Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 explained

Italic Title:no
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
Ja Kanji:攻殻機動隊 SAC_2045
Ja Romaji:Kōkaku Kidōtai: SAC_2045
Genre:Action, science fiction
Creator:Masamune Shirow
Type:ona
Licensee:Netflix
First:April 23, 2020
Last:
May 23, 2022
Runtime:24 minutes
Episodes:24
Episode List:List of Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 episodes
Type:film
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
Sustainable War
Licensee:Netflix
Runtime:118 minutes
Type:film
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
The Last Human
Runtime:126 minutes

is a Japanese original net animation (ONA) series based on the 1980s Japanese manga series Ghost in the Shell by Masamune Shirow, set in the Stand Alone Complex sub-continuity.

The first season premiered exclusively on Netflix worldwide on April 23, 2020. It received generally negative reviews, with critics considering it inferior to previous Ghost in the Shell media due to multiple factors. A second season was released on May 23, 2022, to similarly negative reviews. Two compilation movies of the series were released in 2021 and 2023.

Premise

In the year 2045 (11 years after events of Solid State Society), after an economic disaster known as the Simultaneous Global Default which destroyed the value of all forms of paper and electronic currency, the "Big 4" nations of the world are engaged in a state of never-ending "Sustainable War" to keep the economy going. In this world, Motoko, Batou, and other members of Public Security Section 9 have contracted themselves out as mercenaries under the group "GHOST," using their cybernetic enhancements and battle experience to earn a living while defusing hot-spots across the globe. However, the emergence of "Post Humans" and a conspiracy uncovered by former Chief Aramaki force Section 9 to reunite.

Voice cast

CharacterJapanese voice actor[1] English voice actor[2]
Motoko KusanagiAtsuko TanakaMary Elizabeth McGlynn
Daisuke AramakiOsamu SakaWilliam Knight
BatouAkio ŌtsukaRichard Epcar
TogusaKōichi YamaderaCrispin Freeman
IshikawaYutaka NakanoMichael McCarty
SaitoTōru ŌkawaDave Wittenberg
PazTakashi OnozukaBob Buchholz
BormaTaro YamaguchiDean Wein
TachikomaSakiko TamagawaMelissa Fahn
Purin EsakiMegumi HanCherami Leigh
StandardKenjiro TsudaKeith Silverstein
John SmithKaiji Soze
Chris Otomo TateShigeo KiyamaArmen Taylor
Takashi ShimamuraMegumi HayashibaraMax Mittelman
Phillip KukushkinTarusuke ShingakiEuguen Leon

Production

See also: List of Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 episodes. Kodansha and Production I.G announced on April 7, 2017, that Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki would be co-directing a new Ghost in the Shell anime production.[3] On December 7, 2018, it was reported by Netflix that they had acquired the worldwide streaming rights to the original net animation (ONA) anime series, titled Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, and that it would premiere on April 23, 2020. The series is in 3DCG and Sola Digital Arts collaborated with Production I.G on the project.[4] Ilya Kuvshinov handled character designs.[5] An English dub was not available until May 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing production delays for its recording.[6] It was stated that the series will have two seasons of 12 episodes each,[7] with the second set released on May 23, 2022.[8] [9]

In July 2021, it was announced that the first season would be adapted into a compilation film, subtitled Sustainable War, which premiered on November 12, 2021.[10] [11] [12] Netflix released the film worldwide on May 9, 2022.[13] A compilation film of the second season, The Last Human, was announced in March 2023, and premiered on November 23, 2023.[14] [15]

Marketing

On May 22, 2024, official social media accounts of Hyundai Japan and Ghost in the Shell announced a collaboration to promote the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.[16] The Shibuya Tsutaya store hosted the Ioniq 5 N from June 3 to June 22.[16]

Reception

The first season of the anime received generally negative reviews from critics, garnering a 13% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, while the second has a 29% approval rating.[17] [18]

