The Japanese animation film "Ghost in the Shell" directed by Mamoru Oshii stands out among many other manga animations due to the high quality of production, and the story involved. It appears to be aimed at a slightly older audience than most of the Anime films that are imported by the West, partly due to having a story with a deeper meaning than is typical of the genre.

Also the central character, Motoko, is shown as an older woman than is typical in Japanese animations. In most animations the central female character will appear, and also speak in a very childlike way. This is because of a quality that is important in Japanese culture which is the importance of being "Kawai" which is similar to the English word cute. Unlike characters such as Minmei (from Macross) and Pai (from 3x3 eyes), Motoko speaks with an adult voice, and doesn稚 have the same large eyes and small nose. This makes it much easier for an adult female to identify with the character, while at the same time, her well endowed, and often naked body is still likely to be attractive to the male viewer. However, at the end of the film, her destroyed body is replaced with that as a child. This suggests the idea that the link with her and "the puppet master" has resulted in offspring, and can also be seen to represent rebirth.

To show that she is not completely human, as well as shots of plug sockets in the back of her neck, she is occasionally shown moving in a way that is impossible for humans, for example in the early chase scene, she flips over and jumps up onto a tall building. Also we are shown what she, and the other characters see when they access the net. Reinforcing the idea that the main characters are living inside dead shells of metal helps to give a feeling of claustrophobia, which is assisted by use of shots with the background moving behind characters when they speak.

Also a feeling of ghostliness is added by unconventional use of sound track. During scenes of high action, rather than using fast music, instead there is a slow, haunting soundtrack. This is much more effective than fast music in the scene where she fights a man while invisible. It adds to the strangeness of this scene. In the scene where she is ripped to peices by a tank, then a vocal is added to this, making the scene very emotional, coupled with distressing imagery. The idea of being ripped to pieces and then being rebuilt is also used in 3x3 eyes with the character Yakamo.

There are aspects of the film that are lost in the translation. The "puppet master" is shown during most of the scene as being a mechanical female torso but is given a male voice. In the Japanese language it is easier for the character to remain androgynous as it is not necessary to use gender specific words. However, in the subtitles, and also the dubbed version it is necessary for the translators to commit to one gender by use of the word "He". This takes a little away from the meaning, as the character is meant to have been born completely on the net.


What does the film "Ghost in the Shell" and other Japanese films indicate about Japanese views on the body and identity?
Ghost in the Shell vs Akira
The music in "Ghost in the Shell"


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