Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence: Synopsis

Nine years ago, writer/director Mamoru Oshii’s widely influential “Ghost in the Shell” burst onto the international film scene, becoming one of the most successful anime films of all time. Now, Oshii returns with the long-awaited sequel “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.”

“Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence” is set in 2032, when the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Humans have virtually forgotten what it means to be entirely human in both body and spirit, and the few humans that are left coexist with cyborgs (human spirits inhabiting entirely mechanized bodies) and dolls (robots with no human elements at all).

Batou is a cyborg. His body is artificial: the only remnants left of his humanity are traces of his brain ... and the memories of a woman called The Major.

A detective for the government’s covert anti-terrorist unit, Public Security Section 9, Batou is investigating the case of a gynoid -- a hyper-realistic female robot created specifically for sexual companionship -- who malfunctions and slaughters her owner.

As Batou delves deeper into the investigation, questions arise about humanity’s need to immortalize its image in dolls. Together, Batou and his partner must take on violent Yakuza thugs, devious hackers, government bureaucrats and corporate criminals to uncover the shocking truth behind the crime.

“Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence” is the story of a solitary cyborg who desperately wants to hold on to what’s left of his humanity in a world where the worth of the human soul is fading almost into obscurity.

“Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence” was the first anime film ever to compete for the Cannes International Film Festival’s coveted Palme d’Or. It also joined the ranks of such animated classics as “Dumbo” (1947), “Peter Pan” (1953), “Fantastic Planet” (1973), “Shrek” (2001) and “Shrek 2” (2004) to become only the sixth animated film to compete at Cannes.