Togusa

Batou

Daisuke Aramaki

Nakamura

Motoko Kusanagi

Ishikawa

Project 2501

2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from Section 9, Kusanagi embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity. 
 
(Source: Lionsgate Films)

___Ghost in the Shell___ (1995)

img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f2/cf/09/f2cf093174d5cf953243434ed225b020.jpg)

I believe that the act of explaining any subject matter is equivalent to the act of killing. In that regard, can a meager writer such as myself overcome the dire obstacle and responsibility that is explaining a movie like Ghost in the Shell? Am I a murderer willing to deliver verbal assault on something so sacred and cherished? 

Unfortunately for all of you... I am. 

I'm not here to argue a masterpiece case for Production I.G.'s tour de force (...kinda contradicted myself there); rather, I'm here to offer my own insights into the symbolism and thematic points of the film. With that being said, let us descend down the rabbit hole that is Ghost in the Shell. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In-depth review

CAUTION: POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD

The year is A.D. 2029, a cyber hacker known only as "The Puppet Master" is being hunted by Japan's Internal Bureau of Investigations. Leading the hunt is the esteemed and stoic Daisuke Aramaki and his highly trained group of cybernetic anti-terrorist investigators: Public Security Section 9. Chief among them is Major Motoko Kusanagi, who's intense level of cybernetic augmentation seems to connect her on a certain level to the elusive Puppet Master. However, not everything is as it seems. 

The world in which these characters inhabit is a cyber one. The Internet has become a collective unconscious that any person can tap into without a moments notice, thanks to brain enhancement. It's effectively stripping away our physical shells, and in this case, bringing Major Kusanagi ever closer to her soul in the process. It is what she may have been referring to as her "ghost". In plot terms, a ghost is a cerebral line of memories and brain function embedded into a cybernetic brain. But Kusanagi seems to be leaning toward a more loose interpretation. In her efforts of understanding this idea, she will become one of the first in a new stage of human evolution. Although, there is one other who's journey seems to parallel hers: The Puppet Master, aka Project 2501. Their relationship is one of many in _Ghost in the Shell_   that tends to hook our imaginations. 

Speaking of relationships, Kusanagi's partner in crime, Batou, has a very interesting dynamic with the Major. Their connection seems to be one of philosophical contradiction. Batou is down-to-earth and concerned with the material world, where as Kusanagi is grasping at the immaterial. In one of their conversations, she blatantly questions the significance of the human experience, comparing it to a simulation of sorts (An idea the Wachowki's would further explore in _The Matrix_), even doubting her originality. This is one of the elements of "cyber-punk".

As is the case with the cyber-punk genre (a genre practically popularized by this movie), there is a juxtaposition of high functioning technology with low functioning human flaw, especially in the case of city-scape. For instance, in one of Oshii's previous films, _Patlabor_, there is a deliberate display of poverty stricken districts alongside enterprising skyscrapers. Following his modus operandi, Oshii does the same here. This presentation seems to mirror humanity's willingness to throw away our past for the sake of future development. Yet, there remains remnants of our past to this day, almost like a ghost. 

In a similar vein, the ghostly visage is present in physical terms as well, given the military use of therm-optic camouflage. As the opening scene indicates with the use of said technology, there is a heavy political tinge to the entirety of our story. To The Puppet Master, whom itself is a computerized entity, twirls governments and politics like a play thing. A political ruse orchestrated by Project 2501 serves only one purpose: Get closer to Section 9, and in effect, get closer to Major Kusanagi. In order to achieve a new sense of being, the consciousness that is 2501 must "merge" with the consciousness that is Kusanagi, who is in some way deemed like The Puppet Master. This is its goal. 

Throughout the film there are omens foreshadowing the Major's fate. Whether it be short glances at a distant doppelganger, or ascending to a reflective sea floor, the Major cannot foresee the inevitable. 

Concerning the inevitable, the closing stretch of _Ghost in the Shell_ remains, for me, one of the most fascinating exchanges of ideas present throughout the film. And as of this writing, this has been a very personal study of a film that has long perplexed me. I hope my efforts have in some way pulled back the curtain, but even I understand that my views are limited, and you will have to come to your own conclusions. 

Anyway... 

Twas a good movie.

___Ghost in the Shell___  is an animated feature by the revolutionary __Mamoru Oshii__ set in a technologically advanced Japan that modifies government officials by making them more cyborg-like for a more efficient performance as well as creating whole androids called, 'puppets'. We follow the journey of _Major Motoko Kusanagi_, a puppet, wanting purpose and meaning in her existence.

The world built is detailed as far as what's shown. Let's just get this out the way. The technical work put behind the movie is masterful, genius and unlike anything I've seen before. The character designs are incredibly memorable. The action scenes are some of the coolest among any film I've watched. The colors used in the film is precise and stick out gorgeously. Each scene is handled with care, though and impeccable creatively. The film entrances you with its gritty, cyberpunk yet beautiful visuals filled with thought and meaning that gives you more insight of the main character such as this. The pacing is immaculate.

