If you told me that I would be sitting in front of my computer on a Sunday night before working, working my fingers to create a post about The Ghost In the Shell Opening. I probably would have called you a liar and said that I should be trying to beat Pragmata and create videos for my TikTok.

But… Here I am.

After stumbling upon a few YouTube videos and listening to their commentary on this new iteration of Ghost in the Shell while working and listening to them say things like how it wasn’t right, it wasn’t following the manga like everyone said, that it is taking liberties that it shouldn’t, and much, much more… it became apparent that I needed to see for myself.

I have been in and out of the anime sphere proper for a long time. Only really been watching shows when I have the spare time due to life switching to Elden Ring difficulty over the last few years. But Ghost in the Shell… the iconic franchise that confused my childhood with its plot but enthralled me with its music? The series that gave me my first adult voice crush, Motoko Kusanagi. (Mind you, I started with Stand Alone Complex.)

This legendary Franchise was coming out with a new series that was supposed to follow the beats of the manga proper in terms of story and art style?

Where have you been all of my life? Oh… you just debuted a week ago?

Work can wait. I found it on Prime Video, and my eyes drank it all in.

One of the things that stood out in the videos I watched was how the music strayed from the styles of music from the previous series. Whether it be the haunting ceremonial / church compositions from Kenji Kawai or the beloved Yoko Kanno’s electronic neon-jazz work on Stand Alone Complex, the music defined the world and series as a whole.

I can see why one may go… “This isn’t Ghost in the Shell”.

But what if I told you… that it is more Ghost in the Shell than you think.

Come a little closer…

We will only be talking about the opening in this post because I feel openers in anime have the hard task of getting you on board with the show within a ninety-second window. In this case, they do a lot to make you feel at home while alerting you that this will be different from what you are used to.

In the very first few seconds is a homage to Kenji Kawai’s music, which is supposed to settle you down in a space of familiarity. It creates that futuristic tone that the series is known for.

And then we are off to the races with art rock funk blended with nu-jazz and sprinkled with electronic flair, but it isn’t bombastic like Inner Universe or Rise. It doesn’t have to be. I think the opening and the song are telling that this is going to be a more upbeat, energetic ride (which is completely different from the dark and bleak of before)

I fell in step with a song that didn’t rely on the sweeping orchestral grandeur or bombastic bass of the previous songs, but pulled me in with the kinetic movement and rhythm. The tempo took me by the hand and led me to the vibe of the lyrics. It isn’t something that sticks with you the first time but after a few tries, I had it on repeat.

But the beautiful thing about this opening is that the undertones are there. The song and the opening itself hint at the things that are known, almost as if to say, “We will get there.”

And it is even in the lyrics!

Every version of me is me, even if it’s a flawed act, but all of my irreplaceable memories make me who I am.

The scenery when I woke up, your voice, the warmth of your hand, I remember it all, all of it, sometimes to the point of being sickening.

No matter what fate is (no matter what fate is), let it all become part of my flesh and blood and dance.

The one question that this series has always brought to the forefront is “What Makes you… You?”

If the body changes, if identity can be performed, and if memory is imperfect, what remains? I believe that the sound of Ghost in the Shell has changed from each iteration, and the creator, Masamune Shirow, has even stated that we should consider this the first installment of a second generation.

Honestly, once you watch the first episode, it is crystal clear that musically, this new direction doesn’t imitate the music that came before it. It remembers what that music was trying to say and reimagines the vibe not only for newcomers to enjoy but to introduce the original concept to the audience as a whole.

Go Ghost proves that the franchise’s ghost can survive inside a different musical shell. Especially when that shell is an introduction to a new generation with a different art style that is staying true to the source material and art style.

If you don’t believe me… listen to it yourself.