The year is 2032. With the advancement of medical technology humanity has grown into a more
technologically driven creature, creating a breed of cyborg citizen. Along with the development of
cybernetics the world has seen rapid development in the field of artificial intelligence, making
androids a commercially viable venture.
A recent string of murders perpetrated by a prototype female android has drawn the attention of
Section 9, a unit specializing in counter cyber-terrorism. With none of the victims' families pressing
charges, suspicions arise regarding the nature of the androids and their production.
Months have passed since the end of the Puppet Master incident, and with the Major still missing
investigative duties fall to her cyborg commando partner Batou and his newly recruited biological
partner, Togusa. Can the two overcome their differences and discover the truth behind this string of
murders?
(Source: Bandai Entertainment)
Lately I've not really been motivated to write reviews for some odd reason, but since this movie is my 100th finished anime, I thought I may as well make the effort of writing one, since I feel an urge to make people aware about this rather divisive and overlooked gem in the GiTS Rabbit Hole. So with that being said, here's my part-analytical, part-critical review of Innocence. Plot, Structure, Pacing - The Plot is rather barebone and, its structured like a neo-noir detective drama in the first half and then turns into a surrealistic, trippy action packed blockbuster in the second. Not a whole lot to say, besides the fact that Innocence is a movie which moves at its own leisure and takes its sweet time to pick up and also sets up its mood as with any Oshii Film. Another aspect which I find rather difficult to put into words is that, this movie doesn't really feel like a GITS property and feels like a blend of Hollywood thrillers and Experimental anime with complex themes. It's this rarely seen mashup, which to me makes this film even more interesting and special. Characters- When it comes to Sci-fi as a whole, characters aren't the most important aspect in its narrative, at least in comparison to worldbuilding or themes. But Innocence was the movie which made me connect to its leads on a much more deeper level. To put it simply, this anime does a great job of characterizing Batou and Togusa (as per Sci-fi standards at the minimum) and my appreciation for Batou increased after watching this movie. The antagonist while not interesting as the previous ones, served his job, and the same can apply to the other minor characters. Themes- Innocence as a whole gets a lot of criticism for being so vastly different from its predecessor and TV Counterpart and I can understand the criticism-this anime is full of quotations and an endearing amount of exposition and symbolism which I won't pretend to fully understand. The movie keeps on throwing dense exposition onto the audience without a moment of pause for them to comprehend it. This can certainly be an issue for a lot of people who are not used to experimental media and went into this movie expecting it to be like a standard GiTS installment, which is really intelligent but also packed with action and is a lot more subtle at tackling its themes. The reason behind this anime being the way it is because, this movie is Oshii's ideas being put to life. This anime is more of Oshii's Brainchild and he tries to tackle complex themes in a very explicit and direct way through the use of the GiTS universe. Now whether this whole ordeal will work out for you or not depends on you, but in my humble opinion, Innocence from a purely thematic standpoint is better than the 1995 movie. The movies explores a lot of complex ideas via its dialogue, which forces the viewers to think even more deeply because of their abstract nature. To get it straight this film not only expands upon the OG film's themes, but it also asks questions such as 1.Are all sentient beings equal? 2.When does the line between inanimate objects and humans start to blur? Can Having a soul in a manufactured body make any creature a human? 3.Why does Humankind pursue A.I and why do we even make objects resembling us? 4.Is there any Significance to Human life? Can we be reduced to mere mechanical terms or are we complex beings? The central idea behind both of the movies has been to explain the nature of sentient living beings as a whole and trying to answer the questions surrounding their existence. Questions like if unnatural lifeforms deserve to have their own will or if they can even said to be lifeforms, are some questions being put at the forefront and this movie in particular expands a lot on it Another noteworthy point I'd like to make is that Innocence is also centered around the concept of dealing with grief and loss, thus its thematic exploration feels even more intimate and personal. The quality of dialogue is out of the roof when complex ideas and theories are being discussed (Like the whole discussion with Haraway) but it drops a bit when the anime exploits the concept of making direct and explicit references to other literary/religious/scientific works. That said this anime does put a lot of faith in the viewer and expects them to come to their own conclusions. Personally I like this way of conveying themes and I really appreciate what the film did. And I can see myself re-watching