That little tangent from Oshii probably tipped you off, but Ghost In The Shell isn't your average cyberpunk story. Every iteration of it has involved some measure of awesome action set pieces, with the climax of the original film being a memorable example. It's probably also what sold DreamWorks on the concept as a viable potential blockbuster, and seeing some of those scenes come to life in live action is gonna be great. But the core of Ghost In The Shell is a very philosophical look at the potential future of humanity. Innocence especially busies itself with barely any action, instead pondering the place of consciousness and the likes when people leave their physical bodies and machines become self-aware. In the age of smartphones, social networks and the hyper-connected world we populate, that couldn't be a more timely theme to focus on. The series has always down well with contemporary issues plot-wise (the internet, virtual reality, hacking, viruses, that sort of thing), but it's these enduring themes that really make it.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
