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

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

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

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 6, 2015

The Ghost in the Shell phenomenon continues unabated with this latest release of the third and fourth so-called Border entries in the Ghost in the Shell: Arise series. Ghost in the Shell has long been seen as the paradigm of a philosophically minded anime, as evidenced by the overall title of the franchise which hints at the interplay between spirit and body. Perhaps once seen as kind of scarily fanciful, Ghost in the Shell’s depiction of a future overrun with technology and beset with various terrorists and other conspiracies now seems almost commonplace.

Once again the line between technology and humankind is blurred, with cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi having to deal not just with incursions by various villains (both groups and individuals), but her own issues in trying to come to terms with her “hybrid” existence. Once again threats of a virus making Motoko and others potentially delusional enters the fray, and a dangerous hacker named Fire Starter may be behind it all. As with the previous Border stories, the third and fourth episodes function well enough as standalone entries while continuing an overall arc.

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This release continues the general excellence that was on tap with Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 1 & 2. While the series again tends to have a certain softness on display with regard to elements like the glistening, neon infused metropolises, overall line detail is exceedingly sharp and well defined. The palette is once again very varied, with Makoto's purplish hair popping quite vividly and things like some of the high tech monitoring displays offering a wealth of different vividly suffused hues.

Note: Screenshots 1, 3 and 5 are from Border 3. Screenshots 2, 4 and 6 are from Border 4.

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with the first volume of Border releases, Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 offers Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mixes in both English and Japanese. Surround activity is consistent, if perhaps more immediately noticeable in some of the action elements. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly and is always well prioritized.

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Border 3

• Inside the World of Ghost in the Shell Part 1 (1080p; 32:51)


• Logicoma Heart (1080p; 2:26)


• Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Episode:[.JP] (1080p; 3:04)


• Blu-ray and DVD Spots (1080p; 00:49)


• Memory of GR - Making of Arise (1080p; 3:54)


• Promotional Video (1080p; 2:03)


• Commercial (1080p; 00:17)


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 1:08)


• Textless Opening (1080p; 1:04)


• Textless Closing (1080p; 3:58)

Border 4

• Logicoma Root (1080p; 2:05)


• Blu-ray and DVD Spots (1080p; 00:48)


• Border:Less Project

  Color (1080p; 3:39)

  Foreseeing 2027 (1080p; 3:28)

  Working High (1080p; 3:01)

  Memory (1080p; 8:31)

  Yuki Will Never Forget Kenji (1080p; 10:10)

• Promotional Video (1080p; 1:44)


• Ghost in the Shell New Movie Teaser (1080p; 00:14)


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 1:08)


• Textless Opening (1080p; 1:04)


• U.S. Trailer (1080p; 1:29)

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Those needing a jolt of paranoia in their lives will find more than enough to satisfy that desire with these two latest episodes in the Ghost in the Shell: Arise subfranchise. While perhaps not quite as ruminative as the original Oshii works, these short form episodes offer good action and superbly distinctive characters. Once again technical merits are strong and the supplemental package excellent. Recommended.