<p>In a sense, <strong>yes</strong>, they are on the same universe with <em>Ghost in the Shell: Arise</em>, which is the prequel to the original <em>Ghost in the Shell</em> manga/movie.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/PandoraInTheCrimsonShellGhostUrn" rel="nofollow noreferrer">TVTropes's article</a> <strong>(Warning, TVTropes link!)</strong> mentioned some background about it:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn</em> (紅殻のパンドラ / Koukaku no Pandora) is a cyberpunk action comedy manga <strong>based on an unused concept of Masamune Shirow (designs of which would eventually be re-used in Ghost in the Shell: Arise)</strong>.</p>
<p><sup>(Emphasis mine)</sup></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Researching further on <a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B4%85%E6%AE%BB%E3%81%AE%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89%E3%83%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Japanese Wikipedia</a> also mentioned about its relation/connection with <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Arise" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ghost in the Shell: Arise</a></em>,</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> <strong>Relation with <em>Ghost in the Shell: Arise</em></strong><br />
<br />
 At the time when it was originally planned, the title was supposed to be <em>Ghost Urn</em> with its plot having the same background setting as <em>Ghost in the Shell: Arise</em> (<em>GitS:Arise</em>). In the original plot, Uzal Delilah (Sahar Schehera) who was supposed to be the same person with Dr. Zhinzhee Bekka Arr Thied who appeared in chapter 3 &amp; 4 of <em>GitS:Arise</em>; Clarion, and BUER were supposed to appear in <em>GitS:Arise</em>. Moreover, <em>GitS:Arise</em>'s character Kurtz was originally <em>Ghost Urn</em>'s character, with Ian Kurtz as her equivalent character.<br />
<br />
 The setting took place years after Uzal and their companion moved to Cenancle Island and were living there after the incident in <em>GitS:Arise</em>. The illustration of the original plot that appears at the end of its tankobon not only shows Kurtz, but also cyborgs who protect Dr. Thied, Nami Hozumi, and other characters who become the model for <em>GitS:Arise</em>'s characters.<br />
<br />
 However, <em>Ghost Urn</em> anime project was suspended due to various circumstances. When KADOKAWA restarted the project, this time with manga, the setting and characters were recomposed. In addition to that, the setting became pre-<em>GitS:Arise</em>, and characters who were supposed to be the same in both series were separated totally. Finally, the title was changed to <em>Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn</em>.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-01T09:25:07.623Z
2017-10-29T02:46:03.497Z
2020-06-17T09:17:53.303Z
Aki Tanaka
<p>This season's <em>Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn</em> is a work created in part by Masamune Shirow - the same fellow behind <em>Ghost in the Shell</em>. Much to my chagrin, I haven't gotten around to watching <em>Ghost in the Shell</em>. But I do know bits and pieces about it, and there seem to be some surface-level similarities to <em>Pandora in the Crimson Shell</em> (which is airing right now, and which I'm watching). </p>

<p>Obviously, the title, for one (both in English and Japanese - <em>Koukaku Kidoutai</em> vs. <em>Koukaku no Pandora</em>); <em>Pandora</em> has "Gerzekoma" robots while <em>Ghost</em> has "Tachikoma" robots; and the whole focus on cybernetics and the line between humans and machines. </p>

<p>Do these surface-level similarities reflect any material relationship between the two? (e.g. is <em>Pandora</em> an alternate-universe to <em>Ghost</em>, or a "meanwhile, in this other part of the world" story, or something?) Or is it just that Masamune Shirow chose to write about similar themes in two otherwise unrelated manga?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-23T08:22:49.140Z
Apparently there's a [movie](http://myanimelist.net/anime/31930/Koukaku_no_Pandora:_Ghost_Urn) that came out in December 2015 and a [series](http://myanimelist.net/anime/32214/Koukaku_no_Pandora) that just started airing and I could find only 3 episodes out to date.
Hakase
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-23T09:45:59.793Z
From what I've seen it's happening a few decades before the events of GITS and might be the same universe. Everything concerning cyberization is there, in early stages of tech development.
Hakase
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-25T00:22:35.557Z
If it really is a prequel to GitS then it's a really weird one given the massive differences in tone and style.
ConMan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-05T19:38:39.887Z
Seems to me that it's obvious The Major was a Mahou Shoujou in a previous life.
YetAnotherRandomUser
<ghost-in-the-shell><koukaku-no-pandora><masamune-shirow>
Is there any material relationship between "Pandora in the Crimson Shell" and "Ghost in the Shell"?
# Is there any material relationship between "Pandora in the Crimson Shell" and "Ghost in the Shell"?
Posted by: username_0 on 2016-01-23
This season's *Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn* is a work created in part by Masamune Shirow - the same fellow behind *Ghost in the Shell*. Much to my chagrin, I haven't gotten around to watching *Ghost in the Shell*. But I do know bits and pieces about it, and there seem to be some surface-level similarities to *Pandora in the Crimson Shell* (which is airing right now, and which I'm watching).

