In 1989, manga artist/writer, Masamune Shirow published a manga series for Kodansha titled, “Ghost in the Shell.” Set in a futuristic version of Tokyo, Japan in 2029, the manga follows a female cyborg named, Motoko Kusanagi. She works for a law enforcement agency filled with former military veterans and police officers assigned to do whatever RoboCop does. Protect the innocent and uphold the law. Motoko accompanied by fellow cyborg cop, Batou. In the early chapters of the manga, Motoko & Batou are assigned to hunt down a hacker called, “The Puppet Master” who illegally hacks and takes control of a cybernetic brain. As Motoko endures obstacles, she questions herself if she had real or false memories.
Ghost in the Shell became an instant hit. Japanese animation studio, Production I.G. produced a anime film adaptation of the manga. Released in 1995, (same year Heat came out) it received praise from critics and movie goers alike. Although it was a box office hit in Japan, it didn’t sell a truckload of tickets in America. Overtime, the anime film gained a cult following on home video attracting a whole new crowd of anime fans. Thanks to popularity, the film spawned a franchise of TV shows not entirely connected to the film, video games, merchandise and a live-action adaptation with Scarlett Johansson. Ghost in the Shell influenced filmmakers and the works they’ve made.
- The Wachowskis – The Matrix
- Alex Garland – Ex Machina, Dredd
- James Cameron – Avatar
- Steven Spielberg – Minority Report
- Denis Villeneuve – Blade Runner 2049, Dune
- Christopher & Jonathan Nolan – Inception, Interstellar
Ghost in the Shell’s getting a full-on reboot. This time as an anime television series. It’ll stream on July 2, 2026, on Crunchyroll. Which is my birth month. Besides the reboot, I’m looking’ forward to upcoming Cyberpunk themed works. By the way, I’m a big fan of Cyberpunk movies, shows and video games. It’s my favorite subgenre.
- Brad Bird’s next project, “Ray Gunn” an animated retro neo-noir starring Sam Rockwell & Scarlett Johansson will stream sometime around 2026.
- CD Projekt Red are currently working on a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. The video game company stated the sequel may not come out until late 2030 or early 2031.
- Apple TV’s in the middle of adapting William Gibson’s groundbreaking novel, “Neuromancer.” As of May 2026, no confirmation of a release date. Probably around 2027 or later.
Today’s review contains no SPOILERS. I’m giving newcomers a chance to see this gem.
Polished & Rusty Qualities
Polished: Voice Actors all did a splendid job for their respective performances.
Mamoru Oshii (The Sky Crawlers) did a decent job directing.
Kazunori Itō (.hack series) wrote the script. He made sure certain plot elements from the manga remain intact.
Animation used a unique tool called, Digitally Generated Animation or DGA for short. A combination of traditional 2D animation and Computer Graphics blended perfectly.
Action Sequences are legit.
Fun Fact: The green coding used in the Opening Credits inspired The Wachowskis to create digital rain depicted in any Matrix film. It’s now a screensaver.
Random Thought: I’m giving Ghost in the Shell credit for influencing one of my favorite shows, “Code Lyoko.” Aelita has a character arc experiencing memories. If you haven’t seen Code Lyoko, I highly recommend watching all four seasons.
Kenji Kawai orchestrated a memorable soundtrack. Especially the track, “Making of Cyborg” intercutting between the Opening Credits and Motoko being constructed.
Pacing felt normal for an 82-minute anime film. I was hooked right from the get-go.
Much like Cyberpunk films “Blade Runner,” “RoboCop” & “Total Recall,” Ghost in the Shell shares themes involving Memory, Identity, Free Will and Existence. Each one’s handled maturely.
Rusty: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m giving Production I.G. an Extra Point for making a flawless anime adaptation as possible.
The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!
Ghost in the Shell still holds up. It’s ten times better than the live-action film adaptation. The OG 1995 version is a groundbreaking masterpiece raising the bar within the Cyberpunk subgenre and well as setting a tally mark as a cinematic touchstone. If you’re new to the franchise, I highly recommend the 1995 version and the anime TV show, “Stand Alone Complex.” Which anime show or film should I watch and review next? Please leave a comment.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 