View source for Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)

{{Short description|1995 film by Mamoru Oshii}}
{{Redirect|Ghost in the Shell 1|the manga|Ghost in the Shell (manga)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Ghost in the Shell
| native_name    = {{Infobox Japanese
| kanji          = GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊
| revhep         = Gōsuto in za Sheru/Kōkaku Kidōtai
| l                 = GHOST IN THE SHELL/Armored Shell Mobile Unit
}}
| image          = Ghostintheshellposter.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Mamoru Oshii]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* Yoshimasa Mizuo
* Ken Matsumoto
* Ken Iyadomi
* [[Mitsuhisa Ishikawa]]
}}
| screenplay     = [[Kazunori Itō]]
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[Ghost in the Shell (manga)|Ghost in the Shell]]''|[[Masamune Shirow]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Atsuko Tanaka (voice actress)|Atsuko Tanaka]]
* [[Akio Otsuka]]
* [[Iemasa Kayumi]]
}}
| music          = [[Kenji Kawai]]
| cinematography = Hisao Shirai
| editing        = {{Plainlist|
* Shūichi Kakesu
* Shigeyuki Yamamori
}}
| studio         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Production I.G]]
* [[Bandai Visual]]
* [[Crunchyroll UK and Ireland|Manga Entertainment]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Production I.G [WORK LIST]|url=http://www.production-ig.com/contents/works/02_/index.html|publisher=[[Production I.G]]|access-date=29 December 2018|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226114539/http://www.production-ig.com/contents/works/02_/index.html|url-status=live }}</ref><!-- The Produced By section is only listed on the small section of this page, it's not on there when you click on the section with the movie on it.-->
}}
| distributor    = {{plainlist|
* [[Shochiku]] (Japan)
* Metrodome Distribution
* Manga Entertainment<ref name="bbfc"/> (United Kingdom)
}}
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|1995|11|18|Japan|1995|12|8|United Kingdom}}
| runtime        = 83 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 82:33--><ref name="bbfc">{{cite web| url=http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/ghost-shell-1970-3| title=''GHOST IN THE SHELL'' (15)| work=[[British Board of Film Classification]]| date=30 October 1995| access-date=28 January 2015| url-status=dead| archive-date=6 April 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406200008/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/ghost-shell-1970-3 }}</ref>
| country        = {{plainlist|
* Japan
* United Kingdom<ref name=BFI>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7ee73380|work=[[British Film Institute]]|access-date=10 February 2017|title=Kokaku kidotai (1995)|location=London|archive-date=31 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731052645/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7ee73380|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Answerman>{{cite news|first=Justin|last=Sevakis|date=14 September 2015|title=What Ever Happened to Manga Entertainment?|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2015-09-14/.92910|department=Answerman (column)|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=10 February 2017|archive-date=22 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722132743/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2015-09-14/.92910|url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
| language       = Japanese
| budget         = {{JP¥|330 million<br/>($3 million|long=no}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Harding|first1=Daryl|title=Ghost in the Shell Producer Confirms How Much the 1995 Anime Film Cost to Make|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/09/19-1/ghost-in-the-shell-producer-confirms-how-much-the-anime-film-cost|website=Crunchyroll|date=19 September 2021 |access-date=19 September 2021|language=en-us|archive-date=19 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919212107/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/09/19-1/ghost-in-the-shell-producer-confirms-how-much-the-anime-film-cost|url-status=live }}</ref>)
| gross          = {{US$|10 million|long=no}}<ref name="crunchyroll"/>
}}

'''''Ghost in the Shell'''''{{efn|{{Nihongo|''Ghost in the Shell/Kōkaku Kidōtai''|Ghost in the Shell/攻殻機動隊<ref name=JPUHD>{{cite web|title=『Ghost in the Shell/攻殻機動隊』 4Kリマスターセット (4K ULTRA HD Blu-ray＆Blu-ray Disc 2枚組) {{!}} 商品詳細|url=https://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/cont/item/BCQA-0007/|publisher=[[Bandai Visual]]|access-date=3 April 2021|language=ja|archive-date=16 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016065548/https://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/cont/item/BCQA-0007/|url-status=live }}</ref>|Gōsuto in za Sheru/Kōkaku Kidōtai|{{lit}}"Ghost in the Shell/Mobile Armored Riot Police"|lead=yes}}}} is a 1995 [[Adult animation|adult]] [[Anime|Japanese animated]] [[tech noir]] [[cyberpunk]] [[Action fiction|action]] [[thriller film]]<ref name="IMAX National Science and Media Museum">{{cite web|title=IMAX: Ghost in the Shell (15)|url=https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/imax-ghost-shell-15|website=National Science and Media Museum|access-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210913201222/https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/imax-ghost-shell-15|archive-date=13 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=See|first1=Raphael|title=Ghost in the Shell|url=https://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=603|website=[[THEM Anime Reviews]]|access-date=26 February 2023|archive-date=12 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812145105/http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=603|url-status=live}}</ref> directed by [[Mamoru Oshii]] from a screenplay by [[Kazunori Itō]], based on the 1989 manga [[Ghost in the Shell (manga)|of the same name]] by [[Masamune Shirow]]. It stars the voices of [[Atsuko Tanaka (voice actress)|Atsuko Tanaka]], [[Akio Ōtsuka]], and [[Iemasa Kayumi]]. It is a Japanese-British [[international co-production]] between [[Kodansha]], [[Bandai Visual]] and [[Crunchyroll UK and Ireland|Manga Entertainment]], with animation provided by [[Production I.G]].

Set in 2029 in the fictional New Port City, the film follows Major [[Motoko Kusanagi]], a cyborg public-security agent who hunts an enigmatic hacker/''ghost'' known as "the Puppet Master". The narrative incorporates philosophical themes that focus on self and identity in a technologically advanced world. The music, composed by [[Kenji Kawai]], includes vocals in [[classical Japanese]]. The film's visuals were created through a combination of traditional [[cel]] animation and [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] animation.