Obviously, the title, for one (both in English and Japanese - *Koukaku Kidoutai* vs. *Koukaku no Pandora*); *Pandora* has "Gerzekoma" robots while *Ghost* has "Tachikoma" robots; and the whole focus on cybernetics and the line between humans and machines.

Do these surface-level similarities reflect any material relationship between the two? (e.g. is *Pandora* an alternate-universe to *Ghost*, or a "meanwhile, in this other part of the world" story, or something?) Or is it just that Masamune Shirow chose to write about similar themes in two otherwise unrelated manga?
**Tags:** ghost-in-the-shell koukaku-no-pandora masamune-shirow
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Apparently there's a [movie](http://myanimelist.net/anime/31930/Koukaku_no_Pandora:_Ghost_Urn) that came out in December 2015 and a [series](http://myanimelist.net/anime/32214/Koukaku_no_Pandora) that just started airing and I could find only 3 episodes out to date.  
> **username_1**: From what I've seen it's happening a few decades before the events of GITS and might be the same universe. Everything concerning cyberization is there, in early stages of tech development.  
> **username_2**: If it really is a prequel to GitS then it's a really weird one given the massive differences in tone and style.  
> **username_3**: Seems to me that it's obvious The Major was a Mahou Shoujou in a previous life.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2017-04-01. Score: 2
In a sense, **yes**, they are on the same universe with *Ghost in the Shell: Arise*, which is the prequel to the original *Ghost in the Shell* manga/movie.

The [TVTropes's article](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/PandoraInTheCrimsonShellGhostUrn) **(Warning, TVTropes link!)** mentioned some background about it:

> *Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn* (紅殻のパンドラ / Koukaku no Pandora) is a cyberpunk action comedy manga **based on an unused concept of Masamune Shirow (designs of which would eventually be re-used in Ghost in the Shell: Arise)**.
>
> (Emphasis mine)

Researching further on [Japanese Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B4%85%E6%AE%BB%E3%81%AE%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89%E3%83%A9) also mentioned about its relation/connection with *[Ghost in the Shell: Arise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Arise)*,

> **Relation with *Ghost in the Shell: Arise***  
>   
> At the time when it was originally planned, the title was supposed to be *Ghost Urn* with its plot having the same background setting as *Ghost in the Shell: Arise* (*GitS:Arise*). In the original plot, Uzal Delilah (Sahar Schehera) who was supposed to be the same person with Dr. Zhinzhee Bekka Arr Thied who appeared in chapter 3 & 4 of *GitS:Arise*; Clarion, and BUER were supposed to appear in *GitS:Arise*. Moreover, *GitS:Arise*'s character Kurtz was originally *Ghost Urn*'s character, with Ian Kurtz as her equivalent character.  
>   
> The setting took place years after Uzal and their companion moved to Cenancle Island and were living there after the incident in *GitS:Arise*. The illustration of the original plot that appears at the end of its tankobon not only shows Kurtz, but also cyborgs who protect Dr. Thied, Nami Hozumi, and other characters who become the model for *GitS:Arise*'s characters.  
>   
> However, *Ghost Urn* anime project was suspended due to various circumstances. When KADOKAWA restarted the project, this time with manga, the setting and characters were recomposed. In addition to that, the setting became pre-*GitS:Arise*, and characters who were supposed to be the same in both series were separated totally. Finally, the title was changed to *Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn*.
---