The soundtrack is another beast in its own created by the exceptional, __Kenji Kawai__. Composed in a high-end studio, it ends up soaring in quality. It's vibrant, haunting and mesmerizing scores stands out remarkably. The ending credits used this epic one-of-a-kind piece that's left me in awe and has ended up become my favorite out of the whole anime. The detail and style used in here is rare and should be noted more as it adds it's own immeasurable palate of character, tone and enchanment that forced me to be immersed in this film.

The story deals with identity and a need to be more than what you are and reaching for tools that's not at your position. Understanding purpose is major them explored through the Major, her comrade, Batou and the antagonist. The story is a major reason among everything that makes me want to view the film more than twice. To understand, find and think more about the concepts explored by this film. One of the things that interested me, is the puppets' need to find humanity in their robotic bodies and the humans' need to become robotic by incorporating computers in their human bodies.

>Here is a scene that incorporates most of the qualities I admire about this film that I've mentioned previously.
youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryJSu1f8Hi4)


In my limited experience of viewing proclaimed classic movies, I've been disappointed a couple of times. But seeing this movie, I can clearly see the influence this movie has on new filmmakers working in the  industry today and am thoroughly impressed by this gem. Unapologetically brave and uniquely stands on it's own even today, 24 years after its release, while getting the recognition and praise that it deserves.____

