Rating: 
Summary: Utterly mind boggling and mezmorizing! AMAZING!
Review: First, the anamation is enough itself to have you staring at your TV screen in a trance for hours. There is NOTHING like this ANYWHERE! Extremely detailed! And on top of that the storyline is THE BEST I've seen in ANY movie, SERIOUSLY. Alot of thought must have went into this film. Section 9 is after a hacker called the "puppet master", and when they find it, it is an A.I.. It has realized its own existence though, and threatens it creaters, section 6, that it will "squeel" on them (since they created it to hack for them and not get it traced to them). Now its a race between section 6 and section 9 t see who gets to the "puppet master" first. Highly intence and it really makes you think. Questions human existence alot, and amzingly makes sence! GREAT MOVIE (lots of nudity though, but no sex, just to inform any who want to know")!
Rating: 
Summary: Cyborg Flix Kick
Review: I reallly recommend this to people. I'm not sure if they should buy it..but DEFINETLY they have to see it..i don't think you can call yourself an *otaku* unless you've seen this and AKIRA. This movie had a way deep plot, and probably one of the best weapon designs i've seen. Basically, someone called the "Puppet Master" has been hacking into cyborg's ghost's and messing around with them. What better way to solve this problem then with thermal surrounding-camoflauging suits and wicked kool briefcases that turn into guns? It's always up to the person who has a body that will sink like a rock in water [not to mention short-circuit?]. I only gave it 4 starz...It get's kinda monotonous when cyborg-oriented anime is usually about the cyborg being..human in some sort of way but not quite...and struggling to accept themselves. Examples...Armitage III, and Gunnm[Battle Angel] Also, i don't really reelish the nudity scenes...proabably because i am female and it's kinda uncomfortable when you're sitting watching it in a roomful of guys. Pretty much it's just technical stuff, like the cyborg's making. As for cursing...that's real life, not really an offense. Just see the movie!
Rating:
Summary: Highly Intelligent & Futuristic
Review: I first watched GITS 4 years ago on tape and told myself then..."I have to get a decent DVD player so that I can purchase this manga in DVD format." Yes... it was, and still is that good. This is a highly intelligent story masqueraded by its anime facade, which has fooled many and thus typical reviews were always "boring", "plotless", "what's the story about! "...etc. I have lost count of the number of times that I have watched and enjoyed this masterpiece. The DVD format offers a valuable insight into how this manga was made, thus allowing the audience an intimate glimpse of every major production stage and the efforts involved in realising GITS. To fully enjoy this piece, one should watch it till full comprehension is attained, as the main enjoyment is derived from understanding the intelligence, rationale and storyline behind the film; being realistic in actuality and very much so philosophically... pretty much like the sciences behind "Star Trek"; fictitious as of now, but who knows what the future may hold? Amidst the main plot, my personal intrigue was derived from the discussion of what truly makes an entity a living one; of how it can understand its true existence and identity; of how we humans beings and 'artificial lifeforms' alike can reach within our inner selves to seek and reconcile with whom or what we truly are; of how we can affirm our intelligence sources despite not having seen our own brains or thinking components...Amongst the sea of seemingly obvious absurdity lies an intricate depth of scientific and philosophical substance. A highly intelligent storyline utilising state-of-the-art technological production from a dedicated team. This is animated sci-fi at its best.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: I've read a few reviews comparing 'Ghost in the Shell' to 'The Matrix'. Personally I don't think it's an accurate comparison at all. Think 'Blade Runner' here. It has the same kind of atmosphere that made BR such a cult movie and it deals with the same subject. Compared to most other animes out there, GITS may seem a little dull, but if you're the kind who likes to have some brain activity when watching an anime, then you'll probably like this. One other thing that caught my attention is that, like 'Blade Runner', it flows along like water. You could easily start watching it and find yourself loosing track of time. It is short tough, only 82 min. It's a shame really, because with the vast amount of sub-plots present in Masamune Shirow's original work they could easily make an anime with well over 2hrs. That aside, the animation is some of the best you will ever see. Kusanagi's battle with the tank at the end comes to mind. Very sleek. The music is also very peculiar. It's kinda of a cross between ambient, electronica and new age. It's not for everyone be warned. Unlike normal music scores, Kenji Kawai's score does not bring the action to life, quite on the contrary. It's always present very softly in the background to the point of you forgetting about it. It creates a sense of detachment, or contemplation that, in my opinion, works great for this kind of movie, however I can see why some people would disagree. All in all, this one is a true classic to be ranked along the side of Akira. Get it! Image Quality: Very good for the most part. The anime's dark atmosphere and dull colours transfer well to DVD. The blacks aren't as good as I would hope and at some points the image quality is, for some reason, a tad worse (the intro shots for example), however times like these are few and far between. The whole image is very soft and I hoped the edges would