GKIDS Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of
Renowned Director Mamoru Oshii’s Cult-Classic Follow Up to
“Ghost In The Shell” with a New 4K Restoration
GKIDS, the Academy Award®-winning producer and distributor of acclaimed and artist-driven animation from around the world, announced today that in celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary, it will bring Mamoru Oshii’s animated masterpiece GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE to theaters nationwide in a new 4K restoration beginning June 23rd.
The film recently debuted the new 4K restoration at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, held at the historic Music Box Theatre. Screenings will be held in both the English language dubbed version, and in its original Japanese language with new and improved subtitles for the 4K restoration.
First released in 2004, the film is director Oshii’s follow up to his epoch-making 1995 feature Ghost in the Shell, based on the comic series created by Shirow Masamune. Imagined as a standalone return to the world of Ghost in the Shell, the story is a cyberpunk mystery centered on the character Batou from the original film. Featuring mind-bending visuals that demanded five years in production, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE celebrated its international debut in competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, thus becoming the first and only anime in history to compete for the Palme d’Or.
Like with the 1995 Ghost in the Shell, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE has been lavishly crafted by legendary animation powerhouse Production I.G, and features a powerful and haunting score by returning composer Kenji Kawai. The film is produced by Production I.G co-founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, producer of the original 1995 feature, who is joined by Academy Award®-winning producer and Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki.
Synopsis:
In the year 2032, the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. A string of murders perpetrated by a prototype android model has drawn the attention of Public Security Section 9, a unit specializing in counter cyber-terrorism. With none of the victims’ families pressing charges, suspicions arise regarding the nature of the androids and their production company. In the course of the investigation, the almost entirely cyber-bodied agent Batou, and his still human partner Togusa embark on a journey through a technological dystopia, taking on ferocious Yakuza thugs, devious hackers, government bureaucrats, and corporate criminals to uncover the shocking truth behind the crime.
Acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii pushes further into the world and concepts first developed in his groundbreaking film Ghost in the Shell, considered one of the most important and iconic anime films ever made. With its thought-provoking speculations on artificial intelligence, which have only become more relevant in our present world, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE celebrates its 20th anniversary returning to cinemas in a lustrous new 4K restoration.