Unapologetically brave and uniquely stands on it's own even today. Spoilers ahead.

~~~img600(https://i.imgur.com/g2QFzfu.png)~~~

# ~~~__Spoiler-free review__~~~
<n></n>
# Review in brief:

Ghost in the Shell takes itself far too seriously, and in turn ends up spreading its considerable aesthetic focus thin across a soulless plot and a theme that it can’t wrap its own head around. With a self-imposed split between its story & its presentation made worse by its frayed structure, it’s not hard to figure out why it’s known more for being complicated than compelling.

# Review in full:

Ghost in the Shell loudly presents itself as serious, deep, and thought-provoking. While it’s clear that many of the people involved possessed the skills to match this appearance, the direction mixes its quality elements into the anime equivalent of a pretentious college student; the sort of person who tries to one-up the professor by constantly attempting to disprove the class lectures or thinks they've unlocked the world's greatest secret because they've recently become an atheist. Such a person isn’t necessarily bad or lacking in constructive traits, but they tend to believe their oft-basic qualities have a far higher value than most other people would and come off as annoying or shallow because of it.

That is the way Ghost in the Shell acts in its execution, time and time again. It features a number of skillfully choreographed action sequences and needlessly draws them out to show off its animation. It contains expertly crafted & stylized visual and audio design but dumps most of it into lethargic montages that not only render much of the rest of the movie quiet, barren, and full of dry exposition (especially in the later half) but also could be cut by 95% and still deliver their meaning. It has the bright idea to flesh out its world through character interactions but in a world that is effectively just Hong Kong with robots and characters that may as well be robots themselves (the "twist" could have been that every human was actually a soulless robot the whole time and I would have been 100% unsurprised). It has the basic elements of a thrilling conspiracy drama but squanders it by diving into monologue after monologue centered around unrelated minutia, crowding out all of the room the narrative would need to flesh out such a story properly.

The driving purpose behind all of this is to explore transhumanism, and how it does so is a large part of why it falls apart. Transhumanism isn’t a difficult concept to understand, and so it’s not hard to explore in depth. Ghost in the Shell rarely seeks this depth however, instead straining itself over the base concept of what it means to put a person in a machine. Yes, that’s what the title refers to and no, there isn’t much to it here past “ghost = mind, shell = body” besides repetitious ponderings and shallow monologues on questions that don’t actually have to do with transhumanism, as if prefacing them with the concept was all that was required.

In fact, there’s a multitude of concepts tacked onto the already bloated discourse that this movie struggles to understand. It heavily ties individuality to having an observably unique face (_whelp, guess identical twins aren’t individuals then!_), postulates that people can’t prove their humanity without physically observing their own brains (_so is trepanning back in style?_), and drones about the importance of reproduction & evolution shortly after making a show of a depiction of the tree of life (_i.e. a representation of reproduction & evolution_) getting defaced with bullet holes in a robot vs. human fight.

Saying all of this doesn’t justify the frustration this movie imbued in me, because the real frustration was getting such a vapid experience from something with clear potential. Yes, this movie does feature _some_ top-notch 90’s animation, and in the few moments it’s used to show the story it does so very impressively. Were those moments not so few, they would have stood out more against the dull & static imagery that dominates the film. The sound is at a more consistent quality, with voicework that does everything it could have to bring life to the movie and a standout soundtrack whose only weakness is its limited quantity. The effects work is often mismanaged, but in the handful of moments when it all comes together (most notably, the Making of Cyborg sequence early in the film), the aspiration that went into the production is made readily apparent.

<center>img500(https://i.imgur.com/NFAx6m9.gif)
_For every moment where the animation comes out in full force..._
img500(https://i.imgur.com/j5PmdUP.gif)
_...there’s one that contents itself with slow panning shots or still images. Take a guess, which of these moments is needed by the plot?_
~!The panning/still shots, there wouldn’t be so many monologues if the story was animated enough to tell it.!~</center>

The story, when not totally buried under overbearing thematics, at least shows itself to be a respectable idea. It has a conspiracy drama angle that is intriguing on its own and would have been an acceptable element for the movie to lean on if it wasn’t pushed to the side for much of the movie’s first half and unceremoniously uprooted & unveiled shortly after. There are implications of an interesting origin for many of the major characters that would have done wonders to flesh them out if tapped into beyond Batou bluntly exclaiming “The Major and I go _way_ back!” late in the film. The two real criminal investigations that go on are rather well thought out from a structural standpoint, even if given less focus than they deserved.

All in all, Ghost in the Shell has many good qualities but thinks far too highly of a handful of its traits and uses them in such a masturbatory way that it detracts from the experience as a whole. There's a reason the term "creative limitation" exists, and this movie exemplifies the opposite to a startling degree. Putting less work into the nigh-pointless montages would likely lead to condensing them rather than drawing them out. Doing the same with the action scenes and quickening them would create a bigger rush when there is action. Accepting that the movie's world and theme are rather basic would allow the narrative to lessen the focus on minutia around them. From there it could display the world in the background and allow the character interactions to instead develop the characters themselves. Most importantly, if this movie didn’t hold the definition of transhumanism as sacred and explored where the concept leads better, perhaps it would have had more to do with itself on the whole than style, robots, and a naked cyborg woman beating up villains.

# Verdict:

A brooding film that wants to be deep and thought-provoking but has a drive so shallow and a progression so slow that the only thing it manages to do is drag itself to the next overly drawn-out action sequence every half hour or so. It had everything it needed to be compelling, yet squandered it all so thoroughly it’s like it was directed by robots as a facsimile of human pondering. Fitting, sure, but not fulfilling in its inert execution.

A ghost of a story and a shell of an experience.

A primeira vez que assisti a GITS foi um turbilhão de emoções e pensamentos, eu já havia visto a personagem uma vez ou outra, mas só decidi vê-lo após saber de sua importância para indústria, e bom, não importa quantas vezes eu o assista, sempre serão uma hora e vinte minutos bem usados.

Tudo que esse filme representa é incomparável a qualquer outro que eu já tenha visto, desde a primeira cena em que temos Major no alto dos prédios até os seus créditos finais, sabe aquele filme ou anime que você pode passar horas falando todos os dias, porque as mensagens aqui debatidas são tamanhas que mal caberiam em uma crítica.

Motoko Kusanagi é uma personagem sem igual, todo seu dilema a respeito de sua existência e livre arbítrio são genuínos e identificáveis, quem nunca se sentiu preso ou escravo de algo maior que determina para onde iremos e o que fazemos? O debate em volta desse tema é feito com maestria, deixando qualquer pessoa refletindo por horas a respeito.

O que Ghost In The Shell faz é pegar em nossas mãos e nos jogar sem nenhum amparo naquele mundo, e por mais que estejamos perdidos com tanta informação em nossa frente, em nenhum momento o filme nos trata como incapazes de compreender, a única coisa que ele pede é nossa atenção e dedução.
E falando em mundo, que ambientação maravilhosa, as cidades apesar de evoluídas tecnologicamente ainda continuam rústicas, cheias de favelas e becos sujos, mostrando que mesmo com tanta evolução no campo da ciência e engenharia, o ser humano nunca deixará a miséria, principalmente envolvendo o cidadão comum, uma sociedade que mesmo bela e cheia de detalhes riquíssimos, é claustrofóbica e ameaçadora pelas suas multidões e falta de privacidade, o filme reservar bons minutos com sua ambientação é um acerto.

A animação é impecável, a cena da feira ao ar livre e do passeio de barco deixam isso bem claro, eu nunca vi um mundo tão vivo em uma animação quanto antes, e ainda não encontrei outro para comparar (além de sua sequência é claro), destaque também para o trabalho de iluminação fabuloso, bem visível a noite, com os painéis dos carros e luzes de prédios que iluminam a cidade.

A ambientação também se deve ao trabalho de Kenji Kawai na trilha sonora, uma vez que a ouçamos, não sairá de nossas cabeças, tanto com relação ao tema principal que traz um coral da música tradicional japonesa junto dos vocais tradicionais femininos da Bulgária, quanto a trilha indústrial suja porém suave.

Ghost In The Shell é sobre a busca do ser, a busca pelo livre arbítrio e tomar as rédeas da própria vida, navegar pelas possibilidades do mundo sem amarras ou vigilância.
“Quem nós somos? Somos quem dizemos ser ou estamos limitados a sermos o que achamos de nós mesmos? Talvez não tenhamos noção nenhuma do nosso próprio ser até que o encontremos e mostremos nossa verdadeira identidade a nós.” essa é a questão que fica em minha cabeça toda vez que revejo este filme. E claro que para os que não se importam tanto com a parte filosófica do anime, ainda assim é um filme de ação policial espetacular, que quanto mais revisto melhor fica, graças a sua riqueza de detalhes.

