GHOST IN THE SHELL 4K + BD + DGTL [Blu-ray]

Product Information

What’s more, this is a new and better translation that the subtitles included on the previous Anchor Bay/Manga Entertainment Blu-ray from 2017 (and reviewed on The Bits here). The US release was in September 2020 and it took Manga Entertainment UK a whole year to bring it over to the UK, and is one of the last titles to use the Manga logo before the distributor rebranded as Funimation UK.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The audio options available for the film include Japanese with English subtitles and the Animaze English dub commissioned by Manga Entertainment.Honestly, the shot composition in Ghost in the Shell is far superior than a lot of anime films made today, and this new release really lets that shine. Frankly, this is the best translation I’ve seen yet, one that seems to preserve more of the original Japanese cultural context. The almost-haunting chant of “Making of a Cyborg” in particular has become one of the most recognisable pieces of music in anime, sounding both traditional yet futuristic at the same time – a perfect fit for this film. The beloved anime classic questions humanity on 4K Ultra HD equipped with a beautiful Dolby Vision HDR presentation, an excellent Dolby Atmos track and a small but new set of bonuses. The character of Kusanagi is closer to the original than the live-action movie, but she's still a lot less fun than the manga of GitS:SAC versions.

I unfortunately don’t have the equipment or know-how to get into the nitty gritty of the new 4K presentation, but I can say that it breathes new life into the film’s gorgeous cinematography, bringing out all of the detail delicately crammed into Oshii’s lived-in frames, and the contrast of light and darkness, like an earlier shot where Motoko Kusanagi is silhouetted by the light coming through her apartment window. Kusanagi is often contemplative and brooding, whilst her counterpart Batou is more extroverted and lively.Cybercrimes and cyber warfare are a serious threat to national security, prompting the need for specialized police forces where special agent Major Motoko Kusanagi serves as the team leader. Major Motoko Kusanagi is team lead for Public Security Section 9, tasked with chasing cybercriminals in future-Japan, and she's almost all machine, but for her enhanced brain remaining.

Her inner struggles with being mostly machine, but with a “ghost” that has brief moments of human recollection, come full circle when she and the Puppet Master meet face to face. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the beloved anime classic questions humanity on 4K Ultra HD equipped with a beautiful Dolby Vision HDR presentation, struck from a brand-new 4K remaster of the original elements, and complemented by an excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack. A landmark release that not only broadened the medium’s global profile, but inspired both cinema and wider science fiction in ways that are still seen today.In terms of resolution, the differences are noticeable, as there is a finer texture in the minutia, especially in the characteristics/physical makeup of the characters, although this isn’t what I would define as eye catching. For a film film from 1995 this looks and sounds brand new the colour jumps of the screen, and the whole package especially the sound is so natural also. This is a landmark anime, a stunning piece of visual animation, and an imaginative work of science fiction/cyberpunk that seems to become more relevant with every year. The cumulative A/V score will still be based upon the HDR-10 rating, with the DV rating serving as informational only for now.