Mamoru Oshii’s distinctive style was in full swing during the talk show! Join us as we check out the special music event featuring “Ghost in the Shell”!

On Saturday, May 25, 2024, an event featuring the music of Ghost in the Shell was held to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Masamune Shirow’s manga that started it all.
Mamoru Oshii was the first to adapt the story with animation and music for the theatrical film of the same name. The film has also stood the test of time, being seen as a pillar of SF anime and finding new fans even today. This event paired the themes of his masterpiece with up-and-coming artists and legendary DJs. It was a day packed with fantastic Ghost in the Shell-themed entertainment, including musical acts and DJ performances paired with VJ-curated visuals, VR experiences, a talk show with experts, and much, much more.

 

The venue for this event, titled “DEEP DIVE in sync with GHOST IN THE SHELL,” was very befittingly selected as Zepp Shinjuku. Before you can access the floor where the music and artists await, you need to navigate Shinjuku’s Kabukicho, one of the most chaotic areas of Japan, and delve down four basement levels.

 

The lane before the entrance was packed with fans who couldn’t wait for the venue to open at 13:00. The crowd was a mix of “hardcore” anime fans cosplaying as Motoko Kusanagi and couples in band tees who were primarily there for the music. This mix of different fandoms and interconnected subcultures was very befitting of Ghost in the Shell.

 

To light the fuse on this explosive event was a performance from new generation artist 4s4ki (pronounced “Asaki”). She started off the performance with “Dennogo” (電脳郷), a track bursting with style and electronic effect-laden vocals that dropped the audience directly into a cyberpunk atmosphere. This was followed by the track “LOG OUT,” a powerful song that expresses the strong desire to log out of the unfair and illogical real world. Just as she said prior to the event, the setlist was definitely made with Ghost in the Shell in mind. A highlight of the performance was how the music was backed by visuals representing cyberspace.

 

While the excitement was still high, the following performance was by the duo DONGURIZU. They entertained the audience with their witty yet danceable sound, including their new track “NO WAY,” which has cultivated a cult following in many countries overseas. The performance was also highly immersive, with the screens displaying scenes from Ghost in the Shell that were carefully selected by the VJs, such as when Motoko Kusanagi fights the terrorists in the water.

 

The third act was Maika Loubté, who beautifully blended her crystal-clear singing voice with electronic music. She started off with “It’s So Natural,” a fast-paced yet philosophical track with lyrics like “It’s so natural to exist within the darkness.” On the surface, it appears cool and objective, but underneath, it belies a burning passion. In her glamorous costume, singing on the stage, she had a presence not unlike that of the Major.

 

Just as the audience was starting to get comfortable, the quartet yahyel took the stage. Shun Ikegai’s soulful falsetto filled the air from the very first track, “Mine,” instantly capturing the attention of all who were there. They followed this up with performances of “Sheep,” “ID,” “LOVE,” and more, all set to images featuring diagrams and English text on the screen behind them.

 

From there, we took a breather from the powerful and exciting performances by up-and-coming artists, during which we lined up for the opportunity to check out the VR experience set up in the sub-floor area. The VR content was made in collaboration with 0b4k3 (pronounced “Obake”), who has directed many VR works such as MONDO GROSSO’s “FORGOTTEN,” and Sanrokumaru Studio, who have produced a variety of immersive sound productions. The high-quality experience had people coming back again and again, until an announcement informed us there was a three-hour wait time.

 

In the merchandise area, there were a lot of original apparel items made especially for the event. Many original items were there, including items with the event’s logo and a t-shirt designed with Motoko Kusanagi’s iconic scenes in collaboration with the streetwear brand MEQRI.

 

From 17:00 on, there was a talk show with Mamoru Oshii, who served as director for the Ghost in the Shell film, and Kenji Kawai, who composed the music for the film. Naohiro Ukawa, from DOMMUNE, led the talk and began by asking everyone to share what they remember from 1995, the year the film was released.

 

Oshii: Back then, I was obsessed with Virtua Fighter. Watching my alter-ego fight it out on the screen was a dream come true for an animation director and animator. It was extremely satisfying to watch the combos play out exactly as I envisioned them.

 

Ukawa: Back then, it wasn’t just arcades; you could even find Virtua Fighter at the clubs. Maybe there was something similar between fighting games and the satisfaction you could get from dancing to club music.

 

Oshii also shared that he wanted to put together an event that mixed cutting-edge visuals with music, but he always assumed it would be difficult to pull off merging both sides. He also named Kenji Kawai as a pivotal figure in making that dream a reality.

 

Kawai: The first request Oshii had in terms of the music for Ghost in the Shell was that he wanted to incorporate the sound of a taiko drum. To set the music apart from more westernized styles, he wanted to move away from the use of keyboard and string instruments. With this in mind, I purchased an Indian percussion instrument from a shop in Ikebukuro and paired it with the singing of a traditional choir.

 

Oshii: This style of traditional singing that’s heavy on the vibrato has a very mysterious charm to it that draws you in. When the film first came out, many people assumed it was a difficult work that only appealed to otaku. It took some time to get to the essence of the story to be conveyed, but even so, it found popularity with people overseas who were from diverse cultural backgrounds. I think the pleasing way the visuals were matched with the music played a part in that.

 

Ukawa: When the Ghost in the Shell sell-through video went on sale in ’97, I was living on the west coast, and I remember it appearing high on the charts even over there. In the present day, the technology we see in the film has become more and more of a reality. In this changing environment, are you both still interested in working on animation and music for Ghost in the Shell in the future?

 

Oshii: Our budget for the first film was really very low. I don’t think we’d be able to work under those same conditions today. I can’t pull all-nighters anymore. *laughs*

 

Kawai: *nods in agreement*

 

The talk show lasted roughly 50 minutes, after which the legendary DJs came onstage to whip the crowd into a frenzy. First to appear was Denki Groove’s Takkyu Ishino, who met fans’ expectations when he began with the exciting tracks he created for the Ghost in the Shell PlayStation game (released in ’97). In the preceding talk show, Naohiro Ukawa had announced the re-release of that masterpiece, and the screens displayed the announcement of a new Ghost in the Shell TV anime; altogether, everyone attending was moving to the music and celebrating.

 

Then, to cap it all off, headliner Derrick May took the stage. He’s one of the artists who participated in the aforementioned soundtrack and is also a legendary DJ who brought the Detroit techno scene to the rest of the world. He started off with a relaxing selection from the soundtrack to give the fans who had been dancing a bit of a breather, then moved on to play popular Detroit techno artists such as Los Hermanos. His set was the perfect proof of how techno music, which relies heavily on electronic sounds, is a fantastic match for the world of Ghost in the Shell.

 

After soaking in a shower of music and visuals and diving deep into a deep psychological ocean world, the seven-hour event came to a close. With the announcement of a new anime on the way, there’s no mistaking it; the grand history built up by creators and artists for Ghost in the Shell shows no sign of ending. With that spectacular future on my mind, I was overflowing with joy all the way home.

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