Upon release, ''Ghost in the Shell'' received positive reviews, with critics praising its narrative, visuals, and musical score. The film was initially considered a box-office failure before developing a [[cult following]] on [[home video]]. Since then, it has grown in esteem and is now considered to be one of the [[List of films considered the best|greatest anime and science fiction films]] of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Best Animated Movies of All Time|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/best-animated-movies-of-all-time/|access-date=9 June 2021|website=Complex|language=en|archive-date=20 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520111430/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/best-animated-movies-of-all-time/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=6 December 2019|title=Why is Ghost in the Shell (1995) sometimes labeled the greatest and most philosophical anime ever made?|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3040516/why-ghost-shell-greatest-and-most-philosophical|access-date=9 June 2021|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|archive-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609095255/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3040516/why-ghost-shell-greatest-and-most-philosophical|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=7 June 2021|title=10 Best Anime Movies (That You Can Stream For Free Online)|url=https://screenrant.com/best-anime-movies-stream-free/|access-date=9 June 2021|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|archive-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609095254/https://screenrant.com/best-anime-movies-stream-free/|url-status=live}}</ref> It has inspired filmmakers such as [[The Wachowskis]], creators of ''[[The Matrix (franchise)|The Matrix]]'' franchise, and [[James Cameron]], who described it as "the first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence."<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 May 2021|title=10 Important Anime Films That Had Worldwide Success|url=https://screenrant.com/anime-films-worldwide-success/|access-date=9 June 2021|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|archive-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609095254/https://screenrant.com/anime-films-worldwide-success/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[24th Annie Awards]] (1996), the film received numerous accolades, and was nominated in five categories—including [[Annie Award for Best Animated Feature|Best Animated Feature]]—giving it the most nominations for a [[Anime|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]] (2024).<!-- See the linked article talk page for discussion on how we should refer to them. -->

An [[remastered]] version of the film, '''''Ghost in the Shell 2.0''''', was released in 2008, featuring newly added digital effects, additional 3D animation, and new audio. Oshii also directed ''[[Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence]]'', released in 2004, which was billed as a separate work and a [[Non canon|non-canonical]] [[sequel]]. Hollywood made a live-action reinterpretation of the original film in 2017, [[Ghost in the Shell (2017 film)|bearing an identical title]], directed by [[Rupert Sanders]] and starring [[Scarlett Johansson]] as Major Kusanagi. 

== Plot ==
<!-- PER WP:FILMPLOT, PLOT SUMMARIES FOR FEATURE FILMS SHOULD BE 400-700 WORDS. -->
In 2029, with the advancement of [[Cyborg|cybernetic]] technology, the human body can be augmented or even completely replaced with [[Cybernetics|cybernetic]] parts. Another significant achievement is the cyberbrain, a mechanical casing for the human brain that allows access to the [[Internet]] and other networks. An often-mentioned term is "ghost", referring to the consciousness inhabiting the body (the "shell").

Major [[Motoko Kusanagi]] is an assault-team leader for [[Public Security Section 9]] of the futuristic New Port City in Japan. Following a request from Nakamura, chief of Section 6, she successfully assassinates a diplomat of a foreign country to prevent a programmer named Daita from defecting.

The Foreign Minister's interpreter is ghost-hacked, presumably to assassinate VIPs in an upcoming meeting. Believing the perpetrator to be the mysterious [[List of Ghost in the Shell characters|Puppet Master]], Kusanagi's team follows the traced telephone calls that sent the virus. After a chase, they capture a garbage man and a thug. However, both are only ghost-hacked individuals with no knowledge of the Puppet Master, so the investigation again comes to a dead end.

Megatech Body, a shell manufacturer with suspected close ties to the government, is hacked and assembles a shell. The shell escapes the factory onto the highway and gets run over by a truck. As Section 9 examines the shell, they find a human ghost inside it. Unexpectedly, Section 6's department chief Nakamura arrives to reclaim the shell with permit from the foreign minister. He claims that the ghost inside is the Puppet Master himself, lured into the shell by Section 6. The shell reactivates itself, claims to be a sentient being, and requests [[Right of asylum|political asylum]]. After the Puppet Master initiates a brief argument about what constitutes a human, a camouflaged agent accompanying Nakamura starts a diversion and steals the shell.

Having suspected foul play, Kusanagi's team is prepared and immediately pursues the agent. Meanwhile, Section 9 researches "Project 2501", which was mentioned earlier by the Puppet Master, and finds a connection with Daita, whom Section 6 tries to keep from defecting the country. Facing the discovered information, Daisuke Aramaki, chief of Section 9, concludes that Section 6 created the Puppet Master for various political purposes, and now seeks to reclaim the body that it currently inhabits.

Kusanagi follows the car carrying the shell to an abandoned building, where it is guarded by a heavily armed and armored [[Tachikoma|robotic tank]]. Anxious to face the Puppet Master's ghost, Kusanagi engages the tank without backup, resulting in her shell being mostly dismembered. Her partner [[Batou]] arrives in time to save her and helps connect her brain to the Puppet Master's.

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 and that they have much in common. 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. As Section 9 closes in, the snipers retreat.

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. She promises Batou they will meet again, leaves the house, and wonders where to go next.

== Voice cast ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Character !! Japanese voice actor !! English <br>dubbing actor<br>{{small|(Pseudonyms in parentheses)}}<ref name=eng>{{cite AV media| title=Ghost in the Shell (1996 English Version)| publisher=Manga Entertainment| date=18 June 1996| medium=VHS}}</ref>
|-
|[[Motoko Kusanagi]]|| [[Atsuko Tanaka (voice actress)|Atsuko Tanaka]]<br> [[Maaya Sakamoto]] (young Motoko)|| [[Mimi Woods]]
|-
|[[Batou]]|| [[Akio Otsuka]]|| [[Richard Epcar]] (Richard George)
|-
|The Puppet Master|| [[Iemasa Kayumi]] (original) <br> [[Yoshiko Sakakibara]] (2.0)||Tom Wyner (Abe Lasser)
|-
|[[Togusa]]|| [[Koichi Yamadera]]||Christopher Joyce
|-
|Chief Aramaki|| [[Tamio Ōki]]|| [[William Frederick Knight]] (William Frederick)
|-
|Ishikawa|| [[Yutaka Nakano]]||[[Michael Sorich]]
|-
|Chief Nakamura|| [[Tesshō Genda]]||[[Simon Prescott]] (Ben Isaacson)
|-
|Mizuho Daita|| [[Mitsuru Miyamoto]]||[[Richard Cansino]] (Steve Davis)
|-
|Garbage Collector A|| [[Kazuhiro Yamaji]]||[[Kevin Seymour]] (Tom Carlton)
|-
|Garbage Collector B|| [[Shigeru Chiba]]||[[Doug Stone (voice actor)|Doug Stone]]
|-
|}

