Every quarter we are running a Manga Review Contest where you can submit a review from a selected list of manga. If you want to participate or learn more, click the link. Continue on to see what a fellow customer thought about The Ghost in The Shell Fully Compiled Complete Collection Manga (Hardcover).
This review is written by Chandler
Ghost in the Shell is the classic sci-fi cyber dystopia manga written by Shirow Masamune in 1991 which many manga readers should be familiar with through the popular anime of the same name or the more recent Scarlett Johanson movie. This collection features the entirety of Ghost in the Shell Volumes 1, 1.5, and 2, giving readers the full story of Makoto in one hardcover volume versus the previous three hardback collections. If you have never read or been exposed to this series, it's a fictional twenty-first-century setting where technology has evolved to where the concepts of human, AI, and cyborgs are blurred. It has elements similar to the genres of cyberpunk, thriller, action, science fiction, and crime mystery. As a warning, I will remind readers this was originally published in the late 80's/early 90's period alongside other titles such as Maison Ikkoku, Akira, Banana Fish, etc, so if you are not a fan of classic titles or have difficulty reading these types of stories, I don't suggest starting here.
This story centers around Motoko Kusanagi who is part of a cyborg crime investigation team Section 9, as they investigate the crimes of the notorious cybercriminal the Puppeteer. The Puppeteer is known for committing their crimes through "ghost hacking" which entails "taking over" citizens with any kind of cybernetic brains to commit their crimes. The general themes of the series include things such as the philosophical and sociological ramifications of cybernetic enhancements, artificial intelligence, and advancements in technology as well as a look into the question "What makes a human, human?" and other more philosophical ponderings regarding the definition of self-identity and existentialism. Unsurprisingly, this series can get surprisingly deep or if desired simply be a wonderful sci-fi action thriller; it's up to the reader and what they want to garner from the experience.
Overall, this collection is the most convenient and inexpensive way to physically read and collect this manga. I received my copy in good condition, but I will say the hardcover is a full gloss with a square, flat spine that feels awkward in the hand and leaves considerable residue from normal handling, so prepare to polish the spine to avoid prints. If you don't know how to condition an omnibus spine for reading I suggest brushing up before you continue (great skill if you collect graphic novels in general!). One last warning, there is considerable fanservice, especially in Volume 2, which features many "overly convenient" angles equivalent to panty shots in many panels, so if you're sensitive to that in your manga or it dampens your reading experience, please be aware.
Overall, I would give the Ghost in a Shell Fully Compiled Edition a 7/10 for the story and an 8/10 for the physical presentation. It truly is a beautiful tome that, besides the prevalence of fingerprints, looks great on display or a shelf. I have it on a display stand on my bookshelf to showcase the new original art created by the author Shirow Masamune.
Check back every month for our manga review contest page as we will be adding new manga to the list! Don't forget to submit your reviews for a chance to win a $75 gift card like Chandler did!
The Ghost in the Shell Fully Compiled Complete Collection Manga (Hardcover)
The Ghost in the Shell: Fully Compiled Complete Collection Manga features story and art by Shirow Masamune in this hardcover edition which contains: The Ghost in the Shell Volumes 1, Volume 1.5, and Volume 2 for over 800 pages of manga.
The Ghost in the Shell (1991) Deep into the twenty-first century, the line between man and machine has been blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants and robots are upgraded with human tissue. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg superagent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including "ghost hackers" who are capable of exploiting the human/machine interface and reprogramming humans to become puppets to carry out the hackers' criminal ends.
The Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface (2001) March 6, 2035. Motoko Aramaki is a hyper-advanced cyborg, a counter-terrorist Net security expert, heading the investigative department of the giant multi-national Poseidon Industrial. Partly transcending the physical world and existing in a virtual world of networks, Motoko is a fusion of multiple entities and identities, deploying remotely controlled prosthetic humanoid surrogates around the globe to investigate a series of bizarre incidents. Meanwhile, Tamaki Tamai, a psychic detective from the Channeling Agency, has been commissioned to explore strange changes in the temporal universe brought about by two forces, one represented by the teachings of a professor named Rahampol, the other by the complex, evolving Motoko entity. What unfolds will all be in a day''s work–a day that will change everything, forever.
The Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor (2003) The "lost" Ghost in the Shell stories, created by Shirow Masamune after completing work on the original Ghost in the Shell manga and prior to his tour-de-force, Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface. Focusing on Section 9 agents in their daily battle against technocrime, Human-Error Processor. Features the stories "Fat Cat," "Drive Slave," "Mines of Mind," and "Lost Past."
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