Summary
Masamune Shirow is the author of the acclaimed manga Ghost in the Shell, and Hiroyuki Okiura is the character designer and key animation supervisor for its 1995 move adaptation. Their work, and the world of Ghost In The Shell, was while not as influential stylistically for me, aligned with the theme of Metroid Prime’s art, and further touched my artistic sensitivities.
What made their work incredible for me?
Ghost in the Shell (1995) evokes a haunting mix of awe, melancholy, and existential unease. It explores identity, and the nature of consciousness. Amid ’90s cyberpunk fears—AI, surveillance, corporate control—it resonated with a world on the brink of digital transformation. Today, its themes feel even more intimate, mirroring our anxieties about autonomy, memory, and what it means to be real. Its themes deeply resonated with me, especially when supported by its haunting soundtrack, which elevates its themes and highlights the feelings of oppression and pain felt by a humanity enslaved by technology, and sadness of the loss of identity at the hands of a predatory technocratic capitalist system:
Similarly to Metroid Prime’s art, one of the key factor that stuck with me is how comprehensive, detail-oriented, diegetic and realistic the art is.
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