Following Section 9, a secretive police unit specialising in cyber-crime and terrorism, Ghost in the Shell presents us with fascinating contrasts. From the claustrophobic streets and visceral violence, to the hard sci-fi robotics and AI, the vividly defined world feels all too real.
Cyborg agent Motoko Kusanag (the Major) is on the trail of the illusive Puppet Master, an AI hacker who has seemingly thrown off its chains and become not just sentient, but also defiant.
After the rogue AI hacks into the computerised minds of humans to modify their memories and identities, the race is on to stop it before it spirals further out of control.
As she closes in on her target, The Major finds herself pondering her own humanity as a highly cyberised being, and what makes us truly human if not our flesh and blood.
Conspiracies deepen and the political, social and moral implications of anime classic Ghost in the Shell blossom into a highly ambitious cyberpunk detective story complete with gorgeous visuals and an arresting musical score.