the film over n over again, because it has a high re-watch value. Soundtrack, Art and Tone- OST is minimalistic but dang is it GOOD. The Ballade of Puppets suits this anime so much, the overall atmosphere is very moody and trippy depending on the act- and its just something I rarely see, add to that Oshii's masterful use of scenic shots. The mood kicks in. The Art is great. Sure the CGI looks a bit old, but I'd be lying to myself by saying that it doesn't look beautiful and pleasing. Even if PS3 level CGI has aged, it doesn't it looks bad. Easily Audiovisuals was the thing which carried this one for me. Not to say how fluid the animation was. Action- Awesome, feels believable and Come on its Batou. FINAL VERDICT watch it if you have an affinity for stuff like serial experiments lain and if you can tolerate loads of exposition. That being said, this show is easily 8.00+ on MAL IMO, yet it rests on 7.81 which is a shame really. So yeah it is underrated and overlooked, and if you can watch this gem. MY FINAL SCORE is 87/100
Ghost In The Shell: Innocence is the sequel film of the original 1995 Ghost in The Shell Movie, but at the same time, even a name as big as GITS, this installment is downplayed horribly. I have two reasons: 1. People are not aware of the existence of the sequel movie even though they have watched the original 1995 movie 2. Or if they have watched it, people complain about it because "too many quotations" or "pretentious" or "trying to make it look smart" The anime indeed uses many quotations from famous philosophical figures such as Plato, Confucius, Descartes, and even Buddha. Many people interpret those quotations as an information dump that makes the anime unbearable to watch. While I do get sometimes that wordy films can be hard to get through with and not for everyone, however, what I disagree with is that people treat them as if those quotations are just there for the sake of it to make the film looks 'intellectual'. I also do not understand how this film is the only one that gets more "pretentious" criticisms when even Stand Alone Complex has way more stuffs like that in quantity, it seemed like double standards. In fact, it is impressive for a film like Innocence to make good usage of direct quotations from famous figures and incorporate all of them to construct a brilliant philosophical film. Innocence contains similar themes to the original movie. The philosophical theme of transhumanism and soul is retained and even expanded further. And as mentioned previously, the film also makes good usage of the philosophy of various famous figures, ''Cyborg Manifesto'' or "Man a machine" for example, which talks about the boundary between humans and machines. The film presents another philosophy after another mostly relating to transhumanism and presents the viewer with moral questions and can make anyone deeply wonder about what life could've been in the future. It's impressive how this film presents us with "what the world could be" sometime in the future. It can also make any person wonder: Can a machine and a human stand as equal to each other? Can a machine develop a soul and a sense of individuality? Can you escape death by becoming one with cybertechs? It presents us with endless questions about life, as what I also loved about the GITS franchise as a whole. It is also impressive for the film to give the viewers a psychological attack as if this exact scene in the anime felt like you are one of the characters and experiencing this trippy scene ~~~youtube(https://youtu.be/w_WmS2cuoyo) ~~~ This film directly picks up where the original GITS left off and expands what happened further, especially all about the "net". Innocence contributes to the lore further by showing the relation of the net to the GITS universe, Motoko was shown to have merged in the net and is wandering from another vessel to another, as well as the hacker Kim also had similar circumstances as his soul, a.k.a. him, is inside the "puppet". Giving us more insight into the worldbuilding of GITS is what really stood out in this film the most that were absent in the original film. The major difference between this film from the original movie is the absence of Motoko Kusanagi until the end of the film. Motoko's absence in the film impressively gave side characters such as Batou and Togusa much more spotlight, especially Batou. Batou's mental instability because of Motoko's disappearance was portrayed well and adds up to his characterization. It was actually impressive that Batou was portrayed as that. Motoko may not be present in the film until the end of it, but seeing the side characters lead the course of the film is very engaging as both of them are really good characters. The film is not also just all philosophical talk, of course, it also presents amazing action scenes paired with amazing sound designs and Kenji Kawai's OSTs that helped in setting up the mood. ~~~ youtube(https://youtu.be/0BKayvrTUe0) youtube(https://youtu.be/9JL3DlZmHIs)~~~ The film is undeniably PERFECT when it comes to visual storytelling. The whole noir and eerie mood are fantastic as it perfectly engross every viewer and make you feel the actual atmosphere thanks to the great direction. The cinematography is GREAT, the 3D art is blended well with 2D art, and I am a huge fan of it. Probably what stands out about the movie is the 3-4 minute parade scene, which