~~~_Contains spoilers for Ghost in the Shell (1996)_~~~

[Mamoru Oshii](https://anilist.co/staff/99097/Mamoru-Oshii)'s Ghost in the Shell is that of modernist ruin, picturing a decaying late-stage capitalist technocracy led by a slew of conspiracist diplomats. Its Japan of 2029 flickers with collective cynicism as its residents' techno-evolution has been hijacked for empty consumerism and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://i.imgur.com/9rAbjdZ.jpg" target="_blank">branded billboards sprawl across slum buildings</a>. Mankind is reduced to a science of individual parts where memories become replaceable, meaning that identity comes to be intangible.

Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg — a human brain in a robot body — desperately clamoring to confirm her fleeting experience as a conscious ghost rather than a mere shell. Motoko remedies this corporeal crisis through contradiction as she dives into the sea at night. It's seemingly the only natural part of the world left, far away from New Port City's <a href="https://i.imgur.com/RiRBTAE.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decadent slums</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://i.imgur.com/zLA2q52.jpg" target="_blank">dystopian skyscrapers</a>. What she does is inherently dangerous, but as <a href="https://i.imgur.com/uCkZFXe.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Motoko floats up and sees her reflection until it breaks</a> — a shot recycled from Oshii's <a rel="noreferrer noopener" style="font-style:italic;" href="https://i.imgur.com/gtuDnd7.jpg" target="_blank">*Angel's Egg</a> (1985)* — she transcends her physical boundaries in ephemeral sensation.

~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/rvCSZQT.jpg)
*"Fear, anxiety, isolation, and darkness. Sometimes I feel hope."*~~~

Motoko does not realize it, but she negotiates her dysphoria underseas for it is that exact internal conflict that defines her as consciously human. About a third into the film Motoko hears the voice of the Puppet Master — the political terrorist her department was hunting down. The Puppet Master tells Motoko she's looking through a mirror that reveals a dim image. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://i.imgur.com/CRgbyJC.jpg" target="_blank">She is at odds with her actual self.</a>

Major finds herself constrained by the control authorities impose on her. She drinks beer, but explains she'll never feel drunk or hangover because of the augmentations. If Major ever wanted to undergo physical change to affirm her humanity, she would need to forfeit her augmented parts to the government that employs her. This resembles transgender people's fear of being medically gatekept by callous authorities. <a href="https://i.imgur.com/rGIUnls.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The next scene emphasizes Motoko's somatic hyperawareness</a> as she returns to a city plaguing her with reflective mirrors and look-alikes. She is symbolized as a mannequin in a shopping window — a lifeless doll in an inescapable cage.

~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/NxwX9LS.jpg)~~~

The internal voice that spoke to Motoko at sea externalizes its presence through a female presenting body. <a href="https://i.imgur.com/IZhmx3l.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Puppet Master introduces themselves as Project 2501</a>, a consciousness born from the Internet's sea of information. They're a manifestation of data without biological lineage or memory, therefore having no tangible identity thus being a post-gender concept. Still, Project 2501 insists on their own humanity by asking for political asylum. Project 2501 embodies Ghost in the Shell's rejection of essentialism, instead arguing that society should embrace the flexibility of information. Motoko is deeply drawn to 2501's inner peace despite their bodily discordance, and <a href="https://i.imgur.com/itp8S1S.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">presses her supervisor to let her dive into 2501's mind</a> in the hope of better understanding herself.

The film's final scenes see Motoko Kusanagi finally diving into Project 2501, who reveals they knew Motoko long before she knew them. 2501 appears to be, in part, <a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZtQiTL1.jpeg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">an externalization of Motoko's inner turmoil</a> that she is afraid but simultaneously excited to embrace. Merging with 2501 is necessary for Motoko's self-preservation, literalized as she's shot by government officials immediately after. Motoko's severed head lies tilted in the water, revealing a smile on her face. It's a warmer expression than she has given the entire film prior. She looks peaceful.

