Masamune Shirow’s “Ghost in the Shell” is one of the seminal works of cyberpunk manga. But I’d wager that most people who know and love “Ghost in the Shell” first encountered it through one of its many animated adaptations, from the 1995 film directed by Mamoru Oshii to television and direct-to-video series from the 2000s and today.
Something about the gritty, complicated future Shirow proposed, in which the line between man and machine is blurred and our lives are lived on the internet, has continued to resonate, as those concepts seem less like science fiction and more like everyday reality.
Now “Ghost and the Shell,” a new exhibition at Tokyo Node in Toranomon Hills, celebrates the 30-year legacy of those many “Ghost in the Shell” adaptations, as well as previewing the latest iteration of the story: a new anime series set to debut this July. The exhibition, which opened Jan. 30 and runs until April 5, makes the anime production process feel tangible with a wealth of original materials, and shows the franchise’s cultural impact by featuring art pieces created by major artists including Hajime Sorayama and futuristic fashion brand Anrealage inspired by “Ghost in the Shell.”