I was going to say that the manga for Ghost in the Shell is very much the same as the film, and it is--to a point. Sure, there are the usual structural differences that seem necessary when moving from one medium (and author) to another--Section 9's origins are explained in the manga but not in the film, and Kusanagi has a hand in that. There are more characters in the manga, some of whom die. But otherwise, for the first three "chapters" (not the same as "issues"), the storyline is very similar to that of the film.
Then it all takes a flying leap and goes off in a direction all its own.
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The manga is an eight-issue series (as released by Dark Horse in English, anyway) by Masamune Shirow, whose other credits include Appleseed and Dominion Tank Police. The artwork is incredible, and the story, though not one continuous story (as is the film), is compelling--I read the whole thing in one sitting. The story covers several of Kusanagi’s (and Section 9's) missions, some having to do with the Puppetmaster and others not, with many of the same philosophical topics (and an incredible interaction between the Puppetmaster and Motoko, discussing in-depth the evolution of living systems).
In addition to the philosophy, we have a heavy dose of Shirow's fascination with science, as enthused by his copious notes (which are often embedded in the comic itself, right there with the story and art).
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And there is something in the manga that doesn't show up in the film: Fuchikoma, personal mecha that function both as battlesuits and as independent robotic units, capable of their own (limited) thought and actions. They figure prominently in both the action and in Masamune Shirow’s exploration of "life." (They also show up in the TV series Stand Alone Complex, but rechristened "Tachikomas.")
Although Shirow's art style in the GitS manga is not as computer graphically "evolved" as it is in his later works (including the sequel to GitS, ManMachine Interface), this is in some ways my favorite.
This is one of the best manga I've seen, and it certainly rivals the film for my affections. Luckily, in this rivalry one can have it both ways!
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