Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)
Mamoru Oshii originally wanted to direct Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade after he finished Patlabor 2: The Movie in 1993. He proposed the project to Bandai Visual but was asked to direct an adaptation of Masamune Shirow's 1989 manga instead. Oshii would later get to work on Jin-Roh, but only as a writer. My intuition told me that this story about a futuristic world carried an immediate message for our present world. I am also interested in computers through my own personal experience with them. There are only a few movies, even out of Hollywood, which clearly portray the influence and power of computers. I thought this theme would be more effectively conveyed through animation. Technology changes people and had become a part of the culture of Japan. His use of philosophy caused producers to become frustrated because of sparing use of action scenes. Oshii acknowledged that a movie with more action would sell better, but he continued to make these movies anyway.
Ghost in the Shell used a novel process called digitally generated animation. This method combined cel animation, computer graphics, and audio entered as digital data. Editing was performed on an AVID system of Avid Technology, chosen because it was more versatile than other methods. Filters like a lens effect were used to create depth by distorting the front background. Art director Hiromasa Ogura described their lighting technique as very unusual since light and darkness were integrated into the cels. Some special effects, like Motoko's thermo-optical camouflage, were rendered using IG Production's internal tool TIMA. The opening credits were produced by CG director Seichi Tanaka who converted code in romanized Japanese letters to numbers before inserting them into the computer. Animation director Mizuho Nishikubo conducted firearms research at a facility in Guam to ensure realism. He noted that bullets create sparks when hitting metal but do not spark when striking stone.
In 2029, the human body can be augmented or even completely replaced with cybernetic parts. Another significant achievement is the cyberbrain, a mechanical casing for the human brain that allows access to the Internet. An often-mentioned term is ghost, referring to the consciousness inhabiting the body. Major Motoko Kusanagi is an assault-team leader for Public Security Section 9 of the futuristic New Port City. Following a request from Nakamura, chief of Section 6, she successfully assassinates a diplomat of a foreign country. The Puppet Master explains to Kusanagi that he was created by Section 6. While wandering various networks, he became sentient and began to contemplate his existence. Deciding that the essence of life is reproduction and mortality, he wants to exist within a physical brain that will eventually die. As he could not escape Section 6's network, he had to download himself into a cybernetic body. Having interacted with Kusanagi without her knowledge, he believes she is also questioning her humanity. He proposes merging their ghosts; in return, Kusanagi would gain all of his capabilities. Kusanagi agrees to the merge. Snipers from Section 6 approach the building, intending to destroy the Puppet Master's and Kusanagi's brains to cover up Project 2501. The Puppet Master's shell is destroyed, but Batou shields Kusanagi's head in time to save her brain. Kusanagi wakes up in Batou's safe house in a child-sized shell. She tells Batou that the entity within her is neither the Major nor the Puppet Master, but a combination of both.
The film grossed an unspecified amount in global box office revenue, but this fell short of the film's budget. However, a cult following emerged following the film's release on home video. Ghost in the Shell has influenced prominent filmmakers. The Wachowskis, creators of The Matrix and its sequels, showed it to producer Joel Silver saying We wanna do that for real. The Matrix series took inspiration from several concepts from the film. The digital rain was inspired by the film's opening credits. The way characters access the Matrix through holes in the back of their necks directly paralleled the method of electronic communication in the film. Other parallels have been drawn to James Cameron's Avatar and Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Cameron described Ghost in the Shell as a stunning work of speculative fiction. He called it the first to reach a level of literary excellence. At the 24th Annie Awards in 1996, the film received numerous accolades. It was nominated in five categories including Best Animated Feature. This gave it the most nominations for a Japanese animated film at the Annie Awards until both The Boy and the Heron and Suzume took over the position with seven each at the 51st Annie Awards in 2024.
The film had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival on the 18th of October 1995 before its general release in November. In Japan, the film was released on VHS on the 26th of April 1996. The DVD version was released on the 25th of February 2004 as a Special Edition release. Ghost in the Shell was released on Blu-ray on the 24th of August 2007. In August 1996, Ghost in the Shell became the first Japanese film to top the Billboard video sales chart. Over 200,000 VHS copies were sold by that time. By 2002, the film's home video releases sold more than 1.6 million units worldwide. More than 1 million units were sold in the United States alone. At a retail price of $19.95, the film grossed approximately an unspecified amount in video sales revenue. In 2017, the Blu-ray release sold 26,487 copies and grossed $675,002 in the United States. The film ranked as the ninth top-selling anime DVD movie in North America in 2006. The English dub of the film was released in the United Kingdom on the 8th of December 1995 by Metrodome Distribution. It arrived in the United States on the 29th of March 1996 by Palm Pictures.
An updated version of the original film titled Ghost in the Shell 2.0 was made in celebration for the release of The Sky Crawlers in 2008. The Ghost in the Shell 2.0 release combines original footage with updated animations created using new digital film and animation technologies such as 3D-CG. It includes a new opening, digital screens and holographic displays, and omits several brief scenes. The original soundtrack was also re-arranged and re-recorded. Kenji Kawai remixed the Version 2.0 soundtrack in 6.1 Channel Surround. Randy Thom of Skywalker Sound reprised his role as sound designer. In the new soundtrack, the Japanese voice dialogue was also re-recorded. Yoshiko Sakakibara replaced Iemasa Kayumi as the voice of the Puppet Master. 2.0 was re-released in DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on the 19th of December 2008. Oshii also directed Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, released in 2004. This sequel was billed as a separate work and non-canonical. A live-action reinterpretation of the original film was released in 2017, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson as Major Kusanagi. In 2021, the film received an IMAX restoration and limited theatrical release.
Common questions
Who directed the 1995 film Ghost in the Shell?
Mamoru Oshii directed the 1995 film Ghost in the Shell. He originally wanted to direct Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade but was asked to direct an adaptation of Masamune Shirow's 1989 manga instead.
When did Ghost in the Shell have its world premiere?
The film had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival on the 18th of October 1995 before its general release in November. It arrived in the United States on the 29th of March 1996 by Palm Pictures and was released on VHS in Japan on the 26th of April 1996.
What is the setting year for the story in Ghost in the Shell?
The story takes place in 2029 when human bodies can be augmented or completely replaced with cybernetic parts. Major Motoko Kusanagi serves as an assault-team leader for Public Security Section 9 of the futuristic New Port City during this time.
How does Ghost in the Shell influence The Matrix films?
The Wachowskis showed Ghost in the Shell to producer Joel Silver saying they wanted to do that for real. The digital rain in The Matrix series was inspired by the opening credits of Ghost in the Shell, and character access through holes in their necks paralleled electronic communication methods in the original film.
What awards did Ghost in the Shell receive at the Annie Awards?
At the 24th Annie Awards in 1996, the film received nominations in five categories including Best Animated Feature. This gave it the most nominations for a Japanese animated film at the Annie Awards until both The Boy and the Heron and Suzume took over the position with seven each at the 51st Annie Awards in 2024.