History Manga / GhostInTheShell

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GitSmanga_2012.jpg

** Lampshaded by one operative who warns his men not to be distracted by her microskirt, as it's just "[[ShowSomeLeg eyepull]]"

* {{Woolseyism}}: The English title is the ''subtitle'' of the original work. The actual Japanese title, ''Kokaku Kidoutai'', translates to "Mobile Armored Tank Police". (Shirow Masamune mentions in the preface to ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'' that the Japanese title is a ''huge'' misnomer for [=M/MI=], because the story is no longer about the police, nor does the protagonist ride in an armored tank. He considered changing it, but...nah.)

* BiTheWay: Motoko is very bisexual. She enjoys creating illegal pornographic software with her roommates, but also has a boyfriend named Sugi, in who works in Section 1.

* ShownTheirWork: The margins are crammed with Shirow's footnotes informing the reader that he knows very well that cyberspace doesn't look like that, and this plane wouldn't actually be that large, or that 16^2 refers to the size of the micromachines used for skin sensitivity, and not the amount of artificial nerve endings per square centimeters. The author notes at the end of the first manga shows he really REALLY did his homework with political, technological, theological, and philisophical themes presented.

* BiTheWay: Motoko is very bisexual. She enjoys creating illegal pornographic software with her roommates, but also has a boyfriend in who works in Section 1.
* ButtMonkey: Batou tends to be this for Motoko.
* CatSmile: '''Togusa''' of all people, gives one in ''Human-Error Processor'' while gloating his seniority over Azuma after he pissed off a woman they were tasked with escorting safely back home. Batou can be seen with these when he's in a good mood, the Fuchikomas often sport these whenever they're depicted with mouths for comedy sake, and even Aramaki pulls one off every now and then when he's really sticking it to a political opponent.

* DesignatedHero: While she's on the job, the Major is ''not'' a nice lady; at times, she seems to approach being a HeroicSociopath.

* TheManWithNoName: Motoko's boyfriend plays such a minor role in the story that he really has no given identity other than just being some guy who works in Section 1.

* ShownTheirWork: The margins are crammed with Shirow's footnotes informing the reader that he knows very well that cyberspace doesn't look like that, and this plane wouldn't actually be that large, or that 16^2 refers to the size of the micromachines used for skin sensitivity, and not the amount of artificial nerve endings per square centimeters.

* TheManWithNoName: Motoko's boyfriend plays such a minor role in the story that he really has no given identity other than just being some guy who works in Section 6.

* NaughtyNurse: The nurses carrying out cyborg modifications.

* {{Woolseyism}}: The English title is the ''subtitle'' of the original work. The actual Japanese title, ''Kokaku Kidoutai'', translates to "Mobile Armored Tank Police". (Shirow Masamune mentions in the preface to ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'' that the Japanese title is a ''huge'' misnomer for [=M/MI=], because the story is no longer about the police, nor does the protagonist ride in an armored tank. He considered changing it, but...nah.)

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* BiTheWay: Motoko is very bisexual. She enjoys creating illegal pornographic software with her roommates, but also has a boyfriend in who works in Section 6.

* MythologyGag: [[DominionTankPolice Anna and Uni Puma]] show up as a couple of merchants in the streets of Etorofu. They get about 2 pages worth of dialogue. A Fuchikoma tries to barter with them for a piece of merchandise, but ends up accidentally stealing it when it ran off. Uni was pissed and grabs a machine gun, but Anna figures it was probably stolen merchandise in the first place anyway and says to just let it go.

* CatSmile: '''Togusa''' of all people, gives one in ''Human-Error Processor'' while gloating his seniority over Azuma after he pissed off a woman they were tasked with escorting safely back home.

* MythologyGag: [[DominionTankPolice Anna and Uni-Puma]] show up as a couple of merchants in the streets of Etorofu. They get about 2 pages worth of dialogue. A Fuchikoma tries to barter with them for a piece of merchandise, but ends up accidentally stealing it when it ran off. Uni was pissed and grabs a machine gun, but Anna figures it was probably stolen merchandise in the first place anyway and says to just let it go.

* RuleOfCool: Various footnotes explain that some of the vehicles are not drawn to scale, and that cyberspace wouldn't really "look" like ''anything'' - but it's cooler when it does.

* ActionGirl -- The Major.
* AnimeAnatomy -- Averted until the last quarter or so of ''Man[=/=]Machine Interface'', when [[spoiler:Motoko spends a ''lot'' of time diving]]. Shirow said in a margin note that he stopped drawing her nipples for convenience's sake.

