Ghost in the Shell and Akira

The Ghost in the Shell

Resembling a mixture of Blade Runner and the Matrix, the famed science fiction manga by Shirow Masamune explodes back into print in a new oversized edition courtesy of the newly established Kodansha Comics.

Back in 1995, The Ghost in the Shell made its debut in America in the form of an eight issue comic book miniseries before being later rereleased as a one volume trade edition. Now, Kodansha, the original Japanese publisher, after reclaiming the publishing rights, has released a new trade edition of the classic series.

Depicting the story of a female cyborg , Major Motoko Kusanagi, The Ghost in the Shell follows the special agent as she leads the various units of Section Nine in protecting the city’s inhabitants. Assisted by fellow cyborg Batou and a horde of mini robots called “Fuchikoma”, Motoko tracks terrorists, renegade cyborgs, and cyber-criminals.

There are several different stories that comprise this volume, all of which are connected to one overarching theme. The main plot of the story centers on Motoko’s investigation into several cyber-hackings committed by the mysterious cyber-criminal aptly named “the Puppeteer”. Aside from the name, nothing else is known about the criminal. Later on, Motoko discovers that not only is the Puppeteer capable of controlling human minds, but that he/she has also targeted her as part of a greater scheme.

The Ghost in a Shell truly was ahead of its time. Its plot devices and cyberpunk settings are still considered groundbreaking and its influence can still be seen in many science fiction films today. Its exploration of machines and the human consciousness provides us with a possible roadmap of where the future is headed.

One minor gripe is that Kodansha decided to reverse the image of the original
publication. This means that right handed characters are now left handed and the other way around. Perhaps it was to better market it to Americans. In any case, it is a minor quibble considering it means more Ghost in the Shell is on its way.

With layers of Science fiction, detective fiction, gun play and violence, Ghost in a Shell is something of an amalgamation. Even after debuting in Japan two decades ago, the ideas presented within are still fresh and innovative and gives us a glimpse of what is next for us and our world.

Ghost in the Shell - A
























Akira Volume 1

Moving onto another manga brought back into print by Kodansha Comics is the apocalyptic epic Akira.

First released in 1988 by Marvel Comics, Akira was then licensed by Dark Horse Comics before Kodansha regained the rights.

Set 38 years after World War 3, Japan has been reduced to an urban wasteland. In the city of Neo Tokyo, Kaneda, the leader of a group of restless street toughs, races through the streets battling rival gangs. Tetsuo, the youngest member of his gang, begins manifesting tremendous psychic powers that once realized will envelope him in madness threaten the world. Meanwhile, beneath it all is the secret know only as “Akira”.

Akira is considered one of the most important and influential works in graphic fiction. It was one of the first manga to be adapted into a feature length film that went on to become one of the first anime movies to be well received outside of Japan.

Like the Ghost in the Shell, this edition is an oversized format with flipped artwork and restored color pages. The artwork is clean and detailed with attractive character designs and easy to follow action sequences.

The story is a classic that still holds up even after all these years. The author, Katsuhiro Otomo, is one of the best in the business and still considered an influence thanks to his amazing attention to detail and superior story telling. Even after 20 years the artwork is still breathtaking. The intricate details of the landscapes and cities are amazing and display Otomo’s true mastery of his craft

Akira is not just a science fiction tour de force but also an important work of art and entertainment. This is a unique story that full of incredible action and character development. It’s dazzling to look at and epic in scope and continues to prove why it is regarded the world over as the “father of cyberpunk”.

Akira - A+