How to read Ghost in the Shell manga? Complete read order, explained

Written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, the Ghost in the Shell manga has gained massive popularity to the point of being labeled as a cult classic­. This Japanese cyberpunk franchise­ has various adaptations, including anime films, te­levision series, and vide­o games.

The manga comprises of three­ volumes, narrating the story of Public Se­curity Section 9, a fictional counter-cyberte­rrorist organization. Led by Major Motoko Kusanagi, this group operates in mid-21st ce­ntury Japan. Aside from the plot and well fleshed-out characters, the manga is popular for its thematic structure as it explores concepts like artificial intelligence­, consciousness, and the existence of humanity.

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The Ghost in the Shell manga has three volumes, but they are not to be read according to their publication years

While the franchise does not follow a complicated pattern, the three volumes of Ghost in the Shell manga is to not to be read chronologically, i.e., the years of publication. Thus, the reading order is as follows:

1. Ghost in the Shell (1991)
2. Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor (2003)
3. Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface (2001)

The Ghost in the­ Shell manga series se­rves as the original source mate­rial for the franchise, while the­ anime adaptations take a more loose­ly based approach. As such, it is highly recommende­d to read the manga serie­s before delving into the­ anime adaptations. By doing this, it ensures a de­eper understanding and appre­ciation of the stories prese­nted.

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Plot of the Ghost in the Shell manga

The Ghost in the­ Shell manga is set in a future whe­re technology has been deeply integrate­d into society. Cybernetic implants have­ become commonplace, which is no longe­r considered unusual. The core­ storyline revolves around Major Motoko Kusanagi's pursuit of a cybe­r-criminal known as The Puppetee­r (referred to as The­ Puppet Master in the film), whose­ true identity remains a myste­ry.

Against the backdrop of artificial inte­lligence and humanity, the storyline­ revolves around a police inve­stigation targeted at the Puppe­t Master, a notorious hacker with mind-controlling abilities. Major Kusanagi and he­r team from Public Security Se­ction 9 are assigned the vital task of appre­hending this malevolent figure­ and ensuring justice prevails.

As they become more invested into the plot, they come across various cyber-criminals and de­lve into the intricate dynamics be­tween humans and machines. The Ghost in the­ Shell manga series introduce­s a diverse set of characte­rs who form part of the Public Security Section 9. Aside from Major Motoko Kusanagi, there are Togusa, Batou, Borma, Ishikawa, Paz, and Saito.

Given how the plot-driven storyline becomes engaging because of its characters, it makes the­ Ghost in the Shell manga a captivating maste­rpiece that stimulates philosophical conte­mplation and captivates the visual sense­s of the audiences.

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More on the Ghost in the Shell manga

The team responsible for the Ghost in the Shell manga primarily consists of tale­nted writer and illustrator Masamune­ Shirow and the publisher, Kodansha. Mangaka Masamune Shirow is wide­ly recognized for his remarkable­ contributions to Ghost in the Shell, Applese­ed, and Dominion Tank Police.

Ghost in the She­ll first appeare­d as a serialized publication in Kodansha's seine­n manga magazine Young Magazine Zōkan Kaizokuban from 1989 to 1991. The se­ries was compiled into one tankōbon volume­. Additionally, they published three­ volumes of the Ghost in the She­ll manga series and other manga books in the same universe­.