Ghost in the Shell

Synopsis
The makers of "Akira" present another milestone Japanimation epic in this futuristic odyssey about an elite half-cyborg female agent sent out to apprehend a cyber-genius data thief who is plundering the very contents of people's minds. Contains nudity and violence. The Collector's Edition includes a special 30-minute documentary on the making of the film.

Production Notes
Shown at the 1996 Berlin and South by Southwest Film Festival.
Released theatrically in New York City March 29, 1996.

Produced by Kodansha in association with Bandai Visual and Manga Entertainment.

James Cameron, who directed such science fiction movies as "The Abyss" and both "Terminator" films, had this to say of "Ghost in the Shell": "Stunning... the first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence... an important visionary work."

Voices: Richard George (Bateau); Mimi Woods (Major Motoko Kusanagi); William Frederick (Aramaki); Abe Lasser (Puppet Master); Christopher Joyce (Togusa); Mike Sorich (Ishikawa); Ben Isaacson (Nakamura); Hank Smith (Minister); Steve Davis (Diplomat); and Phil Willimas (Willis).

Copyright 1995 Masamune Shirow/Kodansha Ltd./Bandai Visual Co., Ltd./Manga Entertainment. English Language Version Copyright 1996 Kodansha Ltd./Bandai Visual Co., Ltd./Manga Entertainment Inc.

Reviews
"...Richly imagined....Slick and visually dazzling..." (Sight and Sound)

"...A knockout vision of a machine-run cityscape..." (Entertainment Weekly)

"...[With] a Disney-bashing level of detail, prolonged musings about the human soul and an eye-saucering hard line in action..." (Total Film)

"Sublimely realised, intellectual ponderous, cheesy fun." (Uncut)