Ghost in the Shell needs body horror

Main Content

• Body horror is a key element of Ghost in the Shell, revealing the dark implications of cybernetics.
• Major's fear of losing his autonomy due to cybernetics adds depth to the theme of body horror.
• The series delves deeply into identity and autonomy by exploring body horror, a theme that resonates with the transgender community.

For over 35 years Ghost in the Shell There are many elements to it, including a police drama, a political thriller, and most notably, a philosophical meditation on the fusion of man and machine. But one of the thematically and expressively important elements of this franchise is body horror. Body horror is an underrated element, and without it, the heart of the series would be robbed.

Created by Shiro Masamune Ghost in the Shell Beginning as a manga in 1989, it follows Section 9, a high-level police unit dealing with cyber-terrorism in a post-singularity future. The story was adapted into a 1995 film by Mamoru Oshii to international acclaim, and the characters and themes of the franchise have since been expanded upon across a variety of media.

What “body horror” means in Ghost in the Shell

By definition, body horror is a story that depicts transformation, mutation, dismemberment, or other methods of altering/destroying the human form. This may seem at first to be out of place in this franchise. Ghost in the Shell It's not a horror series. It's about ~ can Anything that was disturbing or had unpleasant connotations was never considered to have a place in the genre.

That being said, when the series crosses that line, body horror tends to be the most common means of achieving that effect. It’s built into the premise itself. This is a future where humanity has transcended its physical limitations through advanced cybernetic prosthetics. Moreover, it normalizes this development by making the mind and body distinct. The “ghosts” and “shells” in the title aren’t mere poetic allusions, but rather terms within the world.

The action in this franchise is heavily loaded with bodily harm, especially in many of its most dramatic moments. Limbs are blown off, cyborgs are torn apart, and there are constant reminders of the fragility of the human form. No film is complete without its protagonist, Major Motoko Kusunagi, losing an arm at least once.

Secrets in the Shell

But this application goes beyond the brutal fight scenes. As you can see, it is important for the cyborgs to look normal in most cases. That is, you should not immediately recognize them as cyborgs when you see them. In a future where cybernetics are completely normalized, it is natural that the resulting aesthetics should be as close to flesh-and-blood humans as possible. Therefore, body horror is a tool that the franchise uses to subtly or explicitly reveal the cybernetics of its characters.

Like the gentleman in the 1995 film who opens his hands to reveal tiny gadgets designed to operate the keyboard at inhuman speeds. Or Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex The arm opens to reveal a shotgun hidden beneath fake flesh. These unnatural transformations are elaborately detailed, evoking awe or anxiety, but also conveying how common the technology is. You start to think everyone on screen is a cyborg.

How Majors Transcend Fear

The body horror described so far is the basis of the aesthetic, but to understand how it affects the larger themes of the franchise, we need to look at the main character. It is through the eyes of Motoko Kusunagi that the horror becomes more tangible and relatable. The 1995 film is about Major wrestling with not only the fragility of her body, but also the truth of her soul.

In an early scene where a woman is “ghost-hacked,” the Major is possessed by a stranger who leaves her unconscious, her skull open and her cyber-brain exposed. Looking back on this scene, it seems that what the Major feared most was the loss of autonomy. It's a nightmare that becomes reality by the end of the film, but depending on your perspective, the outcome could be much more positive.

The Major's greatest fear in the current situation is not much different from her current reality. In almost every story iteration, the viewer is reminded that she does not own her own body or even her brain, both of which are issued by the government. Despite this, her character has always been defined by her independence, the way she strives to free herself. OVA series befall It described a time when she was at her least independent, and motivated her to break free, or to be as free as she could be.

Identity, Autonomy, and Trans Interpretation

Ghost in the Shell It's a sci-fi series about cyborgs, but Major's story is particularly about autonomy and what that really means in a post-singularity world. Beyond that limitation, “body horror” becomes “body philosophy” because not everything in this cyberpunk future is scary. Honestly, it's fascinating, and since Major is a female protagonist, it's no wonder many in the transgender community idolize her.

Her backstory is intentionally – and meaningfully – obscured in most iterations. Even her real name, Motoko Kusunagi, is an alias given to her after she transitioned from human to full-body cyborg. Technically, she could have been anyone before that. She could have been a boy, and that might not have been enough to chew on, but when the story reflects the Major's chosen appearance, the trans allegory just clicks.

As a full-body cyborg, she enjoys the privilege of using cutting-edge prosthetics, and her choice to present herself as such means everything. In one episode of the TV series, the Major criticizes Batu for spending money on weight training equipment that is unnecessary for her as a combat cyborg. He counters by teasing her that she should stop acting feminine and change into a male body, a move that is aimed at her impressive strength.

His playful comments resulted in the Major cutting off his arm and punching him in the face. It's an iconic scene. It's honestly one of the best scenes in the show, but it touches on something at the core of the Major's character. As intentionally ambiguous as her past is, her present is meaningfully vivid. She could be anyone in this future, but she's become attached to the form that fits her. Her body may no longer have limitations, but her choices are undeniably hers. Her.

Why does Ghost in the Shell need this?

An understanding of body fear and the self-love that goes with it is essential to:

Ghost in the Shell

righteousness.

What makes Major cool is her charisma, strength, and intelligence, but what makes her most relatable and human is her fear of losing herself. And because she’s strong, her most vulnerable moments are the ones that make her the most upsetting to the viewer. standalone complexWhen she is nearly crushed to death by a soldier in a mech suit, she retaliates by shooting at him, crippling his suit, and reloading her large rifle with one hand since her other arm is destroyed.

She is cool-headed, but she knows how fragile her life is in this uncertain future, and how quickly the world can take away her autonomy. So the rage she unleashes when her life is threatened may be the most powerful emotion in the franchise. It’s part of what makes her such a relatable and deeply human hero. It’s no exaggeration to say that an understanding of body horror and the self-love that goes hand in hand with it are essential. Ghost in the Shell righteousness.