Ghost in the Shell

Every now and again I come back to the classic Manga films of my youth… Akira, Fist of the North Star, Metropolis, AD Tank Police, and the wonderful Ninja Scroll. The more I think about it, the more I realise what a significant effect they had on my mind and my perspective of science fiction. The mis-en-scene, artist flourishes and raw attention-to-detail that came through in these films is easily underestimated.

I think Mamoru Oshi’s Ghost in the Shell was possibly my favourite of all Manga films. Mainly because of its William Gibson-edged storyline and enthralling imagery. One glimpse of the opening scene where the cyborg is being built to eerie Japanese music is still enough to give me the shivers.

There is a slightly boyish teenage feel to it now though – possibly the fact that the protagonist is an impossibly-shaped female robot. Still, there is enough profanity, technology, ultra-violence, modified weapon-toting, explosive car chases and agonising dialogue to bump most of today’s sci-fi off the screen. This film is so full to the brim with detail and embellishments that there are still scenes that I have missed after twenty or so viewings. If the weather forecast is looking limp this weekend, bag it and get the kettle on.