Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

[SwordSkill]

Has anyone else seen this series? Spun off from the movie, it's hands down one of the best anime series i have ever seen in my life. Coherent and tight plot-driven storyline for each episode, in totality revolving around the philosophy of the mind vs. the brain which in psychology is popularly known as "ghost in the human machine" and it's applicability in future cybernetic augmentation in humans, great breakneck action in each episode, great soundtrack by Yoko Kanno featuring an AWESOME opening song sung in Russian and English by Origa, well-developed characters, not to mention FABULOUS animation and art and a friggin' awesome fighter Kusanagi Motoko (who can kick anyone's ***) to boot!

I find it hard to believe it, but there's nothing I don't like about it. ^^;; Hope I'm not alone in my fixation with GITS : SAC. (why can't more anime series be like that...?)

Oh yeah, and I can't wait to get my hands on GITS : SAC 2nd Gig and GITS: Innocence.

[Straylight]

I need to get this, I'm a huge fan of the original Ghost in the Shell movie.

[Orange Kitten]

I've only seen the first 6 episodes, but what I've seen I've liked.

[wiggins]

What's it about? Is it a ghost or horror story?

[Da Rabid Duckie]

Think political drama with cybernetic humans. It's got some really intriguing plot points, but I started to wonder about the series later on though, because they started alluding to the fact that Motoko dabbled in lesbianism. I'm not exactly how sure that applies to cyborgs, but it was getting to the point where I felt uncomfortable watching it. I never did get to see the whole series though because it turned out to have been licensed even before it was first aired. So, I got rid of my fansubs while waiting for the American release.

[Bobtheduck]

Think political drama with cybernetic humans. It's got some really intriguing plot points, but I started to wonder about the series later on though, because they started alluding to the fact that Motoko dabbled in lesbianism. I'm not exactly how sure that applies to cyborgs, but it was getting to the point where I felt uncomfortable watching it. I never did get to see the whole series though because it turned out to have been licensed even before it was first aired. So, I got rid of my fansubs while waiting for the American release.

In the Manga of "Ghost in the Shell" I think that either Motoko or the Puppetmaster experimented with homosexuality. If it was the puppetmaster, which has a male "ghost" (or I was lead to believe that) then I guess in a way, it wouldn't be, but its partners were definately female and were definately homosexual. They cut it out of the American version of the manga, and it doesn't show up in the Anime at all (I mean, it would have been many hours long if they included everything)

Of course, the Puppetmaster in the movie also took female form, so... Well, you should see what i'm getting at if you've seen the movie.

It's licensed to show on Cartoon Network on Adult Swim... It will be the first thing that will compare to CB in visuals AND seriousness that they've ever had (unless you count .hack//sign which is on Toonami...) I suppose if there's anything explicit, CN will cut it out, but with what they got away with on Space Ghost the other night, they would be hypocrites to censor this...

[SwordSkill]

eek. i didn't know that the word i used would be censored by the board. ^^;; well, never mind...i guess we have different degrees of sensitivity.

i'm watching the series being aired on TV in subtitles, currently on the 20th episode thereabouts, i think, and so far i haven't seen anything offensive or uncomfortable. (for me anyway). besides, if i'm not very much mistaken, i think there were a lot of deviations in the anime from the original manga. the series is dominantly composed of police work by Section 9 so it focuses primarily in action (lots of guns going off, lol) and lots of detective work.

note: the Tachikomas are too cute to be left alone. XD i wish i owned one.

this one is definitely climbing the charts for my favorite anime titles by the episode. ^_^

[Fsiphskilm]

Okay my freinds kee

[Orange Kitten]

Okay my freinds keep talking about it and I really want to see it. Is there anyone who can list all of the ghost in the shell animes? I'm talking movies+series and everything. I'd really appreciate that. My people are saying that I would like it but I've never seen it so, I don't know where to start.

Besides the manga (which I have not read), there is only one movie and one series:

Movie: Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002)

Unless I've totally missed something, I'm sure of the above information.

[Bobtheduck]

There is an UPCOMING GitS movie, called "innocence" I think. Also, there are several fan shorts or maybe even longer animated works. The original manga was an analytical look at many aspects of life, and it included "experimenting" in many things, one of which being homosexuality. I'm not sure whether it was motoko, the puppetmaster, or a character that wasn't in the movie. That was left out of the American manga. Besides the manga, there have undoubtedly been many doujinshii.

Actually, now that I really think about it, the homosexual scene may have been in a doujinshii and not the manga, but if it was a doujinshii, it was made by the real author of "Ghost in the Shell." That's not too uncommon. Published Mangaka make doujinshii every once and a while. So, you can choose for yourself if it's really GitS "Canon" because it wasn't part of the real series, but it WAS made by the author...

[suoh12]

[quote="SwordSkill"]note: the Tachikomas are too cute to be left alone. XD i wish i owned one./QUOTE]word of caution. dont give it too much natural oil.XD

wish they had a replay of this in animax though. i missed alot of eps...=(

[SwordSkill]

lol @ suoh...hey, if natural oil makes them self-aware, then maybe it's not so bad. XD besides, i have a feeling i might indulge in spoiling them if i owned a couple. (did you see the way they would cry and their oil would be their tears? so heartbreaking.)

aside from the first GITS movie and the Stand Alone Complex, there's also the 2nd season of GITS: SAC called GITS: SAC 2nd Gig. and yeah, there's GITS: Innocence too.