The Ghost in the Shell 2 Deluxe Edition Hardcover – February 21, 2017

If the ending of The Ghost in the Shell wasn't dissatisfying enough for you, you can always continue. That's the overall feeling I have after reading this manga.The first thing that bothers me is the art. While it's very interesting to see the use of computer-generated images such as these in manga (given its original release date, likely some of the first), their juxtaposition with traditional hand-drawn art is confusing and quite frankly interrupts the flow of the story.And then there's the story itself. It starts out as one might expect from reading the first manga, following the exploits of Major Kusanagi (now going by the name Chroma) as she uncovers a conspiracy to control the minds of leaders using high tech toys and action hijinx. At least I'm pretty sure that's what happened. A major part of the story takes part in cyberspace and uses bizarre technical jargon that the reader can't understand well, and that makes the story ridiculously hard to follow or enjoy. Perhaps if I read it a second time I'd understand a bit better, but as it stands, the whole story seems more like a muddled lump of events rather than a clear line.

While this volume is as imaginative and as well-thought-out as the preceding volumes (1 and 1.5) --- and perhaps more so in some ways --- as well as returning to the Major as being the main character (which had largely been abandoned in 1.5), I don't think it has much of what was charming about the preceding volumes. The Major has become almost entirely a virtual being as opposed to a physical one, which gives the story a very different flavor. Moreover, whatever is happening happens much more quickly and much more obscurely than in 1 and 1.5.I say "whatever is happening", because if your attention strays for a moment, you very quickly realize that you no longer actually know what's going on, and there's no way to pick up the thread of what's going on without rereading a significant amount of material. For example, there's so much mind-diving and interchanging of bodies that it's sometimes easy to become confused and forget that you're watching the Major at all. And the various techniques she uses while doing all of this are largely inexplicable. Probably they're all completely thought out by the author, but as far as the reader is concerned, the Major may just as well be shouting out "magic attack #1!", "magic attack #2!", and so on, and it would be just as meaningful.And there are other little points too, such as the fact that the new surrogates for the fuchikomas are simply not as cute or charming as the fuchikomas were, and are a million miles short of tachikomas. (Not that that's the author's fault, I suppose, since the tachikomas are from S.A.C. anyway, rather than Ghost in the Shell proper, but it does leave you wishing for more.)With that said, there's quite a lot to like about it, so that I feel rather guilty giving it only 3 stars ... but I'm afraid that's my assessment. I'm sure there are plenty of people for whom this volume would be the bees' knees.

I have never been interested in the whole anime genre but was curious about the 2017 movie coming out so decided to read GITS 1 and 2. I am not an expert in the anime/manga genre nor a writer so I'll keep my comments brief.Though this wasn't a direct continuation of the first volume's storyline it was just as intriguing. The plot line is good and I kept wanting to know what was coming next.There is a lot of detail that the author based in reality that helped tie the fictional technology together. The art work was terrific. I was a bit disappointed he discontinued the fuchikama as I thought they were interesting and good comic relief.This led me to was the animated movie from the 90's. Which was awesome.This book is definitely worth your while if you're curious about GITS or manga and are in the mood for some action and a wonderfully penned work.

Not bad but read the but without proper cultural context the heavy philisophical themes seem a little too abstract. For those who are serious ghost in the shell fans maybe this might necesitate having wikipedia or some other data base up during a second pass through to get the further context as there is a mix of technobable and buddhism and shinto philosophies refrenced. If you finished the first Ghost in the Shell and are looking for something that seems more in line with what you might expect from the anime or the first book take a look at Ghost in the Shell 1.5 first. For those who are picking this one up in the west prepare to do some translation and deciphering of culture context as there is a lot of dense dialouge.

While I think my older edition is better made, which I have to take 1 star from it here as its not bad but pages stick and its kinda cheap, this is not to bad. But sub par next to many other "deluxe editions"The other star I have to take is do to the censorship. Listen I really don't care about the cartoon sex and boobs, I am however interested in context. The things that they changed, while a few don't change anything, there is some things that do really change the context of what is going on.I wouldn't get this if I was just getting into GITS, maybe get a used copy for 15 bucks, and its not really worth over 20 bucks.

Is there a difference between humanity and machines? Is there really a difference between Religion and Science? What if everything we perceive is false, or perhaps it`s just a parlor trick with mirrors? Maybe not as good as Volume One and perhaps as the author says. This story isn`t really a sequel to Ghost in the Shell, or maybe it is the answer to Ghost in the Shell. You decide!

Shirley follows the seminal Ghost in the Shell with a disorienting yet alluring cyberpunk narrative. The commentary on cloning, Internet of things security, and consciousness remain relevant and intriguing. Much like William Gibson's prose, Shirow throws the reader into a collage of chrome and silicon, only to bring all of the pieces together in a moment of wonder.

I have to agree with retread, the visuals are excellent but if you take out the pseudo science techno babble the story could be covered in a bout 40 pages and what's left feels more like an introduction than a standalone.After the first book this was a disappointment

This is the highest quality erotic art with a superb sci fi theme. Graphics at the most detailed best.

A great addition to my collection.

Great manga, highly detailed with explanatory footnotes and great story.

A true manga masterpiece, if you're even remotely interested in cyberpunk, cyborgs, science fiction and storytelling, this will not disappoint you.