Up until the flood of Anime’s first big wave hit in the late 1980’s, all the Anime-type shows I found on U.S. stations were things like Speed Racer and Kimba the Lion.  Because I lived in South America and they didn’t have as many U.S. animated shows available, I was inundated with many fine Japanese Anime serials and therefore got to see these types of shows a little before they became “hot” in U.S. markets.

When I moved out of South America and began living in the U.S., I found it curious to see as a spectator Anime’s quick rise.  Even today Anime holds a strong spot in animation lovers’ hearts, with one of the bigger hits of the past year being Attack on Titan.

But looking back, the first two really big Anime hits to make it in the U.S. during that original golden wave, if I remember correctly, were Akira and, a few years later, Ghost in the Shell.  Both were originally released, translated, in their comic book form, gained great interest, and then had their movies released with great fanfare (again, if memory serves).

While I enjoyed the movie version of Akira, its ending veered wildly from the comic book’s ending.  From what I understand, the movie was based on a comic book serial that, at the time, wasn’t quite finished and therefore is the reason movie and comic book veered wildly in their concluding moments (one wonders if the same might happen with Game of Thrones?!).

As for Ghost in the Shell, I don’t recall following the comic book and don’t believe it suffered from the same problem.  Regardless, I only had the movie by which to judge the material and I recalled liking it when I originally saw it back in the late 1990’s.  However, over the years I’d forgotten most of what happened in the film.

The other day, Amazon.com had a great sale on the complete Cowboy Bebop and, in ordering it, I noted that the 25th Anniversary BluRay Edition of Ghost in the Shell was available (and at the moment I’m typing this is still available) at just below $10.  I added it to my order and, yesterday, got to see it once again after many, many years.

As I watched it, I was struck by the visuals, something that most certainly remained incredibly strong.  The plot, which I recall somewhat confused me way back when, was more easy to follow this time around…with the exception perhaps of the opening minutes (why was that diplomat killed?!).

Basically, Ghost in the Shell concerns a society where flesh and machines are forming hybrid “humans”.  The protagonists of the movie consist of two “Section 9” agents who are investigating a mysterious hacker that is infecting high prize software as well as androids.

The movie moves along well, using elements borrowed from film noir while mixing them with this view of a futuristic society, clearly a path the movie Blade Runner blazed.

Ultimately, the film becomes something not unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey, a meditation on the thin line between machine and humanity.  While by today’s standards the story may not be quite as deep and mysterious as it was when it was released (there have been many such meditations offered since), Ghost in the Shell still holds its own.

If there’s one major quibble I have with the film it is that it ends rather abruptly.  It felt like there was a lot of buildup leading to that ending and that there could, indeed should, have been a little more story to tell initially.  I know there have been sequels and reworkings of this feature and I may just have to give them a look.

Recommended.