Ghost in the Shell, cut no. 334, solegraph
Artist: Hiromasa Ogura
Edition of 25, numbered and signed by the artist
Print type: solegraph high-grade fine-art print
Paper: Radiant White 270 g/m²
Format: 42 × 59,4 cm
Artist: Hiromasa Ogura
Edition of 25, numbered and signed by the artist
Print type: solegraph high-grade fine-art print
Paper: Radiant White 270 g/m²
Format: 42 × 59,4 cm
Artist: Hiromasa Ogura
Edition of 25, numbered and signed by the artist
Print type: solegraph high-grade fine-art print
Paper: Radiant White 270 g/m²
Format: 42 × 59,4 cm
This cut is part of a scene in which Major Kusanagi, the main protagonist, wanders through the city to explore the space around and equally search for meaning inside herself (cuts no. 314-346, approx. 3:10 min.).
The sequence is placed in the middle of the film’s running time and is also the midpoint of the story. Director Mamoru Oshii has a preference to place such kind of sequences at his film’s midpoints. Similar scenes can be found in Patlabor: The Movie (1989), Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993) and Innocence (2004).
The artwork features signboards that protrude like tentacles from a deformed building. The impression of the signboards reaching out into the space of the old town in all directions is further emphasized by capturing it with a wide-angle lens.
The sequence is shown almost entirely from the protagonist’s POV, therefore backgrounds take the lead role and are rendered in great detail. During this scene day turns into night and it starts raining, which produces a dream-like impression while day turns into night.
The first part of the sequence which shows the old town in daylight was executed by Kusamori. The later part, the cityscape at night and in heavy rain was drawn by Ogura.
© 1995 Shirow Masamune / KODANSHA • BANDAI VISUAL • MANGA ENTERTAINMENT. All Rights Reserved.