be a little more sharp. I'm not sure if this is because of the transfer or the movie itself because I haven't seen 'Ghost in the Shell' in any other digital format and I certainly aren't going to take for reference the VHS edition *grin*. But don't let what I said put you off, as for the most part you'll be more than satisfied at the image quality. For an example, when the optic camouflage kicks in and you have the 'rainbow' effect (if you see it you'll know what I'm talking about) all the colours are very well defined and very crisp and you'll find yourself thinking how cool it looks. On another shot of Bateau inside his car more to the end, you can see water drops on the side window... try doing that on VHS. Very nice. Sound Quality: When I bought this DVD I wasn't expecting anything special on the sound department. Boy, was I wrong. The sound comes in two flavours: English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 The stereo version is nothing to write home about. It's adequate... just. The only good thing about it is that you get to hear the Japanese voice acting which is always nice, other than that (if you've got a 5.1 setup) just forget about it. The 5.1 version is where the sound really comes to life. It hasn't got an intricate and complex soundstage like 'Twister' for example, but it sure delivers the sound with a punch. Your subwoofer will love you every time you pop in this DVD. From the roaring explosions, machine gun fire or the deep drums on some parts of the musical score, the bass is always deep and clear. Music is all around you, coming from all channels most of the time, so this at least creates an involving atmosphere, especially when the music is of the ambient type I've described. The surround channels are also nicely used. When shots are fired you get a sort of 'echo' effect going in the two surrounds. It might not be accurate, but when those HV bullets start flying around, you'll be glad to have the right setup. On the market chase scene, for example you get voices and sounds coming from the surrounds bringing the market to life. The surround channels are never aggressive nor overused, but I think this is the best you can expect out an anime. Extras: Well, they're better than most DVD I've seen. You get a 25-30 min 'Making of Ghost in the Shell' which is narrated by the guy who does the voice of Bateau in the English version (I hope I'm right about this, it does sound a lot like him). This won't tell you anything terribly new, but it does provide a little insight at some of the techniques used. The DVD also has a sort of index that provide information on certain aspects of the universe of 'Ghost in the Shell'. Characters, machine design, the various sections involved, etc... again, nothing terribly new, but I can see how it can shed some light in certain areas to those who aren't very familiarised with Shirow's universe or the anime itself. The rest of the extras are just ads for manga video, polygram, fan clubs, etc...
Rating:
Summary: Great to add to your collection
Review: Animation and sound quality is really good, one of the best and most detailed I have ever seen. It can hold its own with "Akira". Plot and story is alright, makes you ponder a little. If you don't get it at first, you can always watch it again. I am giving this 4 stars, coz the "nudity" in certain action scenes seemed out of place to me. I mean, do you fight a battle with armor/camoflage or totally without any clothes? Buy this, its really good to add to your collection. Definitely not for kids of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Animes Ever
Review: This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I found the story very well written. The animation is awesome. I have seen it in both Subitled and Dubbed. It is about a female cyborg in the not to distant Future. She is a police officer of sorts. And she is trying to find out how is the Puppet Master, while trying to find out if she is human or an AI. Does she have a real ghost?
Rating:
Summary: A Must-See Anime for Everyone
Review: This anime is absolutely beautiful. It has a great storyline, beautiful artwork, and silky smooth animation. At the beginning... however I found it a bit hard to follow, but after that it got really really good. This is not for little kids, because of the nudity and the swearing, but if you're mature enough to look past that then you've got one great movie to see over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: A must have DVD for any anime/sci-fi fan
Review: This is the best anime I know of. Simply excellent. The story is intelligent, based on Masamune Shirows manga. The animation is some of the best I've ever seen. I own the soundtrack, so I guess that explains how I feel about the music. This is probably the best way to get to know anime. If you are interested in anime, buy this, it will get you hooked. If you like anime, you've aleady got it (or you're just plain stupid ;). The only disappointment is the awful elevator-music on the otherwise fine making-of documentary. There are no excuses, if you own a DVD player, you should have this.
Rating:
Summary: Not All It's Hyped Up To Be
Review: An interesting storyline -may be a bit overhyped by the ad campaign leading up to its release. Still worth watching, and, IF you choose to add it to your collection, go on ahead.
Rating:
Summary: A teenager's look at Ghost in the Shell
Review: HI,when i watched this film when my mom got it for me it hit me as one of the best anime movies i have ever seen. The animation ran smoothly,the art was brilliant and the characters still had those large eyed looks kinda like this ^_^. the only problem was the storyline was hard to follow but im still going to give it 5 stars because it is still a cool movie. Enjoy all you anime & manga fans !
| 