== Production ==
=== Development ===
[[File:Mamoru Oshii(in 2008).jpg|thumb|upright|Director [[Mamoru Oshii]] in 2008]] 
[[Mamoru Oshii]] originally wanted to direct ''[[Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade]]'' after he finished ''[[Patlabor 2: The Movie]]'' (1993). He proposed the project to [[Bandai Visual]] but was asked to direct an adaptation of Masamune Shirow's 1989 manga, ''[[Ghost in the Shell (manga)|Ghost in the Shell]]'', instead. Oshii would later get to work on ''Jin-Roh'', but only as a writer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttP6PsZPCfs|title=Mamoru Oshii was pitched to direct GHOST IN THE SHELL over a secret sushi dinner - YouTube<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=[[YouTube]]|date=20 April 2016 |access-date=28 October 2021|archive-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028020044/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttP6PsZPCfs|url-status=live }}</ref> Oshii stated, "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. I had the same feeling about ''[[Patlabor]]'' and I thought it would be interesting to make a film that took place in the near future. 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."<ref name="report">{{cite AV media| title=Ghost in the Shell| section=Production Report| publisher=Production I.G| year=1996| medium=DVD| location=DVD Extra}}</ref> Oshii expanded on these thoughts in a later interview, noting that technology changes people and had become a part of the culture of Japan. He commented that his use of philosophy caused producers to become frustrated because of sparing use of action scenes. Oshii also acknowledged that a movie with more action would sell better, but he continued to make these movies anyway.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/mamoru-oshii-1798208379| title=Interview Mamoru Oshii| newspaper=AV Club| access-date=26 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130110163858/http://www.avclub.com/articles/mamoru-oshii,13890/|archive-date=10 January 2013}}</ref> When Oshii went back to make changes to the original ''Ghost in the Shell'' to re-release it as ''Ghost in the Shell 2.0'', one of the reasons he gave was that the film did not resemble [[Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence|the sequel]], and that he wanted to update the film to reflect changes in perspective.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2009/10/02/retrofitting-the-future-ghost-in-the-shell-20/| title=Retrofitting the Future: Ghost in the Shell 2.0| date=2 October 2009| publisher=Electric Sheep Magazine| access-date=26 July 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130727022651/http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2009/10/02/retrofitting-the-future-ghost-in-the-shell-20/|archive-date=27 July 2013}}</ref>

=== Design ===
[[Hiroyuki Okiura]], the character designer and key animation supervisor, designed Motoko to be more mature and serious than [[Masamune Shirow]]'s original portrayal of the character in [[Ghost in the Shell (manga)|the manga]]. Okiura chose to depict a physically mature person to match Motoko's mental age, instead of her youthful twenty-something appearance in the manga.<ref name=report /> Motoko's demeanor lacks the comedic facial expressions and rebellious nature depicted in the manga, instead taking on a more wistful and contemplative personality.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who Is The Real Motoko Kusanagi?|last=Ruh|first=Brian|website=Anime News Network|date=22 March 2017|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2017-03-22/who-is-the-real-motoko-kusanagi/.113722|access-date=4 May 2023|archive-date=30 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330235223/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2017-03-22/who-is-the-real-motoko-kusanagi/.113722|url-status=live}}</ref> Oshii based the setting for ''Ghost in the Shell'' on [[Hong Kong]], commenting that his first thought to find an image of the future setting was an Asian city, but finding a suitable cityscape of the future would be impossible, and so he chose to use the real streets of Hong Kong as his model.<ref name="ags">{{Cite book|title=Liquid Metal: The Science Fiction Film Reader|last=Redmond|first=Sean|publisher=Wallflower Press|year=2004|isbn=9780231501842|location=New York|pages=101–112|oclc=876042630}}</ref> He also said that Hong Kong was the perfect subject and theme for the film with its countless signs and the cacophony of sounds.<ref name="report" /> The film's [[mecha]] designer Takeuchi Atsushi noted that while the film does not have a chosen setting, it is obviously based on Hong Kong because the city represented the theme of the film, which was that the old and new exist in a strange relationship during an age of an information deluge. Before shooting the film, the artists drew sketches that emphasized Hong Kong's chaotic, confusing and overwhelming aspects.<ref name="ags" />

=== Animation ===
''Ghost in the Shell'' used a novel process called "digitally generated animation" (DGA), which is a combination of [[cel animation]], [[computer graphics]] (CG), and audio that is entered as digital data. In 1995, DGA was thought to be the future of animation, as it allowed traditional animation to be combined with computer graphics and digital cel work with visual displays. Editing was performed on an AVID system of [[Avid Technology]], which was chosen because it was more versatile and less limiting than other methods and worked with the different types of media in a single environment.<ref name=report /> The digital cel work included both original illustrations, compositions and manipulation with traditional cel animation to create a sense of depth and evoke emotion and feelings. Filters like a lens effect were used to create a sense of depth and motion by distorting the front background and making the far background out of focus throughout shots. ''Ghost in the Shell'' used a unique lighting system in which light and darkness were integrated into the cels with attention to light and shadow sources instead of using contrast to control the light. Art director Hiromasa Ogura described this as "a very unusual lighting technique".<ref name=report />

Some special effects, like Motoko's "[[Active camouflage|thermo-optical camouflage]]", were rendered through the use of TIMA software.{{Clarify|date=March 2023|reason=no link or sourced information given about this software}} The process uses a single illustration and manipulates the image as necessary to produce distortions for effect in combination with a background without altering the original illustration. The effect is re-added back into the shot to complete the scene. While the visual displays used in the film were technically simple to create, the appearance of the displays underwent numerous revisions by the production team to best represent visual displays of the future. Another aspect of the CG use was to create images and effects that looked as if they were "perceived by the brain" and were generated in video and added to the film in its final stages.<ref name=report /> The opening credits of the film were produced by the CG director, Seichi Tanaka. Tanaka converted code in a computer language displayed in [[Romanization of Japanese|romanized Japanese letters]] to numbers before inserting them into the computer to generate the credits. The origin of this code is the names of the film's staff as written in a computer language.<ref name=report /> Animation director Mizuho Nishikubo was responsible for the realism and strove for accurate depictions of movement and effects. The pursuit of realism included the staff conducting firearms research at a facility in [[Guam]]. Nishikubo has highlighted the tank scene as an example of the movie's realism, noting that bullets create sparks when hitting metal, but do not spark when a bullet strikes stone.<ref name=report />

