Ghost in the Shell Debuts 4 Stunning New Posters for Movie’s 4K Remaster

The original 1995 Ghost in the Shell anime movie will return to theaters this fall, and four new posters from four well-known modern artists have been commissioned to mark the occasion.

Created by Bustaskill, omao, Tsukimizu and Pop Team Epic's AC-bu, each poster features each artists' wildly different takes on the original theatrical release poster for the movie, which depicts series protagonist Motoko Kusangi connected to a large variety of wires. While the new posters will not be available officially for purchase, Japanese distributor Bandai Namco Arts is giving away the posters via a contest available to Japanese residents. Fans will need to follow the @VSTORAGE Twitter account and submit a picture of their ticket stub before Oct. 31 in order to be entered into the contest.

The new 4K remaster of Ghost in the Shell will make its debut in select theaters in Japan, the United States and Canada on Sept. 17. This release will also mark the first time that the movie will be shown in IMAX.

Ghost in the Shell was originally released in Japanese theaters in 1995, and was directed by Mamoru Oshii. Based on the original manga by Masamune Shirow, the cyberpunk series takes place in a near-future society where cybernetic enhancements have become common place and the line between human and machine are becoming increasingly blurred.  The story focuses on Major Motoko Kusanagi, an investigator in Japan's cybercrimes division, who finds herself questioning what it means to be human in a world where memories can be digitally altered and a person's "soul" can be moved in between bodies with a download. Oshii's movie was one of the first anime movies to be released in the United States with relatively few edits and changes to the sources material, and was acclaimed for its detailed animation, elaborate action choreography and existential themes. The movie is often credited alongside Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira as one of the early works that helped establish an adult audience for anime in Western territories.

The movie was remade in 2017 as a live-action film by Paramount Pictures. Scarlett Johansson was controversially cast in the role of Motoko Kusanagi, which prompted a renewed debate about Hollywood's whitewashing of Asian roles and characters. The movie was ultimately released to mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office.

Fans of the series can also look forward to the next work from Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama, who directed the acclaimed TV anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. The two are once again teaming up to handle another cyberpunk franchise, Blade Runner. Their new CG-animated series is set in between the events of the original movie and Blade Runner 2049, and will be titled Blade Runner: Black Lotus. The new series is scheduled to premiere on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim later this year.

Source: Twitter