Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence

Distributor: DreamWorks
Original Story: Shirow Masamune
Volumes: N/A
Rating: PG-13 (It was in the theaters!)
Anime Code: G

All your favorite characters (and I do mean ALL) from the first Ghost In The Shell movie are back. This time, the cyborg Batou and mostly human Togusa must find a kidnapped girl and save her before she's turned into a robot. The stakes are piling up for the Section 9 boys but fortunately, there's an old friend who's all too willing to help out.

Review: This is what you get if Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, The Matrix Reloaded and The Dirty Pair underwent a menage e trois (or however you say it). Roger Ebert once said that the original Ghost In The Shell movie was aimed towards "smart anime fans." I think that would fit this movie more. The characters get a little too philosophical at times and it might lose the common anime fan. When I saw it in the theaters, it was subtitled and therefore, hard to move between the action and the dialogue. The visuals were incredible. They fused the dark almost angsty anime tone one might find in Betterman or Parasite Dolls with incredible life-like CG effects. At times, it almost seems like real life (especially at the beginning). If you want to see it, better hurry, I have a feeling it won't be there for long.

Action Level: 3/5
Most of the action is done using guns and between inorganic humans but it's still good.

Romance Level: 1/5
Not exactly Onegai Teacher, probably on par with the first GITS movie.

Comedy Level: 0/5
Totally dark. If you ever get it on DVD, do not watch it during the night.

Adult Level: 3/5
Naked robot females take their skin off for you. Humans blow up in splatters of blood and gore.

Drama Level: 4/5
It can get overwhelming at times. There was drama in it, but not the type of drama you might expect.

Overall Level: 3/5
I admit, this move was remarkably similar to The Matrix Reloaded. The characters spouted off philosophical gibberish that you might need to watch over again to understand. But despite that, it's an exciting and hard-hitting movie.