Before the Wachowski Brothers created The Matrix, there was Ghost In The Shell, a sci-fi cyberpunk noir manga focusing on cyborg major. Released in the late 80s and early 90s, written by Masamune Shirow, the story received a 1995 anime movie adaptation directed by Mamoru Oshii and Kazunori Ito. Taking place in 2029, which is a few years away from the time this review is written, Ghost In The Shell, starring Atsuko Tanaka and Aiko Otsuka, follows the cyborg agent Major Motoko Kusanagi (voiced by Atsuko Tanaka) as she pursues a villain known as The Puppet Master in an intense story that isn't just action-packed, but philosophical as it goes into questions about existence, what it means to be a human and if you're a person, complete with an insane ending when the Major and the Puppet Master encounter each other.
We got this movie during Christmas season of 2025 alongside the 2017 live-action remake and recently saw the anime. Having seen it, I'll say it carried Terminator and Blade Runner vibes, even having a bit of Matrix vibes too, which is saying something since Ghost In The Shell inspired The Matrix. The animation and the scenery are memorable, the voice-acting, especially in the Japanese version's really good, and the story was deep and fascinating, despite probably being a little hard for some people to follow. However, if anyone wants to see a cyberpunk anime, I'd recommend watching this. And if you enjoy Blade Runner, Terminator and The Matrix, you'd love this film. 4 stars, I had fun seeing this movie nearly a week ago. Worth the watch.
-James M
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