In the future, population rises, immigration problems, economic concerns, and foreign relations are only the start of what society has to contend with. The future holds amazing technology where people have cybernetic limbs and some are complete cyborgs with only their brain still remaining. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a member of Section 9, a government agency that investigates and acts on cyber crimes of all kinds. She is a cyborg, her human body long forgotten. When a series of crimes involving someone hacking peoples ‘ghosts’, the cybernetic brain shell that is the person’s identity and ‘soul’, that criminal is rightfully dubbed the Puppet Master and Section 9 is sent to find him and stop him by any means necessary. But when a person can hack into your very mind, what hope does a cyborg agent have?

Ghost in the Shell is the iconic movie that has inspired such films as The Matrix and the upcoming Avatar. It is a revolutionary film in the fields of animation and speculative fiction. The complex plot and intricate science fiction is an arresting framework to an astonishing story with striking visuals. Based on renowned author Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell manga, the 1995 film adaptation is a feat of brilliant and sophisticated storytelling combined with groundbreaking animation.

Motoko’s investigation with her fellow agents proves to be a labyrinth of secrets, secrets some are willing to kill in order to keep. At first the investigation seems to be a simple one of a discontented civil worker with a broken marriage, but the larger scheme in play is one that will threaten not only Motoko’s life, but her identity. The more she learns about a program named only Project 2501, the more Foreign Affairs’ Section 6 seems to be involved.  When she risks life and limb to gain information on the whereabouts of the Puppet Master, it leads to an assault on Section 9 by unknown others. She gives chase to a lead but a clever decoy has her separated from her trusted partner Batou and facing off alone against an AI tank and the Puppet Master. In the end she will have to choose whose side she’s on, but she’d best choose quickly because a strike team has been assembled by the group working to bury the secret of Project 2501 and if she doesn’t make a decision and act quickly, she’ll be the one buried along with it!

Ghost in the Shell is an amazing story that explores technological advances and their implications. The concept of cybernetic bodies and its impact on the definition of what it means to be human is a fascinating one that is examined intelligently throughout the film. The story directly questions what it means to be sentient, questions the exclusivity of humans in having identity or souls and what it means for the future should those definitions start to gray and the lines defining them fade. Motoko’s search for the Puppet Master is also in some ways a search for identity and meaning. The existential themes of the show are ones that hold increasing importance in our own society as we struggle with rising populations, decreased group consciousness, and more and more interaction being dependent in the realm of the vast internet.

While its animation was done by cutting edge animation of its day, it still holds up to this day. The merging of 2D cell animation with computer animation is done with finesse and stunning visual impact, but with the direction and supervision of Director Mamuro Oshii, he revisited his masterpiece and updated the once cutting edge animation with today’s latest digital technology; overhauling or enhancing over 250 scenes with 3D graphics, and keeping it as close as possible to the environmental world that was presented to Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. 

The beginning of the updated version of the movie with the attack involving Foreign Affairs and Motoko’s use of thermo-optic camouflage is a true testament to what the director was striving to accomplish when it was originally made, but couldn’t because of lack of technology or simply put, it didn’t exist at that time. The opening that was once outstanding has become more riveting in action with a dose of sensory pleasure.

As mentioned, Ghost in the Shell 2.0 comes with a dose of sensory pleasure, but would it fly side to side with high-definition Blu-ray? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Not only will fans enjoy the new and updated scenes, but also the Blu-ray is close to flawless as digital irregularities like color banding and blurry scenes are none existent.

Audio for the movie is close to perfect when listening to the Japanese track in DTS HD Master Audio. LFE (low frequency effect) sounded well as you can just hear the subwoofer reverberate with action scenes and with every beat on the Odaiko in the soundtrack.

As for the English version, the original audio used in the 1997 release was used and transferred to DTS HD Master Audio.  Overall, the audio transfer is great, however, there were an instance when the dialog decibel increased and decreased in a particular scene. Also, It would have been nice if the English dubbed was also re-recorded to match the newly re-recorded Japanese dialog, but I’m sure economics had something to do with it.

Menu system of the disc is somewhat cumbersome to navigate and configure. For instance, the disc defaults to the English track, but switching to Japanese with English subtitles from the main menu is somewhat confusing for non-technical viewers that would like to watch it in Japanese. In addition, direct access scene is not viewer friendly, as you will have to guess which chapters to select as it lacks scene images.

The packaging advertised that it comes with the Making of Ghost in the Shell 2.0, but what exactly comes with it is the making of the original Ghost in the Shell bonus feature.  Additional extras include the original version of the film with Linear PCM 2.0 uncompress audio, text biography of the creator, character profile, and a glossary. The extra features that came with this disc is nothing new or special unless you have not seen or own the Manga Entertainment Special Edition of Ghost in the Shell that was release in 2005.

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a new mesmeric version of the original animated film that inspired Hollywood film making, and while there were issues with the Blu-ray disc presentation, it can easily be overlooked once you immerse yourself to Director Mamoru Oshii’s vision of 2.0.