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songwind's review against another edition
4.0
Ghost in the Shell is a classic of manga. It contains stylized art, political maneuvering, action, and metaphysics. As is typical of the genre, the metaphysics frequently don't make sense objectively, but the internal consistency is superb.
cthulhu_calamari's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Murder, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content, Classism, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Car accident, Medical trauma, Drug use, Bullying, Cursing, and Alcohol
unladylike's review against another edition
2.0
I knew this series was somewhat legendary when I finally picked it up from the library. I had seen the TV series and movie 8 years earlier while waist deep in 20th century "continental" philosophy and enjoyed it. When I read the book, I nearly came to the conclusion that no matter how much I love reading about interesting theoretical or actual scientific developments and their social, philosophical, and environmental implications, the cyberpunk genre, or at least its representation in Ghost in the Shell, just doesn't do much for me. I felt the storytelling was choppy and difficult to follow, and so much of the personal and philosophical potential was obscured by the author's detailed notations of the science behind the story. I wanted more punk and less cyber. Or at least I wanted to be led deep into the cyber aspects *because* of the compelling "punk" philosophies. Instead I felt that an obsession with cybernetics and nanotech were prerequisite for fully enjoying this miniseries.
rackncheese's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I was pretty underwhelmed by this. I don't think the story has aged that well, and tonally it just felt all over the place. Not a bad book, but probably not one I'll revisit.
bigpoppaj919's review against another edition
3.0
I seem to remember liking this better when I was younger. I don't know why I didn't get as much enjoyment out of it this time around as I did when I read it when it was first released, but it just didn't seem to jive with me. The story is very jumpy, and from cell to cell on the same page things don't seem to flow. Maybe this is just something that was lost in translation, I'm not sure. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, I just remember enjoying this a lot more the first time through.
mmnasc's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more if I hadn’t seen Oshii’s adaptation. I like the art style and the colouring (when it exists) is stunning, but it was a bit of a chore to read. You can tell a lot of research is put into technology, guns and international affairs and it unfortunately makes the manga exposition-heavy at numerous points. Certain poses the cyborgs are drawn in and other hints at eroticism can also be a bit cheesy - but it was the 80s after all. Wish it would focus more on the big ethical and philosophical implications instead of the technical and technological minutiae. That being said, Chapter 11 is exactly what I wanted from this series.
rumireads's review against another edition
informative
reflective
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
talltree's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
abookwormspov's review against another edition
Not in the mood. Maybe try again later.