Misplaced Pages

Ghost in the Shell

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ryulong (talk | contribs) at 07:28, 14 April 2014 (fixing formatting errors). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 07:28, 14 April 2014 by Ryulong (talk | contribs) (fixing formatting errors)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This article is about the media franchise. For other uses, see Ghost in the Shell (disambiguation).
Ghost in the Shell
Cover of The Ghost in the Shell, the first volume of the manga
攻殻機動隊
(Kōkaku Kidōtai)
GenreCyberpunk
Manga
Written byMasamune Shirow
Published byKodansha
English publisher
MagazineYoung Magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original runMay 1989 – August 1997
Volumes3 (List of volumes)
Anime film
Directed byMamoru Oshii
Produced byYoshimasa Mizuo
Ken Matsumoto
Ken Iyadomi
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
Written byKazunori Itō
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioProduction I.G
Released
  • November 18, 1995 (1995-11-18)
Runtime82 minutes
Video game
DeveloperExact
GenreAction, third-person shooter
PlatformPlayStation
Anime television series
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Directed byKenji Kamiyama
Written byKenji Kamiyama
Music byYoko Kanno
StudioProduction I.G
Related

Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊, Kōkaku Kidōtai, literally "Mobile Armored Riot Police") is a Japanese media franchise originally published as a seinen manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized in 1989 under the subtitle of The Ghost in the Shell, and later published as its own tankōbon volumes by Kodansha, told the story of the fictional counter-cyberterrorist organization Public Security Section 9, led by protagonist Major Motoko Kusanagi, in the mid 21st century of Japan.

Animation studio Production I.G has produced several different anime adaptations of Ghost in the Shell, starting with the 1995 film of the same name, telling the story of Section 9's investigation of the Puppet Master. The television series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex followed in 2002, telling an alternate story from the manga and first film, featuring Section 9's investigations of government corruption in the Laughing Man and Individual Eleven incidents. The year 2013 saw the start of the Ghost in the Shell: Arise film series with the release of the first two episodes. The third and final episode in the series is set to be released on June 28th, 2014.

Title

Shirow has stated that he had always wanted the title of his manga to be "GHOST IN THE SHELL", even in Japan, but his original publishers preferred Kōkaku Kidōtai (攻殻機動隊). He had chosen "Ghost in the Shell" in homage to Arthur Koestler's The Ghost in the Machine, from which he also drew inspiration.

Setting

Main articles: World of Ghost in the Shell and List of Ghost in the Shell characters

Primarily set in the mid-twenty-first century in the fictional Japanese city of Niihama, Niihama Prefecture (新浜県新浜市, Niihama-ken Niihama-shi), otherwise known as New Port City (ニューポートシティ, Nyū Pōto Shiti), the manga and the many anime adaptations follow the members of Public Security Section 9, a special-operations task-force made up of former military officers and police detectives. Political intrigue and counter-terrorism operations are standard fare for Section 9, but the various actions of corrupt officials, companies, and cyber-criminals in each scenario are unique and require the diverse skills of Section 9's staff to prevent a series of incidents from escalating.

In this post-cyberpunk iteration of a possible future, computer technology has advanced to the point that many members of the public possess cyberbrains, technology that allows them to interface their biological brain with various networks. The level of cyberization varies from simple minimal interfaces to almost complete replacement of the brain with cybernetic parts, in cases of severe trauma. This can also be combined with various levels of prostheses, with a fully prosthetic body enabling a person to become a cyborg. The heroine of Ghost in the Shell, Major Motoko Kusanagi, is such a cyborg, having had a terrible accident befall her as a child that ultimately required that she use a full-body prosthesis to house her cyberbrain. This high level of cyberization, however, opens the brain up to attacks from highly skilled hackers, with the most dangerous being those who will hack a person to bend to their whims.

Media

Original manga

Main article: Ghost in the Shell (manga)

The Ghost in the Shell originally ran from April 1989 to November 1990 in Kodansha's manga anthology Young Magazine, and was released in tankobon format on October 2, 1991. Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface ran in Young Magazine from September 1991 to August 1997. Four chapters that were not released in tankobon format from previous releases were later collected into a single volume titled Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor serving as an interquel. The manga was published on July 23, 2003 by Kodansha. Several art books have also been published for the manga.

Animated films

Main articles: Ghost in the Shell (film) and Innocence

Two animated films based on the original manga have been released, both directed by Mamoru Oshii and animated by Production I.G. Ghost in the Shell was released in 1995 and follows the "Puppet Master" storyline from the manga. It was re-released in 2008 as Ghost in the Shell 2.0 with new audio and updated 3D computer graphics in certain scenes. Innocence, otherwise known as Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, was released in 2004, with its story based on a chapter from Man-Machine Interface.

Live-action adaptation

In 2008, DreamWorks and Steven Spielberg acquired the rights to produce a live-action film adaptation of the original manga. Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Steven Paul were later confirmed as producers, with Jamie Moss (Street Kings) to write the screenplay. In October, 2009, it was announced that Laeta Kalogridis (Alexander, Shutter Island) had replaced Moss as writer. On January 24, 2014, it was reported that Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) will direct the film, with a screenplay by William Wheeler (The Hoax, The Reluctant Fundamentalist).

Stand Alone Complex

Main article: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

In 2002, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex premiered on Animax, presenting a new telling of Ghost in the Shell independent from the original manga, focusing on Section 9's investigation of the Laughing Man hacker. It was followed in 2004 by a second season titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, which focused on the Individual Eleven terrorist group. Both seasons' primary storylines were compressed into OVAs broadcast as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex The Laughing Man in 2005 and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Individual Eleven in 2006. Also in 2006, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, featuring Section 9's confrontation with a hacker known as the Puppeteer, was broadcast, serving as a finale to the anime series.

A three-volume novel series based on the TV anime series was written by staff writer Junichi Fujisaku. The first is titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Lost Memory, was released on January 21, 2004 in Japan and on May 24, 2006 in the US. The second, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Revenge of the Cold Machines, was released on July 8, 2004 in Japan and on September 26, 2006 in the US. The third is titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - White Maze, it was released on February 4, 2005 in Japan and on January 2, 2007 in the US.

Two manga series based on Stand Alone Complex have been published by Kodansha. The first series, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Tachikoma na hibi (攻殻機動隊S.A.C. タチコマなヒビ), first released in 2009, is based on the associated shorts Tachikomatic Days. The second manga series, titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (攻殻機動隊STAND ALONE COMPLEX), was drawn by Yu Kinutani and launched on December 14, 2009 in Weekly Young Magazine. The manga is an adaptation of the first season of the anime series. Four tankōbon volumes have been released.

The extensive score for the series and its films was composed by Yoko Kanno.

Arise

Main article: Ghost in the Shell: Arise

Ghost in the Shell: Arise is another animated iteration that takes place in yet another alternate setting, set before the original manga. It is being released as a series of OVAs (with limited theatrical releases), with Kazuchika Kise as chief director and Tow Ubukata as head writer. Cornelius was brought onto the project to compose the score for the OVAs.

An original manga story titled Ghost in the Shell: Arise ~Sleepless Eye~ (攻殻機動隊ARISE～眠らない眼の男 Sleepless Eye～, Kōkaku Kidōtai Araizu ~Nemuranai Me no Otoko Surīpuresu Ai~, literally "The Man With Eyes That Do Not Sleep") began serialization in Kodansha's Young Magazine's April 2013 issue, released March 13, 2013.

Video games

Ghost in the Shell has seen numerous adaptations and related video game titles. The first video game, titled Ghost in the Shell was developed by Exact and released for the PlayStation on July 17, 1997, in Japan by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is a third-person shooter featuring an original storyline where the character plays a rookie member of Section 9. The video game's soundtrack Megatech Body features various electronica artists.

Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex has received two video game spin offs, both under the same name. The first is Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for the PlayStation 2 and was developed by Cavia and released in 2004. The second video game is Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for the PSP, was developed by G-Artist and released in 2005.

Nexon is currently producing a massively multiplayer online game based on the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex universe. Titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Online, the game will be a first-person shooter with a heavy basis on hacking and customization of the player's cyberized body.

Several phone games have been released exclusively to Japan. The first is titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Cyber Mission (攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. サイバーミッション, Kōkakukidōtai SAC saibā misshon) and was developed by GREE and released on February 14, 2011. The second, titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was developed by Mobage and released on November 16, 2011. The game focuses on an unnamed new detective who works for Section 9. The third is a social game also developed by Mobage, titled "Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Tachikoma Wars!" (攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. タチコマウォーズ!, Kōkaku kidōtai S. A. C. Tachikoma Wōzu!), and released on March 29, 2012.

