Deep into the 21st century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants a...
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Mar 22, 2008
Psychophant
rated it: 
This is the book that, in my opinion, closed down cyberpunk as a literary current, in 1991. It is what the matrix tried to become, a meld of style, futurism and religious take on that basic cyberpunk question, what it means to be human.
It is a very dense book, difficult to follow and with lots of subtext and unreliable narrators. It is also incredibly well drawn and laid out. It is self contained, which is also rare on this genre.
It still feels fresh and up to date, which More...
It is a very dense book, difficult to follow and with lots of subtext and unreliable narrators. It is also incredibly well drawn and laid out. It is self contained, which is also rare on this genre.
It still feels fresh and up to date, which More...
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Dec 14, 2011
Πέτρος
rated it: 
GiTS, the story of an anti-terrorist group of men and cyborgs, as they prevent cyber crimes. And this is not even the tip of the iceberg. GiTS stands as most likely the best in overall and most influential cyberpunk work in manga and it is still a concept that was never surpassed in detail and attention by any other. Seriously, the Matrix trilogy looks like elementary school before it. Here is a list of all the awesome things you can find in this manga.
1) Great artwork and cinematics. More...
1) Great artwork and cinematics. More...
Nov 25, 2011
Steve
rated it:
Oh where do I start, hang on a minute here as I will just ask my ghost for some advice........
I'm back! well I guess like a lot of people I first came across Ghost in the Shell when I was watching the DVD's, the films are master pieces and the series is definitely a stand alone in a sea of predictability the Ghost in the Shell stands out for its sheer plots and its absolutley first class story telling. the graphic novel is equally illuminating even though it covers the same stories as More...
I'm back! well I guess like a lot of people I first came across Ghost in the Shell when I was watching the DVD's, the films are master pieces and the series is definitely a stand alone in a sea of predictability the Ghost in the Shell stands out for its sheer plots and its absolutley first class story telling. the graphic novel is equally illuminating even though it covers the same stories as More...
Aug 29, 2010
Lee
rated it:
Ghost in the Shell is more of an accumulation of stories printed over several years instead of a deftly plotted piece, so it reads more like an anthology than a series.
In the future, "highly information-intensive, with a vast corporate network covering the planet, electrons and light pulsing through it." People can change some or most of their bodies parts into machine, becoming cyborgs and can access the vast network of information via implants. The big problem this world is More...
In the future, "highly information-intensive, with a vast corporate network covering the planet, electrons and light pulsing through it." People can change some or most of their bodies parts into machine, becoming cyborgs and can access the vast network of information via implants. The big problem this world is More...
Dec 17, 2009
Yui
rated it:
hideちゃんが担当した音楽をサントラにしていたことから興味を持って、読みました。
セクシーなヒロインが主役で、一見エッチな漫画みたいな印象ですが、内容はかなり奥深くて面白かったです。
映画は『攻殻機動隊』と『イノセンス』と両方観ていたんですけど、映画の重苦しい（あれはあれで好き）内容とは違い、かなり軽快なテンポで、個人的にはこっちの素子の方が好き。
彼氏とのエピソード「08」と、人形使いのエピソード「09-11」が特にお気に入りです。
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This turned out to be the one of the best comic books that I've ever read..
If you like SF, then this is a 'must read' kind.
I watched both movies "The Ghost in the Shell" and " More...
セクシーなヒロインが主役で、一見エッチな漫画みたいな印象ですが、内容はかなり奥深くて面白かったです。
映画は『攻殻機動隊』と『イノセンス』と両方観ていたんですけど、映画の重苦しい（あれはあれで好き）内容とは違い、かなり軽快なテンポで、個人的にはこっちの素子の方が好き。
彼氏とのエピソード「08」と、人形使いのエピソード「09-11」が特にお気に入りです。
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This turned out to be the one of the best comic books that I've ever read..
If you like SF, then this is a 'must read' kind.
I watched both movies "The Ghost in the Shell" and " More...
Mar 22, 2009
Jared
rated it:
After being a fan of Ghost in the Shell through the television series Stand Alone Complex (SAC), I've been going back through the earlier stuff. I am saddened that I missed out on this as a teenager.
It was interesting to read the manga because it has more comic relief in it than any of the movies or the TV series. The characters have some significant differences, or show other traits that the "screen" versions of the characters don't show. Kusanagi has a love interest fr More...
It was interesting to read the manga because it has more comic relief in it than any of the movies or the TV series. The characters have some significant differences, or show other traits that the "screen" versions of the characters don't show. Kusanagi has a love interest fr More...
Oct 27, 2010
Matthew
rated it: 
I have to say that I’m honestly surprised. Not so much disappointed, just surprised.
GitS is probably one of the few anime/manga worlds which I hold in high personal regard. This isn’t to say that I’m championing it above others, it was just simply one of the very few that appealed to me as a teenager and lasted through the years as my whims and tastes solidified into what they are now.
