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Ghost in the Shell

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for Ghost in the Shell In Theaters Sep 18 1h 23m Sci-Fi Action Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 62 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds of cyborg-human hybrids. Her pursuit of a man who can modify the identity of strangers leaves Motoko pondering her own makeup and what life might be like if she had more human traits. With her partner (Richard George), she corners the hacker, but her curiosity about her identity sends the case in an unforeseen direction.
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Ghost in the Shell

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.

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Cast & Crew

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Mamoru Oshii

Director

Richard Epcar

Bateau

Mimi Woods

Major Motoko Kusanagi

William Frederick Knight

Chief Aramaki

Tom Wyner

Project 2501

Christopher Joyce

Togusa

Critics Reviews

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Wael Khairy RogerEbert.com 02/26/2025
As the world edges closer to the ideas that it once speculated, these images resurface in my thoughts like fragments of a future that was always meant to find us...“Ghost in the Shell” didn’t predict the future; it dissected it before it arrived... Go to Full Review Willow Maclay RogerEbert.com 03/08/2019
5/5
Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell will always strike a chord with those directly affected by bodily displacement. Go to Full Review Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune 08/16/2017
3/4
The drawing style is remarkable in a story that reveals a Japanese preoccupation with roboticized culture and hard-edged sexuality. Go to Full Review Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) 06/01/2024
A sci-fi classic with stunning animation Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 04/08/2023
[Mamoru] Oshii’s dazzling science fiction work mixes adventure, mystery, and metaphysics in a future where humans are routinely augmented with bionics and electronic implants, and then follows it into the next evolutionary step. Go to Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight 11/26/2022
2.5/4
It’s a film of unique and divergent opinions that remain heavily debated 25 years after its initial release. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Yen Mar 31 This and Akira are the two classics that set the bar for visionary cyberpunk anime. Well ahead of its time, it's worth watching it more than once to truly get the symbolism and foresight of issues we are facing in the present day with AI, 30 years after the movie was made See more Daniel 09/24/2021 This movie is and will always be a masterpiece of the cyberpunk genre and movies in general. The 4K treatment did wonders. I only wish they also had a showing with the English cast as the dub for Ghost in the Shell was amazing. I also wish my theater had the posters that were given out at other locations, I was really looking forward to getting one and came early just for that. See more Thomas B 09/24/2021 This movie changed way I appreciate film. Very few movies shape culture as greatly as this one has. See more Christopher G 09/23/2021 a seminal anime film that everyone with even a slight interest in the medium should see. See more Rob 09/23/2021 Such an awesome experience! A must watch in IMAX! Can’t wait to see more Anime on the IMAX screen See more Isaac 09/23/2021 a great trip down memory lane. where you could end a movie as a draw and expand on the source material too. See more Read all reviews
Ghost in the Shell

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Ghost in the Shell

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Ghost in the Shell

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Movie Info

Synopsis In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds of cyborg-human hybrids. Her pursuit of a man who can modify the identity of strangers leaves Motoko pondering her own makeup and what life might be like if she had more human traits. With her partner (Richard George), she corners the hacker, but her curiosity about her identity sends the case in an unforeseen direction.
Director
Mamoru Oshii
Producer
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Ken Iyadomi, Ken Matsumoto, Yoshimasa Mizuo
Screenwriter
Kazunori Itô
Distributor
Palm Pictures
Production Co
Production I.G., Bandai Visual Company, Kôdansha
Genre
Sci-Fi, Action, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 29, 1996, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Sep 18, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 15, 2010
Runtime
1h 23m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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