So did you go see Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence at the pictures during its rather short limited run in the UK? Have you seen it on DVD? What did you think? From people I know the film was a mixed bag, some (including myself) think it’s just as good if not better than the first, while others have thought it pales in comparison.

The soundtrack when heard at the same time as you view the film has a magical effect. The sound matches the one screen imagery perfectly, as you would expect from a film with such a huge level of production. When hearing the soundtrack on its own it will often bring back those images or just leave your mind blank. The other problem with the soundtrack is it is very repetitive.

All the tracks that start with the name “The Ballade of Puppets…” (Tracks two, seven and ten) are a Japanese choir. Each of these tracks are extremely similar, the vocals themselves are almost identical with only one or two lines which differ and in the latter two tracks case they have a slight instrumental section. Tracks eight and nine “The Doll House I” and “The Doll House II”

suffer a similar problem. The music emulates a music box (used in one of the films best sequences). The first of these tracks lasts a minute and a half sounds like a plain music box, the second for the first minute and a half is the exact same as the previous one before the track becomes receives more echo and becomes slightly distorted. Do we really need track nine to have the first bit when it is identical to track eight?

All the other tracks are instrumentals (see track list further down for more details) with the exception of tracks four, River of Crystals, and twelve, Follow Me. Both these tracks are sung in English, and feel like they might come straight out of an old Film Noir title (which when you see the types of cars used in the film doesn’t seem like the only thing). The only problem is this music is somewhat of an acquired taste and certainly won’t appeal to everybody.

The soundtrack also comes with a booklet, which features the song lyrics for not only the two English tracks, but also the Japanese in both a phonetic Romanization but also an English translation of the Japanese lyrics.

There’s also an in-depth interview with Kenji Kawai in the booklet about the soundtrack, working with Mamoru Oshi and the problems faced in making the film.

Track list:-

1. “DUNGEON” – Lasting about a minute and a half this is a rather unsettling piece of music. It’s not really something you’d listen to too relax.
2. “The Ballade of Puppets: Flowers Grieve and Fall” – Japanese choir, this is used during the opening title sequence of the film. It’s also a continuation, of sorts, of the choir used in the first film.
3. “Type 2052 Hadaly” – This used in the film as a bit of backing music during a section that involves a lot of dialogue, rather samey throughout and really too long.
4. “River of Crystals” – Great song, not too everyone’s taste but one to relax to.
5. “Attack the Wakabayashi” – Some more fats paced music, used during one of the films action sequences. Lot of drum and bass.
6. “Etorofu” – This is in a lot of ways similar to “DUNGEON” except twice as long.
7. “The Ballade of Puppets: In a New World, Gods Will Descend” – Other than a bit more music in the background an a slight instrumental part ways in theirs very little difference to track

two here.
8. “The Doll House I” – The music box, this can send some serious chills down the spine.
9. “The Doll House II” – The first minute and the half is just “The Doll House I” but after this, the music gets even more spooky and disorientated.
10. “The Ballade of Puppets: The Ghost Awaits in the World Beyond” – More instrumental, a few more lines of verse and some rearranged and longer. There’s no need to listen to the others really though if you listen to this.
11. “Toh Kami Emi Tame” – Only thirty seconds long, “Toh Kami Emi Tame” by the choir.
12. “Follow Me” – Another good song, which won’t appeal to everyone, the lyrics take a bit more meaning when applied to Ghost in the Shell though.

The sound track to Innocence is great when watching the film; however, as a separate CD it suffers from repetition (and so is the reviewer as that’s about the third or fourth time I’ve mentioned it). If you are thinking of buying the CD at £12.99rrp you may wish to watch the film its self a few times first and pay careful attention to the music just to make sure buying the soundtrack is the right move.