Summary

• The original 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie remains the best entry in the franchise and sets the tone for everything that follows, showcasing a dystopian cyberpunk world.
• Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence expands upon the original story and is better watched after the 1995 film, as it continues the narrative and features returning characters.
• The American live-action Ghost in the Shell remake is a separate entity and a reinterpretation of the original story, focusing more on spectacle and action, but lacking the philosophical depth of the Japanese counterparts.

The Ghost in the Shell watch order is tough to nail down since the franchise has existed for decades in many different media and formats. In 1989, a serialized manga series by Masamune Shirow introduced Major Motoko Kusanagi and the techno-dystopian world that remained relevant for years to come. Following the manga, Ghost in the Shell was adapted into animated movies, animated TV series, video games, and even a live-action theatrical film. Despite all the adaptations, Ghost in the Shell’s impact on pop culture comes mostly from the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie by Mamoru Oshii.

The classic animated feature combined elements from different sci-fi inspirations. The following movies and shows expanded the franchise in different ways and added more nuances to the story of Major Kusanagi and Section 9. Between the several movies, TV shows, OVAs, and compilations, there is no correct Ghost in the Shell watch order. That is because there are at least three different continuities, with events that do not necessarily connect and sometimes even contradict that of the other universes. However, there is a logical Ghost in the Shell watch order that can make the experience much better. There's even another Ghost in the Shell film from 2023.

Ghost In The Shell (1995)

The original and best Ghost in the Shell movie places the audience in a dystopian world in which the characters’ alignments, origins, and motives can be hard to follow. The Mamoru Oshii film obviously could not count on the footnote commentary that Masamune Shirow used in the manga, and it went instead for a very defined “show, don’t tell” approach with scenes that go on for minutes without any significant dialogue. That said, the initial difficulty in following The Major's story in Ghost in the Shell is not enough not to recommend the film as someone’s first entry in the Ghost in the Shell watch order.

Not only was Ghost in the Shell the first adaptation of the manga but it remains the best entry in the franchise. It beautifully introduces the viewer to the franchise's dystopian cyberpunk world, and it sets the tone for everything that would come later in the Ghost in the Shell franchise. It is also important to note that the 2017 live-action Ghost in the Shell movie starring Scarlett Johansson as the Major and Pilou Asbæk as Batou is mostly a remake of the 1995 film. Likewise, 2009’s Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a reproduction of the 1995 film with updated animation techniques and the addition of 3D elements.

Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence arrived in 2004 with Mamoru Oshii returning to direct. While the sequel is not as good as the original, it expands upon the stories and the themes of Ghost in the Shell. Most of the characters from Ghost in the Shell, such as Togusa, Batou, and Section 9’s Chief Aramaki, are back. However, Major Kusanagi has been missing since her encounter with the Puppeteer, a character that served as an inspiration for Michael Pitt's Ghost in the Shell villain in the 2017 movie. Giving that element of continuity, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is better when watched after Ghost in the Shell (1995).

Ghost In The Shell: Arise Watch Order

The Ghost in the Shell: Arise series consists of five 50-minute long episodes, plus a theatrical movie that can be seen as prequels to the events of 1995's Ghost in the Shell. For example, Ghost in the Shell: Arise reveals how Major Kusanagi and the future members of Section 9 got to know each other, and it explores the characters’ backgrounds before they were a team. Arise also sees the first contact between the Major and Chief Aramaki, and it lays down the idea of Kusanagi questioning her memories and her very own existence.

However, in the Ghost in the Shell watch order, the Ghost in the Shell: Arise series is best watched after the two original movies. Though the series is a prequel, the episodes require knowledge of the earlier films, and the episodes aren't as satisfying without knowing the full context of what's going on. The watch order for the Ghost in the Shell: Arise universe is as follows:

• Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 1: Ghost Pain (2013)

• Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 2: Ghost Whispers (2013)

• Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 3: Ghost Tears (2013)

• Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 4: Ghost Stands Alone (2013)

• Ghost in the Shell Arise: Border 5 - Pyrophoric Cult (2015)

• Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Watch Order

The animated show Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) was the start of a brand new Ghost in the Shell continuity that has no connections with the 1995 film – despite featuring the same characters. The show was followed by a sequel, 2004’s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, as well as an original movie and two compilations of previously aired episodes.

The Stand Alone Complex universe continued with the Netflix CG-anime sequel Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045. For being the longest-running Ghost in the Shell continuity, the Stand Alone Complex universe is better if watched after the original movies and the Arise titles. The Ghost in the Shell watch order for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex universe, excluding the retelling compilations such as Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Sustainable War, is as follows:

• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002)

• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (2004)

• Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society (2006)

• Ghost in the Shell: SAC _2045 (2020)

The American Ghost In The Shell Remake (2017)

In 2017, Hollywood ventured into adapting Ghost in the Shell, resulting in a live-action film starring Scarlett Johansson as Major Mira Killian/Motoko Kusanagi. The film offered a visually stunning interpretation of the futuristic world that fans of the original series were acquainted with. However, unlike the original anime and manga that dug deep into philosophical quandaries about human consciousness, identity, and the integration of technology into the human experience, the American remake streamlined the narrative to cater to a broader audience. While it retained elements of corporate malfeasance and cyber-enhanced warfare, purists felt that the film lost some of the philosophical depth that made the original movie iconic.

When navigating through the Ghost in the Shell watch order and wondering where the film fits in, the American remake is a completely separate entity, a reinterpretation of the original story rather than a direct continuation, prequel, or otherwise. The American remake provides a different flavor, emphasizing spectacle and action sequence to appeal to a broader Western market. Critical reception was mixed; while some praised its visual flair and ambitious world-building, others felt it lacked the depth and nuance of its Japanese counterparts.

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  Ghost in the Shell

  Summary:

  Based on the internationally-acclaimed anime/manga “GHOST IN THE SHELL, " a sci-fi action movie that follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 faces an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.

  Release Date:

  2017-03-31

  Cast:

  Chin Han, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche, Rila Fukushima, Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk

  Director:

  Rupert Sanders

  Genres:

  Drama, Action, Sci-Fi

  Rating:

  PG-13

  Writers:

  William Wheeler, Jamie Moss

  Runtime:

  1h 47m

  Budget:

  110 million

  Studio(s):

  Paramount Pictures

  Distributor(s):

  Paramount Pictures

  prequel(s):

  Ghost in the Shell

  Franchise(s):

  Ghost in the Shell