🎬 Ghost In The Shell (1995) | Classic Philosophical Anime Film

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This blog is a personal journal of all the movies, Tv-Shows, & Games I consume during a year which enhances my overall experience. The ratings that I give are fully based on my personal preference and enjoyment at the time of watching and I'm writing spoiler-free reviews. (All HBD earnings are used to get extra Hive Power Delegations!)

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So far this month, this was only the 2nd movie that I watched mainly because my focus has been fully on health and weight loss which often has me going out for walks or tired in the evening while the hot weather also doesn't really motivate to spend much screentime. However, so far I managed to go from 73kg to around 68kg so I'm quite glad with my choices. I did start watching the 2nd Season of Andor and am halfway but I doubt that I will finish it as I haven't enjoyed it like the 1st season. I also still occasionally play a game of Balatro which remains super fun and challenging. As I want to watch at least 1 anime film or series each month, I choose for the 1995 80-Minute film Ghost In The Shell last Night which is one that intrigued me for decades.

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Ghost In The Shell (7.6/10)

The main thing I knew about Ghost In The Shell is that the images of the robots with wires into it and the green backgrounds along with the name always intrigued me. I know that in 2017 a movie version was made with Scarlett Johansson (Link) and I was tempted to watch it whil at the same time I knew surely wasn't going to be as good as the original material so I wisely skipped on it.

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There seems to be different starting points for the Ghost in The Shell Franshise. There is the original Manga, 2 movies of which the 1995 film tries to capture everything in 80 minutes, 2 series and a live action movie. It's rather complicated with many themes so multiple viewings are really needed and I also experienced that watching this one as there is just so much packed into it.

Aparently the best way to experience the best way to consume it is to start with Standalone Complex series followed by Arise, the movies, and the manga last. However, the 1995 movie is by far the most time effective way to get an initial glimps of this franchise.

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Plot Summary

A cyborg policewoman and her partner hunt a mysterious and powerful hacker called the Puppet Master.

I would say the movie is an exploration of what it means to be human and to have a soul (the ghost) if it isn't even there. There is a lot packed into it and it takes place in a Cyberpunk / Blade Runner type of world having a lot of similarities with the maxtrix from 1999 which got inspired by it with the green color scheme and text it also used along with the Philosophical Themes. It paints a picture what at that time was expected from the year 2029.

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Superb Animation
What did most for me in this film on a first viewing was the animation which many times especially on the atmospheric scenes was phenomenal. for 80 minutes, the animation and sounds are just superb and I really enjoyed them. I did watch the english dubbed version but feel that could have been done a bit better even though it also didn't bother at any point.

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Youtube Explained Videos
This is one of those movies where it's just impossible to grasp everything, so I started putting on some Youtube videos that explain and go deeper into many of the details of the film about the themes and the philosophy.

Ghost In The Shell Anime Trailer

Conclusion
This movie was a lot packed in 80 Minutes and there is just too much in it for me to fully grasp it all especially watching it quite late in the evening not 100% fresh. So I certainly didn't get 100% out of this on a first viewing while I did really enjoy the animation of this 1995 anime. It is ahead of it's time and there are many other media afterward that I already viewed on similar type of themes. So for it's time it was very impressive only having Blade Runner as something similar coming before it. So I'm glad that I watched it bit at the same time I wasn't blown away by it and I'm also not sure that I will ever rewatch it or go deeper into the franchise. Mainly because I really enjoyed the animation but the film itself didn't blow me away as I've seen many other similar type of movies that came later and were inspired by it (Like The Matrix, Blade Runner & Ex Machina). I give it a 7.6/10

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#	2025 Watched Movies	Score
#01	Heretic	7.8/10
#02	A Different Man	6.9/10
#03	Look Back	6.9/10
#04	Caddo Lake	7.5/10
#05	Sing Sing	6.0/10
#06	Paris, Texas	9.2/10
#07	The Greatest Night In Pop	7.2/10
#08	Sometimes I Think About Dying	7.3/10
#09	Memory Lane	6.8/10
#10	Winter In Sokcho	7.6/10
#11	On Falling	6.8/10
#12	Carry-On	6.9/10
#13	The Brutalist	6.6/10
#14	Dune Part Two	6.1/10
#15	Companion	7.8/10
#16	Under The Silver Lake	7.2/10
#17	After Life	7.5/10
#18	Hit Man	7.3/10
#19	The Edge Of Seventeen	7.3/10
#20	Anora	6.6/10
#21	Mickey 17	7.6/10
#22	Taste Of Cherry	7.3/10
#23	My Old Ass	7.7/10
#24	Drop	6.4/10
#25	A Silent Voice	7.9/10
#26	Conclave	7.0/10
#27	Fandango	7.5/10
#28	Sinners	7.9/10
#29	Perfect Blue	7.0/10
#30	Challengers	7.1/10
#31	Bring Her Back	7.0/10
#31	Ghost In The Shell	7.6/10

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