* AlternateContinuity[=/=]{{Revision}} -- When Shirow Masamune first set out to write a sequel to ''Ghost in the Shell'', he published what would become ''Human Error Processor'' in a magazine. When it was time to give it a stand-alone, paperback release, he'd realized that he had a much greater story to write, and released ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'', without saying a word of what he'd done. (Shirow is notoriously secretive.) The fan-reaction was..less than stellar, and eventually ''Human Error Processor'' was released as ''[=GITS 1.5=]''. While the two sequels can be taken as a continuous continuity from ''Ghost in the Shell'', there are some finer details that don't quite match up.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence -- [[spoiler:Maj. Motoko Kusanagi]] basically witnesses [[spoiler:Project 2501]] all-but-literally fulfill this trope when [[spoiler:she]] dives into [[spoiler:its]] dying ghost. Soon afterwards, [[spoiler:Project 2501]] returns and joins with [[spoiler:Motoko]] to become a new type of lifeform. Because this is Shirow Masamune, [[spoiler:two of these lifeforms later join forces to ascend ''once more'' by merging with an artificial silicon lifeform.]]
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment -- The lesbian sex scene in the original. Comes out of nowhere, is never brought up again in that book.
* ButtMonkey -- Batou tends to be this for Motoko.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn -- Motoko's not nearly as stoic here as in the anime adaptations. As the volumes shift from dark comedy to a more serious plot though, the Major's characterization loses the upbeat nature and becomes colder and pensive, much like later adaptations characterizes her.

* DesignatedHero -- While she's on the job, the Major is ''not'' a nice lady; at times, she seems to approach being a HeroicSociopath.
* DudeLooksLikeALady -- In the final pages of the original manga, [[spoiler:the Puppet Master[=/=]Motoko hybrid floors Batou when she tells him that the feminine-looking artificial body she's in is actually male]].
* ErectionRejection -- A sizable faction of the fans maintains that ''Man[=/=]Machine Interface'' is unreadable because of this. The other faction maintains it is ''only'' readable because of that.
* {{Fanservice}} -- Lesbian threesome. ''[=Man/Machine=] Interface'' goes out of the way to provide crotch shots.
* GirlOnGirlIsHot -- Years after the first volume was published Shirow admitted that the only reason he drew an all girl orgy was because he "didn't want to draw some guy's butt."

* LawfulNeutral -- The Major, most of the time. Sometimes borderline LawfulEvil, for comedy.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous - Section 9 is named after real-life German counter-terrorism unit GSG9 (Border Guard, Unit 9).
* NotWhatItLooksLike -- Subverted by the threesome. While what's happening on the page ''is'' happening, underneath all that is an illegal, drug-enhanced data-sharing sim that uses the threesome as its interface.
* RRatedOpening - The YourHeadASplode scene from the original anime movie had its origins in the very first sequence of the manga.
* RuleOfCool - Various footnotes explain that some of the vehicles are not drawn to scale, and that cyberspace wouldn't really "look" like ''anything'' - but it's cooler when it does.

* SpiderTank - The Fuchikomas, as well as the "German Spider Tank"
* {{Squick}} - Batou's reaction to the SexByProxy instance above. Having a male body, he's hit with [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean sensory input]] which he has no nerve endings for, and it makes him feel very ill.
* {{Stripperiffic}} - Considering that this is written by ShirowMasamune, fans often forget that Maj. Motoko Kusanagi constantly wears sensible, concealing clothes. Motoko Aramaki, on the other hand...

* TalkingToThemself - All of the [[spoiler:major female characters]] in ''Man-Machine Interface'' turn out to be offspring of [[spoiler:Motoko Kusanagi and the Puppetmaster (the protagonist is number 11), and one of them ''is'' Kusanagi/the Puppetmaster]].

* UnusualUserInterface - Both the jacks used to access the web, the internal LAN's sometimes used to hack or get hacked, and even [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] by using normal keyboards. There's also talking in barcodes and laser communication by staring at people with EyeBeams.
* {{Woolseyism}} - The English title is the ''subtitle'' of the original work. The actual Japanese title, ''Kokaku Kidoutai'', translates to "Mobile Armored Tank Police". (Shirow Masamune mentions in the preface to ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'' that the Japanese title is a ''huge'' misnomer for [=M/MI=], because the story is no longer about the police, nor does the protagonist ride in an armoured tank. He considered changing it, but...nah.)

* NotWhatItLooksLike -- Subverted by [[spoiler:the threesome. While what's happening on the page ''is'' happening, underneath all that is an illegal, drug-enhanced data-sharing sim that uses the threesome as its interface.]]

* LesYay -- The Major takes part in a virtual reality orgy with some female friends from outside Section 9.

* SexByProxy: Batou gets hit with this in-story. Aramaki orders him to contact Motoko and pull her off leave, so he proceeds to dive into her mind...while she's in the threesome. The scene got censored in the original US release, but was included in the reprint.

* SexByProxy: While the Major is off making virtual reality lesbian porn, Batou gets linked to her system by accident, allowing him to feel what she's feeling. He considers it {{Squick}}. The scene (sadly) got censored in the US release.