~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/olBZHZ3.jpg)~~~

Motoko wakes up in her colleague's safe house with a change in both <a href="https://i.imgur.com/Hl9MPCc.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical form</a> and personality. She explains that neither Motoko Kusanagi nor Project 2501 exist as separate entities anymore; instead, Major's mind merged with the postmodernist (and post-gender) concepts of the Information Age, thereby evolving as a human entity. The film symbolizes this evolution <a href="https://i.imgur.com/oZtbrNi.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">with the tank in front of the Tree of Life.</a> Furthermore, Major reconciles her fear by transitioning into a new shell which proves she had a ghost to begin with. Her self-actualization is liberating as she swiftly pitches down her shell's voice into her older one. It is doubly cathartic that Major 'rebirths' in a child-like form, having abandoned the existential wear of her previous, aging shell. The final shot shows an emancipated Major looking down onto the world, one she is ready to experience uniquely as a post-gender human being.

~~~img(https://i.redd.it/8a3if63f1zz51.jpg)
*"Well, where shall I go? The net is vast and infinite."*~~~

___

"When the advent of computers made externalizing memories possible, you should've taken its meaning more seriously."

Ghost in the Shell is undoubtedly one of the most influential anime films, no, one of the most influential animated films ever made. It did wonders in reducing the stigma towards anime and other animated content held by the West and was a pioneer in many regards. I don't think I'm going to be able to do this film justice, and I'm not going to dive too deep into it. I'm not exactly very good at analyzing stuff so bear with me, this is just going to be my interpretation. Now let's talk about this behemoth of a movie.

# ~~~__THE GHOST__~~~

Ghost in the Shell mainly deals with Section 9, a unit of the police force which specializes in cyberterrorism. More specifically, it deals with the group's efforts to capture the elusive "Puppet Master", a hacker who specializes in "ghost-hacking" or "brain-hacking", i.e. hacking into a person's computerized consciousness to manipulate them. To talk more about the plot, I'll have to give a brief explanation of the world.

The story takes place in a futuristic world in which technology has developed to the extent that people have cybernetic brains now. The people can freely dip their feet into the vast sea of the Internet, as it has now taken the form of a collective consciousness that can easily be accessed by the cybernetic brains. Government officials have been made into cyborgs in order to increase efficiency, which includes the aforementioned Section 9, of which all the members (excluding one) are cyborgs. 

This computerization of the human mind is the main aspect which leads to all of the occurrences and ideas shown in this film. When a person becomes cybernetically augmented, their consciousness is referred to as their "Ghost", and it is an enigmatic concept very much connected to the idea of a person's "Soul". It can be viewed as the essence of a cybernetically enhanced being, what makes them unique. One of the main focuses of the film is the dilemma of the main character, Motoko Kusanagi, also known as the "Major", the Squad Leader of Section 9. She repeatedly questions her humanity, and these frequent introspective moments are what lead to the climax of the film.

The antagonist of the movie, the "Puppet Master", is one of the most interesting concepts I have seen in a cyberpunk setting, and it is utilized to it's fullest potential here. Corruption is a major aspect to the Puppet Master's character, more specifically, the circumstances surrounding the character. This aspect of corruption is actually quite common in a lot of media, but it is the presentation of it that makes all the difference, as it is merely another stepping stone to the climax of this film. The major idea explored by the Puppet Master's character is the line between man & machine, how blurred it can get, and whether it can be removed entirely. Definitely one of the more fascinating antagonists I have come across, and the only reason I do not have him in my favorites is that he is more of a concept than he is a character (which is the entire point of the character, but just a personal bias here). 

Batou & Togusa are the important side characters, and both of them serve their purpose well. Batou is hinted at having a history with the Major, and is the person closest to her, and helps her out on many occassions. Togusa is the only non-cyber human in Section 9, and is vastly different from the other members in the fact that he has a family to care for. Both of them serve their purpose well & are ultimately not very significant in the grand scheme of things, but their presence does not harm the film in any way.

The climax of this movie is one of the best sequences I have seen in any film, ever. The ideas it deals with are very fascinating, and the conclusion is very, very, VERY GOOD. I'm not going to go into it because of spoilers, but it very much deals with the dilemma of how a machine can become more than just a machine.

# ~~~__THE SHELL__~~~

The presentation of this film is 10/10, brilliant in every way. The animation is top-notch, and I can definitely see why it is considered revolutionary. Every aspect of this film, whether it be the movements of the characters, or the backgrounds, has been polished to the maximum, and it is definitely one of the best examples of animation I have ever seen. The artstyle just fits with the movie, and looks incredible on it's own, and I do wish more TV series are movies were made nowadays with this aesthetic. Although there is gore, it is used very sparingly and they don't make a massive spectacle of it. It fits tonally with the film as well.

I can keep going on and on about the animation, and I will. You easily get immersed into the world that the movie is presenting you with, and the background characters all feel like real people, along with their movements. Every single frame oozes with style and there is an attention to detail that can be found in few other movies. It looks like they just filmed everything and drew over it without missing any detail, and I say this as a massive compliment. Contrary to what you may think of from reading this, the movie is VERY stylized, AND THAT JUST ADDS ON TO HOW GOOD IT LOOKS. I just can't stop gushing over the animation of this movie. Normally I don't care about animation as long as it's not horrendous, but this movie just looks immaculate. 

