A review by Mike Shea Movie Rating: ( * * * * * ) DVD Rating: ( * * * * * )
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The world of adult animation gives a real weird feeling to a lot of folks. While a lot of time it brings up either complete confusion or images of the japanese school girl cartoons, for some it brings up some classics like Heavy Metal and Akira. Ghost in a Shell is a science fiction animated film that defines the genre. A cyborg assassin working for a government group known as "section 9" fights against an unknown foe known as the "puppet master" as she fights with a deep identity crisis. In a world where 99% of the human body has been replaced with technology, what is it that defines life? The movie plays off of a lot of different science fiction ideas picking some of the deeper ones and bringing them right up front. The story fits a blade runner type society with a neuromancer style cyberpunk story. The DVD is reference quality with a 1.85 to 1 16x9 anamorphic picture and a powerful Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. There are also a slew of extras on the disc. This movie is not for everyone, but for a science fiction lover with a bit more of an open mind that Disney usually allows it is a work of art.