Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Synopsis:
In a dystopic city of the future, there has been a rash of killings at the hands of prototype robots. These anomalies from the company Locus Solus are making headlines, and have caught the attention of the cyborg Batou and the crew of the Section 9 special forces. Yet beneath the random violence, a sinister plot is unfolding -- a situation so dangerous that it threatens not only Batou, but innocent humans and cyborgs alike. Can the team of Section 9 unravel the mystery of these murders before they suffer the same fate as the victims?
tags:
applying filters, loading recommendationsrecommendations
Ergo Proxy
- TV (23 eps)
- 2006
In a futuristic world almost barren of life, mankind is confined to mechanized domed cities where A.I.’s control all aspects of life. In this world, humans are no longer born, they are manufactured in a production line; and alongside them live androids known as autoreivs. Within one of these domed sanctuaries named Romdeau lives Re-l Mayer, one of a few citizens who aren’t entirely prevented from thinking. Her grandfather's prominent position and the affection of the scientist Daedalus have left her more free will than is normally allowed, but Re-l has started to question the sanctity of the city and the citizens' perfect way of life. With mysterious beings known as proxies causing havoc and a man named Vincent causing great influence on her life, Re-l must travel outside of the city to find the answers she seeks and discover the mystery behind "the awakening".
tags:
my anime:
5 people think you'd like this because...
add recGhost in the Shell Innocence and Ergo Proxy are both equally as arrogant, pseudo-intellectual, and vacuous as far as plot. Both are also gorgeous visually and aurally, and are pioneers of the cyberpunk style. I couldn't stand either of these anime, but if you liked one, I am absolutely certain you'd like the other.
They both try to be intelligent and end up utterly failing. They have a similar look, feel, and perhaps concept. If you somehow enjoyed GITS 2, then no doubt you would enjoy Ergo Proxy which is somehow a bit better, but not by much.
Ergo Proxy is another anime that makes you think a lot because while watching your mind goes *what?!?* The story stays mystical and full of wisdom until the very end. Still, if curiosity is not enough to catch you, breathtaking animation and music will!
Btw, there is another anime you'd love that is not yet in the anime-planet list: it is The Animatrix. Although the nine short anime of the Animatrix take place in the world of the Matrix trilogy, you don't need to know the story to enjoy these short movies :)
Both of these shows focus more on seeming smart than actually being smart. They both do this in many ways but what really unites them is their utter lack of a coherent storyline and a strong cyber punk feel.
Both are about explorting the blurry line between what is humanity and what is machine, and being pretentious and "philosophical" about it.
Appleseed Movie
- Movie
- 2004
In a world where mankind is at the brink of destruction, one lone scientist has concocted the means to save it: bioroids. These artificial humans coexist with humans in the city of Olympus, under the watchful eye of the supercomputer Gaia -- to stabilize society. The military strongly opposes their use, however, and the elite soldier Deunan may hold thekey to saving both the human race and the lives of the bioroids. Teamed upwith an old friend, Briareos, Deunan must race against the clock to discover the secret of the Appleseed before countless lives are tragically lost...
my anime:
4 people think you'd like this because...
add recIf you loved the gritty sci fi feel to GITS: Innocence, and appreciated the deep questions about cybernetics and cyborgs in general, Appleseed is definitely for you. Almost as beautiful as GITS2, and even more compelling, in my opinion.
If you love the work of Masamune Shirow, then these two movies are a must see. Chuck full o'action, twisted plots, and jaw dropping CG.
These movies are the product of Anime's first foray into CGI. It can have them feeling a bit strange, like the graphics are too smooth, somehow. But if you're into that sort of thing, both feature high-quality action and girls who kick ass. Reccommended that you watch Ghost in the Shell before the sequel though, obviously~
Serial Experiments Lain
Alt titles: Lain
- TV (13 eps)
- 1998
"I have only abandoned my body, I still live here" - are the words emailed to friends of Chisa, several days after her death by suicide. As Lain delves deeper into the world of the "Wired" (also known as the internet), the line between it and reality becomes more and more unclear. Close the world, open the nExt.
tags:
my anime:
3 people think you'd like this because...
add recAs cliche as I'm sure this recommendation pair seems, it truly fits the best. Lain and GITS are both tales of the real world versus the wired, per say, with thoughts of cyborgs and such things. Definitely recommended.
Despite the fact that GITS2 packs more action, their almost philosophic nature concerning the topic of human interaction with technology in the near future is almost uncanny.
Although quite different in action-density (Lain being the calm one), Ghost in the Shell and Lain are a good recommendation to each other. The main goal of both anime is to make the watcher question the definition of the human soul, mind, consciousness or however you want to call it. If you liked one of these for that reason, check the other out.
Armitage III
- OVA (4 eps)
- 1995
The year is 2179: humans and robots have colonized Mars. A newer Third-Type robot has been designed to interact undetected in human society. That is, until a man named D'anclaude discovers their secret and starts a movement to wipe them out. Armitage is a Third-Type that works for the police with her partner Ross, and now these two must rid the planet of D'anclaude and his evil plans.
my anime:
3 people think you'd like this because...
add recCyberpunk action flicks with an underlying question of what it means to be human - Armitage III and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence are very much alike. Armitage III is a bit more straightforward in the pursuit of her goals while the Major is more subtle. Regardles, if you enjoyed one, you will likely enjoy the other.
Armitage III is a good cyberpunk action-flick which questions cyborg / android morals, a theme close to those seen in Ghost in the Shell. Although the visuals are slightly dated, it's definitely visually appealing every now and then (for the city-views or Armitage, whatever floats your boat). Last but not least, Armitage III's plot is one centered around crime, with Armitage in the role of the secret agent. If you liked GitS for its cyberpunk crime/action plot, you don't want to miss out on this one!
Both start out the same--mysterious deaths involving marginally legal androids, and a full human and cyberbeing are in charge of figuring out the nefarious scheme behind it all. Both also attempt to explore why there is now a blurry line between what is human and what is machine, with mixed success.
Parasite Dolls
- OVA (3 eps)
- 2003
The year is Tokyo 2034, and humans coexist with artificial intelligences known as Boomers. The Branch, a special police unit, has the mission of handling all Boomer crimes. With the help of Basil, the Boomer Rod, the heavy weapons-freak Reiko, the Boomer-expert Bill, and Elza, the Branch must protect people from defective Boomers and investigate why they are suddenly going berserk. The case becomes more complicated when Kimbal finds a mysterious drug during one of the investigations. Mad Dolls, a dreaming hooker Boomer, and unexpected events unfold into a political conspiracy against Boomers and Basil himself!
tags:
my anime:
2 people think you'd like this because...
add recParasite Dolls and Innocence are not only similar from a graphical and cyber-punk ambiance point of view, but also their plots have some similarities. Again, GITS has more explicit philosophical content, whereas Parasite Dolls focuses more on action.
Parasite Dolls is another anime for grown-ups, with bags of atmosphere, thoughtful content and lovely art and music. It's not as polished or quite as abstract as Innocence, nothing is, but another quality anime to track down if you want more.