=== Audio ===
''Ghost in the Shell''{{'}}s recording was done with a high-end studio to achieve superior sound throughout the film. A spatializer was used to alter the sound and, specifically in the electronic brain conversations, modify the characters’ voices.<ref name=report /> Composer [[Kenji Kawai]] wrote the film’s score. For the main theme, Kawai tried to imagine the setting and convey the essence of that world in the music. He incorporated [[classical Japanese|classical Japanese music]] in the opening theme "Making of a Cyborg".<ref name=report /> The composition is a mixture of Bulgarian harmony<ref name=gamesetwatch>{{cite web| url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/02/sound_current_kenji_kawai_the.php| title=Sound Current: 'Kenji Kawai - Game and Anime Intersections'| publisher=Game Set Watch| date=24 February 2010| access-date=8 November 2013| archive-date=9 November 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109021832/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/02/sound_current_kenji_kawai_the.php| url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVqrW-fPOQ0| title=Sound Current: 'Bulgarian folklor- Kafal sviri'| website=[[YouTube]]| date=29 July 2012| access-date=28 March 2017| archive-date=8 April 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408015652/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVqrW-fPOQ0| url-status=live }}</ref> and traditional Japanese notes; the haunting [[Choir|choral]]s are a wedding song sung to dispel all evil influences. Symphony conductor Sarah Penicka-Smith notes that the song's lyrics are fitting for the union between Kusanagi and Project 2501 at the climax of the film.<ref>Sarah Penicka-Smith, "Cyborg Songs for an Existential Crisis", in ''Anime and Philosophy: Wide Eyed Wonder'', eds. Josef Steiff & Tristan D. Tamplin (Chicago: Open Court, 2010), 261–74.</ref> Kawai originally wanted to use [[Bulgarian folk music]] singers, but used Japanese ones instead.<ref name=gamesetwatch/> "See You Everyday" is different from the rest of the soundtrack, being a pop song sung in [[Cantonese]] by Fang Ka Wing.<ref name=sound1 />

The ending credits theme of the film's English version is "One Minute Warning" by Passengers, a collaboration between [[U2]] and [[Brian Eno]]. The song appeared on the album ''[[Original Soundtracks 1]]'', and was one of three songs on that album to actually be featured in a film.<ref name=Ebert>{{cite web| url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ghost-in-the-shell-1996| title=Ghost in the Shell| publisher=[[RogerEbert.com]]| date=12 April 1996| access-date=13 February 2017| archive-date=1 April 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401045613/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ghost-in-the-shell-1996| url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.u2.com/discography/index/album/albumId/4076/tagName/Other| title=Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1| publisher=[[U2]]| access-date=13 February 2017| archive-date=14 February 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214004809/http://www.u2.com/discography/index/album/albumId/4076/tagName/Other| url-status=live }}</ref> Andy Frain, the founder of [[Manga Entertainment]] and an executive producer for the film, was a former marketing director for [[Island Records]], the [[record label]] that publishes U2's discography.<ref name=Answerman />

== Releases ==
The film had its world premiere at the [[Tokyo International Film Festival]] on 18 October 1995 before its general release in November.<ref name=report /> It premiered in the United Kingdom on 11 November 1995 as part of the [[BFI London Film Festival|London Film Festival]] in Leicester Square. It was originally rated R by the [[Motion Picture Association|Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA) due to full nudity and graphic violence when it was first released in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 March 2017|title=Ghost in the Shell Rated PG-13 by MPAA|url=http://www.horrornewsnetwork.net/ghost-shell-rated-pg-13-mpaa/|access-date=3 June 2021|website=Horror News Network|language=en-US|archive-date=21 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421151354/http://www.horrornewsnetwork.net/ghost-shell-rated-pg-13-mpaa/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The film grossed {{US$|10 million|long=no}} in global box office revenue, but this fell short of the film's budget, thus failing to recoup production costs.<ref name="crunchyroll">{{cite news|title=30 Years of Akira: The Triumph and Legacy of a Legendary Film|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2018/07/16/30-years-of-akira-the-triumph-and-legacy-of-a-legendary-film|work=[[Crunchyroll]]|date=16 July 2018|access-date=28 November 2018|archive-date=28 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128075345/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2018/07/16/30-years-of-akira-the-triumph-and-legacy-of-a-legendary-film|url-status=live }}</ref> However, a [[cult following]] emerged following the film’s release on [[home video]], with  it grossing approximately {{US$|{{#expr:10+33}} million|long=no}} in total box office and home video sales revenue. The English dub of the film was released in the United Kingdom on 8 December 1995 by Metrodome Distribution, and in the United States on 29 March 1996 by [[Palm Pictures]]. The "2.0" version was released in theatres in [[Tokyo]], [[Osaka]], [[Nagoya]], [[Fukuoka]], and [[Sapporo]] on 12 July 2008.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-08/ghost-in-the-shell-to-return-to-japanese-theaters| title = Ghost in the Shell to Return to Japanese Theaters| work = Anime News Network| access-date = 9 November 2011| archive-date = 23 October 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121023142228/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-08/ghost-in-the-shell-to-return-to-japanese-theaters| url-status = live }}</ref> In 2021, the film was given an IMAX restoration and limited theatrical release.<ref name="IMAX National Science and Media Museum" />

