Anyway, as per last time, a synopsis will follow, for my fellow anime n00bs out there who are also interested in the movies: Ghost in the Shell takes place in a future where cybertechnology is the norm rather than the exception, where in order to survive as a functioning member of society it’s necessary to have some form of cybernetic augmentation. It’s a cyberpunk police thriller that centers around the exploits of the members of Section 9, a cybercrime unit that gets involved in some pretty serious matters. Main characters include Motoko Kusanagi, a.k.a. the Major, main protagonist of the first movie and all-around ass-kicker; Batou, her partner and main protagonist of the second movie; Togusa, the least cyber-augmented member of Section 9; and Aramaki, the chief running the whole shebang.

Now, to my knowledge, the first Ghost in the Shell movie is one of the causes of how anime got so huge over here in the ‘States, and after watching it, I can see why. It has just the right blend of action, plot, atmosphere, setting, and philosophical backing to achieve that state of coolness that many other cyberpunk settings could only marginally reach. I can’t really say much about it that hasn’t been said before, in terms of what I like and find cool about it – probably the only complaint I have about it is that sometimes the characters ramble too much, but that’s a minor complaint given that it doesn’t really interfere with the flow of the story or garble what the characters are saying.

One thing I am really surprised about by watching the first Ghost in the Shell movie is how well it holds up visually. Even though it was released in 1995, today it still has enough of a unique style that it can hold its own against today’s animation. By unique style, I mean that it has that quality that it was the first of its kind, a progenitor, and that even though future animated (and sometimes live action!) works have copied its style to varying degrees of success, none have really surpassed or one-upped the original in terms of stylistic coolness. After watching the special feature on its production on the DVD edition I have (I sadly do not have the super-cool special edition that came out more recently), I learned just how complex the production of the first Ghost in the Shell was for its time; I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the same animation techniques used back then were still used today.

While the first Ghost in the Shell movie was coolness personified, the sequel, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, didn’t achieve nearly the same heights for me. For the action movie whore in me, the action scenes in Innocence left a lot to be desired, as for one there wasn’t nearly as much action in Innocence as the original to begin with, and what little action there was in Innocence feels tired and uninspired compared to the original. Then there was the plot, which was convoluted enough to be incomprehensible. Don’t get me wrong, I like convoluted plots as much as the next anime aficionado (well, one farther along in their exploration of anime, anyway), but there’s a delicate fine line to tread when weaving a complicated yarn, to make it convoluted enough to be fascinating but not so complex as to be unable to be understood, and, well, in my opinion, Innocence sadly crossed that line. I figured out the plot by reading a synopsis on Wikipedia and found that it was much simpler than the movie let on – I shouldn’t have to read a plot synopsis in order to figure out how simple a plot is compared to how convoluted its telling is.

The philosophy discussions in Innocence also didn’t gel as well into the movie – they seemed to be just there to discuss and muddle up what happened in the plot, and didn’t do anything to advance the plot itself, unlike the first Ghost in the Shell movie. I prefer to discuss philosophical ramifications of plot points in movies after the movie is done, not during the movie when there’s still events to unfold down the line.

Maybe I’m being too harsh on Innocence, but that’s only because the first Ghost in the Shell movie set the bar so high. Ghost in the Shell is a tough act to follow, though, so the effort that was put into it was commendable, at least. From what I have heard and seen, though, the TV series, Stand Alone Complex (and the new movie Solid State Society), seems to better match the original Ghost in the Shell movie (and the manga its based on) in terms of quality. However, for the definitive cyberpunk movie of our time, n00bs to the cyberpunk format as well as to anime in general are well advised to pick up the first Ghost in the Shell movie.

And now we come to the part where we ask you, the readers, for your input. This is an interactive column – seeing as I’m a n00b to anime, my watch-and-review list will come almost entirely from suggestions of seasoned veteran anime watchers. So you, yes, you, will determine where this column will go next! However, what I pick next from the suggestions will depend heavily on availability in my area, and cost, amongst other factors, so don’t take it personally if I don’t happen to pick your suggestion as to what I should do next. With that in mind, though, post away in the comment section, and you too can direct the next episode of…Chronicles of the Anime Shugyosha!