Monday, November 14, 2016

Ghost in the Shell anime chronological order

There are three independent stories that should not be mixed:

Arise, set in 2027:
  1. GitS: Arise - Ghost Pain (ova) or GitS: AAA - Ghost Pain, Part 1-2 (tv series ep. 3-4, cut down version of ova)
  2. GitS: Arise - Ghost Whispers (ova) or GitS: AAA - Ghost Whispers, Part 1-2 (tv series ep. 5-6, cut down version of ova)
  3. GitS: Arise - Ghost Tears (ova) or GitS: AAA - Ghost Tears, Part 1-2 (tv series ep. 7-8, cut down version of ova)
  4. GitS: Arise - Ghost Stands Alone (ova) or GitS: AAA - Ghost Stands Alone, Part 1-2 (tv series ep. 1-2, cut down version of ova)
  5. GitS: AAA - Pyrophoric Cult (ova) or GitS: AAA - Pyrophoric Cult, Part 1-2 (tv series ep. 9-10, cut down version of ova)
  6. GitS: The New Movie (movie)
Stand Alone Complex, set in 2030-2034:
  1. GitS: SAC (tv series season 1, set in 2030) or GitS: SAC - The Laughing Man (ova, cut down version of tv series)
  2. GitS: SAC 2nd GIG (tv series season 2, set in 2032) or GitS: SAC 2nd GIG – Individual Eleven (ova, cut down version of tv series)
  3. GitS: SAC - Solid State Society (movie, set 2034)
The movies, set in 2029-2032:
  1. GitS (movie, set in 2029, comparison of versions)
  2. GitS 2: Innocence (movie, set in 2032)
It would be recommended to start watching with the original movies (considered the best), then SAC and finish with Arise (considered the worst), however chronological order would start with Arise, followed by SAC and finished by the movies.

Some would suggest after Arise to watch the first movie, then the SAC series, then the Innocence and finish it with the Solid State Society, but as mentioned these are completely independent stories (despite sharing same world and characters) and most would suggest to not mix them up.

There is a major spoiler explaining why SAC should be watched before the movies despite set times being mixed up.

More info at r/Ghost_in_the_Shell.