Society & Culture
In Ghost in the Shell, the word "ghost" (ゴースト gōsuto?) is colloquial slang for an individual's consciousness. In the manga's futuristic society, science has redefined the ghost as the thing that differentiates a human being from a biological robot. Regardless of how much biological material is replaced with electronic or mechanical substitutes, as long as individuals retain their ghost, they retain their humanity and individuality. But in the netherworld, could aliens be on a mission to mimic the human? And if so, do their own "Shells" hold the key to a otherworldly discovery?