Sen
02-22-2008, 09:18 AM
Yip, it's the first of my Friday posts. 02-22-08
Ghost in the Shell is by far one of the most underrated anime series ever. Yet it has served as inspiration for countless scifi block busters of the past decade, including the Matrix series (and hence, every spin-off/ imitation of that series) and i, Robot, and some outside the mold, like Swordfish. That said, everyone should read a book called Neuromancer by William Gibson. It is basically serves the role as story bible for everything that follows in the genre.
The first Movie was released in '95. In short, sometime in the future, not too far from now, nations have been replaced by city-states (read up on your Greek history) and mega-corporations, and the world has been tied together by a vast computer network. And practically everyone has a pet robot. In Japan, Section 9 is a covert division of the Japanese police, created investigate cyber-crime and crimes committed by robots. Major Motoko Kusanagi, the protagonist, and Bateau, her partner are cyborgs; practically the whole of Section 9 is (to different extents), save one or 2 people. They are investigating what seems to be the hacker of all hackers, codename: Puppet Master, who specializes in implanting unsuspecting people with false memories and manipulating them to do his dirty work. In today's world, hacking is relatively menial, but in a society built on computers, it is tantamount to murder. As it turns out, this character that has been operating behind the scenes is an AI program, code named Project 2501, that has become sentient and is now seeking asylum with Section 9. But apparently Puppet Master was created by another government Agency, and the last thing they want is for him to receive amnesty. On top of that, Puppet Master seems to have some interest in the Major
CAUTION: The series, especially the first movie, is not chock full of action scenes. Naruto/Bleach fans, stay away for your own good. So much thinking may cause your brain to explode.
I keed, I keed. I got no grouse with Naruto and the like.
Ghost in the Shell is a deep, complex, intricate and hard-to-follow story that blends political intrigue, science fiction, and a heavy dose philosophy. I was serious though: There is less action. But shouldn't stop anyone from watching. They seek to explore and define what it means to be human and the effects of technology on the human soul. Is it possible for a tin-man to find a heart?
The only possible downside is that there may actually be too much plot- it is easy to get lost in the intricacies of the plot, and you'll find yourself getting rather intimate with the rewind button- but if you're anything like me, you'll enjoy that fact, as it gives the movie further "rewatchability." The philosophical discussions are rather domineering. But in a good way.
Aesthetically speaking, Ghost in the Shell is beautiful and only grows more so as the series progresses. If you are renting/downloading this, don't be afraid of the English version. Although there are points during the movie where it seems a bit ... off (like in the Major's monologue after she goes 'diving'), the Voice acting is on point.
All in all, it is one of the best anime titles you'll ever pick-up. Provided your IQ is higher than that of a monkey. And the DVD is definitely worth the buy. But at the very least, watch it.
Rating: 9.5/10
Ghost in the Shell is by far one of the most underrated anime series ever. Yet it has served as inspiration for countless scifi block busters of the past decade, including the Matrix series (and hence, every spin-off/ imitation of that series) and i, Robot, and some outside the mold, like Swordfish. That said, everyone should read a book called Neuromancer by William Gibson. It is basically serves the role as story bible for everything that follows in the genre.
The first Movie was released in '95. In short, sometime in the future, not too far from now, nations have been replaced by city-states (read up on your Greek history) and mega-corporations, and the world has been tied together by a vast computer network. And practically everyone has a pet robot. In Japan, Section 9 is a covert division of the Japanese police, created investigate cyber-crime and crimes committed by robots. Major Motoko Kusanagi, the protagonist, and Bateau, her partner are cyborgs; practically the whole of Section 9 is (to different extents), save one or 2 people. They are investigating what seems to be the hacker of all hackers, codename: Puppet Master, who specializes in implanting unsuspecting people with false memories and manipulating them to do his dirty work. In today's world, hacking is relatively menial, but in a society built on computers, it is tantamount to murder. As it turns out, this character that has been operating behind the scenes is an AI program, code named Project 2501, that has become sentient and is now seeking asylum with Section 9. But apparently Puppet Master was created by another government Agency, and the last thing they want is for him to receive amnesty. On top of that, Puppet Master seems to have some interest in the Major
CAUTION: The series, especially the first movie, is not chock full of action scenes. Naruto/Bleach fans, stay away for your own good. So much thinking may cause your brain to explode.
I keed, I keed. I got no grouse with Naruto and the like.
Ghost in the Shell is a deep, complex, intricate and hard-to-follow story that blends political intrigue, science fiction, and a heavy dose philosophy. I was serious though: There is less action. But shouldn't stop anyone from watching. They seek to explore and define what it means to be human and the effects of technology on the human soul. Is it possible for a tin-man to find a heart?
The only possible downside is that there may actually be too much plot- it is easy to get lost in the intricacies of the plot, and you'll find yourself getting rather intimate with the rewind button- but if you're anything like me, you'll enjoy that fact, as it gives the movie further "rewatchability." The philosophical discussions are rather domineering. But in a good way.
Aesthetically speaking, Ghost in the Shell is beautiful and only grows more so as the series progresses. If you are renting/downloading this, don't be afraid of the English version. Although there are points during the movie where it seems a bit ... off (like in the Major's monologue after she goes 'diving'), the Voice acting is on point.
All in all, it is one of the best anime titles you'll ever pick-up. Provided your IQ is higher than that of a monkey. And the DVD is definitely worth the buy. But at the very least, watch it.
Rating: 9.5/10