Rating: 
Summary: Not so much
Review: I will probably get a lot of heat for writing this review but I did not like Ghost in the Shell. I think that the characters are wonderfully drawn and that the writers really tried but Ghost in the Shell just didn't do it for me. There were times when I was fighting myself to not turn it off. I knew that to write a good review I would have to sit through all of it. I did manage to sit through all of it and I still have almost nothing good to say about it. I would only recommend this anime for people who are into the inner workings of computers and people who thought that The Matrix movies was the best trilogy ever.
Rating: 
Summary: Is this the future of Cinema?
Review: Japanese animated films are unusual. A lot more effort goes into them than for conventional western animated films. The extras on this DVD illustrate this and show that the attention to detail included the fact that when bullets were fired they sparked when they hit metal but not other surfaces. The plots are also multi dimensional and the characters more realistic. (There is of course something strange suggesting that animated characters are realistic)This is a science fiction story set in the near future in a strange city that from a distance looks like New York but up close looks like Bangcock or Hong Kong. In the future law enforcement officers are not entirely human. They are people who have had parts of their bodies reconstructed using mechanical parts like the old television series the six million dollar man. The central character is a cyborg who probably has some form of human brain but is constructed in the form of a 20 year old playboy centrefold. She is involved in tracking down a computer hacker who is able to plant false memories into people so that they become his unwilling agents. The film is one that is perhaps more action packed than a Stevan Seagal move with well constructed car chases shoot outs and so on. However it contains meditations on the nature of human identity, a debate sparked by the villain who in changing peoples memories changes the nature of people. A good deal of the film is obviously taken from Blade Runner. The feel and atmospherics and some of the lines of the characters interrogating those who have become the agents of the villain. Perhaps more interestingly the film seems to be an inspiration for a number of ideas in the Matrix. The opening titles were clearly the basis for the visual portrayal of the matrix itself. Others have commented on how the main character of this film is a role model for Trinity. In watching the film was is amazed by the skill in the animation. The street scapes, the movement of the people in the background, the use of focus to create the impression of depth and movement. All in all a considerable achievement if at the end of the day it is only a science fiction adventure film with a slightly hackneyed ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Ghost in the Shell
Review: Like many other reviews about Ghost In The Shell, I highly recommend this movie. I have had this movie for quite a while, and what has compelled me to write a review is the recent innovations in technology...especially biomedical engineering. Current research in neuroscience, Electoactive Polymers (plastic muscles), nano-technoloy, flexible electroluminescent panels (could make skin the new light bulb), and replicators (printers that make 3 dimensional objects out of plastics....now some are experimenting with live cultured human cells in hopes to build a new organ (they've already made an ear)) is the science fiction of this movie. Ghost in the shell is a powerful movie for those who know what is possible in today's revolutionary merging of man and machine. Our electrical signals generated in our brains and body are currently being deciphered as a code which is very similar to the 1s and 0s the computer uses you are working on right now. Soon, with respect to historical timelines, our lives just might be parallel to that of this movie. Stylistically this movie is sharp, interesting and familiar to most anime fans. I first saw this movie over seven years ago and was amazed. Now I occasionally view it and reflect on the technology around me, my colleagues (teachers and scientists), and my students. Those students will be the scientists who make the subject matter in this movie a reality. Get the movie and think.
Rating:
Summary: Astonishing Action Animation
Review: Ghost in a Shell is first class Manga entertainment with a positively techno-orientated feel to boot. The world that has been assembled for this movie will blow your mind and at times it feels like you are watching a live action film. The plot is certainly going to bend your intelligence in more ways than one as you must come to grips with a Neo-Tokyo that is home to humans, half-human/half-robots, full robot humans and ghosts that are a type of robot that exist in human form - all before the story even begins. The artwork here is outstanding and many of the action sequences can only be seen in this animation as the cost of a CGI movie done this way would probably be double or more that of the whole Matrix trilogy. The story revolved around a hacker that is hacking ghosts so that it can take control of the political and economic infrastructure of Neo-Tokyo. Ghosts, humans and half-human/half-robots set out to track the hacker down and along the way meet all sorts of conspiracies. Yes, GIAS has probably influenced nearly every modern techno-orientated sci-fi movie and certainly movies like The Matrix and games like Metal Gear Solid can not deny where their roots came from. Ghost in a Shell is not flawless and does end in a strange way that does not feel satisfying but you do not really care because what you are really watching here is the mega-fantasy and unbelievable animation that is on display.
Rating:
Summary: What kind of future awaits?
Review: When I saw this movie in 1995, I was pleasantry shocked and sighed. I (still) believe this is one of the most influential movies to many movie creators. You can recognize what I meant from its world (virtual/real world), colors (cyber green), designs (opening title role and the battle at ruined museum!), and so on. If you love The Matrix, you can find "core" ideas from the Ghost. As same as the original manga, this movie contents so many information to understand the "real" concept of the world. No wonder many people saw it at least twice. Well, when I saw it, I felt scare because the Ghost insisted me many possibility of net-future. It gave me an opportunity of thinking about what kind of future awaits us through Motoko's agony. This is just an animation. but quite worth to see over and over....you may find the idea of your identity (even it is not in a clear shape.) Ghost 2 is going to be at theater in Japan (Spring 2004. The title is "INNOCENT"). I'm very looking forward to see it because this movie is going to show us the hint of the reason of being yourself in the cyber world through "doll" and "dog". (According to Mr. Oshii, these are "the key" to understand the movie.) I hope INNOCENT is even better than the Ghost 1. Also, Ghost is showing as TV series now (Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex). I hope it is going to be released in the USA soon. (......Sorry about my bad English.)
