I got to say that it’s about time that we get to enjoy watching a sci-fi anime film. Ghost in the shell is practically a nest for a large quantity of cyberpunk themes. Because it shares its themes with many sci-fi films I’ve seen so far, it’s hard for me to choose from them. First off, the setting takes place in a dark futuristic world where the government controls all by their laws and agreements just as in the films Brazil and Blade Runner. Most people in this society has been modified or upgraded with technological systems or abilities such as mechanical limbs, scanners, brain plugging, and telepathic communication. This theme shares with the film Johnny Mnemonic as it also has cybernetic people only that in Ghost in the Shell, the modifications were given by organizations to help them track down criminals like a police force. There was also some reference form the Matrix in the scene where the main characters Motoko and her team captured the garbage man hacker and the criminal who gave him the program. After arresting them, they discovered that their memories were either erased or implanted by the Puppet Master, who is a sentient being originated from a computer. This gave them an case of identity crisis, implying that either the people were living a lie or they truly never lived at all. Like I’ve said before, so many themes in this film and so many other films to choose to compare with, but either way, this is one heck of a cyberpunk movie.
valeriemonroig 