A beautiful new video and audio transfer accentuates the best qualities of this superb film.
“2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from Section 9, Kusanagi embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity. Director Mamoru Oshii’s award-winning cyber-tech thriller, based on the comic book by Shirow Masamune, is lauded as one of the leading Japanese animation films of all time.”
Ghost in the Shell is a story way ahead of its time in terms of science fiction and the themes it explores. Smart, sophisticated and engaging, this Japanese anime film is a perfect introduction to those, like myself, not familiar with the type of storytelling and style that these films offer. Although it has now been twenty-five years since its release, it’s still as poignant as ever, exploring the relationship between man and technology and how we define ourselves.
The story itself is heavy on the science fiction. In a world where humans can augment themselves with cybernetic implants and enhancements, only the ‘ghost’, which is what they refer to as the soul, separates them from machines, something that can’t be duplicated, which reminds them of being human. With such advancements also comes dangers, as the brains of those augmented humans are susceptible to hackers such as The Puppet Master, who is able to control them, plant memories, making them do anything he wishes. As the story paints an interesting picture of technology in the not-so-distant future, the world itself it is set in is rather bleak, void of emotion, that spark that makes us human. It is very reminiscent of Blade Runner at times, taking place in a cold and listless world, trying to solve a mystery with each turn seeming to pose more questions than answers.
Perhaps the best part of this story is the deep themes it explores in the integration of technology not just into our lives, but our bodies. Kusanagi wrestles with this throughout the story, questioning the implications of having an almost entirely cybernetic body that needs constant maintenance from Section 9. The story poses a lot of philosophical and existential questions to the viewer such as the existence of the soul. Is that what makes us human? Unique? If it doesn’t exist, humans are no more special than anything else on the planet. While our society asks these types of questions today, posing them to a society that has created a symbiosis of technology between man and machine takes these to another level. At what point are you no longer human, or yourself for that matter? Ghost in the Shell is a smart film, a story designed to make you think, and will stay with you long after.
The animation is astonishing. It may be easy to shrug the film off in the opening minutes as the violence and nudity play a prominent part in the opening act, but this type of Japanese storytelling has a style all of its own, with Ghost in the Shell showcasing some of the most beautiful animated sequences, stylish and sleek, fully drawing the viewer in.
Video
Ghost in the Shell is presented in 2160p Ultra High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 featuring Dolby Vision. This new transfer looks exceptional. Although the film is rather bleak at times, what color there is looks very rich and vibrant. The lines in the drawings are also very well defined, with deep blacks and give it a nicer look. Sometimes it is hard to tell a clear difference in animated films on 4k vs. 1080p, but this is one that the upgraded transfer has really improved the look, especially as it is twenty-five years old.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos in both English and Japanese. The audio track sounds incredible here, with a superb balance between the surrounds and center channel. There are several really powerful sequences that highlight this new mix, featuring a lot of action, gunfire, explosions, helicopters overhead, etc. What sounds the most impressive, however, is the haunting score that sets the mood perfectly, easily my favorite thing about the film.
Special Features
Nice set of extras for this release. These include:
4k Disc:
- Audio Commentary
- Accessing Section 9: 25 Years into the Future
- Landscapes & Dreamscapes: The Art and Architecture of Ghost in the Shell
Blu-ray:
- The Making of Ghost in the Shell
- Original Theatrical Trailer
Ghost in the Shell manages to paint a bleak picture of the relationship between man and technology in the future, posing existential questions related to this symbiosis, and still managing to present a thrilling, smart and beautifully made film. If you’re like me, interested in taking the plunge into the genre, there couldn’t be a better film to start with.
