Motoko Kusanagi, also known as "The Major" among other names, is the hero of Ghost in the Shell. The story has gone through a number of iterations, from the original manga by Masamune Shirow from the late 1980's through Oshii's animated movies, the "Stand Alone Complex" and "Arise" animated series, and most recently the live action movie released in 2017. In each, the nature and character of the Major changes to reflect the different visions of the creators of each series, and changing contemporary cultural concerns. In this presentation, we will look at each incarnation of Motoko, how the character is both the same and very different in each way she is presented, and how she reflects changes in both how we view the relationship between technology and society and how we view anime.
