Ghost in the Shell (manga)
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese science fiction
manga
created by Masamune Shirow
originally released in 8 separate issues. He followed it up by Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
and Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor
.
The manga is notable for the proliferation of footnotes and commentary by Shirow himself on both the technology and the socio-political background of the setting (in the complete, English language graphic novel
edition, these take up more than 30 pages).
hunt for a cyber-criminal, The Puppeteer (known as The Puppet Master
in the film), whose real identity is unknown. The Puppeteer commits a large number of crimes by the act of breaking into and taking control of human minds known as "ghost hacking". As the agents of Public Security Section 9
start investigate, they discover The Puppeteer is a unique autonomous artificial intelligence project known as Project 2501
created by another government agency, the Treaty Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), also known as Section 6. The Puppeteer escapes Section 6's control in pursuit of its evolution through merging with Kusanagi. Kusanagi, although initially skeptical, finally agrees to allow the Puppeteer to merge with her own consciousness, sharing her body, in what is no doubt intended to raise even more questions about the nature of human identity in a world where human consciousness is no longer unique.
and was released on October 5, 1991. The manga was then published by Dark Horse Comics
/ Studio Proteus for the english version and released on December 1995. The chapters have the date in DD-MM-YYYY format next to the title except for chapters 1, 4 and 5.
adaption was released in Japan
in 1995. The film stars Atsuko Tanaka
and Akio Ōtsuka as the voices of Major
Motoko Kusanagi
and Batou
respectively, and was directed by Mamoru Oshii
.
As of 2008 DreamWorks
acquired the rights to produce a 3-D live action film adaptation of the original manga with Steven Spielberg
tipping the scales in DreamWorks favor. So far Avi Arad and Steven Paul are confirmed producers and Jamie Moss will be adapting the manga into a screenplay.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
created by Masamune Shirow
Masamune Shirow
is an internationally renowned manga artist, born on November 23, 1961.Masamune Shirow is a pen name, based on a famous swordsmith, Masamune. He is best known for the manga Ghost in the Shell, which has since been turned into two theatrical anime movies, two anime TV series, an anime TV movie, and...
originally released in 8 separate issues. He followed it up by Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
is a six chapter manga that was originally released in 11 separate issues, written and drawn by Masamune Shirow. It was first released in Japan in a serialized format in Young Magazine by Kodansha. The same publisher later collected these works with significant changes into the limited SOLID BOX...
and Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor
Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor
is a set of four chapters that were left out of the Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface tankōbon by Masamune Shirow himself. The four chapters are: "Fat Cat", "Drive Slave", "Mines of Mind" and "Lost Past"...
.
The manga is notable for the proliferation of footnotes and commentary by Shirow himself on both the technology and the socio-political background of the setting (in the complete, English language graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
edition, these take up more than 30 pages).
Plot
The overarching story of the manga concerns Major Motoko Kusanagi'sMotoko Kusanagi
is a fictional Japanese character in the Ghost in the Shell anime and manga series. She is a cyborg employed as the squad leader of Public Security Section 9, a fictional division of the real Japanese National Public Safety Commission. She is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in the movies and the Ghost in...
hunt for a cyber-criminal, The Puppeteer (known as The Puppet Master
Project 2501
is an original character from the manga Ghost in the Shell. It is an artificial intelligence program secretly developed by Section 6 of Public Security that develops sentience...
in the film), whose real identity is unknown. The Puppeteer commits a large number of crimes by the act of breaking into and taking control of human minds known as "ghost hacking". As the agents of Public Security Section 9
Public Security Section 9
is a fictional intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell anime and manga series. In the story, it exists under the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs. In some translations, the name is given as Public Safety Section 9...
start investigate, they discover The Puppeteer is a unique autonomous artificial intelligence project known as Project 2501
Project 2501
is an original character from the manga Ghost in the Shell. It is an artificial intelligence program secretly developed by Section 6 of Public Security that develops sentience...
created by another government agency, the Treaty Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), also known as Section 6. The Puppeteer escapes Section 6's control in pursuit of its evolution through merging with Kusanagi. Kusanagi, although initially skeptical, finally agrees to allow the Puppeteer to merge with her own consciousness, sharing her body, in what is no doubt intended to raise even more questions about the nature of human identity in a world where human consciousness is no longer unique.
Releases
The Ghost In The Shell was initially published by KodanshaKodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
and was released on October 5, 1991. The manga was then published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
/ Studio Proteus for the english version and released on December 1995. The chapters have the date in DD-MM-YYYY format next to the title except for chapters 1, 4 and 5.
Film adaptions
An eponymous filmGhost in the Shell (film)
"See You Everyday" is different from the rest of the soundtrack, being a pop song sung in Cantonese by Fang Ka Wing. It can be faintly heard playing in the marketplace scene, when Batou is hunting the ghost-hacked puppet....
adaption was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1995. The film stars Atsuko Tanaka
Atsuko Tanaka
is a Japanese voice actress who works for Ezaki Productions. Her deep and sultry voice is often used to portray villainesses and mature female characters.-TV anime:*Angel Links *Black Cat *Berserk *Cowboy Bebop...
and Akio Ōtsuka as the voices of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Motoko Kusanagi
Motoko Kusanagi
is a fictional Japanese character in the Ghost in the Shell anime and manga series. She is a cyborg employed as the squad leader of Public Security Section 9, a fictional division of the real Japanese National Public Safety Commission. She is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in the movies and the Ghost in...
and Batou
Batou
is a main male character in the Ghost in the Shell series, the second best melee fighter in Section 9, and is the second in command under Major Motoko Kusanagi....
respectively, and was directed by Mamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, Ghost in the Shell, and Patlabor 2...
.
As of 2008 DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
acquired the rights to produce a 3-D live action film adaptation of the original manga with Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
tipping the scales in DreamWorks favor. So far Avi Arad and Steven Paul are confirmed producers and Jamie Moss will be adapting the manga into a screenplay.