Even if you haven’t watched Ghost in the Shell before, you’re bound to have heard about it, and now is a good time to see what the hype is all about. There are so many Ghost in the Shell media that getting into it might be a bit intimidating though. Here’s how best to watch the movie, live-action, and Netflix series:
About Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell began as a 1995 anime adapting a seinen manga of the same name, but, since then, the Japanese franchise really took off, with movies, live-action series, and tons of media. Set in a futuristic, post-cyberpunk world - at around mid-21st century - Japan, in the fictional Niihama, most anime adaptations and movies focus on the Public Security Section 9, an assortment of individuals who are skilled in crime prevention. The main figure in most of these media is Major Motoko Kusanagi, who inhabits an entirely artificial, cyborg body after being involved in an accident as a child. While highly-advanced prosthetics are the norm in-universe, this level of technology isn’t without danger. Kusanagi’s brain is vulnerable to aspiring hackers, making for interesting sci-fi conflict. Having first appeared in the mid-90s, the franchise has shaped cyberpunk trends, as well as the science fiction genre in Japan and elsewhere. As such, this is a must-watch for anyone who wants a deep knowledge and understanding of sci-fi anime.
Ghost in the Shell Watch Order
If you must watch a few Ghost in the Shell media, those should be Ghost in the Shell (1995), Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004), and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - in that order. Then, if you feel up for it, you can watch Ghost in the Shell: Arise. Ghost in the Shell is a huge franchise at this point and there are plenty of anime and live-action films apart from the 1995 original. As such, you can skip those that are considered less than great. One such work is the 2017 movie adaptation, which has been criticized both for not keeping the original anime and manga’s spirit and for casting Scarlet Johanson, a white actress, as the Japanese Kusanagi in what is a proudly and distinctly East Asian story. Some might still be curious to see what the movie is all about, but if this sounds bad to you, you’re ok to skip it. More recently, another series, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020) came up, and it has received mixed to negative reviews, though, amongst many failed adaptations, some fans believe this is a better attempt. Here’s all the Ghost in the Shell media we have to this day in chronological order:
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002)Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (2004)Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society (2006)Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – The Laughing Man (2006)Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Individual Eleven (2007)Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Border:1 Ghost Pain (2013)Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Border:2 Ghost Whispers (2013)Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Border:3 Ghost Tears (2014)Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Border:4 Ghost Stands Alone (2014)Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Border:5 Pyrophoric Cult (2015)Ghost in the Shell: Arise – Alternative Architecture (2015)Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)Ghost in the Shell (2017)Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020)
To sum up, however, if you’re completely new to the franchise, we recommend starting with the 1995 anime movie which is still considered a great piece of cinema!
