The Ghost in the Shell franchise has fallen into mediocrity due to clunky reboots that rely on alienating animation and muddling a familiar cast.

When the original Ghost in the Shell film dropped, it became a standard-bearer for animation quality and the cyberpunk genre. The film's success sparked a franchise that continues to produce new material almost 30 years later. Unfortunately, maintaining certain core aspects of the first film and television series has hurt the series in the long run and prevented it from reaching greater heights.

Intelligent utilization of computer-enhanced graphics paired with a beautiful cyberpunk world cemented Ghost in the Shell's historical place. As with most successful pieces of media, Ghost in the Shell's success started to spawn sequels. The next manifestation of Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex, continued to show the strengths of the series while beginning trends that eventually led to the franchise's mediocrity.

RELATED LINK: Best Sci-Fi Anime With Female Leads

The rich, chewy cyberpunk plots and witty teamwork from Section 9 shine as the core high points of Ghost in the Shell. Stand Alone Complex's "Laughing Man" storyline is brilliant science fiction storytelling in the modern internet era. However, the titular-named episodes that broke from the core story lacked the inventiveness and weight of a technologically driven philosophical thriller.

Giving the show's characters room to breathe added charm to the fringes of Section 9, but this did not carry enough weight to enhance the overall experience. The episodes felt like filler, even if they were adequately embedded into this manifestation of Ghost in the Shell's canon. This trend only continues into the second season. The actual stand-out Stand Alone episodes follow the core trio of the Major, Batou and Togusa. Those episodes helped clarify distinctions between this manifestation of the characters and the ones from the first film.

RELATED LINK: The Best Anime Like Ghost in the Shell - and Where to Watch Them

The animation in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is top-notch for a 52-episode show. There are definite moments when blending animation styles creates some awkwardly animated sequences, but the overall style and grit of the show are perfect for the postwar cyberpunk world being built. Limiting the show's reliance on hyper-flashy computer graphics helps connect the viewer with the futuristic world.

A vital aspect of the series, communicating through cyberized brains, can be off-putting, as there are multiple conversational sequences where no one is moving their mouth. Alienating viewers through heavily mouthless conversation was mitigated in the first film through pacing but started to show its potential wear in Stand Alone Complex. The classic-inspired animation style of Stand Alone Complex helps balance this issue by adding a certain physical weight to the world.

RELATED LINK: Trigun: Where to Watch & Read the Original Series

Mental conversations continue to grow as an issue throughout the following shows and films as the studios rely more heavily on computer-generated animation. These worlds start to gain a particular uncanny valley feel as these hyper-rendered characters don't move their mouths at all during most of their interactions. This layer of disconnect to the characters is only enhanced by the franchise's penchant for slightly reinventing the cast with every new show or movie.

The wear on the franchise is so heavy that by the time of the Arise and live-action film release, these manifestations of the world and the core cast's muddled similarities can alienate fans. Coupling this alienation with a convoluted continuity creates a recipe for an off-putting series. In addition, Arises' attempt at reinventing the world falls flat due to its heavy reliance on animation that resembles glorified cutscenes.

RELATED LINK: Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Trailer Shows Off Season 2's Martial Arts and Mech Action

As the wisecracking and charismatic cast becomes more and more diluted through every reinvention of the series, the core draws start to fall apart. The series' tendency to fund high-quality animation that utilizes modern technology adds to this separation from the heart of the series, as heavy reliance on computer graphics gives the series an additional uncanny valley feel. As it stands, the franchise will either have to pivot or simply accept mediocrity.

Rebooting the original film or Stand Alone Complex would only sully those fantastic gems. The first film has already been beautifully remastered and should be left to exist in its glory. However, if the creators step away from Section 9 and other recurring characters to create a new series in the world of Ghost in the Shell, it may be the reinvention that breathes new life into the franchise.

Nathaniel has been a fan of anime since his youth after stumbling across syndicated versions of Gatchaman (G-Force) and Voltron and renting a copy of Akira on VHS while far too young. Currently, he is an anime feature writer and stay-at-home father. He loves all genres of anime, comics, and books, especially modern epics like One Piece and Wheel of Time.

Subscribe to the CBR newsletter for exclusive comics, TV & movie news, reviews, interviews & much more!