by the way took a year to animate just for that scene alone. It perfectly captures the brilliance of religious motifs of a Taiwanese parade (which what inspired the scene in this movie). It is a visual masterpiece which still stands out up to this day as not many animation have reached to this level even now. ~~~youtube(https://youtu.be/Tl-34kvA5uo) ~~~ What makes this film stand out compared to the previous GITS film is Motoko's absence which may affect a viewer's enjoyment especially if they are a fan of her. Although she may not be mostly present in the film, Batou and Togusa's duo is a really good compensation for her, and both are really engaging characters. The philosophical aspect has been present and is executed really well in both GITS 1995 and Innocence, only that Innocence just has more philosophical elements to it. GiTS Innocence feeds you philosophies and moral questions one after another, and transcends your mind and lets you rethink about life. Better be prepared for a trippy and mond-blogging ride! ]
Oshii’s personal nexus of memories and reminiscences, a work of artistic integrity so highly intimate and overtly sincere in its sadness and sense of emptiness, yet carrying a permeating sense of resilience, reflecting in the need for perseverance to carry on in daily life in spite of grievances and traumas. A polar opposite to the original 1995 film, Innocence is far less esoteric, choosing to sink itself in the detail of daily life. Togusa as the family man becomes ever so relatable, particularly with the desperation to come home to your wife and kid in the face of danger. Batou’s isolative nature with his dog as his sole companion in off-duty solitude, it becomes key to how we process the emotional center of Innocence, because Gabriel is a tangible tether to being happy, something it feels like everyone searches for within this film, whether in pleasure, festivals, or others. Whilst traversing the streets, they are far more bustling and often times more dingy, harsh oranges and feelings of sliminess are often on the mind. Yet they feel warmer, and more experienced and lived-in than the futurist nature of GITS’ architecture. Grocery shops, grimy alleyways, domestic spaces all fill in one half of the settings, breathing normalcy into the world of Batou, and when these spaces are violated and upended, it feels genuinely shaking. The opulence of the other places that Batou and Togusa take foot in, they’re breathtaking to no end. And still, the film is no less challenging than its previous sister film, but I always felt this one reverberating in my heart. The action is perhaps the least interesting part of Oshii’s films, but the transience towards feelings of the ephemeral as well as the gentle are always going to be what I cherish the most. More than anything, Innocence reminded me of spectres whom I once knew as people, whose time with me was limited, but they still feel interlinked with me on some spiritual level. Feeling the presences of ghosts and spirits consistently surround you, and aid you in the most important parts of your life. I used to never mention them, the people who I never really knew growing up, yet their impact is so integral to my life, even after the two decades without them. To silence myself on speaking of them is to choose not to remember, but I do. I do want to remember them forever. So, I know they'll be with me. Always and forever. I'll see you soon, Innocence. You'll be in my thoughts for a long, long time. img1000(https://i0.wp.com/www.surrealresolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/vlcsnap-2017-03-15-08h03m32s181.png?resize=747%2C420&ssl=1)
~~~ #__Navigating the Labyrinth of Existence and Technology__ - #__ The Evolution of Ghost in the Shell __ ~~~ ~~~
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Innocence delves deeper into the surreal elements compared to the original film, exploring Motoko
Kusanagi's internal conflict and her struggle to understand herself. The central question about
identity is revisited, with Motoko's former partner, Batou, revealing the aftermath of her merging
with the PuppetMaster A.I.
Visually, Innocence is acclaimed for its stunning animation, seamlessly blending traditional 2D with
3D CGI. What particularly captivates me is not only the integration of these animation styles but also
how they contribute to the immersive cyberpunk setting. This approach aligns with the original manga,
which incorporates 3D visuals of the net and cyberspace, creating a ludonarrative aspect that enhances
storytelling.
The incorporation of newer technology like 3D into a narrative about the advancement and integration
of technology in society is apt. It presents a surreal perspective on the frightening concept of
Ghost-Hacking, providing a third-person viewpoint. Instead of witnessing the aftermath, the audience
is thrust into a labyrinthine, existential loop, challenging perceptions and blurring the lines
between reality and artificial experiences.
Early portrayals of Tokyo in Innocence feature a CGI parade, merging remnants of traditional animation
with new CGI technology. This juxtaposition blurs the distinction between what is real and what isn't,
reflecting the film's depiction of a grounded reality where cyborg bodies are mundane.
The seamless meshing of 2D and 3D animation in Innocence sets it apart from the original 1995 film.
