Aramaki, Daisuke Supporting

Ooki, Tamio Japanese

Ishikawa Supporting

Nakano, Yutaka Japanese

Garbage Collector B Supporting

Yamaji, Kazuhiro Japanese

Daita, Mizuho Supporting

Miyamoto, Mitsuru Japanese

Tsuan Gen Fang Supporting

Matsuyama, Takashi Japanese

Nakamura Supporting

Genda, Tesshou Japanese

Ishikawa, Mitsuhisa Producer

Watanabe, Shigeru Producer

Iyadomi, Kenichi Producer

Oshii, Mamoru Director, Storyboard

Reviews

May 21, 2025

Yuzojoozu

Recommended

[ENGLISH]

Memories are what make us who we are—they give us personality, help us learn, and make us overflow with emotion every time we look back. That’s why it would be painful to discover that none of what we remember is real, and that, in turn, we ourselves may not be real.

Ghost in the Shell is an adaptation of the manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow, but unlike the original material, it takes its own direction. It's as if director Mamoru Oshii interpreted the manga's message in his own way and condensed it into a film that is visually stunning, with an atmosphere and ... aesthetic that have transcended time and deeply influenced so many works I love. The world presented is fascinating—you just want to see and know more. Its visual elements are supported by a plot that touches on intense issues and existential themes like consciousness, transhumanism, memory, identity, AI, and more.

In a way, it predicted many things that are happening today. That idea of “renting instead of owning,” the dilemma of wondering whether something truly belongs to you or if you only feel like it does, is deeply intriguing. It’s a very intelligent film, presented in a somewhat ambiguous manner, but it becomes clear once you grasp the symbolism in certain scenes and dialogues.

Although the ending left me a little unsatisfied and the film felt too short—like it needed more time to explore certain ideas more deeply—it still holds immense cultural value. Its beautiful and decaying visuals, stunning music, and immersive story help explain why it influenced so many, and how it continues to live on through time, in our souls and in our hearts.

(I love you, Motoko Kusanagi, best bisexual robogirl in cinema.)

[ESPAÑOL]

Los recuerdos son los que nos hacen ser nosotros mismos, nos dan personalidad, nos ayudan a aprender y hacen que desbordemos emociones cada vez que hacemos una retrospectiva. Por eso, sería doloroso que nada de lo que recordamos sea real y, por ende, no seamos reales.

Ghost in the Shell es una adaptación del manga homónimo creado por Masamune Shirow, que, a diferencia del material de origen, toma su propio rumbo. Es como si el director Mamoru Oshii hubiera entendido el mensaje del manga a su modo y lo hubiera condensado y resumido en una película que, visualmente, es espectacular, con una estética y atmósfera que ha trascendido e influenciado a tantos productos que adoro. El mundo que nos plantearon es interesante y solo quieres ver y saber más. Todo el tema de lo visual se refuerza con una trama que abarca muchas problemáticas intensas y temas existenciales, ya sea la conciencia, el transhumanismo, los recuerdos, el yo, la IA, etc.

A lo que veo, predijo muchas cosas que hoy en día están pasando. Eso de "estás alquilando y no comprando", el dilema de saber si algo te pertenece o solo sientes que lo hace, es intrigante. Es una película muy inteligente y planteada de una manera algo ambigua, pero clara una vez que captas el simbolismo de ciertas escenas y diálogos entre los personajes.

Aunque el final me dejó algo insatisfecho y se me hizo muy corta, además de que se siente que le faltó tiempo para abarcar más cosas a profundidad, tiene un valor cultural inmenso, visuales bellos y decadentes, música preciosa y una historia que te mantiene inmerso. Con todo eso, realmente se entiende por qué influyó a tantos y trascendió en el tiempo, en nuestras almas y en nuestros corazones.

(Te amo, Motoko Kusanagi, la mejor robovieja bisexual del cine)

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jun 30, 2025

MushokuTen

Mixed Feelings

Well, Ghost in the Shell is a (slightly overrated) piece of cult fiction.

There’s no denying its influence—it looks stunning, the mood is eerie in a good way, and it clearly paved the way for a lot of what came after. Some of the scenes are unforgettable, and the questions it raises about identity, memory, and what makes us human definitely stick with you.

That said, it doesn’t always land. The pacing can feel sluggish, and sometimes it’s more interested in being deep than actually connecting. I found myself zoning out during parts that were probably meant to be profound, but just came off a bit cold ... or overly abstract. It's one of those works that feels like you're supposed to like it more than you actually do. Furthermore, there were definitely some (not so subtle) echoes of bladerunner both philosophically and visually.

Still, I get why people hold it up as important. It’s got that strange, haunting atmosphere that lingers, even if the story doesn’t always hit as hard as it wants to. I'm glad I watched it—but I don’t think I loved it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Apr 20, 2025

svvemur

Not Recommended

Funny

Ghost in the Shell thinks it's smarter than it actually is. Right from the start, it throws viewers into its world without explaining anything - what's a ghost? What's a shell? Who are these people? The movie acts like you should already know everything, which is just lazy storytelling.

The animation is technically impressive for 1995, sure. But it follows the same pattern as Studio Ghibli films of that era - all technical excellence, pretty visuals, and not much else. Both studios mastered the art of making things look good while forgetting to tell stories worth caring about. At least Ghibli doesn't pretend its pretty pictures ... are deep philosophical statements.

The main character, Major, is about as interesting as reading an instruction manual. She walks around asking "deep" questions about being human, but it feels fake and forced. The movie keeps stopping dead in its tracks for characters to make long speeches that sound deep but say nothing new.

The story, when it bothers to have one, is a mess. There's supposedly some crime investigation happening, but the movie cares more about characters standing around talking about philosophy like college freshmen who just discovered existentialism.

Fans of the movie love to say "you just don't get it" whenever someone criticizes it. But maybe there's just not that much to get. It's like someone tried to make a smart movie by making it confusing on purpose.

All style, no substance. The movie is so busy trying to look smart that it forgets to be good. Instead, we get beautiful animation wrapped around empty philosophical babbling. Another technically impressive but ultimately hollow piece of work that mistakes visual achievement for meaningful storytelling.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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