=== Home media ===
In Japan, the film was released on [[VHS]] on 26 April 1996.<ref>{{cite web|title=GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊 (VHS)|url=http://sp.tsutaya.co.jp/item/rental_dvd/130984225.html|publisher=Tsutaya Online|language=ja|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-date=21 February 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221001201/http://sp.tsutaya.co.jp/item/rental_dvd/130984225.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[DVD]] version was released on 25 February 2004 as a "Special Edition" release, in which the film was fully restored and digitally remastered from the original film elements in both original fullscreen form and in letterboxed widescreen form, and with the audio being digitally remixed in English and Japanese.<ref>{{cite web|title=GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊 (DVD)|url=http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/2348996/s/|publisher=Jbook|language=ja|access-date=7 December 2012|archive-date=2 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102034710/http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/2348996/s/|url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Ghost in the Shell'' was released on [[Blu-ray]] on 24 August 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊 (BD)|url=http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/bd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCXA-0005&return_url=itemsearch.quickReturned|publisher=Bandai Visuals|language=ja|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101082446/http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/bd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCXA-0005&return_url=itemsearch.quickReturned|archive-date=1 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the United States, the film was released on VHS on 18 June 1996 through [[Manga Entertainment]], and on DVD on 31 March 1998 by [[PolyGram Video]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/ghost-shell_article_73613.html|title=Ghost in the Shell|date=21 March 1998|website=Mania.com|access-date=31 July 2013|last=Beveridge|first=Chris|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031200451/http://www.mania.com/ghost-shell_article_73613.html|archive-date=31 October 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Ghost in the Shell DVD|url= http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.asp?item_id=218|publisher= DVD Empire|access-date= 6 December 2012|archive-date= 22 January 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130122171003/http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.asp?item_id=218|url-status= live}}</ref> Like the much later Japanese "Special Edition", the DVD is a fully restored and digitally remastered cut with multiple language tracks, but unlike the Japanese release, it includes a 30-minute documentary on the making of the film.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Ghost in the DVD|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=97|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=August 1997|page=19}}</ref> Another special edition DVD was released in the United States by [[Manga Entertainment]] on 11 January 2005.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-12-02/special-edition-ghost-in-the-shell | title=Special Edition "Ghost in the Shell" | date=21 May 2023 | access-date=20 January 2023 | archive-date=9 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209224006/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-12-02/special-edition-ghost-in-the-shell | url-status=live }}</ref>
The special edition contains an additional disc containing character dossiers, a creator biography, the director's biography, and ''Ghost in the Shell'' trailers and previews.<ref>{{cite news|title= Special Edition "Ghost in the Shell"|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-12-02/special-edition-ghost-in-the-shell|work= Anime News Network|access-date= 7 December 2012|archive-date= 6 November 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121106100513/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-12-02/special-edition-ghost-in-the-shell|url-status= live}}</ref> Manga Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray on 24 November 2009; this version contains the original film and the remastering, but omits the audio commentary and face-to-face interview with Oshii, which are listed on its box.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ghost-in-the-Shell-2.0-Blu-ray/6955/|title=Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Blu-ray|access-date=31 July 2013|archive-date=25 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525053402/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ghost-in-the-Shell-2.0-Blu-ray/6955/|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2697/ghostintheshell2.0.html| title=Blu-ray Review - Ghost in the Shell 2.0| publisher=High-def digest| access-date=31 July 2013| archive-date=31 October 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031211252/http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2697/ghostintheshell2.0.html| url-status=live }}</ref> Manga Entertainment and [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] re-released the film on Blu-ray with a brand new HD film print on 23 September 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2014-06-19/fantasia-announces-a-first-wave-of-2014-programming/.75741|title=Fantasia Announces A First Wave of 2014 Programming|type=Press Release|work=Anime News Network|date=19 June 2014|access-date=21 June 2014|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218223428/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2014-06-19/fantasia-announces-a-first-wave-of-2014-programming/.75741|url-status=live}}</ref> The release was met with criticism for its poorly-translated English subtitles and lack of special features.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avforums.com/review/ghost-in-the-shell-blu-ray-review.10731|title=Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray Review|work=AVForums|date=26 September 2014 |access-date=10 June 2015|archive-date=10 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610224156/https://www.avforums.com/review/ghost-in-the-shell-blu-ray-review.10731|url-status=live}}</ref>  The film was re-released on UHD 4K Blu-ray by [[Lionsgate Studios|Lionsgate]] on 8 September 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-07-30/lionsgate-to-release-ghost-in-the-shell-anime-film-on-uhd-4k-blu-ray-disc-on-september-8/.162364|title=Lionsgate to Release Ghost in the Shell Anime Film on UHD 4K Blu-ray Disc on September 8|date=30 July 2020|first=Alex|last=Mateo|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=30 July 2020|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731012422/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-07-30/lionsgate-to-release-ghost-in-the-shell-anime-film-on-uhd-4k-blu-ray-disc-on-september-8/.162364|url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 1996, ''Ghost in the Shell'' became the first [[Japanese film]] to top the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' video sales chart, with over 200,000 VHS copies sold.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Look Japan|journal=[[Look Japan]]|date=1997|volume=43|issue=493–504|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZ5WAAAAYAAJ|publisher=Look Japan, Limited|quote=The video version, issued by an American distributor, went on to sell over 200,000 copies, making Ghost in the Shell the first Japanese movie to hit Number One on Billboard magazine's video sales chart last August.|access-date=28 November 2018|archive-date=21 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821102810/https://books.google.com/books?id=TZ5WAAAAYAAJ|url-status=live }}</ref> By 2002, the film's home video releases sold more than 1.6{{nbsp}}million units worldwide,<ref>{{cite news|title=攻殻機動隊 ＳＴＡＮＤ ＡＬＯＮＥ ＣＯＭＰＬＥＸ」 「攻殻機動隊 Ｓ．Ａ．Ｃ． ２ｎｄ ＧＩＧ」 をブルーレイディスクボックスで発売|url=https://www.bandainamco.co.jp/files/pr090820E3808CE694BBE6AEBBSACE3808DBDBOXE383AAE383AAE383BCE382B920_E8A882E6ADA3E78988_.pdf|publisher=[[Bandai Namco Holdings]]|date=20 August 2009|access-date=27 November 2018|archive-date=5 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705062635/http://www.bandainamco.co.jp/files/pr090820E3808CE694BBE6AEBBSACE3808DBDBOXE383AAE383AAE383BCE382B920_E8A882E6ADA3E78988_.pdf|url-status=live }}</ref> including over 100,000 units in Japan and more than 1{{nbsp}}million units in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=新シリーズ「攻殻機動隊 ＳＴＡＮＤ ＡＬＯＮＥ ＣＯＭＰＬＥＸ」 バンダイビジュアル創立２０周年の記念事業として、世界展開を視野に入れた 一大プロジェクトがついに始動|url=http://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/pdf/2002/pr020722.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060112123911/http://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/pdf/2002/pr020722.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 January 2006|website=[[Bandai Visual]]|publisher=[[Bandai]]|date=22 July 2002|access-date=12 January 2006}}</ref> At a retail price of $19.95,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top Video Sales|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=5 October 1996|volume=108|issue=40|page=86|publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0QkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA86|access-date=28 November 2018|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615001555/https://books.google.com/books?id=0QkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA86|url-status=live }}</ref> the film grossed approximately {{US$|{{#expr:1.6*19.95 round 0}} million|long=no}} in video sales revenue. In 2017, the Blu-ray release sold 26,487 copies and grossed $675,002 in the United States,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3811|title=Kôkaku kidôtai (1996)|publisher=JPBox-Office|date=29 January 1997|access-date=30 October 2013|archive-date=1 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101104558/http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3811|url-status=live }}</ref> bringing the film's total worldwide video sales to 1.63{{nbsp}}million units and approximately {{US$|33 million|long=no}} in gross revenue. The film was the first anime video to reach ''Billboard''{{'}}s {{Numero|1}} video slot at the time of its release.<ref name="special edition">{{cite web|title= Ghost in the Shell Anime Special Edition|url= http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/5674.html|publisher= ICv2|access-date= 28 November 2012|archive-date= 1 November 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131101035609/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/5674.html|url-status= live}}</ref> The film ranked as the ninth top-selling anime DVD movie in North America in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|date=31 January 2006|title=Top Selling Anime DVD Movies|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-01-31/top-selling-anime-dvd-movies|access-date=5 December 2012|work=Anime News Network|archive-date=9 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109195903/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-01-31/top-selling-anime-dvd-movies|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Other media ===
[[Kenji Kawai]]'s original soundtrack for the film was released on 22 November 1995.<ref name=sound1>{{cite web|url=http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/50139/s/|title=Ghost in the Shell－攻殻機動隊－|language=ja|access-date=22 October 2012|archive-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111015210/http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/50139/s/|url-status=dead }}</ref> The last track included Yoshimasa Mizuno's pop song "See You Everyday".<ref name="allmusic-credits">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ghost-in-the-shell-original-soundtrack-mw0000734790/credits|work=[[Allmusic]]|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|title=Ghost in the Shell (Original Soundtrack) - Kenji Kawai|author=Tataki, Ken|access-date=15 August 2013|archive-date=14 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614124212/https://www.allmusic.com/album/ghost-in-the-shell-original-soundtrack-mw0000734790/credits|url-status=live}}</ref> After the release of ''Ghost in the Shell 2.0'', an updated version of the soundtrack was released on 17 December 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/3647210/s/|title=攻殻機動隊2.0 Original Soundtrack|language=ja|access-date=22 October 2012|archive-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111015106/http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/3647210/s/|url-status=live }}</ref> A Photo-CD of the film was released in Japan on 20 November 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=2080087|title=GHOST IN THE SHELL 攻殻機動隊 PHOTO-CD|language=ja|publisher=Kodansha|access-date=4 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101105623/http://bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=2080087|archive-date=1 November 2013 }}</ref> A spin-off novel written by Endo Akira, titled {{nihongo|''Ghost in the Shell: Burning City''|攻殻機動隊灼熱の都市|Kōkaku kidōtai shakunetsu no toshi}}, was published by [[Kodansha]] and released in Japan in November 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.7netshopping.jp/books/detail/-/accd/1101287116/subno/1|script-title= ja:攻殻機動隊 灼熱の都市|language= ja|access-date= 25 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610225626/http://www.7netshopping.jp/books/detail/-/accd/1101287116/subno/1|archive-date= 10 June 2015|url-status= dead }}</ref> It was followed by a sequel, titled {{nihongo|''Ghost in the Shell 2: Star Seed''|攻殻機動隊2: Star Seed}}, released in January 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.7netshopping.jp/books/detail/-/accd/1101474223/subno/1|title= 攻殻機動隊2 Star Seed|language= ja|access-date= 26 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101061446/http://www.7netshopping.jp/books/detail/-/accd/1101474223/subno/1|archive-date= 1 November 2013|url-status= dead }}</ref> A book titled ''Analysis of Ghost in the Shell'' was released on 25 September 1997, by Kodansha.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=306591X|title=Ghost in the Shell～攻殻機動隊 ビデオノートリミング版 士郎正宗 講談社|language=ja|publisher=Kodansha|access-date=12 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112152253/http://bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=306591X|archive-date=12 November 2013 }}</ref>

