Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		5.0

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 12, 2020

The last time an ultra high definition release came out bearing the title Ghost in the Shell 4K, at least some fans were probably wondering why it couldn't be the movie currently under review instead. Wishes and maybe even a few passing prayers have been answered with this new 4K UHD release of one of the more iconic anime of the past couple of decades. For any foolish sort still laboring under the illusion (delusion?) that "cartoons are only for kids", one need not look much further than Mamoru Oshii's original Ghost in the Shell anime, a piece that was so epochal it gave birth not just to sequels, but a whole slew of sidebar releases that further explored the enigma of (among other metaphysical musings) where a soul might end and an automaton might begin with regard to characters who are part human and part computerized hardware. Ghost in the Shell in its many anime versions was, as some many anime tend to be, culled from a pre-existing manga by Masamune Shirow, and so some of the franchise's overweening intellectualism must certainly reside with its original author, but that said, the series has been one of the more consistently challenging efforts in the often cliché ridden subgenre of dystopian future anime that feature some sort of political subtext.

Rather than expound once again on Ghost in the Shell's expansive franchise, I'll simply list a series of reviews of various previous Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray releases, some of which I've written myself, which should give readers of this review a decent idea about my thoughts on things:

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Blu-ray review (note that the 2.0 in this title refers to a revised version, not a sequel)

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Individual Eleven Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 1 & 2 Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 Blu-ray.

Ghost in the Shell is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Both the 1080 and 2160 discs included in this release are sourced off of the new 4K remaster done for this release, and because Lionsgate isn't releasing the 1080 version by itself, I've included 10 screenshots with this review rather than our standard 5 so that those interested in this release might be able to get more of a handle on what it looks like. Both of these presentations feature some noticeable improvements over previous home video releases, though it may take just a minute or two for those improvements to be fully revealed. The whole opening sequence, which includes the credits after some introductory moments, are intentionally kind of rough looking, and clarity isn't optimal at times, along with a rather heavy grain field and some minor banding. Once the credits end, though, it immediately becomes clear (no pun intended) how general detail levels and things like line detail in particular are much more precise looking. The palette also perks up quite a bit, especially since that opening sequence can be almost monochrome at times, or at best featuring kind of pale greens and/or blues. Dolby Vision gives this release some noticeable new luster, with some gorgeous reds in particular. The almost Blade Runner - esque neon lit, rain drenched, urban landscapes have noticeable new detail, even despite their somewhat Impressionistic animation style.

In terms of fine detail, "little" (in more ways than one) elements like the acupuncture needles in one sequence have a really fantastically precise appearance, and outlines on characters are typically solid. There are some occasional "iffy" moments, probably more noticeable in the 4K UHD presentation than in the 1080 presentation, where pursed lips which equate to a single line in the animation can be a little jagged looking. Some of the then nascent computer aided animation can look upscaled, typically in scenes featuring monitors and the like, as at the scene beginning at circa 1:09:31, and in fact most of those now antiquated effects are probably some of the least effective looking moments in this presentation, with (admittedly probably at least somewhat intentionally) fuzzy, pixellated graphics.

Note: While I personally didn't experience either of these phenomena, several of our members are reporting either freezing during playback or a strobing flicker in the Dolby Vision presentation. Those concerned about these issues are encouraged to look at our Forum thread devoted to this release.

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Note: Because Lionsgate is evidently not releasing a standalone (complex or otherwise) 1080 Blu-ray, I've included audio specs for both discs above. The Atmos tracks are on the 4K UHD disc, while the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks are on the 1080 disc. Both discs feature the LPCM 2.0 Japanese track.

Because we evidently can't have a Blu-ray and/or 4K UHD release without some controversy, there's quite a bit of discussion on our Forum thread devoted to this release about a music substitution over the film's closing credits. I'm not going to wade into that particular debate other than to say I'm always in favor of original music being utilized, and the rest of this section will deal with the actual sonics of the Atmos track(s), no matter what the music (or anything else) may be. Both of the Atmos tracks offer some nice, if at times subtle, overhead placement, and it's not necessarily limited to "expected" items like things actually in the air. For example, even the opening few moments feature a nice wash of ambient environmental sounds that waft overhead, and there's even some nice vertical placement to some of the percussion heavy score. Those percussive elements offer some of the most widely imaged effects in terms of the music, and the immersive qualities of the score in particular are quite impressive. There are occasional moments where some really fun discrete channelization is accomplished, as in the police raid fairly early on where suddenly the stampeding feet of the SWAT team emanate clearly from the left channel. Some of the more bombastic skirmishes feature nice, rumbly LFE. Voice casts are typically a matter of individual preference, but that said, fidelity on both tracks struck me as flawless.

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Commendably, both discs included in this release offer the same slate of supplements.

• Audio Commentary with Animation Writer and English Language Scriptwriter of Ghost in the Shell Mary Claypool, Animation Producer and Writer Eric calderon, Voice of "Batou" in Ghost in the Shell franchise Richard Epcar and Animation Historian and Critic Charles Solomon


• Accessing Section 9 - 25 Years Into the Future (1080p; 18:42) looks at the impact of both this film in particular and the entire franchise in general.


• Landscapes & Dreamscapes - The Art and Architecture of Ghost in the Shell (1080p; 10:50) features an analysis of the film's design aesthetic including some interesting looks at background art.


• Production Report (1080p; 27:04) is an archival behind the scenes featurette.


• Trailers (1080p; 1:37, 1:49)


• Digital Works (1080p; 29:34) is another archival featurette, this one focusing on CGI, specifically with regard to the Stand Alone Complex outings. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Those who are really upset about the decision with regard to the music will probably not care one way or the other about the up side of this release, but for those of you who are able to get past that situation, this release of Ghost in the Shell offers generally superior technical merits and some appealing supplements. Highly recommended.