I suppose my take on the manga was pretty much dependant on how I took each issue in. I ins More...
GitS is probably one of the few anime/manga worlds which I hold in high personal regard. This isn’t to say that I’m championing it above others, it was just simply one of the very few that appealed to me as a teenager and lasted through the years as my whims and tastes solidified into what they are now.
I suppose my take on the manga was pretty much dependant on how I took each issue in. I ins More...
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Oct 01, 2009
James
rated it:
"Ghost in the Shell" is regarded, I believe, as a landmark work in manga, and there are some definite strengths here. Shirow creates a compelling futuristic world, peopled with androids, cyber communicators and other augmented humans.
For his story, he presents an anti-terrorism squad on a series of loosely linked jobs. The tension is real, as is the "realpolitik" of their barely sanctioned work. The art is excellent, with branching circuits and beautifully detail More...
For his story, he presents an anti-terrorism squad on a series of loosely linked jobs. The tension is real, as is the "realpolitik" of their barely sanctioned work. The art is excellent, with branching circuits and beautifully detail More...
Jan 27, 2012
Katie
rated it: 
I was completely confused from page one, I felt I had come in half-way through a hard sci-fi series. The Plot was all over the place and the characters were hard to keep up with.
The sexy-lesbian-android bit wasn't even a smutty little offshoot, it was just porn for porns sake and the artwork went from absolutly beautiful to something my little brother could draw. At one point Masamune actually writes 'After this, there's a scene where Mokoto takes over the driving and Togusa checks h More...
The sexy-lesbian-android bit wasn't even a smutty little offshoot, it was just porn for porns sake and the artwork went from absolutly beautiful to something my little brother could draw. At one point Masamune actually writes 'After this, there's a scene where Mokoto takes over the driving and Togusa checks h More...
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Aug 24, 2011
Crimmas
rated it:
I picked this up because of how much I enjoyed Akira and the Ghost in the Shell movie, and figured if I read the book it would make the movie a little easier to follow.
As good as the book was, certain parts of the book are pretty difficult to wrap around, like the movie adaptation.
That said there's an appendix at the end listing page numbers and explaining certain things on the associated page but I didn't notice it until after I'd finished the book. There are also notes in-betwee More...
As good as the book was, certain parts of the book are pretty difficult to wrap around, like the movie adaptation.
That said there's an appendix at the end listing page numbers and explaining certain things on the associated page but I didn't notice it until after I'd finished the book. There are also notes in-betwee More...
Jun 02, 2011
Xylemicarious
rated it:
Wow. Well, let me put it this way: It's almost entirely very dense philosophy and politics, broken up with the occasional blast of gunfire or flash of nudity. I hate to say it though... I probably like the movie a bit better. This just felt a bit too fragmented and episodic for its own good. Peril of the medium I suppose. Anyway, it's still pretty much required reading for cyberpunk enthusiasts, it also serves as a decent intro to information theory and philosophy of machinery/cybernetics if you
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Oct 25, 2011
R
rated it:
i'm a huge fan of the anime series, and honestry i think that the animes are more sophisticated than the manga, but i still want to admire it for being the origin of massive amount of entertainments :3
the existence of cyborg motoko questions a lot of things about human life. cyborgs and the internet are no longer imaginary things and now the questions sting your personal concerns. whenever i face philosophical/religious/ethical etc.. issues motoko's words come up to my mind. the anime More...
the existence of cyborg motoko questions a lot of things about human life. cyborgs and the internet are no longer imaginary things and now the questions sting your personal concerns. whenever i face philosophical/religious/ethical etc.. issues motoko's words come up to my mind. the anime More...
Jun 14, 2010
Chris
rated it:
I don't know. Maybe I'm stupid. Maybe it's an issue with the translations. Maybe Masamune Shirow is just an incredibly obtuse writer. Either way, I found these books (along with Appleseed) a bit muddled and indecipherable. I repeatedly felt that the books were written as though Mr. Shirow automatically expected us to understand certain things that were not explained - almost as if one were required to see the thought processes that went into the writing - the constant, unexplained reference
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Dec 12, 2011
Shawn
rated it:
If you like the series or the movie you will love the manga. however unlike those two, this has a sense of humor and pokes fun at itself every once in a while. The main plot follows the same story as the anime film, section9 hunting down the mysterious hacker known as "the puppet master".
but issues play out like episodes in the tv series, where some issues will take a break from the main story for individual cases and character development.
but issues play out like episodes in the tv series, where some issues will take a break from the main story for individual cases and character development.
Oct 17, 2011
Nemesis
rated it:
Interessante, ma non mi ha soddisfatto completamente.
I disegni sono apprezzabili, la trama è intrigante(mi piace questo mondo futuristico di Masamune Shirow), ma i personaggi non mi hanno lasciato nulla, non sono approfonditi né ben caratterizzati.
