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Follow Major Kusanagi and Section 9 across all 3 timelines
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If you’re thinking about diving into the rich world of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, you’re in for a real treat. There’s a ton of content to absorb between the movies and anime series alone—so much, in fact, that trying to figure out a watch order can be a little daunting! That’s why we’re here to help. We’ve compiled several lists based on what you want from your Ghost in the Shell experience, whether you’d prefer chronological order, release order, or an ideal order for first-time watchers to follow. Let’s get started!
The Best Ghost in the Shell Beginner Watch Order
- Ghost in the Shell (1995)
- Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002-2006)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2006)
- Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020)
- Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013-2015)
- Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)
- Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Ghost in the Shell Watch Order for Newcomers
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1Ghost in the Shell (1995) This is the film that started it all—a 1995 animated movie that follows Motoko Kusanagi and her mission to find the Puppet Master. It’s relatively faithful to the source manga, with a few alterations to condense the story into a movie-length format, and it’s generally considered the best adaptation in the franchise’s history. [1] X Research source
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2Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004) Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is a loose sequel to the previous film, making it a good choice for the next entry in your watch order. It was made by the same studio (Production I.G.), and is set a few years after the former movie, following Public Security Section 9 cybernetic operative Batou and the agent Togusa.Advertisement
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3Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002-2006) Stand Alone Complex is an anime series that began airing between the two movies above; while the 1995 film is definitely the fan favorite, SAC is very well-loved, too. In the series, Motoko once again features heavily in the plot as Public Security Section 9 faces off with a series of cyber terrorists. [2] X Research source
- We aren’t breaking this series down by season here. However, each season does technically have its own name.
- The first season is referred to as Stand Alone Complex , and the second is Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig .
- Additionally, the first season was adapted into a feature-length OVA (original video animation) called The Laughing Man (2002). Similarly, 2nd Gig was adapted into an OVA called Individual Eleven (2006).
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4Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2006) Solid State Society is a direct sequel to the Stand Alone Complex series, making it much easier to follow in terms of continuity than some other entries in the franchise. In Solid State Society, Togusa runs the Public Security Section 9, and the organization has a significantly heavier workload than it did in the past.
- Solid State Society aired as a TV film sequel to Stand Alone Complex; the last entry into the SAC series also aired earlier in 2006.
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5Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020) SAC_2045 is an ONA (original net animation) set in the Stand Alone Complex timeline, 11 years after the events of Solid State Society . So, while it’s the most recent entry in the franchise to release, we recommend watching it after Solid State Society to follow the plot easily. SAC_2045 currently consists of two seasons—or, alternatively, two compilation movies summarizing each season.
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6Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013-2015) Arise is actually a series of five OVAs; we’re grouping them here for simplicity. Arise is intended to reimagine and reboot various aspects of the Ghost in the Shell franchise—and, considering how much fans loved some of the previous entries, it’s a divisive series. It gives many characters a significant design overhaul, changes elements of the plot, and even moves the setting from 2029 to 2027 (two years earlier). [3] X Research source
- The five Arise
OVAs are titled:
- Border 1: Ghost Pain
- Border 2: Ghost Whispers
- Border 3: Ghost Tears
- Border 4: Ghost Stands Alone
- Border 5: Ghost Pyrophoric Cult
- The five Arise
OVAs are titled:
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7Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015) This movie—sometimes called New Ghost in the Shell —is a direct sequel to Arise . It follows Motoko as she leads her group from Public Security Section 9, chasing the mystery of the Japanese Prime Minister’s murder. It also resolves remaining plot threads from the final Arise OVA, Pyrophoric Cult . [4] X Research source
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8Ghost in the Shell (2017) The last movie in this watch order is the Western live-action adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson. Johansson plays a version of Mira Killian/Motoko Kusanagi trying to decode her fractured memories while unraveling a terrorist plot. Ghost in the Shell (2017) is also totally separate from past entries in the franchise, so you don’t need to worry about watching it in a particular order (which is why we’ve just put it last).
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