The world this movie showcases is also incredibly interesting, and how it is fleshed out is also great. You are not spoon-fed anything, and everything you learn about the world is purely from the dialogue and the shots that you see. You infer the meaning of many terms yourself, but it's not "Oh here is a bunch of random stuff, piece it together yourself, we're too lazy to do it for you", you are given everything needed to understand the world, and you'll get the meaning of everything quite easily. Personally, I needed a rewatch to understand everything, mainly because I wasn't paying attention the first time and was just texting people during the movie, and I am glad I rewatched it, because if not, I would have missed out on this incredible film. This movie should very much be heralded as an example of how to do exposition right.

The negatives of an increasingly cyber world are presented well in this movie. For example, there is a minor plot point regarding a cybernetically augmented truck driver whose brain got hacked by the Puppet Master. The motivations behind the criminal acts this truck driver committed was that he had a wife and daughter to take care of. However, it is soon revealed that he never had a wife & daughter, and they were just illusions implanted into his brain by the Puppet Master. This is a very powerful moment, and is not dwelled on very long so that you don't recover from the shock. It really brings you to think about how common such an occurrence would be in this type of world, and how these illusions are practically indistinguishable from reality. And this is just one example.

#~~~__THE END PRODUCT__~~~

Ghost in the Shell is one of the most thought-provoking films I have watched recently. With a gripping plot, characters that serve the story well, a great protagonist-antagonist dynamic, and superb direction by Mamoru Oshii, I can very much see why this movie is so beloved, and I cannot fathom how big the impact would have been when it was released. A very fine cyberpunk story I would recommend to anyone.

As discussões do século XXI cada vez mais têm sido marcadas pela busca da inserção da tecnologia à vida humana. O clássico de 1995, Ghost in the shell, aborda esta discussão do ponto de vista filosófico utilizando-se, e muito, do hard fiction. 

"GITS" é situado no ano de 2029, em um cenário distópico, cujo o avanço tecnologico pode ser visto por todos os lados. A humanidade alcançou a capacidade de fundir-se à tecnologia através de um sistema de redes neural, utilizando-se de implantes cibernéticos denominados "ghost", tornando, assim, dispensável mesmo até a utilização de membros orgânicos. 

A existência humana e a conectividade virtual galgaram rumo ao ápice do seu pareamento. Pessoas costumeiramente conseguem conectar sua mente a softwares capazes de apropriar-se de suas memórias, dispensando, assim, seus corpos originais. O que os fazem ser "fantasmas" vivendo em "conchas" cibernéticas. 

img(https://imgur.com/0x04R0G.png)
img(https://imgur.com/tYskYMy.png) 

Dessa forma, o surgimento iminente de perigos através de crimes causados pelo controle neural é inevitável. A prática de cyberterroristas capazes de hackear a mente de pessoas comuns, através de seus devices "ghosts", adulterando, então, suas memórias, fez-se comum. 

Em meio a esta espantosa ameaça, houve-se a necessidade do surgimento de uma força tarefa capaz de identificar e combater este tipo de crime virtual com consequências drásticas no mundo real. A Sessão 9, liderara por Kusanagi Motoko, trabalham, arduamente, no combate destes terrorista cibernéticos. 

O longa metragem foi o ponto-chave para o surgimento do gênero cyberpunk na mídia audiovisual, ditando normas desde a construção de mundo, até mesmo a temática utilizada no enredo, influenciando clássicos hollywoodianos como Matrix. 

No entanto, o objetivo desta análise é realizar uma tentativa de síntese dos questionamentos filosóficos abordados por Mamoru Oshii. 

De início, GITS nos bombardeia com problemáticas acerca da individualidade e da existência com os pensamentos do vilão Puppet Master e as profundas dúvidas da Major Motoko. 

Para começar, é questionado o que "ser" de fato significa. Se é necessário possuir uma "casca" orgânica para isto. 

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Motoko, que mal consegue se lembrar de suas memórias antigas, depois de seus constantes implantes tecnológicos, embarca em uma profunda busca da sua existência. 

Cenas, como a do seu mergulho nas águas, revelam sua angústia por não mais "sentir-se existindo". A ausência de órgãos próprios tiraram de si sensações biológicas básicas, como a dor, e com elas, os instintos que competem ao ser humano. 

Com isto em mente, nossa protagonista parte, muitas vezes, em busca de emoções, na tentativa de reafirmar sua humanidade. 

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O fato de mergulhar e não saber se poderá se aforgar ou não, causando assim a sensação de medo e desespero, culminando na aflição que desperta o instinto da sobrevivência é uma de suas muitas tentativas em reproduzir sua humanidade. 

De forma antagônica às atitudes da Major, temos o Puppets Master, que "desistiu da sua humanidade", abandonando o próprio corpo, imergindo na rede, tornando-se um com a tecnologia.
Nisto vemos o transhumanismo em sua plenitude ideológica. 

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Para o vilão, sua humanidade é desnecessária frente a individualidade. Nem mesmo a concepção de outras pessoas a respeito de sua existência tem importância. Enquanto ele reconhece sua própria individualidade valida sua própria existência. 

__Identidade x Existência__ 

Foram muitos os autores que abordaram esta problemática. 

Como é o caso da hipótese do Homem do Pântano. 

Suponha que um homem saia para passear em uma floresta próxima a um pântano, em um dia chuvoso, quando um relâmpago o atinge, desintegrando-o. Simultaneamente, um raio atinge o pântano e faz com que, coincidentemente, um aglomerado de moléculas se reorganize de modo que replique com exatidão o homem que foi desintegrado alguns momentos atrás. Este “Homem pântano” tem uma cópia exata do cérebro, memórias e padrões de comportamento do o homem que desapareceu. Quando este novo ser volta para casa passa a interagir como de costume com as pessoas próximas ao falecido. 

