Ghost in the Shell [2017]

Ghost in the Shell is a live-action adaptation of the 1995 animated film based on Masamune Shirow's 1989 manga Mobil Armored Riot Police, or as it is better known in the states- the Ghost in the Shell...and if you're an anime fan like myself, hearing the phrase 'live-action adaptation' in regards to anime- especially when adjacent to one of the classics- makes you feel a little uneasy in the stomach. I know I spent most of 2004 feeling quite ill after seeing WETA's production artwork for the live-action Evangelion adaptation, and I just want to thank whomever pulled the plug on that misguided abomination.

I, like many teens in the 90s had his fair share of manga, and anime VHS tapes. Top of that list was Ninja Scroll, Akira, and of course- Shirow's the Ghost in the Shell. I loved Shirow's artwork, and the cyber-punk neon gloss of the anime, so I was really nervous about seeing a live-action version. I've seen it a few times now, and I find myself enjoying and appreciating it more with every viewing. I don't want to say too much about the plot, and if you're here, it's possible that you probably already know what to expect and have seen the animated film, so I'll be brief. When a young girl is critically wounded by terrorists in an attack on a refugee camp, her brain is transplanted into a synthetic, cybernetic body. She becomes employed as an elite officer, simply going by 'Major', working against terrorists and hackers alongside her partner Batou. When she becomes involved in a case investigating a terrorist hacker going only by 'Kuze', the ensuing influx of revelation begins make her question everything she knows about the people she works for, her creation, and herself. I enjoyed this adaptation quite a bit. It sure as hell could've been worse (I'm looking right at you, DBZ:E & Blood), but thankfully I have a new live-action adaptation to add to the only other two I have ever enjoyed- the Guyver, which I obsessed over in my early teens when it came out, and Casshern (yes...I love the suit of armor trope). It's really amazing looking on blu ray, and possesses the requisite amount of neon gloss you want in a cyber punk flick. The plot is preserved well enough and while it does borrow bits from Stand Alone Complex, it isn't over-stuffed, and is very well-paced, and straight forward. Johansson and cast are great, in particular Takeshi Kitano whom I have been a fan of for years, and the Kuze character ended up being one of my favorite things about this adaptation. The action sequences are pure spectacle and very cool looking, and the final battle with the spider tank was surreal to see in live-action, not unlike a few other bits of direct fan service carried over from the original source material. If you're a fan of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, I would recommend checking this out. I enjoyed it a lot, as did fellow anime fans in my circle of friends, and I think you may as well.

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