When I was a kid growing up. We had tons of cartoons to watch. Many of these shows where also Japanese and very serious in tone or violent and aired on Toonami. Many of these shows where about boys fighting (shonen) . I saw Ghost in the Shell in the bumpers on Sci Fi Channel in 2003. I thought it was a dumb name because how could a Ghost fit inside a shell. As you know that is a metaphor like everything else. Then I saw it when I was 9 in 2004 on Adult Swim on Saturday Night and my views of animation changed forever. Scratch that views of the world!
PLOT Ghost in the Shell, is basically like a Law and Order but if it where a cyberpunk Anime. Each episode is unique and interesting. You get tons of action, blood, sexuality, and violence. And there is one thing that is destroying all of Newport City, the laughing man. Section 9 must destroy them.
The story explores the dangers of our world becoming too engaged with technology. In a world where we can't get our electronic fixes. We become like pathetic disabled children in a mental hospital. We must become cyborg to be superior. But when we do so we lose our soul. The villians that it creates in the world when you make humans robots. You feel for the lack of humanity of these humanoids.
CHARACTERS Major Motoko Kusanagi is the sexy lead in Ghost in the Shell SAC. He is emotionless, cold, but caring deep down, she has her wear abouts but doesn't question she isn't human or not like in the movie. He personality is so cold that it intoxicates the entire show. She is witty and rude to any man or machine that stands in her way. She uses technobabble with her wit. All of this do to that she is a cyborg.
Botou is her buddy, he is funny, tough, and smart. He can kill. He's fat but buff.
Togusa is the only non cyborg member of section 9. He is quiet but curious and sympathetic. He has one gun and it will blow you away. Togusa is a family guy.
Tachicoma is extreme comic relief. They are annoying and high pitched little spiderbots but they are cute anyway. ANIMATION For a TV anime, Ghost in the Shell has some of the best animation out there. Especially by Production IG Standards. Though the animation maybe jerky and still, the stillness helps the characters feel more aloof and withdrawn cold and calculating to feel like a world filled by robot people. The character designs though aren't ass toony as what the Manga version had in mind is still top notch and should be the industry standard of all Japanese animation in my opinion. They look kinda half Asian unlike other Anime which they say they're name is Kagome and are a Japanese school student. Please... If you like bad ass cyborgs kicking the crap out of robots and humans. Then please check it out the animation for the fight scenes are fluid. Though they are fluid they seem to go for the hole shaky cam feel which gives me a headache. OH! But speaking of cinematography, the cinematography of Ghost in the Shell is very impressive as it focuses on is what needs to be seen rather than exaggerating on what is happening with annoying Anime camera pans and zooms. The backdrops are just dropdead gorgeous to.
The only thing I don't feel to sure about is the CGI. Ok the intro is amazing in my opinion. But the CGI composited with 2D characters has a polarizing effect. I know it's budget reasons because in 2004 making 3D animation was becoming a no brainer. But the already well drawn Anime characters mixed with Tachichomas bantering with more frames and 3 dimension and such strange linework is quite jarring.
SOUND Yokko Konno's work is just perfect in Ghost in the Shell. She does an excellent techno beat with many other traditional cords to make the world feel more cold,alien, and robotic. The intro had my heart racing with that Inner Universe.
Oh and the dubs. Marry McGlynn is stunning. Every character sounds like an adult. No one sounds stupid except Tachikoma. OVERALL Best Anime for adults, I highly recommend you to watch. Enjoy the fights, visera, and lore. And Thought I hated Second Gig as a kid. I grew up and loved it because it enfilled me even more on the lore.
PLOT Ghost in the Shell, is basically like a Law and Order but if it where a cyberpunk Anime. Each episode is unique and interesting. You get tons of action, blood, sexuality, and violence. And there is one thing that is destroying all of Newport City, the laughing man. Section 9 must destroy them.
The story explores the dangers of our world becoming too engaged with technology. In a world where we can't get our electronic fixes. We become like pathetic disabled children in a mental hospital. We must become cyborg to be superior. But when we do so we lose our soul. The villians that it creates in the world when you make humans robots. You feel for the lack of humanity of these humanoids.
CHARACTERS Major Motoko Kusanagi is the sexy lead in Ghost in the Shell SAC. He is emotionless, cold, but caring deep down, she has her wear abouts but doesn't question she isn't human or not like in the movie. He personality is so cold that it intoxicates the entire show. She is witty and rude to any man or machine that stands in her way. She uses technobabble with her wit. All of this do to that she is a cyborg.
Botou is her buddy, he is funny, tough, and smart. He can kill. He's fat but buff.
Togusa is the only non cyborg member of section 9. He is quiet but curious and sympathetic. He has one gun and it will blow you away. Togusa is a family guy.
Tachicoma is extreme comic relief. They are annoying and high pitched little spiderbots but they are cute anyway. ANIMATION For a TV anime, Ghost in the Shell has some of the best animation out there. Especially by Production IG Standards. Though the animation maybe jerky and still, the stillness helps the characters feel more aloof and withdrawn cold and calculating to feel like a world filled by robot people. The character designs though aren't ass toony as what the Manga version had in mind is still top notch and should be the industry standard of all Japanese animation in my opinion. They look kinda half Asian unlike other Anime which they say they're name is Kagome and are a Japanese school student. Please... If you like bad ass cyborgs kicking the crap out of robots and humans. Then please check it out the animation for the fight scenes are fluid. Though they are fluid they seem to go for the hole shaky cam feel which gives me a headache. OH! But speaking of cinematography, the cinematography of Ghost in the Shell is very impressive as it focuses on is what needs to be seen rather than exaggerating on what is happening with annoying Anime camera pans and zooms. The backdrops are just dropdead gorgeous to.
The only thing I don't feel to sure about is the CGI. Ok the intro is amazing in my opinion. But the CGI composited with 2D characters has a polarizing effect. I know it's budget reasons because in 2004 making 3D animation was becoming a no brainer. But the already well drawn Anime characters mixed with Tachichomas bantering with more frames and 3 dimension and such strange linework is quite jarring.
SOUND Yokko Konno's work is just perfect in Ghost in the Shell. She does an excellent techno beat with many other traditional cords to make the world feel more cold,alien, and robotic. The intro had my heart racing with that Inner Universe.
Oh and the dubs. Marry McGlynn is stunning. Every character sounds like an adult. No one sounds stupid except Tachikoma. OVERALL Best Anime for adults, I highly recommend you to watch. Enjoy the fights, visera, and lore. And Thought I hated Second Gig as a kid. I grew up and loved it because it enfilled me even more on the lore.