GHOST IN THE SHELL 4K + BD + DGTL [Blu-ray]

Product Information

For items that are dispatched using our standard service, we ask that you wait 14 days from the date of dispatch before reporting any items as undelivered. In terms of resolution, the differences are noticeable, as there is a finer texture in the minutia, especially in the characteristics/physical makeup of the characters, although this isn’t what I would define as eye catching. No complaints though, this Ultra HD Blu-ray release is well worth importing, with a gorgeous native 4K presentation and Dolby Vision as the cherry on top. The great news is, the film not only includes English “dubtitles” that match the English audio track, when you select either of the Japanese audio options the English subs are a proper English translation of the Japanese language.

For the week that ended on September 12th, Warner Home Entertainment's Superman: Man of Tomorrow took at the number-one spot on the Blu-ray-only and overall package-media sales charts. Back in 2012, a decade ago at this point, Ghost in the Shell was among the first anime that I watched and received for my collection. It spawned an audacious sequel, two seasons of a spin-off series, a movie or three based on them, a soft reboot series, and a new Netflix series - the first fully-CG rendition. A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of "The Puppet Master,? text-free wraparound image sporting a slight metallic sheen that further enhances its colorful design.Together, with her fellow agents from Section 9, they embark on a high-tech race against time to capture him. The artwork is free of any information or BBFC content and the info sheet covers the information and specification like recent Funimation UK limited edition releases. Yet the added HDR/WCG and Dolby Vision really makes all the difference here, even in the more reserved shots, bringing all of the tones to life - from Motoko's own naked body, to the lavish office interiors and broken down cityscape ruins, giving depth and vibrancy to the woods and the steels, and to the skies and the sea. The US release was in September 2020 and it took Manga Entertainment UK a whole year to bring it over to the UK, and is one of the last titles to use the Manga logo before the distributor rebranded as Funimation UK. It was even co-produced by Manga Entertainment and released in the UK soon after its Japanese theatrical date.

These are among the big questions that Ghost in the Shell poses, sometimes with the subtlety of your standard issue big gun, but it leaves you to ponder the answers. This history is particularly interwoven when it comes to the science fiction genre and Japanese animation.And these dangerous threats open doors to more troubling concerns about our humanity and sense of self. From its opening invisible camouflage assassination set piece, to its remote-controlled-puppet chase through the streets and rooftops, to its climactic showdown with a battle tank, Ghost in the Shell is defined by iconic imagery, which innovatively blended early CG with cel animation to tremendous effect; a stunning, haunting score; blistering action with punishing consequence; and superb, bleeding edge ideas which foretold so much that has come to pass in the last quarter-century, at least when it comes to the proliferation of the internet and connectivity. Digital animation tends to look quite good in high definition, however the style of this film isn’t lent to bright, glossy, razor sharp images, so I kept expectations in check. Cybercrimes and cyber warfare are a serious threat to national security, prompting the need for specialized police forces where special agent Major Motoko Kusanagi serves as the team leader.

Granted, the hazy, soft-focus photography keeps the visuals on the softer side of things, but comparatively, the 2160p video is sharper and better-looking than previous releases. And while I’m not a fan of dubbed English audio for a film like this, the people involved in producing it (and who participate in the commentary) offer a great many insights on the film and production.The whole wonderful future-world that Shirow imagined and Oshii realised - and the iconic character of Motoko Kusanagi herself - remain indelible, landmark images in the sci-fi landscape.

I unfortunately don’t have the equipment or know-how to get into the nitty gritty of the new 4K presentation, but I can say that it breathes new life into the film’s gorgeous cinematography, bringing out all of the detail delicately crammed into Oshii’s lived-in frames, and the contrast of light and darkness, like an earlier shot where Motoko Kusanagi is silhouetted by the light coming through her apartment window. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.

A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of "The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. In celebration of its 25th anniversary it comes to Blu-ray in this Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack from Lionsgate Home Entertainment featuring excellent Ultra HD/high definition video, gratifying lossless surround sound, including a solid Dolby Atmos mix, and newly released supplemental features that are worth exploring if you enjoy the film.