Notes

  1. There is a real-world Niihama, located in Ehime Prefecture, but its name is written differently in kanji: 新居浜市.
  2. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Lost Memory (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX 虚夢回路, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex Imaginary Dream Circuit)
  3. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Revenge of the Cold Machines (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX 凍える機械, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Frozen Machine)
  4. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - White Maze (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX 眠り男の棺, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Coffin of a Sleeping Man)

References

  1. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log 1", p. 9. Young Magazine Pirate Edition, 2003.
  2. "攻殻機動隊（１）" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  3. "攻殻機動隊ＳＯＬＩＤ ＢＯＸ" (in Japanese). 7net. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  4. "攻殻機動隊 １．５" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  5. "Ghost in the Shell to Return to Japanese Theaters". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  6. Siegel, Tatiana; Fleming, Michael (April 14, 2008). "DreamWorks to make 'Ghost' in 3-D". Variety.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  7. Siegel, Tatiana (October 22, 2009). "Kalogridis to adapt 'Ghost in the Shell'". Variety.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  8. Bishop, Bryan. "Live-action 'Ghost in the Shell' movie signs the director of 'Snow White and the Huntsman'". The Verge. Retrieved 2014-3-3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. "Animax's official GitS:SAC webpage" (in Japanese). Animax. Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 09-02-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. "Into the Network: The Ghost in the Shell Universe". Production I.G. Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  11. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex The Laughing Man". Production I.G. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  12. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Individual Eleven". Production I.G. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  13. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society". Production I.G. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  14. "攻殻機動隊 虚夢回路" (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Volume 1 The Lost Memory (Novel)". Dark Horse. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. "攻殻機動隊 凍える機械" (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Volume 2 Revenge of the Cold Machines (Novel)". Dark Horse. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. "攻殻機動隊 眠り男の棺" (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Volume 3 White Maze (Novel)". Dark Horse. Retrieved 11-06-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  20. ^ "Ghost in the Shell: SAC to Spawn 2 New Manga in Japan (Updated)". Anime News Network. November 7, 2009. Retrieved 11-04-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. "攻殻機動隊 ＳＴＡＮＤ ＡＬＯＮＥ ＣＯＭＰＬＥＸ" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
  22. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 1". Kodansha. Retrieved 10-09-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  23. "Ghost in the Shell Arise Anime to Launch in 2013". Anime News Network. January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  24. "6月22日から映画「攻殻機動隊ARISE GHOST IN THE SHELL」全4部作公開". Gigazine. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  25. "「攻殻機動隊ＡＲＩＳＥ」コミカライズ 月刊ヤングマガジンで連載開始 公安9課以前を描く | アニメ！アニメ！". Animeanime.jp. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
  26. "攻殻機動隊 GHOST IN THE SHELL". Sony Computer Entertainment. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  27. "世界中で絶賛されている近未来SFコミックス「攻殻機動隊」のプレイステーション・ゲームのSound [Techno] Trax。". Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  28. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2)". GameSpy. Retrieved 10-09-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  29. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PSP)". GameSpy. Retrieved 10-09-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  30. "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Online Game Coming From Nexon". Siliconera. Ishaan. Retrieved 20 February 2013. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  31. YJ. "Nexon provides a brief on their upcoming Ghost in the Shell MMO". Saint-ism. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  32. "Ghost in the Shell Online Game Is An FPS With A Focus On Hacking". Siliconera. Siliconera. Retrieved 20 February 2013. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  33. "「攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. サイバーミッション」　SNSゲームでGREEに登場" (in Japanese). Animeanime.jp. Retrieved 2012-12-23.
  34. "『攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX』ソーシャルゲームで捜査開始！　Mobageで事前登録受付がスタート" (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 2012-12-23.
  35. "タチコマがソーシャルゲームに　「攻殻機動隊」の世界を描く" (in Japanese). Animeanime.jp. Retrieved 11-05-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

External links

Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell
Media
Stand Alone Complex
Arise
Universe
Related
Category
Categories:
Ghost in the Shell Add topic