Ghost In The Shell Reviewed by: Philip "Pocket Squirrel" Wesley Presented by: Anchor Bay/MANGA Entertainment Released: 2005 Format: UMD Rating: UNRATED Genre: ACTION SCI FI Quick Opinion: BUY if you know the source material. Rent if you do not. **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: One of the most interesting aspects of the PSP is the ability to play movies on it. Now, you can play around with ripping and converting your own movies, or buy movies on UMD. Since the idea of UMD movies appears to be the main focus of the PSP, it has been wondered about when anime companies like ADV, Funimation, Geneon, Bandai, and Manga would get into the picture. The screen on the PSP is not active or sharp enough to bring out the best in live action films; but it works fine on animated films. Manga Entertainment announced that they would be releasing titles from their catalogue of anime on UMD and I was pretty happy. Ghost in the Shell is a bit of a classic anime by Mamoru Oshii that is heralded as one of the more influential anime out there. But, just because something is a classic, does not mean it is GOOD or stands up to the more modern anime available. So, how is Ghost in the Shell these days? **************************************************************************** *TECHNICAL DETAILS* EXTRAS: There are no extras available in this UMD, not even a Japanese language option. The packaging is overly cluttered and a bit drab. The menu is just the PLAY option. As far as UMDs go, this is similar to a first generation DVD: Slim pickings all around. MUSIC/SOUND: Perfectly clear with a bit of bass. The sound is not as directional as one would hope. There are no distortions through the PSP headphones or through other headphones I used. Sound is a bit low coming through the speakers of the PSP. The music is this title is fairly nice but not very memorable. The dubbing is easy to hear. VISUALS: There is some slight JPEGish compression on letters and the film seems a bit fuzzy at times. It would appear that Manga Entertainment does not yet have a full grasp on the processes required for making UMD movies look sharp on the PSP screen. Liked: Well, at least the menu is simple. It just says: "Play" Hated: No extras, scene selection, language selection, or even previews. **************************************************************************** *PERSONAL OPINION* POSITIVE: Ghost in the Shell is a pretty awesome introduction to the anime in that it requires people to think. Watching back, you can completely see all the tributes The Matrix had to this series, like the opening credits displayed in green alphanumerics and the idea of plugging into things. The plot involves Section 9, a division of the Japanese government similar to Mi6, tracking down a cyber criminal entity known as The Puppet Master. This all happens while the characters wax philisophically about life, the universe and everything in as many slick referential statements as possible. Essentially, Ghost in the Shell is about terrorism in a future world where most of the lines between human and cybernetic have been blurred. People can be given new bodies and the soul has been reduced to electric bits and bytes that are easily transferable to machines or to other devices. People can surf the internet completely inside their own head. The technology exists to replace or create memories. The story follows Batou and Major Kusanagi as they search for a cyber hacker criminal named: The Puppet Master. The movie follows this case as they search for the hacker. The Major gets some pretty good fight scenes in this film as well as a lot of introspective commentary. This show is nowhere nearly as snarky as similar sci-fi like Armitage III, or Appleseed (Original OVA). For the most part, this anime remains one of the more intelligent works of sci-fi, especially since it delves into the way politics operate in this future where borders are almost a thing of the past. The show feels surreal and it is really nice for the sheer spectacle of it. NEGATIVE: The lack of a Japanese language option is sorely missed and a terrible oversight in my opinion. The truth about this movie is that it is a bit slow compared to some other anime. Especially since it tries to over explain its surroundings way too often in too many words. Like Innocence, part of the film feels like it is trying to be clever by quoting The Bible instead of being genuinely clever. I remember the first few times I sat down to watch this movie: I fell asleep. After about my third try, I sat through the movie and was both impressed (see above) and disappointed. The film feels like it was created to be more of a pilot for a TV series than a stand alone movie. The most telling part of this movie is that the final resolution to the case is TOLD to you and not shown to you. It needs: A little less talk and a lot more action. In other words, this is more of a concept film than anything else. A good idea with rough presentation that smacks of exploitationism. Like a lot of the earlier anime out there, Ghost In The Shell is a bit under-cooked and definately an aquired taste. Also, there are no Fuchikoma/Tachikoma in the movie. Sadness. **************************************************************************** Improve: Extras and language options would be nice. More so, the language option would be REALLY appreciated. RIYL: If you enjoy the TV series (Stand Alone Complex) or the sequel (Innocence), than chances are that you will enjoy this one too. If you like your anime with lots of "futuristic" talking, this is good to go. **************************************************************************** Final Words: One of the more infamous anime that Manga Entertainment owns, but not nearly their best. I am personally looking forward to the Read Or Die OVA and Perfect Blue. I certainly hope that those contain a JAPANESE language option though. That is the most sorely missed feature on this UMD. Not bad for the first batch of UMDs from Manga Entertainment though. They have a bit of improving to do though. I would personally recommend that the casual UMD owner RENT first and then decide to buy or not. The movie is a good history lesson for the most part, and while it is good, it certainly is not one of MY favorites. If you like this movie and you own a PSP, go ahead and buy it; but be forewarned that it only has the English dub. Maybe someday, we will get a special edition with the Japanese dub. I prefer the TV series and second movie to the original movie by a wide margin and this is reflected in the score I have given this movie. The lack of a Japanese track is pretty painful here. **************************************************************************** Final Score: 75% Grade: B- **************************************************************************** SECRETS: None.