* {{Squick}} - Batou gets hit with this in-story. Aramaki orders him to contact Motoko and pull her off leave, so he proceeds to dive into her mind...while she's in the threesome. He's hit with [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean sensory input]] which he has no nerve endings for (breasts, vulva), and it makes him feel very ill.

* NippleAndDimed -- During the last quarter or so of ''Man[=/=]Machine Interface'', when [[spoiler:Motoko spends a ''lot'' of time diving, Shirow stops drawing her nipples for convenience's sake.]]

[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GitSmanga_2012.jpg]]

It spawned a [[GhostInTheShell franchise]]: being adapted into an [[Anime/GhostInTheShell animated film]] and an [[GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex animated TV series]], each 3 in their own different continuities. A live-action film is in DevelopmentHell.

* ActionGirl - The Major.

* AlternateContinuity[=/=]{{Revision}} - When Shirow Masamune first set out to write a sequel to ''Ghost in the Shell'', he published what would become ''Human Error Processor'' in a magazine. When it was time to give it a stand-alone, paperback release, he'd realized that he had a much greater story to write, and released ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'', without saying a word of what he'd done. (Shirow is notoriously secretive.) The fan-reaction was . . . less than stellar, and eventually ''Human Error Processor'' was released as ''[=GITS1.5=]''. While the two sequels can be taken as a continuous continuity from ''Ghost in the Shell'', there are some finer details that don't quite re-conciliate.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence - [[spoiler:Maj. Motoko Kusanagi]] basically witnesses [[spoiler:Project 2501]] all-but-literally fulfill this trope when [[spoiler:she]] dives into [[spoiler:its]] dying ghost. Soon afterwards, [[spoiler:Project 2501]] returns and joins with [[spoiler:Motoko]] to become a new type of lifeform. Because this is Shirow Masamune, [[spoiler:two of these lifeforms later join forces to ascend ''once more'' by merging with an artificial silicon lifeform.]]
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment - The lesbian sex scene in the original. Comes out of nowhere, is never brought up again in that book.

* DesignatedHero - The Major is NOT a nice lady.
** Taken nearly to HeroicSociopath levels when she mentions setting up a terrorist so that he would ''shoot his own son'' through a door. She says the son was also a murderous terrorist, but still, it's hard to imagine anything either could have done to justify the monstrousness of Motoko's actions.
*** The excuse she herself offers is that it was revenge, plain and simple, because the boy had tortured and killer two of her men. Whether you think that is an appropriate reason to set him up to be killed by his father in an ambush . . . YourMilageMayVary.
** To relate to this, it is an imperative to understand that the original manga is also very much a comedy, especially early on, and it is Masamune's typical dark style.
* ErectionRejection - A siezeable faction of the fans maintains that ''Man[=/=]Machine Interface'' is unreadable because of this. The other faction maintains it is ''only'' readable because of that.
* {{Fanservice}} - Lesbian threesome. ''[=Man/Machine=] Interface'' goes out of the way to provide crotch shots.
* GirlOnGirlIsHot - Years after the first volume was published Shirow admitted that the only reason he drew an all girl orgy was because he "didn't want to draw some guy's butt."
* ShownTheirWork: The margins are crammed with Shirow's footnotes informing the reader that he knows very well that cyberspace doesn't look like that, and this plane wouldn't actually be that large, or that 16^2 refers to the size of the micromachines used for skin sensitivity, and not the amount of artificial nerve endings per square centimeters.
* LesYay: The Major takes part in a virtual reality orgy with some female friends from outside Section 9.
* LawfulNeutral: The Major, most of the time. Sometimes borderline LawfulEvil, for comedy.

* {{Woolseyism}} - The English title is the ''subtitle'' of the original work. The actual Japanese title, ''Kokaku Kidoutai'', translates to "Mobile Armored Tank Police". (Shirow Masamune mentions in the preface to ''[=Man/Machine Interface=]'' that the Japanese title is a ''huge'' misnomer for [=M/MI=], because the story is no longer about the police, nor does the protagonist ride in an armoured tank. He considered changing it, but . . . nah.)

It spawned a [[GhostInTheShell franchise]]: being adapted into an [[Anime/GhostInTheShell animated film]] and an [[GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex animated TV series]], each 3 in their own different continuities. A live-action film is in DevelopementHell.

* CharacterizationMarchesOn -- Motoko's not nearly as stoic here as in the anime adaptations.

* TalkingToThemself - All of the [[spoiler:major female characters]] in ''Man-Machine Interface'' turn out to be avatars of [[spoiler:Motoko (the protagonist is number 11)]].

* {{Woolseyism}} - The English title. The actual Japanese title, ''Kokaku Kidoutai'', translates to "Mobile Armored Tank Police".