While the original film possesses a certain charm with its lived-in feeling and analog cell animation,
it can, at times, feel anachronistic when compared to the cyberpunk reality it aims to portray. The
hand-drawn animation, while iconic and fitting for its time, doesn't fully capture the futuristic,
technologically advanced world that Ghost in the Shell envisions. The transition to full 3D animation
in SAC: 2045, in that regard, feels like a logical progression, aligning more closely with the
narrative themes of technology integration explored in Ghost in the Shell. This shift allows for a
more immersive and visually advanced representation of the complex and ever-evolving relationship
between humanity and technology.
This isn't an attempt to put down the original film more just laying out a certain dissonance I feel
with the vessel or medium for the expression of the work
Batou's arc in the film revolves around the same existential question that plagued Motoko. After the
revelation of a potential ghost line inside an android, Batou expresses frustration and confusion
about Motoko's struggle. Their contrasting attitudes toward the merging of cybernetic enhancements
with human consciousness emphasize the depth of their character dynamics.
When Motoko questions the proof of Batou's existence, his dismissive response reflects his practical,
less contemplative perspective. This highlights the contrast in their attitudes toward the merging of
cybernetic enhancements with human consciousness. The loss of Motoko leaves Batou shaken, leading him
to adopt Gabriel the Basset Hound, echoing themes of empathy found in science fiction novels like "Do
Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" and how empathy is the distinguishing factor between humans and
androids.
In the original film, Batou was a more expressive and human character than the Major. This duality
flows into Innocence, evident not only through consistent direction but also in the main plot
involving sex dolls. The film explores Motoko's evolution by suggesting that the dolls may represent a
new form of sentience emerging from the sea of information, akin to the PuppetMaster's consciousness,
similar to Motoko's evolution.
Overall, Innocence's captivating visual style, seamless animation blending, and exploration of
existential themes contribute to its distinction from the original film and its meaningful impact on
the cyberpunk genre. In many ways, it strokes a more existential nerve than the original did with more
intimate encounters with these ideas in a first-person perspective, allowing the viewer to feel the
same dread as the characters.
If I had to make one critique, the references often made to various philosophical ideas throughout the
film, while in line with the themes and not simply added for the sake of attempting to pretentiously
seem deep, commit a different problem where it begins to be egregiously used and starkly points out
the philosophical ideas present in the film in a fashion that is obvious.
The dialogue, as a result, can seem strange or awkward and sometimes distracts a person soaking in the
ideas through osmosis rather than having the film throw a book reference at them like they're in
Introduction to Philosophy 101. It's a minor enough issue for me and doesn't crop up all too much. In
the context of the universe, I find it to simply be the manner in which many of the characters are
attempting to understand and wrap their heads around these issues through citing different literature
and philosophy
If you crave this type of speculative fiction I'd say it's more than a must watch
I invite whoever wills to indulge in my ramblings, to read my very schizophrenic interpretation of _Innocence_ (2004). Clearly, this film is not a sequel to 1995’s _Ghost in the Shell_; no, instead it is a meta-narrative – a commentary on its predecessor; we just take it for granted that this is a sequel, since _Ghost in the Shell_ was so magnificently brilliant. A critical scene, in understanding this film’s purpose, is that in which Batou and Togusa are trapped within a never-ending simulation of their reality, endless _variations_ (I use this word specifically) of the _same_. This scene is reflective of the film as a whole – it is even said by one of the characters, Ishikawa, that one ought to change their routine behaviour, as it makes one vulnerable to getting hacked (deceived) , – the film meanders by with an endless variety of set pieces and eventually you’re left with a sense of deja vu after each scene’s conclusion. Moreover, this film is an idiosyncrasy, a mirror of humanity as presented in the film; an idiosyncrasy within Mamoru Oshii’s filmography heretofore; for whereas his other works are laden with subtlety and intent, reflective, slow, held-back and subversive, this work is self-indulgent – with its constant disregard of the audience’s intelligence and its usage of quotes throughout every scene, at some point it felt as if they gave up on writing dialogue and instead opted to open a random page of whatever book they had lying around, to stochastically copy passages, – and nought more than a streamline, action-packed narrative, contrary to the sparing way action is utilized in Oshii’s more competent works. Here action is not used as a backdrop, an appendage, in order to explore philosophical, psychological, and social ideas (which you usually only comprehend once you’ve experienced the film as a whole, as information is withheld and slowly fed to you over the course of the story; in this film, however, you’re beaten over the head with it ceaselessly) , here the, I’ll admit, on paper tepid themes serve as a placeholder for the action you anticipate in the subsequent scene; we can very much see