=== ''Ghost in the Shell 2.0'' re-release ===
An updated version of the original film, titled {{nihongo|'''''Ghost in the Shell 2.0'''''|GHOST IN THE SHELL／攻殻機動隊 2.0|Gōsuto in za sheru / Kōkaku kidōtai 2.0}}, was made in celebration for the release of ''[[The Sky Crawlers (film)|The Sky Crawlers]]'' in 2008.<ref name="koukaku-ver2.html">{{cite news|url=http://sky.crawlers.jp/news/koukaku-ver2.html|title=「スカイ・クロラ」公開記念VERSION2.0始動！『GHOST IN THE SHELL 攻殻機動隊2.0』|publisher=The Sky Crawlers (2008 film) official website|date=19 June 2008|access-date=3 August 2008|language=ja|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913090659/http://sky.crawlers.jp/news/koukaku-ver2.html|archive-date=13 September 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sky.crawlers.jp/tsushin/news/gohst-in-the-shell20.html| title =「GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊2.0」公開初日トークショー開催！「イノセンス」上映決定！| publisher =The Sky Crawlers (2008 film) official website| date =12 July 2008| access-date =3 August 2008| language =ja| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731095352/http://sky.crawlers.jp/tsushin/news/gohst-in-the-shell20.html| archive-date =31 July 2008| url-status =dead }}</ref> 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-[[Computer-generated imagery|CG]]. It includes a new opening, digital screens and holographic displays, and omits several brief scenes.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=825158| title=Ghost in the Shell (Comparison: Theatrical Version - Ghost in the Shell 2.0)| publisher=Movie Censorship| access-date=21 August 2013| archive-date=18 October 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018201929/http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=825158| url-status=live }}</ref> The original soundtrack was also re-arranged and re-recorded. Kenji Kawai remixed the ''Version 2.0'' soundtrack in [[surround sound|6.1 Channel Surround]]. [[Randy Thom]] of [[Skywalker Sound]] reprised his role as sound designer, having worked previously on ''[[Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence]]''.<ref name="koukaku-ver2.html" /> In the new soundtrack, the Japanese voice dialogue was also re-recorded, with some variation from the original script to modernize the speech. [[Yoshiko Sakakibara]] replaced [[Iemasa Kayumi]] as the voice of the Puppet Master.<ref name="koukaku-ver2.html" /> ''2.0'' was re-released in DVD and [[Blu-ray]] in Japan on 19 December 2008.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/dvd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCBA-3372&return_url=itemsearch.quickReturned| title = GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊2.0 (DVD)| publisher = Bandai Visuals| language = ja| access-date = 6 December 2012| archive-date = 1 November 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131101080849/http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/dvd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCBA-3372&return_url=itemsearch.quickReturned| url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/bd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCXA-0100| title = GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊2.0 (BD)| publisher = Bandai Visuals| language = ja| access-date = 6 December 2012| archive-date = 3 January 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130103041315/http://shop.bandaivisual.co.jp/mall/shop/bd?EcLogicName=catalog.detail&item_no=BCXA-0100| url-status = dead }}</ref>