Rating:
Summary: check out the series Stand Alone Complex as well!
Review: this is a great film! i enjoyed it much. the original manga is very good as well. but what i'm writing here to plug, what i wish was available for us to get here (maybe someday...) is the recent series that was created, Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. it's one of my favorite animes i've ever seen. it essentially takes place in an alternet universe in which the events of this film didn't take place, but it has the same characters and world. the stories, the settings, the animation... all of it is fantastic! if you can, try to download or find a copy of GITS: SAC and watch a few episodes. you will be satisfied!
Rating:
Summary: inspiration
Review: This is for those people who say that this movie did NOT inspire the matrix. Actually it did, it was even said by the creators of the matrix themselves in an issue of TIME magazine. And yeah, the lingo used in the movie may not be very viewer friendly but if one opens their mind a little they should get it at a few times. And the animation, top knotch.
Rating:
Summary: The Overwhelming Sea of Information.
Review: Ghost in the Shell takes the most common themes of Japanimation and shows it to you in a different spectrum, wide open solidly in one point of departure, from there its interpretation expands to everyone's own perception of the concept. The film essential story uncovers the elusive meaning of life by this new technological era, where everything can be assimilated by computer intelligence and political will to drain information and manipulate the spheres of power with all their generous killing for the sake of National Security, but the movie goes even further, convey modern science and method is the existentialistic question represented metaphorically by Motoko Kusanagi, in a multiplex compilation of uncertainty and doubt into the depths of artificiality. No cheap Matrix Reloaded philosophy, no free given action, just pure state of the art reflection and a resolution of the story line that is completely breathtaking, the result ends in the beginning of a new frontier of thoughts and memories.
Similar at first sight with Blade Runner, but far from it's point of view and treatment, Ghost in the Shell offers both emotion and sense, with smooth and much wise touches of intellectuality expressed in a level of animation that takes this genre and style to new boundaries. The Wachowski Brother (The Matrix trilogy), took from here their visual style and blended closely in flesh and blood, but always the main source stays magnificent, becoming the standard for new projects in this field; unprecedented.
Complex and beautiful, the film enters a world based on computerization of the human being, over specialization, and the unique characteristics of our personalities, the Ghost is the only thing that separates the organic real from absolute artificiality. And so, we are connected to a vast net, parallel to our own world, complex overwhelmingly by information, life multiplies responses and conducts improving it self by mechanic adjustments, man defines it's actions, but actions defines mankind, no proof of existence, where no modern science nor philosophy can't give an accurate explanation of life, a fragile state of lost conscience and greed for the objective in every aspect of life.
Project 2501, becomes aware of his existence, and so targets Kusanagi for his only and last attempt to blend himself and the Mayor for the organic achievement of breeding, perhaps to fully become touch by emotions and the tragic fate of dying someday, it really doesn't matter, all for the being, away from the synthetic is the goal, anything else is unsubstantial, beneath the remains, politically it ends in a draw, individually it ends in new possibilities with never before seen points of view, a completely new life, a new born child, this is the analogy of doubt becoming answer.
Mamoru Oshii directed this landmark movie, far surpassing any predecessor (including the legendary Akira), in both animation and storyline. The graphic Japanimation style blended with computer effects, along with the smart script, created an unforgettable piece of science fiction, and most important, contributed the genre with an intellectual mood, elevating Japanimation to the highest level: an adult masterpiece. The film artistic and emotional level is magnified by an excellent original score by Kenji Kawai that perfectly matches every frame and adds more Insight and atmosphere to the story. Detail, architectural design, and colors contrasting the moods by expressing them into forms, pushes every scene to magnification and simple state of the visual manifestation, straight and solid.
A great DVD, where the transferring of every image is a pleasure to watch, the 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is one of the best I've heard so far, and the Making of, illustrates clearly and in much detail the ways of such a magnificent film. This is one of those few pictures that grasp its theme and elegantly enhances it in the big screen for a mesmerizing ride. The Animatrix will be the next step in out breaking Japanimation and story line concerning science fiction, but still this are short films; no animated full length picture is at this level.
Rating:
Summary: this is like the matrix?
Review: this was a fairly decent anime film the animation was awsome but the story was a little confusing. the biggest problem i have is with people comparing this to the matrix neither film are similar other than the openings have the same green letter waterfall effect at the begining this is NOT like the matrix the matrix was NOT inspired by this movie. first off the stories and plots are completely different from each other. one thing i never understood was the fact that the main character had to be naked to go invisible but other people threw on cloths to go stealth and their cloths didn't even have to cover their bodies to cloak them. visually the movie was bad ass but i just had no clue what the characters were talking about like akira it's as if the people that made these movies expect me to have read these mangas before but I haven't so i just get confused. overall it was worth a glance not worth 25 bucks though maybe 15 or a quick rental if that's possible.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth a look
Review: This is sort of a cross between Blade Runner, The Terminator and La Femme Nikita. The animation is good. The story is interesting and raises some philosophical questions. I thought the characters were a bit underdeveloped, although the character biographies in the special features help by giving some background. Another problem is that the music calls too much attention to itself by getting way too strident at times. Overall it's worth a look, especially if you are a fan of anime.
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