Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (v. 1)

Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (v. 1)
by Masamune Shirow

Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (v. 1)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Masamune Shirow
Edition: Paperback
Audio: Japanese (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1995-12-15
ISBN: 1569710813
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Dark Horse

Book Reviews of Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (v. 1)

Book Review: Super Cool Sciencey Metaphysical Comic Book
Summary: 5 Stars

Ghost in the Shell takes place in the future populated by cyborgs - people with mechanical parts. The stories follow a team of assasins and through their exploits we get to see the world they live in.

There are definite philosophical metaphysical concerns in Ghost in the Shell. If a person has mechanical parts at what point do they stop being human? The definition of life is dealt with from a legal standpoint by Team 9. In court cyborgs are evaluted to see if their "Ghost", the part of them that represents their inate humanity and not programming, is responsible for crimes they have committed or if the crimes are a computer malfunction. One of the plots running through these stories deals with "The Puppeteer", a computer program which has become self aware and developed a ghost.

Introducing these philosophical concerns in an action heavy plot makes for a nice balance. By making humanity a legal technicality the philosophy is made neccesary to the plot and flows well.

I also liked the sciency footnotes (and endnotes), which pepper the pages of Ghost in the Shell. They explain this or that bit of real technology which could lead to this bit of fiction being real. Basing science fiction on real science tends to be a bit silly but it is fun to see.

The graphics in Ghost in the Shell are good. Each chapter starts with a few color pages and the rest of that chapter in black and white. This makes for a nice balance where I've got my color pics but the book doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The drawings themselves are well done. I probably would like many of them much more if I were a guy though.

I highly recommend Ghost in the Shell. It was fun to read and cleverly written. I hope it never goes out of print.

Summary of Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (v. 1)

In a world in which the human mind can be programmed like a computer, where does the human soul end and the cybernetic machinery begin? What does it mean to be human? From Masamune Shirow, the creator of Appleseed, Orion, and Dominion: Tank Police, comes an epic, dystopian tale of politics, covert actions, and cyborgs with too much attitude!

This title contains: Ghost in the Shell #1-8


From acclaimed Japanese writer/artists Masamune Shirow, the creator of Appleseed, Orion, and Dominion: Tank Police comes a new dystopian tale of tough-talking cyborgs, political intrigues, and the kind of actions best left covert! The beautiful and deadly Major Kusanagi and her crack team of internal operatives are sent to investigate a government factory with questionable labor practices. As it turns out, their labor practices aren't the only thing to be questioned when the major and her team are met by a most unwelcoming welcome wagon!

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