Este ser que surgiu do pântano, embora exatamente igual, é a mesma pessoa que o sujeito desintegrado um dia foi? 

Para Donald Davidson, filósofo e autor da hipótese, não. Ainda que fisicamente idênticos, e que ninguém note a diferença, eles não compartilham uma história pessoal e por isso não podem ser o mesmo. Mesmo que o homem pântano se lembre dos amigos do homem desintegrado, na realidade este nunca os viu antes, senão somente em memórias.
O homem pântano não teria capacidade de reconhecer qualquer coisa que não lhe fora conscientizado. 

Vemos a necessidade da experiência real. 

Identidade pessoal refere-se as condições das quais um ser necessita para que seja a mesma pessoa em momentos diferentes. A filosofia moderna da mente avalia um conjunto de condições necessárias para que a identidade de uma pessoa se mantenha ao longo do tempo. 

Com isso, surgem novos questionamentos, como o problema mente-corpo. 

A discussão mente-corpo diz respeito acerca da relação da mente e seus processos mentais com o corpo e o estado em que este se encontra. 

Ainda sobre a filosofia da mente, o dualismo de propriedades defende que, apesar do mundo ser constituído por substâncias físicas, existem dois tipos de propriedades: física e mental. 

Em outras palavras, é a ideia de que propriedades não-físicas, como desejos, emoções, crenças, valores, inerem nas propriedades físicas. 

Com isso, entende-se que a mente, ainda que dependa do cérebro, vai além deste. De modo que os processos mentais, ainda que dependam do cérebro para sua ocorrência, trasncedem o seu funcionamento básico. Como é o caso da imaginação. Mesmo que a prática de imaginar dependa do cérebro o indivíduo consegue ir além e criar situações completamente diferentes da sua realidade observada. 

Aristóteles compreende o fato da mente ir além do cérebro como a alma hielomórfica do ser humano. Uma forma de existência superveniente à substância física. 

Eis, então, os perigos e a problemática do transhumanismo com sua fuga da realidade. 

Oshii conduz ao longo do enredo, com diálogos reflexivos entre Motoko e o Puppet Master um questionamento sobre relação da individualidade com a existência. 

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Ghost in the shell não é a história que serve para "iluminar meus pensamentos". Existem muito do que eu discordo. Mas, com um tom bastante filosófico, levanta discussões que são bastante pertinentes para o ser humano. 

Seja pelo seu enredo, animação ou trilha sonora, que são espetaculares, GITS fez-se uma expressão artística em formato de animação do mais alto nível.

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 __ᴳʰᵒˢᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ˢʰᵉˡˡ ¹⁹⁹⁵__

Despite it being a film that was released over two decades ago, _Ghost in the Shell_ seems timeless, as if capable of constantly renewing itself to appeal returning viewers or captivate the new audience such as myself by its intriguing world and top notch animation. This may be perceived as fanaticism, however hypothetically speaking, after watching the film a couple times, I am certain of the idea that if this very same film was to be released for the first time today, it could still easily attain massive success and recognition.
 
___The story___

Set in a futuristic Japan where the line that separates what is known as human and machine is almost not perceptible, _Ghost in the Shell_ explores masterfully the most bewildering cyberpunk themes. Almost all of humanity has evolved and achieved great technological advancements, with the world itself becoming some sort unconscious network where the vast sea of information that is the internet, can be unlimitedly accessed at any time. The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, whose body has been cybernetic-ally enhanced to extreme levels, reaching a point where it has been reduced to a mere “shell” containing a collection of thoughts and memories constituting her conscious mind, referred to as “ghost”. I found this concept of “ghost” and “shell” to be very interesting; I perceived it as the driving force behind Kusanagi's actions and motives. The film makes us witnesses of her intense search for purpose in an attempt to feel whole. 

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Despite humans having cybernetic brains and machine-like behaviours, _Ghost in the Shell_ has moments of charm and humour that incite questioning of the true nature of these seemingly human "cyborgs". This theme is explored through the contradictory dynamics of Kusanagi and her colleague Batou. Unlike his partner, Batou is more grounded and tends to only care about what he can perceive with his senses. Their relationship is put to the test when Kusanagi meets the "Puppet Master", a self-conscious omnipresent entity that has been on the same search for purpose as our protagonist. 

My one and only criticism is the lack of focus in the narrative. On a few occasions the plot lacks cohesion, as it is seemingly being driven into multiple directions all at once by unnecessary lengthy monologues and incredibly technical speeches that are hardly digestible if you don’t have a doctorate in “cyberpunk studies”. This is a major problem as it makes a few characters not feel whole and become forgettable. Fortunately, this is completely overshadowed by the film’s breathtaking production. 

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___The cinematography___

The production and creative direction Mamoru Oshi brings to the table is worthy of praise and recognition. _Ghost_ is a visually staggering immersive experience, blessed with remarkable fluid 3DCG motion-picture photography along with cel-animation of dazzling backgrounds that render beautifully onscreen. In terms of action, _Ghost_ displays a wide repertoire of thrilling graphic action sequences, and impressively choreographed fights including both hand to hand combat and armed combat enriched with the thunderous sounds of machinery and heavy weaponry, bullets being let loose without discretion, and overwhelming sights of mass destruction.

Aesthetically, _Ghost in the Shell_ is truly one of a kind within the cyberpunk genre. Its rare onscreen cyber-world style and unique hallucinatory hyperrealism demand full attention. I was often left in awe by the sheer amount of detail: Kusanagi’s entrancing high dives from stunning crystal-like skyscrapers, her thermoptic camouflage enhancement which allowed her to merge with the vivid city landscapes, the mesmerising smooth dark turquoise colour palettes visualised during Kusanagi’s solitary apartment scene… in fact, all of these things represent just a small portion of the arty exposition that makes _Ghost_ stand out even from the wide 90s anime catalog.

