Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

[adam]

I just finished this series, and, for me, this is absolutely hands-down the best anime I've ever seen. I am incredibly excited that the new season is coming out, but I'm trying to convince myself that there is no way it would be as good, so as to reduce my potential disappointment.

I'm not sure what it was, specifically, that made it seem this way to me, but one of the things I rather liked about it was the depth of the characters. They seem so well developed.

Anyway, one thing was puzzling me that I couldn't figure out...it may have been explained, and I'll need to re-watch the episode, but I thought I'd throw the question out here in the meantime. When Togusa is undercover at the clinic, he sees the Laughing Man, and afterwards, when he tries to sketch him, he ends up drawing the laughing man logo, as though his memory had been hacked. But Togusa is fully organic. That's what's puzzling me. I mean, I know he at least has cybernetic comm systems, but is he supposed to be more cyberdized than that? Or did I miss something?

[gambit]

I assumed Togusa had a cyber brain just like everyone else. The rest of his body is organic except for his brain.

Anyway, yeah, it's a great series. Loved it. Of course, if you were watching Adult Swim, you could be watching the new season already! :D

So far it's maybe 3-4 episodes in, so it hasn't picked up steam just yet. But it looks promising.

[Kein]

Dont fear, the 2nd season looks and feels just the same as the 1st season. Some pretty good stories in it as well.

[adam]

I think I'll just hold off until the whole second season is out on DVD, then binge on it like I did this one. Watching eight hours of GITS over a week or whatever is pretty fun. Besides, I practically freaked after the cliff hanger in one episode...I don't think I could handle that if the next DVD wasn't out already.

[kid cue]

i'm pretty late, but this is (2 discs in) also the best anime tv series i've ever seen. better than Evangelion, Escaflowne, Lain, Bebop, Karekano, Azumanga, etc.
thank you for the rec adam.

my 3rd disc is lost in the mail ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[adam]

Ha ha! Another convert! I'm happy to say the second season is excellent, as well. Best show ever.

That episode with the runaway tank is amazing, no?

[Tom]

I'm also currently watching this. I'm about 2 discs into series 1, and I have series 2 here as well.

I like it very, very much.

[EuroZeroZero]

the music is pretty good in this.

[adam]

Yeah, for a while I was working through the discs, sampling the music and sound FX, until I got bored...

[GreenPea]

I've only seen one episode (a long time ago)...I didn't like it :confused:

[kid cue]

Ha ha! Another convert! I'm happy to say the second season is excellent, as well. Best show ever.

That episode with the runaway tank is amazing, no?
seriously, there is nothing bad about this series (except the CGI in the intro sequence). on one level the stories are SO tight and on-point, but you get so swept into the world that you don't even notice the effort being made to start and end a compelling narrative arc within a half hour. and the level is immersion is crazy; nothing in this world seems arbitrary, nothing makes me think of otaku sitting around a conference table trying to come up with new ways to combine sexy machinery and sexy girls. and then, this has to be the most understated and CONVINCING use of cyberpunk tropes ever. at this point cyberpunk is either a generic atmosphere good for commercials and 3rd-rate sci-fi blockbusters, or a lame 80's artifact, but the series completely reinvigorates it, and reminds us how profound and exciting it is that we're basically living in this world already.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh

[adam]

It is amazing the amount of storytelling they fit into one episode. It's similar to Arrested Development in that respect; they fit so much plot in that all the fat is trimmed by necessity. It's an interesting way to write...I'll have to think about that.

[kid cue]

it's got the lowest index of pandering in any anime ever. you have to pay attention 105% of the time! and not just to catch all the references, but to get a genuine feel for what's happening. each episode is like a razor slice into an otherwise impenetrable world.

[Tom]

I agree with everything you two have said, but you're also forgetting 2 very important things as to why this series is so great.

1) Tachikoma's are fucking awesome.

2) Blowing the shit out of stuff is awesome.


Did you guys ever play the PSX GitS game? It was fucking great and highly under rated. Fuck, I have to go play it now.

[gambit]

But the Major doesn't get nekkid when she turns invisible!!! How could none of you see this major flaw?!?!

;)

(Yeah, it is a great series. I may need to rewatch it sometime.)

[kid cue]

I agree with everything you two have said, but you're also forgetting 2 very important things as to why this series is so great.

1) Tachikoma's are fucking awesome.

2) Blowing the shit out of stuff is awesome.


Did you guys ever play the PSX GitS game? It was fucking great and highly under rated. Fuck, I have to go play it now. totally. Tachikomas clinch the series for me, and Section 9 fucking pwns the shit out of everybody. best cop show ever.

[adam]

You guys are only on disc two of series one!!! You don't even know. Talk to me after discs six and seven.

[gambit]

Have you watched 2nd Gig yet, adam?

[sanblaster]

Gonna get this wtf. I think last anime I watched was Apleseed (the cgi one). I love animes with cgi....

[Tom]

I'm going to make it my mission to finish season 1 this weekend.

[adam]

I cannot wait to geek out over this with people who have seen the entire season.