To continue the Sci-Fi trend of recent movie reviews, this week’s review is 1995 film adaption of Masamune Shirow’s Manga Ghost in the Shell. This franchise may well become more well-known in the coming years as Scarlett Johansson is due to star in a live-action remake.

The story focuses on Kusanagi Motoko (the Major), leader of an elite special forces team tasked with thwarting cyber-terrorism. In the film, they have the goal of tracking down “The Puppet Master” a mysterious hacker responsible some high-profile diplomatic assignations through brain hacking attendants and bystanders. The film being set in a future were the majority of people have some kind of cybernetic implant, and in the case of the Major being just a brain implanted a full cybernetic body.

Bearing in mind the film came out in the mid-1990s, it’s remarkably how prescient it is on a number of today’s hot topics such as government surveillance via internet technology and the dangers of AI.

I also particularly enjoy the Major’s character. At this time (and still somewhat today) it’s usual to see a female lead in such role. She is also quite unlike traditional action stars, introverted and often brooding on complex existential questions.

While GITS is a cult favorite, it does have some dictators. I think this is largely due to a plot that can be rather obtuse on first viewing and the dialogue that does get rather philosophical at times. I found the film improves significant with re-watching and I actually quite enjoy the shifts in tone from all out action to angst-ridden self-reflection.

I’d say a good way to approach the film for the first time is to either check out the manga first or reading a synopsis online. Just bear in mind the comic has a much more irreverent tone than film. It’s definitely worth checking out and I’d recommend watching it with the Japanese audio and subtitles.