In celebration of the first large-scale exhibition of Ghost in the Shell (GITS), I find myself double down on rewatching this amazing series. The news of Science Saru (Devilman Crybaby, Eizouken) overseeing the new TV series of Ghost in the Shell releasing in 2026 also made me incredibly excited, as Mamoru Oshii already stopped working on the series a long time ago himself.
Looking up the new TV series on its empty IMDB page, I realize GITS’ serialization is too elaborated and opinions are constantly split on which should be considered canon and which shouldn’t. The IP has been through the hands of many directors, studios and distributors, all with different goals and priorities in mind at the time of production, and the fandom isn’t a monolith. Although GITS originated in a manga by Masamune Shirow and has its series of games, I will leave that for another day. Hence, I’m writing this to pitch in my piece of the puzzle with a numbered and ordered list of what to watch and my explanation.
- Ghost in the Shell (1995) by Mamoru Oshii
- Ghost in the Shell: Innocence (2004) by Mamoru Oshii
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) by Kenji Kamiyama
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (2004) by Kenji Kamiyama
- Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society (2006) by Kenji Kamiyama
You might have noticed there are a few I didn’t mention, because for someone first getting into GITS, these renditions of it can absolutely make them hate the whole show. However, for a fan, these are passable, though some are on the fence about whether they deserve to belong in the same line when Mamoru Oshii was still in charge of the show.
- Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2015)
- Ghost in the Shell (2017) – You guessed right, it’s the one with Scarlett Johansson
- Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020-2022) by Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki
I’m sure the top five options and their order remains indisputable in the fandom’s perception; it is also something I agree on partly with the consensus. I also agree wholeheartedly on the widespread seething of the fandom regarding the 2017 live-action movie by Paramount Pictures, but this is also something I should leave for another day. For now, however, I would like to speak in defense of the Arise series and the SAC_2045 series. If you are a tourist or someone looking to get into GITS and not yet seen these controversial renditions, this is the time for you to close this blog and go watch the 1995 movie first before coming back here.
First, the Arise series. Out of all renditions of GITS made by Production I.G (Evangelion, Attack on Titan, Psycho-Pass), Arise was likely the most disappointing. I would argue that its failure was due to the expectations placed on a brand-new creative team taking up the mantle after the mind-blowing success of Kenji Kamiyama for Stand Alone Complex. Fans were coming into Arise expecting the music of Yoko Kanno and weighty lineart of classic Prod IG to be met with pure digital art and a complete overhaul of the original visual motifs that even Kamiyama had to take from Oshii himself.
However, I would also implore you to give the Arise series a chance. Only after you have watched through the first list and have a concrete image of what the series is of course. By itself as a standalone (see what I did there), Arise has its charms. It only falls short when juxtaposed with what came before it because fundamentally Arise is so different as a prequel.
The Major in Arise is of a much younger mind, a scrappy recruit who acts brashly and lacks the inquisition that comes with experience like our Major of Stand Alone Complex. Batou and Aramaki are much less easy-going, less forgiving, and Batou less hardened than he was shown in 2nd Gig. The art style is modern, leather and polished, weapons are small and concealed instead of the usual gigantic railguns we often see Section 9 bring on their missions. The Tachikomas are less lively, more robotic and the audience can feel how unwilling the Major is to interact with them as this is something that persists with her decision to lock the Tachikomas away at the end of Stand Alone Complex. Although Arise Major would have turned them into scrap metal, SAC Major only opted to redistribute them and allow them to make full use of their newfound consciousness.
As for the music of Arise, I’ve always found Cornelius’s direction very fitting for the younger Major as compared to the grungy and flippant older Major. The music of Arise is airy and out of place, a stark contrast between the tone of the action and the music in the background always. The opening is soft and ethereal, but the beat is confusing. Now that I put it in words, Arise’s storytelling choices being made through music was rather on the nose, is it? That the younger Kusanagi Motoko (a fake name) is still lost without a purpose, unable to prove if her ghost is worthy to rely on with a mass-produced shell and immaculate talent and tenacity with nowhere to make use of it.
I hope this can change someone’s mind on where to put Arise on the map. I can’t say that it is my favorite of the series, but it certainly doesn’t deserve the hate that it gets from an ill-timed release and terrible IP management.
The next blog will be about SAC_2045, which I also took a lot of time to be able to change my mind on.
Stay tuned, Tachikomas.
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