Cyberpunk may be predominantly known for its distinctive tech-heavy dystopian aesthetic, but the genre is far more than that. For many, the allure of cyberpunk is not what it looks like, but what it has to say, and few franchises capture this quite like Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner.
Both Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell use cyberpunk’s fascination with the fusion of humanity and technology to explore some of sci-fi’s most thought-provoking philosophical ideas. Questions of consciousness, memory, identity and the nature of the soul are at the heart of both franchises. They’re not just stylish stories about dystopian corporate hellscapes; they are explorations of what it means to be human. This is also exactly why fans of both franchises should make time for Netflix Altered carbon.
Based on a novel by Richard K. Morgan, Altered carbon is a two-season Netflix show takes place in a future where human consciousness can be stored digitally and transferred between bodies. The show follows Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman in Season 1, Anthony Mackie in Season 2), a man resurrected centuries after his death to solve a murder. For viewers who love the philosophical exploration that defines Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runnerfew cyberpunk series scratch the same itch as effectively.
Altered Carbon picks up the conversation where Blade Runner and GitS left off
At first glance is similarities Altered carbon shares with Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell seem obvious. All three are cyberpunk stories set in technologically advanced but morally decayed futures. What is not immediately obvious is how close Altered carbon aligns with the deeper thematic concepts that have made both Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell so iconic.
Across multiple movies and series, both Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner repeatedly returning to questions of consciousness and identity. If memories can be changed, bodies replaced, or minds replicated, what exactly makes someone a person? Altered Carbon takes these questions and pushes them further than either franchise.
Altered carbon The central concept revolves around cortical stacks, devices implanted in the spine that digitally store a person’s consciousness. As long as the stack survives, a person’s mind can be transferred to a new body, known as a sleeve. Death becomes effectively optional for those who can afford replacement bodies.
This idea creates a fascinating framework for exploring personality and the like Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner, Altered carbon refuses to give simple answers. Instead, it examines how technological advances are reshaping human existence and long-held assumptions about individuality and mortality. For cyberpunk fans who appreciate the philosophical exploration of Blade Runner and/or GitS, Altered carbon is a satisfying continuation of a conversation these franchises began decades earlier.
Altered Carbon has a lot to offer Cyberpunk fans
The philosophical overlap AFiltered Carbon has included Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell is certainly one of the show’s greatest strengths, but that’s not the only reason cyberpunk fans should watch it. After all, neither Blade Runner nor Ghost in the Shell became iconic solely because of their ideas. Their images and sense of style are equally important to their success.
Fortunately, Altered carbon also excels in these areas. The series presents a future that feels visually familiar to cyberpunk enthusiasts. Massive cityscapes glow under neon lights. Rain-soaked streets stretch beneath towering skyscrapers. Advanced cyberware technology is driving widespread social decay. The story of Altered carbon also includes many of cyberpunk’s most beloved elements. There are conspiracies involving powerful elites uncovered by a man operating on the fringes of society. In other words, a classic cyberpunk tale.
For fans of Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner, or cyberpunk in general, Altered carbon offers the whole package. It delivers the visual spectacle and intellectual depth that defines the genre while adding its own compelling ideas. As a result, it stands as one of Netflix’s strongest sci-fi TV shows and one of the most rewarding cyberpunk series currently available for streaming.
- Publication date
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2018 – 2020-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Alex Graves, Ciaran Donnelly, MJ Bassett, Nick Hurran, Peter Hoar, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Uta Briesewitz, Jeremy Webb, Andy Goddard, Miguel Sapochnik
- Authors
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Brian Nelson, Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend, Steve Blackman, Adam Lash, Laeta Kalogridis, Nevin Densham, Alison Schapker