== Reception ==
On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 95% based on 62 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A stunning feat of modern animation, ''Ghost in the Shell'' offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ghost_in_the_shell|title=Ghost in the Shell (1995)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207013509/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ghost_in_the_shell/|archive-date=7 December 2019|url-status=live}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ghost-in-the-shell|title=Ghost in the Shell (1996) Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date=24 October 2019|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617161915/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/ghost-in-the-shell|url-status=live }}</ref>

Niels Matthijs of [[Twitch Film]] praised the film, stating, "Not only is ''Kokaku Kidotai'' an essential film in the canon of Japanese animation, together with Kubrick's ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' and Tarkovsky's ''[[Solaris (1972 film)|Solaris]]'' it completes a trio of book adaptations that transcend the popularity of their originals and [give] a new meaning to an already popular brand."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2012/01/review-ghost-in-the-shell-personal-favorites-48.html| title = GHOST IN THE SHELL (Personal Favorites #48)| access-date = 15 December 2012| date = 31 January 2006| work = Twitch Film| url-status = dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227081611/http://twitchfilm.com/2012/01/review-ghost-in-the-shell-personal-favorites-48.html| archive-date = 27 December 2012| df = dmy-all}}</ref> Clark Collis of ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' opined that the film was predictable, but praised its production values.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=2929| title = Ghost in the Shell| access-date = 20 October 2012| last = Collis| first = Clark| work = Empire Online| archive-date = 12 June 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130612233554/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=2929| url-status = live }}</ref> Johnathan Mays of [[Anime News Network]] praised the animation combined with the computer effects, calling it "perhaps the best synthesis ever witnessed in anime".<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/ghost-in-the-shell/dvd| title = Ghost in the Shell DVD| access-date = 29 October 2012| last = Mays| first = Johnathan| work = Anime News Network| archive-date = 27 October 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121027114943/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/ghost-in-the-shell/dvd| url-status = live }}</ref> [[Helen McCarthy]] in ''500 Essential Anime Movies'' describes the film as "one of the best anime ever made", praising its screenplay and "atmospheric score", and adding that "action scenes as good as anything in the current [[Hollywood blockbuster]] are supported by [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI effects]] that can still astonish".<ref>[[Helen McCarthy|McCarthy, Helen]]. ''500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide''. — Harper Design, 2009. — P. 20-21. — 528 p. — {{ISBN|978-0061474507}}</ref> In a 1996 review, film critic [[Roger Ebert]] rated the film three out of four stars, praising the visuals, soundtrack and themes, but felt that the film was "too complex and murky to reach a large audience ... it's not until the second hour that the story begins to reveal its meaning".<ref name=Ebert /> In February 2004, ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' listed the film as one of the "10 Essential Animations" alongside Oshii's 1984 film ''[[Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer|Beautiful Dreamer]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Persons|first1=Dan|title=The Americanization of Anime: 10 Essential Animations|journal=[[Cinefantastique]]|date=February–March 2004|volume=36|issue=1|page=48|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&q=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE|access-date=28 April 2017|archive-date=28 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428143017/https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&dq=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE|url-status=live}}</ref> It ranked 35 on [[Total Film]]'s 2010 top list of 50 Animated Films.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/50-greatest-animated-movies|title=Top 50 Greatest Animated Movies|access-date=20 October 2012|date=22 November 2010|work=Total Film|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523152706/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/50-greatest-animated-movies|archive-date=23 May 2014 }}</ref> The film ranked {{Numero|4}} on ''Wizards Anime'' Magazine on their "Top 50 Anime released in North America".<ref>{{cite news| date=6 July 2001| title=Wizard lists Top 50 Anime| url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime| work=[[Anime News Network]]| access-date=2 February 2014| archive-date=2 April 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402111019/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime| url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Awards ===
The film won Best Screenplay at the [[Yokohama Film Festival]] and was nominated in five [[Annie Awards|Annie Award]] categories at the [[24th Annie Awards]]: [[Annie Award for Best Animated Feature|Best Animated Feature]], [[Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Directing in a Feature Production|Best Achievement in Directing]] ([[Mamoru Oshii]]), Best Achievement in Producing ([[Mitsuhisa Ishikawa]], Ken Iyadomi, Ken Matsumoto, Yoshimasa Mizuo, and Shigeru Watanabe), [[Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production|Best Achievement in Production Design]] (Takashi Watabe and Hiromasa Ogura), and [[Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in a Feature Production|Best Achievement in Writing]] ([[Kazunori Itō|Kazunori Itô]]), but all lost to ''[[Toy Story]]''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Ghost in the Shell (1995) - Awards - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113568/awards/ |access-date=17 June 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=17 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617121417/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113568/awards/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Legacy ==

''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."<ref name="silver-anime-2">[[Joel Silver]], interviewed in "Making ''The Matrix''" featurette on ''The Matrix'' DVD.</ref> ''The Matrix'' series took inspiration from several concepts from the film, with the [[Matrix digital rain|digital rain]] being inspired by the film's opening credits, and the way characters access the Matrix through holes in the back of their necks, directly paralleling the method of electronic communication in the film. Other parallels have been drawn to [[James Cameron]]'s ''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]'', [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''[[A.I. Artificial Intelligence]]'', and [[Jonathan Mostow]]'s ''[[Surrogates]]''. Cameron described ''Ghost in the Shell'' as "a stunning work of speculative fiction...the first to reach a level of literary excellence."<ref>{{citation |last=Rose |first=Steve |title=Hollywood is haunted by ''Ghost in the Shell'' |date=19 October 2009 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/19/hollywood-ghost-in-the-shell |access-date=27 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308101232/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/19/hollywood-ghost-in-the-shell |archive-date=8 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Schrodt|first1=Paul|title=How the original 'Ghost in the Shell' changed sci-fi and the way we think about the future|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/original-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-influence-2017-3|access-date=14 June 2019|work=[[Business Insider]]|date=1 April 2017|archive-date=26 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826142138/https://www.businessinsider.com/original-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-influence-2017-3|url-status=live }}</ref>

