Among the offerings from Manga Entertainment that Jaman is proud to present is the famous Ghost in the Shell series. Based on a manga (comics) series by famed artist Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell takes place in a futuristic Japan where humanity and technology have merged at an organic level. The series uses the exploits of a police unit, Public Security Section 9, to examine the ramifications of our increasing dependence on technology, as well as the springboard for exciting science-fiction action with a strong cyberpunk edge.

Section 9’s field leader (and Ghost in the Shell’s main protagonist) is Major Motoko Kusanagi, a gorgeous but tough soldier/detective whose body is almost completely mechanical. Kusanagi’s investigations into various crime often dovetail with her own existential crisis – as artificial intelligences (AIs) grow more aware and sentient, Kusanagi often questions how much of her own humanity remains.

Since different iterations of Ghost in the Shell are available on Jaman, we thought it would be helpful to sort them out for newcomers.

The feature film, Ghost in the Shell, is a self-contained entity. Historically it was released widely across the world, introducing Western audiences to both a slew of new animation techniques and the world of Ghost in the Shell. The film foregrounds Major Kusanagi’s existential quest even as it delivers an exciting story of Section 9’s quest for the Puppet Master, a shadowy hacker capable of hacking into a person’s brain.

The television series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (GitS:SAC, going forward) has a story and continuity separate from the film, though it has the same characters and setting. The first episode, in which our heroes investigate some violence at an android geisha house, can be found at the link below:

Though many of GitS:SAC’s episodes are self-contained, several episodes are dedicated to a single, ongoing case in which a hacker called the Laughing Man comes out of hiding, and the resulting search for him goes deeper (and higher) than even Section 9 could expect. These episodes are all designated with a C: in their titles (which we have dutifully replicated in the episodes’ entries). The Laughing Man case begins with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Episode 04: C: Intercepter.

A feature film of the Laughing Man case was also created, edited down from the individual episodes. Those wishing to watch the Laughing Man case in one go can click below:

GitS:SAC continued into a second season, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig. Quite a few subplots wind through GitS:SAC:2nd Gig, and though a few episodes stand self-contained, it’s probably best to take in the second season from start to finish, beginning with 2nd Gig’s premiere episode, Reembody:

Those wishing to take in the details of GitS:SAC:2nd Gig in one sitting can do so with Ghost in the Shell: Individual Eleven, which, like the Laughing Man feature, boils down the main details of the season’s running storyline into one feature.

Finally (yes, there’s a lot of material), the feature-length Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society brings the series to a close, picking up two years after the events of GitS:S.A.C. 2nd Gig.

Two questions to address that have come up (voiced by Jaman staffers new to Ghost in the Shell). Onward:

Um…what’s the deal with Kusanagi’s outfits? I’m not sure the often scanty, form-fitting outfits affected by the Major are ever directly explained in the series (though her generally complex, futuristic/feministic sexuality is discussed in some detail). Though a provocatively, even fetishistically, dressed heroine is hardly anything new, it is a staple of much Japanese genre entertainment, delivered in the name of fanservice.

Also, what’s with the robot tanks that talk like children? The Tachikoma are the spider-like robots who assist Section 9 on their investigations. As for their childlike voices and demeanor, I mark that off as a manifestation of the cuteness that is ubiquitous in Japanese popular culture. More information on the Tachikoma here (though those wanting to watch GitS:SAC in its entirety should be very wary of spoilers in the link). And be sure to keep the episodes running past the closing credits, as every episode of GITS:SAC and 2nd Gig ends with an installment of Tachikomatic Days, a delightful supplement in which the adorable robots talk about the themes of the episode and generally act crazy. Kawaii-ne!

Granted, this is a very general summing up of a vast and dense anime series - if you have anything to add to the summary feel free to comment here, or post in the GitS discussion over in our Forums!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 1:00 pm and is filed under David, Films on Fire, Look! New!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.