It's 2029 and the world is a vastly different place than it is today. Yet unlike most movies and novels that start off this way, the majority of the ideas behind Ghost in the Shell accurately reflect where we could be heading in our own future.

Ghost in the Shell is the first DVD to be released by Manga Entertainment back in 1998 and showed a definite appreciation for how anime can look on DVD both in terms of audio and video quality but for general enhancement with extras. 

Manga provided its premier release onto the format with a truly gorgeous anamorphic print and went a step further by remastering the English soundtrack to a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. This alone has made this release one of the early reference DVD's for both anime and non anime fans due to its very wide and dynamic mix. Unfortunately, Manga chose not to remix the Japanese audio track, but it's still quite enjoyable as many will attest to.

Manga also provided on the disc an excellent 30 minute Making Of program for the movie as well as several video pages of information on the world and the characters for those unfamiliar with the manga world of Masamune Shirow.

And that's what really help make this show a strong name when it was released in Japan and around the world. Masamune Shirow, the creator behind Appleseed and the Ghost in the Shell Manga, took on a more active role in the development of this movie than his previous manga to anime efforts. Combined with the directorial talents of Mamoru Oshii and mechanical designs from legendary Shoji Kawamori and Atsushi Takeuchi, Shirow's vision of the corporate-dominated future of Japan shines through in amazing detail.

Though deviating in terms of story from the early manga stories, the essence and flavor of a Shirow world is brought to life, sometimes more than the characters themselves. This can be forgiven rather easily, as you get deeper into this world of his and the inhabitants of Section 9. 

Almost considered to be the governments black ops assassins, they are all very cold and calculating people, enhanced by their cybernetic implants. The major recurring theme in the movie relates to whether one is any less human the more cybernetic they become. While these deep philosophical moments may seem to drag, they provide the key points to the well thought out movie and bring things to an end that really signifies a beginning.

Action fans will definitely be pleased by this visual masterpiece. Those looking for some depth to their anime will also find what they're looking for, though not as deeply layered as some other shows. Those looking for a reference disc to show off to non-believers of DVD, especially in terms of the benefits of Dolby Digital 5.1, this is one of the best ways to bring them over.