Senza alcun dubbio è un fumetto innovativo e originale, ma niente di eccezionale, ho letto di meglio finora.
I disegni sono apprezzabili, la trama è intrigante(mi piace questo mondo futuristico di Masamune Shirow), ma i personaggi non mi hanno lasciato nulla, non sono approfonditi né ben caratterizzati.
Senza alcun dubbio è un fumetto innovativo e originale, ma niente di eccezionale, ho letto di meglio finora.
Mar 18, 2008
Ryan
rated it:
The intricate artwork alone warrants a recommendation, but I also enjoyed the complex, political plotlines revolving around betrayals, misinformation, maneuvering and plausible deniability. As a work of cyberpunk fiction, this is head & shoulders above other comics. The imagery is serious and almost technically precise when depicting action.
On the other hand, the story occasionally takes a back seat to adolescent fan service. When the characters express political opinions they are consiste More...
On the other hand, the story occasionally takes a back seat to adolescent fan service. When the characters express political opinions they are consiste More...
Nov 19, 2009
Jason
rated it:
Though I enjoyed the movie adaptation of this graphic novel, I found the story a bit difficult to follow at times. I can appreciate the science fiction elements in some graphic novels, but the science in the storyline here seemed to detract from how enjoyable the read was. I know this is a classic, but it just didn't do it for me.
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Aug 22, 2009
Matt
rated it:
I was torn about Ghost in the Shell - it has a lot of great action and art, and it's generally acknowledged as a classic, but it just wasn't a 4-star book for me. The problem, I think, is the way Masamune sometimes assumes the reader knows things that he's essentially made up. That tends to interfere with the philosophical aspects of the book, which is really the thing that's supposed to set it apart. Overall, definitely worth reading - but don't feel bad if it doesn't make sense in the end.
Sep 01, 2011
Sean
rated it:
The manga felt a lot more like the Stand Alone Complex series than it does the movie. The art is quite different, as it doesn't take itself as seriously. It's full of short stories and they're a great read for science fiction fans. Heck, it's a must read just for how forward looking and genre defining this book is.
Jun 28, 2009
Samantha
rated it:
Not really enjoying this so far. Was recommended to me because it had a kick-ass female heroine, but it's a sci-fi book where you jump right in the middle of things, and I'm having a really hard time figuring the world out.
ETA: A few chapters in, it goes through an explanation of cyborgs, and after that it was easier to get into. I still had a really hard time keeping track of the characters.
ETA: A few chapters in, it goes through an explanation of cyborgs, and after that it was easier to get into. I still had a really hard time keeping track of the characters.
May 05, 2009
Ethan
rated it:
Excellent storytelling by Shirow as always. It's really technical and I had to read it twice to get everything in it. My only problem is with the main character, Motoko Kusanagi. She shows no emotion. Maybe it's because that's what Shirow was shooting for when he wrote it, since she is a cyborg and dwells on the idea that she may not be an actual human. That aside, it's a great book and well worth a read if you like the whole cyberpunk theme.
Jul 15, 2010
Matthew
rated it:
Somebody ripped the smutty pages out of the copy I got from the library. Disappointing.
As with the other media in this franchise (Oshii's films, GitS:SAC, etc.), the material can be kind of obtuse at times.
As with the other media in this franchise (Oshii's films, GitS:SAC, etc.), the material can be kind of obtuse at times.
May 11, 2009
Dru
rated it:
ive watched the movie and dozens of the tv episodes before reading this. didnt matter, this still seems fresh and full of ideas. the art perfectly captures the future-opolis. i am a sucker for anything involving AI
Aug 05, 2009
Ken-ichi
rated it:
Read this way back in high school, after seeing (and loving) the movie. Definitely has more detail, but also A LOT more fan service, which is kind of saying something if you've seen the movie.
Dec 14, 2009
Scott
rated it:
Excellent, thoroughly fleshed out the rest of the story that the movie leaves out. Be careful, though, of which edition you get. One of the newer editions is edited for younger readers, which removes some elements of the story.
Mar 05, 2009
Cal
rated it:
Delves deeply into the human-computer divide and what it is to be human - specifically at what point does one become/stop being human?
Jun 15, 2011
Brian
rated it:
Just re-read this. Pretty good, but it's clear that much of what made the movie really great had more to do with Oshii than Shirow.
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Sep 17, 2011
Jim
rated it:
Masamune Shirow's storytelling and art is incredible. Wonderful exploration of politics, crime, and what it means to be human.
Aug 29, 2011
Matt
rated it:
Aside from a few panels of seemingly unnecessary nudity, this was fantastic. Shirow has a gift for making his panels move.
Jul 30, 2011
Magali
rated it:
Bien plus complexe que le film... C'est pour dire :)))
Un manga référence à ne pas manquer.
Un manga référence à ne pas manquer.