== Themes ==

The film explores the nature of human [[cyborg]]s, [[consciousness]], [[Artificial consciousness|self-aware computer programs]], and memory alteration.<ref name="Suderman">{{cite web| url=https://www.vox.com/2017/4/4/15138682/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-philosophy| title="The original Ghost in the Shell is iconic anime, and a rich philosophical text"| publisher=Vox| date=April 2017| access-date=9 February 2022| author=Suderman, Peter| archive-date=29 April 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429110532/https://www.vox.com/2017/4/4/15138682/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-philosophy| url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hains">{{cite web| url=https://www.looper.com/622067/the-ending-of-ghost-in-the-shell-explained/| title="The Ending Of Ghost In The Shell Explained"| publisher=Looper| date=October 2021| access-date=9 February 2022| author=Hains, Sidney Baum| archive-date=9 February 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209221551/https://www.looper.com/622067/the-ending-of-ghost-in-the-shell-explained/}}</ref> In one of the monologues delivered by the Puppet Master throughout the film, it is argued that the human [[DNA]] is nothing more than a program designed to self-preserve.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=THE GHOST OUTSIDE ITS SHELL: REVISITING THE PHILOSOPHY OF GHOST IN THE SHELL|last=Komel|first=Mirt|journal=Teorija in Praksa|date=2016|volume=53|pages=926}}</ref> There are also multiple mentions of the act of granting [[Right of asylum|political asylum]] to self-aware computer programs.

The film depicts Motoko's identity and ontological concerns and ends with the [[evolution]] of the Puppet Master, a being incapable of reproduction.<ref name="Orbaugh2">{{cite web| url=http://www.depauw.edu/site/sfs/backissues/88/orbaugh.html| title=Sex and the Single Cyborg: Japanese Popular Culture Experiments in Subjectivity| publisher=Science Fiction Studies| work=Volume 88| date=November 2002| access-date=16 August 2013| author=Orbaugh, Sharalyn| archive-date=4 September 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904073024/http://www.depauw.edu/site/sfs/backissues/88/orbaugh.html| url-status=live }}</ref> Austin Corbett characterized the lack of sexualization from her team as freedom from femininity, noting that Motoko is "overtly feminine, and clearly non-female".<ref name="Corbett">{{cite web| url=http://jetpress.org/v20/corbett.htm| title=Beyond Ghost in the (Human) Shell| work=Journal of Evolution and Technology - Vol. 20 Issue 1| date=March 2009| access-date=16 August 2013| author=Corbett, Austin| pages=43–50| archive-date=25 September 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925225706/http://jetpress.org/v20/corbett.htm| url-status=live }}</ref> Joseph Schaub discusses the gender-defying manner in which the Puppet Master is portrayed, visualized with a blonde woman's bare-chested torso but speaking in a male voice and referred to with masculine pronouns.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schaub |first=Joseph Christopher |date=2001-01-01 |title=Kusanagi's body: Gender and technology in mecha-anime |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/01292980109364805 |journal=Asian Journal of Communication |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=79–100 |doi=10.1080/01292980109364805 |issn=0129-2986|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In describing Motoko as a "shapely" and "strong [female protagonist] at the center of the story" who is "nevertheless almost continuously nude", Roger Ebert noted that "an article about anime in a recent issue of ''[[Film Quarterly]]''<ref>Annalee Newitz, 'Magical Girls and Atomic Bomb Sperm: Japanese Animation in America', ''Film Quarterly'' 49, no. 1 (Autumn 1995): 2-15.</ref> suggests that to be a '[[salary man]]' in modern Japan is so exhausting and dehumanizing that many men (who form the largest part of the animation audience) project both freedom and power onto women, and identify with them as fictional characters".<ref name=Ebert /> Carl Silvio has called ''Ghost in the Shell'' a "resistant film", due to its inversion of traditional gender roles, its "valorization of the post-gendered subject", and its de-emphasis of the sexual specificity of the material body.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Silvio|first=Carl|title=Refiguring the Radical Cyborg in Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell|journal=Science Fiction Studies|date=March 1999|volume=26|issue=1|pages=54–72 |doi=10.1525/sfs.26.1.0054 |url=http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/backissues/77/silvio77.htm|access-date=9 November 2013|archive-date=1 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901042318/http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/backissues/77/silvio77.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of cult films]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* <!-- Bolton 2018 --> {{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Christopher |title=[[Interpreting Anime]] |publisher=[[University of Minnesota Press]] |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-4529-5683-1}}
* {{in lang|fr}} Sébastien Denis. "L'esprit et l'enveloppe : De quelques personnages utopiques", ''CinémAction'' 115 (2005): [whole issue].
* William O. Gardner. "The [[Cyber sublime|Cyber Sublime]] and the Virtual Mirror: Information and Media in the Works of Oshii Mamoru and Kon Satoshi", ''Canadian Journal of Film Studies'' 18, no. 1 (Spring 2009): 44–70.
* [[Susan J. Napier]]. "Doll parts: technology and the body in ''Ghost in the Shell''", in ''[[Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation]]''. NY: Palgrave, 2000, pp. 103–20.
* Dan Persons. "Ghost in the Shell", ''Cinefantastique'' 28, no. 1 (August 1996): 46–51.
* Brian Ruh. "Ghost in the Shell (1995)", in ''Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii''. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, pp.&nbsp;119–140.
* Joseph Christopher Schaub. "Kusanagi's Body: Gender and Technology in Mecha-anime", ''Asian Journal of Communication'' 11, no. 2 (2001): 79–100.
* Ueno Toshiya. "Japanimation and Techno-Orientalism", ''Documentary Box'' 9, no. 31 (Dec 1996): 1–5.

==External links==
*Manga Entertainment page: [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181133/http://ghostintheshell.manga.com/ GITS], [https://web.archive.org/web/20160315215202/http://www.manga.com/titles/ghost-shell-20 GITS 2.0]
*Production I.G page: [http://www.production-ig.com/contents/works_sp/16_/index.html GITS], [http://www.production-ig.com/contents/works/02_/001072.html GITS 2.0]
*{{IMDb title|0113568|Ghost in the Shell}}
*{{IMDb title|1260502|Ghost in the Shell 2.0}}
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|ghost_in_the_shell}}
*{{Anime News Network|movie|465|Ghost in the Shell|noparen}}
*[http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1995/ds002870.htm ''Ghost in the Shell''] at the [[Japanese Movie Database]] {{in lang|ja}}
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