"Ghost in the Shell" Bandai - Region 3- NTSC vs. Manga Region 1 NTSC vs Manga Region 2 PAL

(aka "Kôkaku kidôtai")

directed by Mamoru Oshii
Japan 1995

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 18th, 1995

DVD Comparison:

Bandai Visual/Dawoori Entertainment (2-disc Edition) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Manga Video (US) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Manga Video (UK) - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Martin Norefors for the Bandai caps and Pavel Borodin for the rest!

(Bandai Visual/Dawoori Entertainment - Region 3 - NTSC LEFT vs. Manga Video - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Manga Video (UK) - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
		NOTE: Purchases through DVDBeaver's links to Amazon help keep us afloat and advertisement free!
Distribution	Bandai Visual/Dawoori Entertainment Region 3 - NTSC	Palm Pictures/Manga Video Region 1 - NTSC	Manga Entertainment Ltd. Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:22:30	1:22:39	1:22:42
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.86 mb/s NTSC 720x576 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.18 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.37 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Bandai
Bitrate: Manga US .
Bitrate: Manga UK
Audio	English (Dolby digital 2.0), Japanese (Dolby digital 2.0)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Pro Logic 2.0)	English (Dolby Digital 5.0), Japanese (Dolby Pro Logic 2.0)
Subtitles	English, Japanese, Korean, None	English, and none	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Bandai Visual/Dawoori Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Making Film 1 (29:30) • Making Film 2 (26:39) • Synopsis • Production Notes • History 2029 A.D (Story background) • Glossary • Characters • Mechanical Design • TV spots • Trailers DVD Release Date: 2003-04-10 Keep Case Chapters 15	Release Information: Studio: Palm Pictures/Manga Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Special Feature: The Making of Ghost in the Shell (28:00) Theatrical Trailer (1:30) Manga Video Commercial (4:30) Manga Video Catalog and Fan Club Info (3:10) PolyGram Video Commercial (3:10) Key Characters: Synopsis and Images Complete Movie Production Report DVD Release March 31, 1998 Keep Case Chapters 15	Release Information: Studio: Manga Entertainment Ltd. Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Special Feature: The Making of Ghost in the Shell (28:00) Theatrical Trailer (1:30) Key Characters: Synopsis and Images Complete Movie Production Report DVD Release Date: 28 February, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 15 THIS EDITION HAS SYNCHRONIZATION PROBLEMS
Comments:	ADDITION (MAY 2004 - Bandai) - As often with Korean editions there are no English subtitles in the extra material section. The "Making film 2" has a English speaker voice and one of the trailers, aswell as one of the TV-spots are presented in English. Other than that there are Japanese and Korean all the way. - Martin Norefors The Region 2 appears not to have been taken from a progressive source and will result in artifacts as well as 'ghosting' (common with conversions from PAL and NTSC). I am unsure if this is also the reason the Region 2 has synchronization problems, but regardless it is an issue. The Region 1 disc is slightly sharper and darker. It has a few more Extra Features as well as 5.1 audio to the Region 2's 5.0 (English). Not a hard decision here - the, earlier released, Region 1 wins in all categories. *- Gary W. Tooze*

Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

The Japan Journals : 1947-2004,

by Donald Richie

The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film
by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp

Kon Ichikawa (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs)

by James Quandt, Cinematheque Ontario

Shohei Imamura (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 1)
by James Quandt

Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema (Midland Book, Mb 469)
by David Desser

The Films of Akira Kurosawa by Donald Ritchie

Tokyo Story

by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda, Donald Richie, Eric Klestadt

Ozu by Donald Ritchie

A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie

Check out more in "The Library"

DVD Menus

(Bandai Visual/Dawoori Entertainment - Region 3 - NTSC LEFT vs. Manga Video - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Manga Video (UK) - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures