Science Fiction (and Fantasy) on Television

Ghost in the Shell

"It Found A Voice... Now It Needs A Body"

Rating: *****

* TOP 100 *

Categories

AI/Computers/VR
Animation
Comicbook
Cyberpunk/Dystopia
Man-made
Questions

Age restriction?

This film does have animated nudity and some gory scenes. However, this is not why we wouldn't recommend it for kids. This is a grown up film and although the animation is entrancing, the story will bore the young.

The SFTV.info
Top 100
Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies.

Doctor SciFi has picked those films that are absolutely essential viewing for SF&F fans.

Humanity may start just by fixing faults in our bodies, such as by using a hearing aid, inserting a pacemaker, or replacing a limb. People get cosmetic surgery to change their appearance. How long will it be before people start getting bio-mechanical enhancements? Once a person's abilities are extended beyond normal human ability, they become a cyborg. Over time, however, this becomes commonplace in society. Now, there comes a point where you have so many artificial parts, the only difference between you and a machine is that you have a soul - your Ghost in your machine Shell.

What happens when a brilliant hacker starts hacking human Ghosts? Who is the Puppet Master? The people are becoming machines and memories are becoming suspect - add to the mix a computer program that becomes self-aware. The edges blur as we get closer to Singularity.

The year is 2029 - Major Kusanagi is the super-cyborg who has to find the Puppet Master. Taken from the manga (comic), but obviously also heavily inspired by Blade Runner, we are transported to a gorgeously animated Hong Kong of the future where we are asked, "What makes us human", and other big questions. A game of cat and mouse is played out between humans, computers and machines where the prize is nothing less than the human soul.

Mamoru Oshii, known before this for the Patlabor series, brings us Japanese animation to match Akira, with a cerebral storyline that asks serious questions and gives us plenty to think about. The plot is complex and so encourages repeat viewings of the film - something we are glad to do!

Hisao Shirai took his cinematography even further after this with Perfect Blue. Oshii and Itô have collaborated again to make Avalon.

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Director
Mamoru Oshii

Script By
Kazunori Itô
Masamune Shirow

Starring
Atsuko Tanaka
Akio Ôtsuka
Tamio Oki
Iemasa Kayumi
Kôichi Yamadera
Tesshô Genda

Some Crew
Cinematography
-- Hisao Shirai
Production Design
-- Anthony Pratt
Art Direction
-- Hiromasa Ogura
Music
-- Kenji Kawai

Doctor SciFi is in.