Ghost in The Shell

Join this week’s guest Sebastian Jensen author of Technotheoria, The Anime Elitist and Selective Contrarianism and I on the seventeenth episode of In Kino Veritās — a podcast where the guest picks a film, we both watch, and discuss.

We don’t simply review films but dive deep into their themes, characters and cultural context. In this episode we discuss the 1995 Japanese Anime film Ghost in the Shell. Seb and I then divagate into various topics ranging from anime/vidya to technology and philosophy.

Where you can stream Ghost in the Shell

(Use your local library to get a physical copy for free)

Main Points

* Comparison of Ghost in the Shell and Akira

* Accessibility of Ghost in the Shell

* Ghost in the Shell as the "Nick Land Anime Film"

* What’s the film’s appeal?

* The film’s themes including Technology and Philosophy

* Metaphysical Themes in Ghost in the Shell:

* Comparison of the film to the anime TV series

* Seb’s Introduction to Anime

* Discussion of Death Note

* Quality of Death Note's Ending

* Shonen Genre Evaluation

* Reasons for Anime's Recent Popularity

* Comparison of Anime and Older Cartoons

* Demographics and Intelligence of Anime Viewers

* Critique of Bleach

* Cyberpunk Anime Superiority

* Discussion on Psycho-Pass and Algorithmic Governance

* Critique of Western Adaptation of Death Note (garbage)

* Anime Versus Western Media Quality

* Anime Storytelling Methodology Critique

* Preference for "Messy" Stories

* Discussion of Media Passion and Future Takes

* Anime Hot Takes: Elfen Lied and Death Note

* Opinions on Bleach and Re:Zero

* Fate Zero and High-Low Art Fusion

* Theon Ultima's Early Anime Viewing Habits

* Attack on Titan and the Concept of Nihilistic Tragedy

* Critique of Attack on Titan's Later Seasons

* Story Structure Issues and the Mass Effect Series

* Sword Art Online Consensus on Quality

* Opinions on Tokyo Ghoul and Jujutsu Kaisen

* Seb’s Disdain for the Isekai Genre

* The Generational Shift in Anime Acceptance (Millennial to Zoomer)

* Personal Experience with the Rise of Anime Popularity

* Debate on the Decline of Media Quality

* Intelligence and Cultural Consumption

* The Impact of Risk Aversion and Production Costs

* Graphical Styles and Longevity in Gaming

* Eternal Skyrim vs. Oblivion debate

* Critique of Skyrim Guilds and Praise for Oblivion Narrative

* Skyrim's Industry Impact and Open-World Fatigue

* Pivotal Gaming Experiences and Final Fantasy VII

* Favorite Game and the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 Era

* The Final Fantasy VII Remake System and Narrative Issues

* Theon’s love of Resident Evil 4

* Comparison Between Original Resident Evil 4 and Remake

* Burnout on Soulslike games and The Witcher 3

* Formative Years and Nostalgia

* Discussion of Immersive Simulator Games

* The Value of Immersiveness in Gaming

* Comparison of Deus Ex Titles

* Critique of Game Endings