 If you liked
Koukaku Kidoutai
|
 ...then you might like
Serial Experiments Lain
|
Ghost in the Shell and Lain are essentially a parent work and its child, and they complement each other extremely well.
It's very visible that Lain was thematically heavily inspired by Ghost in the Shell, and it certainly does an excellent job on expanding upon the basic ideas and concepts. Much longer running time than GITS allowed Lain to explore the implications of a connected and computerised world to a much further degree than GITS managed to do in its way too short feature length.
GITS sacrificed a thorough explanation of its themes in order to achieve a little bit more conventional enjoyment (plot, action, etc)
read more
Both anime cover cyberpunk theme. SEL contains less action, but has more braindamaged philosophy and mystery.
Both are cyberpunk anime designed to make the audience question reality and consciousness.
report
Recommended by LittleCaesars
Very similar themes - both ask a lot of the same existential questions. Both are also cyberpunk classics.
report
Recommended by RedZoneRogue
>Sci-fi themes involving the conscious mind and technology.
>Both have heavy imagery and take a lot of thought to understand.
>Aged, but in a great way. Like fine vintage wine.
>Both are classics in Anime history.
>Both feature a wise, strong female protagonist lead.
>Both protagonists aren't human in one way or another, whether at the beginning or at the end.
>Amazing visuals and music to accommodate the ageing animation.
Both are seminal cyberpunk classics from the 90s. They both deal with existentialist themes as well as the integration of technology and the world.
report
Recommended by LoveLikeBlood
Both anime are considered pillars of the cyberpunk genre, sharing not only similar themes and motifs, but also overall similar art style and atmosphere. If you like one, you'll definitely like the other.
report
Recommended by BohemianRhapsody
Ghost in the Shell gives you the same feeling as Serial Experiments Lain.
- Similar animation
- Similar music
- They're both sci-fi
- They're both psychological
- In both anime the walls of real world are broken by the net and cybernetics
- Both anime question reality, human soul,consciousness,what makes a human a human
report
Recommended by ChiekoHimegawa
Same feeling of calm, incerdible atmosphere, great dystopias, superb characters. Both also have similar endings that fits the shows perfectly.
report
Recommended by hubertpivert
Similarities:
Animation Style
Music Style
Both plots revolving around futuristic tech that enchances/augments humans
Both plots very philosophically deep
Female protag
Differences:
Ghost in the Shell is a lot more of an action movie
Very different settings
report
Recommended by itachi5464
Even with a diferent aproach both anime share the same element of exploring about cyber networks and their conection with humans, individual identity, and the line between real world and the cyber networks. playing with question about whats make you yourself or whats make you a human.
report
Recommended by AriesChara
Both are cyber-punk anime with a bleak visual aesthetic, and a quiet, contemplative, female protagonist who takes morally ambiguous actions. Both works explore the impact of technology and the internet on identity, and on the connection between consciousness and people's physical forms. The works are also remarkably similar in their pacing, and use long, drawn out shots without speech and with little action to contribute to atmosphere.
Each shows a fusion between man and machine, and fully explores the importance of each style
Both are cyberpunk themed anime series that tackles on a mix of all kinds of deep and sophisticated philosophical topics that are open to viewer interpertation on what they mean and both have a really interesting to look at art and animation style to compliment its story telling too.
report
Recommended by Disapeared_Ghost
Upon finishing Koukaku Kidoutau it instantly reminded me of Serial Experiments Lain. Both explore dystopias where society has a heavy reliance on the network, along with similar cyberpunk atmospheres. The female leads are strong-willed women who are in a way (or become), cyborgs. Both animes have withstood the test of time and can be recognised as sci-fi classics to this day.