Ghost in the Shell, following in the footsteps of Akira, is one of the most critically acclaimed animated movies of the 1990s. Director Mamoru Oshii's bleak cyber-punk anime makes for a good, but flawed DVD. Picture quality is outstanding. The 1.85:1 widescreen transfer does the movie's bold vision justice, and color contrast is excellent. The sound, however, is problematic. The English dialogue track is very good, the voice acting is acceptable, and the sound effects are commanding. Turning on the subtitles while listening to the Japanese audio track, however, reveals flaws. The voice acting on the Japanese track is particularly awkward; the actors simply read their lines without emotion. Also, sound effects are buried on the Japanese track, no matter how loud the volume. The DVD's special features are not as exciting as the case's artwork would have viewers believe. The 30-minute "making of" featurette is dull and offers little insight or substantive information; it's similar in nature to the promos found on cable television, but infinitely less professional and interesting. The theatrical trailer is also a waste of time. "A Guide to Ghost in the Shell" brings up nine areas of background information, such as character bios, crew bios, a plot summary, and some design information. Ghost in the Shell is Grade-A anime and maybe a Grade-B DVD.

Removed from the typical futuristic element of most Japanese animated adventures, this 1994 feature takes place in more of a sword-and-sorcery epic set in feudal Japan. Jubei Kipagami, a ninja mercenary, wanders the countryside in search of work. On his travels, he encounters Kagero, a female ninja whose poisoned blood causes her pale skin to be lethal to the touch. Jubei rescues the woman from Tessai, a creature made of rock. They later find that Tessai is one of the Eight Devils of Kimon, who are involved in a plot to overthrow the Shogun. A story of impossible love between Jubei and Kagero is somewhat interesting, but the true draw of Ninja Scroll is its action sequences. The dazzling swordplay of Japanese live-action samurai movies is not often seen in the animated genre, which tends more towards science fiction; however, this animated work has fight scenes in abundance. Although its content is too strong for children, adult fans of Japanese animation, samurai films, and fantasy should find it enjoyable.