Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell is a science fiction anime film that raised the bar for Japanese animation. Its complex woven narrative is set in a society where being a full-flesh human is no longer the norm. Is humanity losing its existence or is it loosely defined? Cyborgs are part human, part machine, and a continuation of a previously "whole" human entity. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a full-replacement cyborg in the national security division Section 9, is investigating a mysterious hacker who goes by the name "The Puppet Master." It may be apparent throughout the film that many of its aspects and ideas have been borrowed for other films such as The Matrix (source code; plugging into the network) and Inception (diving into another's conscious).
Ghost in the Shell's portrayal of the significant role of networking in society appears strange and exaggerated to us but carries with it a strong familiarity and subtle message. Our reliance on networking is similarly demonstrated in The Matrix, but GITS takes it beyond questioning the basis of reality by turning to the self. The dualistic nature of mankind's existence is so prominently explored that it is reflected by the film's title itself. Physical vs. metaphysical mind vs. body the ghost vs. the shell. Cartesian dualism is a theory that the mind and body interact yet remain distinct from one another. Major Kusanagi contemplates what determines the identity of an individual. What defines life? Almost entirely artificially constructed, she questions her own existence. Is the ghost distinct from the shell? When someone is ghost hacked, they no longer have memories. So is the ghost (a loose metaphor for mind) what defines the self? Her resolution is reached as she merges with the Puppet Master, who suggests that life is simply a component of the network of all things. After the merge, the major and hacker share one entity with a blueprint for regeneration and become an integral part of the network by achieving a higher consciousness. The chief of Section 6 refers to the Puppet Master as a self-preserving program to which the hacker objects that by that logic, the human genome is no different. The Puppet Master claims to be a ghost born "within the flow of information" and goes on to define life from a person's memories.
Ghost in the Shell manages to mix seamlessly integrated CGI and hand drawn animation, a complex but fitting plot, a resonant score, intermittent action sequences (complete with thermoptic camouflage!), and heavy philosophy (without being preachy) into an 82 minute runtime to make for a profound experience with loads of replay value.
Ghost in the Shell's portrayal of the significant role of networking in society appears strange and exaggerated to us but carries with it a strong familiarity and subtle message. Our reliance on networking is similarly demonstrated in The Matrix, but GITS takes it beyond questioning the basis of reality by turning to the self. The dualistic nature of mankind's existence is so prominently explored that it is reflected by the film's title itself. Physical vs. metaphysical mind vs. body the ghost vs. the shell. Cartesian dualism is a theory that the mind and body interact yet remain distinct from one another. Major Kusanagi contemplates what determines the identity of an individual. What defines life? Almost entirely artificially constructed, she questions her own existence. Is the ghost distinct from the shell? When someone is ghost hacked, they no longer have memories. So is the ghost (a loose metaphor for mind) what defines the self? Her resolution is reached as she merges with the Puppet Master, who suggests that life is simply a component of the network of all things. After the merge, the major and hacker share one entity with a blueprint for regeneration and become an integral part of the network by achieving a higher consciousness. The chief of Section 6 refers to the Puppet Master as a self-preserving program to which the hacker objects that by that logic, the human genome is no different. The Puppet Master claims to be a ghost born "within the flow of information" and goes on to define life from a person's memories.
Ghost in the Shell manages to mix seamlessly integrated CGI and hand drawn animation, a complex but fitting plot, a resonant score, intermittent action sequences (complete with thermoptic camouflage!), and heavy philosophy (without being preachy) into an 82 minute runtime to make for a profound experience with loads of replay value.