title: Ghost in the Shell: ARISE

In the end, all the 'Ghost in the Shell: ARISE' continuity has done is lead us right back where we started

There should be no shying away from how the influences left by our favorite works are not always good ones

With all four installments of 'ARISE' in place, the whole of it adds up to a breathless but superficial ride, lacking the soul and personality that dignified its predecessors

Part three of 'ARISE' is an improvement on the first two installments, but the ineffable alchemy we saw before in the franchise still hasn't quite manifested itself

How the practice of shifting anime from TV broadcast or video to theatrical release first has delivered a new form factor -- and a new aesthetic

The second installment in the 'Ghost in the Shell: ARISE' series eschews insight and thematic complexity for straight-up action

Even if 'ARISE' falls short of the heights of 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex', it's still a model of ambition and vision for anime