Max Genecov of Polygon wrote that the series had "none of the visceral aesthetics or mood that made Ghost in the Shell an indelible element of how we think about our interconnected lives."[19] Writing for The A.V. Club, Toussaint Egan rated the series a C−, calling the action sequences "awful" and opining that "as wonderful as it is to return to this series’ interpretations of Major Kusanagi and company after more than a decade away, you'd be better off dusting off Stand Alone Complex DVDs and give this one a pass."[20] Kayla Cobb of Decider wrote "time and time again SAC_2045 ignores the deeper path and chooses instead point and drool."[21] Theron Martin of Anime News Network wrote that the series was "easily the weakest entry in the franchise so far, even below ".[22]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Reveals Trailer, New Cast, April 23 Debut. Anime News Network. March 21, 2020. March 24, 2020.
  2. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020 TV Show) - Behind The Voice Actors. behindthevoiceactors.com. May 31, 2021. . Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources..
  3. Web site: Ghost in the Shell Gets New Anime From Kenji Kamiyama, Shinji Aramaki. Anime News Network. 8 April 2017.
  4. Web site: Netflix's New Ghost in the Shell Anime Debuts First Trailer.
  5. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 3DCG Anime's Characters Designed by Birthday Wonderland's Ilya Kuvshinov. Lee. Egan. June 11, 2019. Anime News Network. 12 June 2019.
  6. Web site: Netflix Lists Ghost in the Shell: SAC _2045 As "English Dub…Pending" On Day Of Release. Bubble Blabber. April 23, 2020. May 4, 2020.
  7. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Reveals New Clip, Confirms 2nd Season. Hodgkins. Crystalyn. April 20, 2020. Anime News Network. 20 April 2020.
  8. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Season 2's Teaser Unveils Staff, Millennium Parade's Theme Songs, May Debut. February 24, 2022. Anime News Network.
  9. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Season 2's Trailer Reveals Insert Song, May 23 Debut. Anime News Network. March 27, 2022.
  10. Web site: 『攻殻機動隊 SAC_2045』劇場版 2021年公開決定!. 2021-07-11. 攻殻機動隊 SAC_2045 公式サイト. ja.
  11. Web site: 1st Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Season Gets Compilation Film This Year. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. July 7, 2021. Anime News Network. 7 July 2021.
  12. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Compilation Film's Teaser Reveals Title, November 12 Opening. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. September 8, 2021. Anime News Network. 8 September 2021.
  13. Web site: Netflix Unveils Visual and Trailer for Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Sustainable War Compilation Film. Dempsey. Liam. April 20, 2022. Crunchyroll. 30 April 2022.
  14. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Gets 2nd Compilation Film (Updated). Pineda. Rafael Antonio. March 24, 2023. Anime News Network. April 4, 2023.
  15. Web site: November 22, 2023 . 2nd Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Compilation Film's 1st 12 Minutes Streamed . November 23, 2023 . Anime News Network . en.
  16. Web site: The Future Has Arrived with Ghost in the Shell's Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Electric Vehicle Ads .
  17. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045: Season 1 (2020) . . . 24 March 2024 .
  18. Web site: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045: Season 2 (2022) . . . 24 March 2024 .
  19. Web site: Genecov . Max . Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 is an action-heavy sequel to a once-thoughtful anime . Polygon . 13 May 2020 . en . 24 April 2020.
  20. Web site: Egan . Toussaint . Netflix's Ghost In The Shell: SAC_2045 is a tepid, techno spy thriller . AV Club . 21 April 2020 . 13 May 2020 . en-us.
  21. Web site: Cobb . Kayla . Stream It Or Skip It: 'Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045', Netflix's New Take on an Anime Classic . Decider . 13 May 2020 . 23 April 2020.
  22. Web site: Martin . Thereon . Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 . Anime News Network . 13 May 2020 . en . 27 April 2020.