Ghost in the Shell[a] is a 1995 anime neo-noir cyberpunk thriller film directed by Mamoru Oshii. The film is based on the manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow and was written for the screen by Kazunori Itō. It features the voices of Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ōtsuka, and Iemasa Kayumi. It is a Japanese-British international co-production, executive produced by Kodansha, Bandai Visual and Manga Entertainment, with animation provided by Production I.G.
The film is set in 2029 Japan, and follows Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg public-security agent, who hunts a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master. The narrative incorporates philosophical themes that focus on self-identity in a technologically advanced world. The music, composed by Kenji Kawai, includes vocals in classical Japanese language.
It was originally rated R by the MPAA due to full nudity and graphic violence, when it was first released in the United States.[7] Despite this in later decades, it was re-rated to TV-MA for home video releases, and was unrated for theatrical releases - which many critics and audiences still consider an R-rating.
The film is considered one of the best animated and science-fiction films since Akira (1988),[8][9][10] with critics praising the film's narrative, score, and visuals, which were achieved through a combination of traditional cel animation and CGI animation. The film, which had a budget over $10 million USD, grossed $2.3 million USD worldwide,[11] and was initially considered a box office failure before earning a cult following on home video. The film eventually grossed approximately $43 million USD in total box office and home video sales revenue. It inspired filmmakers such as the Wachowskis, creators of the Matrix films, and James Cameron, who called it “the first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence”.[12]
Oshii later directed Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, released in 2004, which is billed as a separate work and a non-canon sequel, and an updated version of the first film, Ghost in the Shell 2.0, released in 2008 with digital ink and paint, additional 3D animation and new audio.
