Ghost in the Shell

Stand Alone Complex Vol 1

Review by Matthew Anderson

26 Episode TV Series

Company: Bandai ent and Manga Entertainment

Running Time: 110 minutes (4 episodes)

Region: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, language and Adult situations)

EXTERNAL EXAM

In the year 2030, Japan has once again emerged as a world economic and political power. It's reach can be felt all over the world, especially in the realm of cybernetic technology and digital information. Consequently, this makes Japan the target of many forms of cyber terrorism and government espionage.

Section 9, the Department of Public Security, is tasked to deal with any threat to Japan or it's people. They are led by the well connected Aramaki, who has recruited from various departments of law enforcement to create an elite team.

Handling the field work is Major Motoko Kusanagi, a elite cyborg commando. She and her fellow agents have been very busy dealing with suicidal androids, rogue tanks, and government spies. This is noting compared to the problems caused by "The Laughing Man", an infamous hacker who is able to hack into peoples cybernetic brains.

When corruption is discovered in the police hierarchy, "The Laughing Man" threatens to kill the chief of police if he doesn't tell the truth. Section 9 has only three days to find the killer, or all of Japan may be brought to it's knees.

DVD VISION TEST

VIDEO: The DVD quality is excellent. On all three of our video systems, there was nary a pixel, color bleed, or wrinkle to be found. On our Samsung, I magnified it X3, and it still was flawless.

AUDIO: On all four audio tracks, the sound is sublime. The English 5.1 is the best of the four, and it will blow you to the back of the room. It has an aggressive soundstage, with even the tiniest sounds brought into sharp focus.

The Japanese 5.1 is just a miniscule drop from the English 5.1. The biggest change is the voices are a little lower, and there is more treble. Yoko Kanno's outstanding musical score sounds better with the Japanese track.

The English and Japanese 2.0 are pretty evenly matched. Not as aggressive as the 5.1 versions, the voices are stronger than on the 5.1. On my Samsung, I did notice a slight audio dropout during the opening song on episode 1.

EDITS: The original open and close animation on episode 1 and 2 have been replaced with the full CG opening from episode 3 and the "scenes of everyday life" ending.

The CG opening is a modified clean open, with the original series title in place. The introduction text in episode one has been overlaid with English text.

EXTRAS: Sparse but interesting. We have the clean CG opening, interviews with Director Kenji Kamiyama and Motoko voice actress Atsuko Tanaka.

WIDESCREEN REVIEW

STORY: Much more in tone with the manga than the movie, "Stand Alone Complex" can be best described as a cybernetic police procedural. Chief Writer and Director Kenji Kamiyama gives us an engrossing and gripping tale of a world not so different from our own. The characters are interesting, each with their own quirks and talents.

ACTING: The cast on both ends are fantastic. The entire cast from the Japanese "Ghost in the Shell" movie returns for a third appearance, bringing their distinctive voices to a classic series.

Atsuko Tanaka is the Major. Her voice is strong, almost like a drill sergeant. I know that I stand at attention when she speaks. Aiko Otsuka is as manly as you can get for Batou. You can't help but like Togusa's down to earth personality, thanks to Koichi Yamadera.

The English cast is noting to sneeze at either. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is a lot sexier than Motoko, but isn't as intimidating. Richard Epcar returns as the snide and arrogant Batou, which brings a smile of delight. Current "IT" guy Crispin Freeman does a great turn as Togusa, playing him a lot cooler than Cole from "Initial D".

FAN SERVICE: Well, Motoko's streetwalker outfit is pretty much fan service, and we get to see her boobs and ass squished. Visual references to both the movie and the manga are in abundance, along with plenty of ones from Blade Runner.

FINAL EXAM

In the world of anime, there are a few titles that automatically become popular the minute it's created. "Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex" is one such show. Crossing many different boundaries, "Stand Alone Complex" is perhaps the best example of the diversity and intelligence that made anime so popular.

Everything about this show screams quality. The animation is superb, at times reaching movie level quality. Their blending of the CG and traditional elements is pure art, better than Gonzo Digimation in some cases. Production I.G. deserves every accolade they receive.

The acting is excellent. I think bringing back the Japanese cast from the GITS movie was a very wise move. These people are familiar with the characters, and know how they feel and act. Plus, it has the added benefit of being some down right fantastic fan service.

The same could be said for bringing back Richard Epcar as Batou and William Fredrick as Aramaki. I would have liked to have Christopher Joyce back as Togusa, but Crispin Freeman was the best choice to voice our "human" Section 9 cop.

Once again, Yoko Kanno has created a diverse and appropriate soundtrack for "SAC". Her use of house, techno, and alternative rock fits the hip and stylish vibe of the series. The icing on the cake is the opening theme, "Inner Universe" sung by Russian performer Origa. Her haunting vocals combined with Yoko Kanno's pulsing beat is sublime. This is one anime soundtrack I must find.

Even with great animation, acting, and music, you still need good writing. Like everything else in "SAC", it is simply the best. Kenji Kamiyama made the right choice to treat the series as a police drama. Instead of getting bogged down in Oshii-esque existential discussions, he and the writing staff can concentrate on the characters and the situations. They are also masters at presenting the constant techno-speak in a way that even the casual watcher can understand, but enough to make you think. The true mark of good writing is that at no time do I find myself waiting for the show to end.

In many ways, "SAC" is the cyberpunk version of "CSI". Each episode starts with a crime that needs to be investigated. As the episode progresses, we see them employ various techniques to "follow the evidence" and make the arrest. They even have the cool song playing in the background while they work, just like "CSI".

I case you were wondering, you do not need to see the movie to figure out what is going on. With the exception of the characters and the voices, this has nothing to do with that awesome film. "SAC" has more in common with the video game with similar character designs and the use of "Tachikomas".

While it's closer in tone to the manga, those expecting a direct adaptation won't find it here. None of the episodes are directly based from events of the manga.

Manga and Bandai ent. have done the fans right by presenting GITS: Stand Alone Complex" in a excellent DVD. The video and audio is all top notch. The edits to the first two episodes may have some fans up in arms, but for me it's a non issue. They could have put in a little more extras, but the ones they did have were at least interesting.

Every time I watch "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex", the more I love it. It's appropriate that another Shiro based anime ("Appleseed" being the first) has re-ignited my anime loving fire. Just like "Miami Guns" is the best action/comedy release of this year, "GITS-SAC" is the best Sci-Fi action series of 2004. This is one you must buy!

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