After the Long Goodbye
I finally read my copy of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, After the Long Goodbye and fell in love with Ghost in the Shell all over again.
Technically the book is set as a prequel to the movie GITS2: Innocence, and yet the novel stands on it’s own- not just as a Ghost in the Shell story, but also as a science fiction novel. I enjoyed the movie, as flawed as it was, but ultimately the book outshines the movie, so much more. Definitely at least in part because it was written by the Japanese equivalent of a multiple Hugo-award winning author. (The Japanese Hugo= Seiun awards)
I was glad to see that the book is centered around Batou, who I’ve always considered to be one of the most compelling characters in the GITS universe. (the movies, the TV series and the manga) In a lot of ways his character has more depth than the rest of the team, including even the Major, Motoko Kusanagi. (imho)
It’s hard for me to put my finger on it exactly why this is. On the face of it, it seems like Batou ought to be a very simple character, a mechanized man who’s entry might as well be right next to “cyborg” in the dictionary. But unlike some of the others, who could are almost defined by their role in the anti-terrorist organization- Batou is different.
Batou is a man who recognizes his unimportance in the universe, and yet accepts this with good humor and wit. He knows his role in things, in the organization, in the country, in the world- sometimes it’s almost like he can see the world coming down around him, he can see the seams, and yet he takes this as a matter of fact and accepts this casually.
(There’s more to it than that, but like I said, I can’t really put my finger on it…)
My other favorite character, (who also appears briefly in the book) is Togusa. His appeal is much more easy to explain- what’s not to like about the young former police detective, considered a top detective in his old line of work, but always the rookie in his new one? A person who’s near completely human, an unusual person who appreciates the value of intuition in a time where such values are considered almost anachronistic- and yet he manages to hold on to them to great success. (Of note he particularly shines in the first season of the TV series. It’s an incredible arc and I highly recommend it.)
All in all, it was an amazing read.