this in the yakuza scene, there’s no beating around the bush, they jump straight into the action, and that’s all there really is to that scene. One must wonder then, facing all these damning observations, what salvages this film? It is something I’ve hitherto not seen Oshii play with: Unreliability and misdirection. While the viewer certainly has to often re-evaluate their interpretive stance in almost all of Oshii’s works and shift their views in understanding the concurrent events within a given thematic vantage point, the film is always like Usul – the base of a pillar, stable, – it has a rail onto which you can grab, this film has none of that, it is confusing and though there are scenes early on, which make you question the reality of the situation (memory and reality; human error) , it is, as aforementioned, after the virtual _Groundhog Day_ sequence, that you begin to question if any event succeeding or preceding actually maps with reality, especially since they end that sequence where it began, the floating platform, as it was an indicator for the repetition occurring: whenever our two main characters ended up there, it signifies recursivity; furthermore, there’s the sudden re-appearance of the Major in the last 20 minutes – something we’ve anticipated since the second the film started; – this is Batou’s fantasy, and his, in this case, is indicative of the audience’s. General audiences desire nothing more than a spectacle, explosions, all that, and, as this is a sequel, to behold the main character of the prequel, but fret not, Oshii accounts also for a niche, the people interested in his philosophical analysis, his thought-provoking themes, there’s enough jargon, enough barely related quotes, enough pseudo-philosophy for that ilk, too. But what then is the purpose of this film? It seems more a soulless product catering to all kinds of viewers, than actual art. But it exists to prove its own thesis; two important axioms are repeated throughout the film: “Let a man walk alone, let him commit no sin. Let him have few wishes, like an elephant in the forest.” “When we face death, our life is like a puppet on a festival cart. As soon as one string is cut, it crumples and fades.” Oshii provokes an unreality and we are to believe it as fact, we are not to question the film itself, we are to consume or question its philosophical ideas, depending on which audience you ascribe yourself to, but not the work itself, the work is put on an untouchable pedestal, like humans put themselves on pedestals, either out of ignorance or obliviousness, unable to question their own consciousness, to consider it an intrinsic flaw, inextricably; we see ourselves in this way superior to all else, but this precisely makes us imperfect, when spelled out, it makes sense, but the fact remains, we never consider it. We see this exemplified in the little girl at the end, thinking herself superior than mere dolls, and if that sentiment is questioned or even rejected, one can’t but help and deny this reality; the film challenges the notion of innocence, how children are idealized and represented as innocence itself, both in society and art, from the grand imposing paintings depicting cherubs, angels, to the commonly expressed phrase (for lack of a better term) : “child-like innocence;” this film present the diametrically opposing proposition: we are inherently horrid beings. The way humanity believes itself above any other entity, the apex predator, the way we justified any atrocity and will always; this film, this little girl, this people is guilty of inconceivable things that mayhap a human being cannot yet comprehend, or never will, humanity is the real horror and our willingness to continue this tradition, to accept it, and to cling to the horror, to decide to stay, even embrace being, human – contrary to the Major’s decision to merge, to go beyond the shell, become entirely a ghost – is the genetic autocracy we have to question, the inherent, fatal flaw that makes us less than a doll. _Since our gods and our aspirations are no longer anything but scientific, why should our loves not be so, as well?_ –––Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam A fitting quote to begin this film, as there is much talk of children, specifically Togusa’s daughter, and as the gynoids are modelled with a child’s likeness; and what else does a parent give a child but love and affection? And what else is art but the brainchild of an artist? It is not something intrinsic, love, unlike the will to survive, it’s a feat one must acquire. We cry to survive, we love to survive, preserving our bloodline is our sole mission. But art is not a human child, it is an imitation of reality, a doll, representative but incomplete. And yet it preserves a part of the artist (like DNA, memory) : a legacy to be remembered by. Thus we are conditioned to love. The little girl at the end and the gynoids are both representations of this, and this film, also, has no love, its real commentary lay outside of its shell, within our reality, it is a mediocre product meant to be seen through an entirely different lens, which in turn elevates it. It’s no coincidence that we see Togusa’s daughter holding a doll at the very end of the film, the contrast between a being deeply entrenched within consciousness and one in unconsciousness, as Kim defined. Raise the kid with love, and it will grow to acquire that very skill, but we see also what happens if we don’t in the gynoids, they simply rampage. _Innocence_ thus is the solution to the question of what makes “good art,” for we are bound to compare it to _Ghost in the Shell_ and realize it’s inferiority (“The mirror is not a tool for realizing the truth, but rather for obscuring it.”) .