Koukaku Kidoutai


Ghost in the Shell

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Ghost in the Shell
Japanese: GHOST IN THE SHELL(攻殻機動隊)
English: Ghost in the Shell
German: Ghost in the Shell
Spanish: Ghost in the Shell
French: Ghost in the Shell
More titles

Information

Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Nov 18, 1995
Producers: Bandai Visual, Kodansha
Licensors: Manga Entertainment
Studios: Production I.G
Source: Manga
Genres: ActionAction, Award WinningAward Winning, MysteryMystery, Sci-FiSci-Fi, SuspenseSuspense
Themes: Adult CastAdult Cast, DetectiveDetective, MechaMecha, PsychologicalPsychological
Demographic: SeinenSeinen
Duration: 1 hr. 22 min.
Rating: R+ - Mild Nudity

Statistics

Score: 8.271 (scored by 349689349,689 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #3242
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #342
Members: 677,405
Favorites: 13,768

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8.27
Ranked #324Popularity #342Members 677,405
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Episodes: /1

Synopsis

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]

Background

Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell was the first film to adapt Masamune Shirow's manga of the same name. It heavily condenses the original storyline, reducing the original material's comic relief and sexual content in favor of a more serious tone and changing the setting from Japan to a city modelled after Hong Kong. The artwork within the animated film was produced using an innovative mix of cel animation and digital effects.

Ghost in the Shell is one of the world's most famous Japanese animated films, being the first to reach #1 on Billboard magazine's video best-seller list, and also served as a major inspiration for the Wachowskis in their creation of the Matrix movies. A special edition titled Ghost in the Shell: 2.0 was released in 2008, which features scenes reanimated with additional CGI to match the style of the 2004's sequel, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence.

Characters & Voice Actors


Staff

Iyadomi, Kenichi
Producer
Oshii, Mamoru
Director, Storyboard


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Opening Theme

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"Making of a Cyborg" Kenji Kawai
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Ending Theme

Reincarnation by Kenji Kawai




Reviews

May 21, 2025
[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 ...
Jun 30, 2025
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 ...
Apr 20, 2025
FunnyFunny
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 ...

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