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___The conclusion___

It was influential, impactful and showcased groundbreaking animation. I was enthralled by the film’s production design, exotic soundtrack and cyberpunk aesthetic. _Ghost in the Shell_ is a timeless masterpiece that was truly ahead of its time. 

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(The following review is based on an essay I wrote for an English course on international science fiction in 2022, with light revisions made in 2023 and 2024.)

From the opening credits scene of Mamoru Oshii's _Ghost In The Shell_, themes of dehumanization and blurred identity are present. This sequence is accompanied by a music cue with a title summarizing the scene itself: “Making of a Cyborg”. During the scene, we are shown the construction of a female cyborg, presumably the protagonist Motoko Kusanagi herself. The process of assembling a cyborg is akin to a product on a factory assembly line, rather than a human being who is born. This sequence establishes a sense of dehumanization of full-body cyborgs, who inhabit bodies that are products to be factory assembled and maintained instead of natural human bodies. 

Memories are shown to be an indicator of humanity in the film, and the ability to alter the memories of cyborgs in the film’s futuristic universe creates uncertainty of whether they can truly be considered human. During the film’s first act, Section 9 are pursuing a low-level thug and garbage truck driver, both of whom are cyborgs, connected to the case of the Puppet Master, a mysterious hacker wanted by international law enforcement. When Motoko and Batou apprehend the thug, he defiantly declares that he refuses to talk. Batou refutes him by asking him “what would I ask a guy who doesn’t even know his name?” Motoko further accosts the thug, asking him if he can remember things such as his mother’s face, where he grew up, and memories of his childhood. As they confront him, the thug’s expression gradually turns to horror at the realization that he has none of the memories that a human should have, sending him into existential crisis. In the next scene, the garbage truck driver is interrogated. Togusa informs him that his memories of having a wife and daughter, as well as an affair and divorce, were falsified by the Puppet Master hacking into his “ghost”. When shown evidence proving this, the driver attempts to rationalize and hold on to the illusion. However, the illusion crumbles when Togusa shows him the purported picture of his daughter he showed to his partner in crime earlier in the film; the picture does not show a daughter and in fact, only shows himself, a realization that causes an emotional breakdown. As the interrogation draws to a close, Motoko stares at her reflection in the window, lost in thought and pondering her own existence and identity. It's worth mentioning that in the original manga, Motoko is more outgoing and less serious, only shifting to a more pensive and philosophical state of mind as the series progresses and the Puppet Master case goes on. By making her later personality her default one, Oshii explores the themes of identity, memory, and existence much earlier and more prominently. In fact, the entire scene of the garbage truck driver learning his memories are fake was originally a quick gag in the manga, further illustrating the film's more somber and contemplative tone (which has carried over into nearly all subsequent takes on the franchise).

_Ghost In The Shell_ posits a world where one’s self-identity is uncertain and amorphous because of cybernetics. During one scene (which is brilliantly underscored by Kenji Kawai's score), Motoko is out in the city when she passes by and notices another woman with an identical cyborg body as her own. After noticing her doppelganger, Motoko turns away with a startled expression, underlining her uncertainties about her own identity. Later on the film, the Puppet Master, revealed to be a sentient A.I. residing on the Internet, has been caught inside in a cyborg body and apprehended by Section 6, another government agency. Motoko notices how the Puppet Master’s body is also a female body made at the same factory that produced her own body. Notably, the Puppet Master speaks with a masculine voice and is referred to with male pronouns, blurring the gender identity of the character. While talking with Batou about the case, she ponders to him if the real her died long ago and if she is merely a replicant with an artificial body and brain, or if a real Motoko ever existed to begin with. It is worth mentioning that in the original manga by Shirow Masamune, Motoko Kusanagi is explicitly stated to be “obviously an alias”. If one interprets the film version as also having an alias, Motoko’s identity is even more muddled. 

At the end of the film, Motoko merges her own consciousness with that of the Puppet Master into one single consciousness. She is also now inhabiting a new physical body after her previous one is wrecked in the climax. In this final scene, Motoko declares that she is now neither the Puppet Master nor the Major and ponders her next move, musing “The net is vast and limitless”. This raises the question of whether she can truly be Motoko Kusanagi now if she no longer has her old organic body or even her old cyborg body, as well as having merged her own consciousness with another one. While her partner Batou still thinks of her as Motoko, her last words in the film indicate that she does not consider herself as such and embraces it as a solution to her existential crisis.

_Ghost In The Shell_ is a deeply important film for me. When I was a high school freshman still not fully immersed in anime beyond Pokémon and developing my own taste in movies, Ghost In The Shell was a film I fell in love with. The stunning visuals, atmospheric score by Kenji Kawai, and blend of action with philosophical themes all left an impact with me. Even after rewatching it several times on various formats, the most recent being the theatrical reissue under Anime Expo Cinema Nights last year, _Ghost In The Shell_ has lost none of its power.

Ghost in the Shell Series Watch Order

Ghost in the Shell Movies

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Ghost in the Shell: ARISE