Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Rewatch)

Professor Irony said:
As luck would have it, I know some relative noobs for whom such a thread might be sufficient persuasion to watch SAC for the first time. Just to confirm, are we sticking to 'no untagged spoilers beyond the most recently watched episode'?

That's generally how I've seen these threads run elsewhere and it seems to work fine.
That seems to be pretty reasonable and common sense. :thumb:
 
Maxon said:
Professor Irony said:
As luck would have it, I know some relative noobs for whom such a thread might be sufficient persuasion to watch SAC for the first time. Just to confirm, are we sticking to 'no untagged spoilers beyond the most recently watched episode'?

That's generally how I've seen these threads run elsewhere and it seems to work fine.
That seems to be pretty reasonable and common sense. :thumb:

+1

If you just put the episode number you're talking about at the top of your post, that'll help promote clarity too, if needs be :)
 
This is gonna be one COOL thread!

I've rooted my 1st GIG box set out and placed it on top of my pile.

Gonna be a long night of anime watching for me, what with finishing Xenosaga and Sengoku Basara!
 
HdE said:
This is gonna be one COOL thread!

I've rooted my 1st GIG box set out and placed it on top of my pile.

Gonna be a long night of anime watching for me, what with finishing Xenosaga and Sengoku Basara!

Thank you ;)

And i've done the same <3 I'm just waiting for a chance to settle down and bust episode 1 out :p
 
Hallo Proffessor Irony braught this to my attention. So i am here. Gits Sac gig 1 i should get back to watching.

I do praise this serise aswell as how much it keeps close to Masamune Shirow's manga that i adore vs GITS 95 movie.

Uhh i think i went bonkers on GITS at one point. I baught all the OST's to GITS the 95 movie and even the computer game i also own. Sadly my sis lost my video game ost befor i could give it a good listen to and i loved the music even in the game so yeah bummed.


It will be intresting to see how other people veiw this serise and not only as a whole but each ep.

Edit. i wondered why the register wouldnt let me register and then i logged in. he he he he he i signed up to here 6 years ago. Prof Iorny/Lobster look at what anime i set 6 years ago on my profile.
 
Episode 1

Well I'll kick start this off then – So it was a Stand Alone episode. These are great – but I tend to prefer Complex episodes, thus I'm just waiting for Ep. 4 really.

It's a great start to the show – Ghost in the Shell is weird (to me) in that there are no 'formal' introduction to characters at early stages, but Batou and Motoko's roles become established immediately here. Pazu screen-time is badass. I used to love him so it'll be great to see more of him; Gotta love someone who looks constantly pissed off.

In terms of episode content it was great – A foreign minister who likes switching bodies to a Geisha was genius. Another plus was that I got through it without getting confused – I remember a lot of cyber-crap making the show hard to follow early on when I first saw it, but this was great. Overall, really enjoyed the episode.

Oh and, I'm pretty sure just before they raid the Geisha house, that's the point in the manga where we'd have seen Motoko getting sexy. At least, the environments look the same, lol. (Please say everyone is familiar with the colour pages in the manga...)

Aside: Shall we agree that no posts relating to episode 2 until after a certain time on 07/02/2011 (today if you've fallen asleep), or shall we say no posts relating to episode 2 until 08/02/2011 (just after midnight 'today').

I'm happy with either. I'll be watching it probably around 7ish though.
 
I can understand why you appreciate the complex episodes more, but for me the stand alone episodes are just as important. They are used for developing the characters and allowing greater immersion into the Ghost in the Shell universe.

In that regard, this first episode is pretty much perfect. Like you said it establishes roles of characters really well without feeling like blatant exposition. The characters show their personalities from how they handle their jobs and the interactions with each other. I think Togusa is the best examples of this. Togusa is refusing to get prosphetics because he wants to retain his humanity. He's also something a self insert for the audience because his values and emotions are closest to audience. It's easy for us to identify with him and feel more attachment towards him.

The episode also does a good job to tell a story that helps ease the viewer into this universe. It establishes how advanced the technology is through things like wireless hacking and communication, cyborgs, prosthetics and implants. These bring their own social and technological issues which is shown by the Minister of Foreign Affairs indulging in something that is akin to prostitution. The nature of Section 9 is also shown, yet again through the work they do instead of exposition. The episode makes it clear that Section 9 is government branch that deals with all manners of internal affairs that most authorities can't or won't touch.

Oh, and Run Rabbit Junk is an awesome piece of music for when they infiltrate the restaurant.
 
Difficult to add anything that hasn't already been touched on for ep1; an ideal introduction to the series and its world.

While as a whole, I think I prefer the 2nd Gig, I think the first series had more memorable stand alone episodes. The 2nd Gig frequently tried to link everything into the main plot, but the first season seems much happier to keep episodes like this entirely self-contained.

I prefer the softer character designs in this series too. The 2nd Gig had a colder, more realistic look that was closer to that of the films, but the first season is much closer to the warmer, more exaggerated look of the manga.

Also this guy's expression just made me laugh.

snapshot_dvd_1827_20110207_135115.png


Akyho said:
look at what anime i set 6 years ago on my profile.

emotrazzv.gif
 
Episode 2 seems sadder on the rewatch, because you know all along that the guy just wants to show off his steel body to his parents, not to kill them out of vengeance like everyone assumes.
 
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Professor Irony said:
Also this guy's expression just made me laugh.
glol! I noticed him as well. My initial thought was "wow, Togusa looks like he needs a good ****", before realizing it wasn't Togusa. They both have cracking mullets, anyway.

Watching the first episode reminded me of how bad my concentration is. In order to follow what was going I had to listen more carefully than usual, and in the end I think I just about understood that someone wanted access to classified material for some reason and used the minister's body to get it. I so dumb.

The art and animation were for the most part as good as I remembered, but the CGI cars looked quite dreadful and out of place, while the Major's trouserless outfit is hideously ugly. Essentially, though, they're just a couple of the more minor reasons why I prefer 2nd Gig.
 
Maxon said:
These bring their own social and technological issues which is shown by the Minister of Foreign Affairs indulging in something that is akin to prostitution.

Man, I just thought he liked being a lady, lol :oops: I guess I should pay more attention :p

Professor Irony said:
While as a whole, I think I prefer the 2nd Gig, I think the first series had more memorable stand alone episodes. The 2nd Gig frequently tried to link everything into the main plot, but the first season seems much happier to keep episodes like this entirely self-contained.

Yeah - I feel the same way in that regard. I think this being a rewatch though - it makes the SA episodes much easier to follow. I do wish I'd wrote my first impressions after the very first time I'd seen episode 1 now, just to compare. I remember loving it, though 8)

And lol, I was the same as Fabricated in that I had to pay way more attention than I normally would.
 
Godot said:
Maxon said:
These bring their own social and technological issues which is shown by the Minister of Foreign Affairs indulging in something that is akin to prostitution.

Man, I just thought he liked being a lady, lol :oops: I guess I should pay more attention :p
I could be wrong. I just got the impression that brain swapping was illegal and prostitution was the first thing that came to my mind.
 
Yeah, that whole brain-swap thing is DEFINITELY a bit kinky! (But what do we expect of politicians, eh?)

This has to be about the fifth time I've watched the episode. It's still great. I think the approach of dumping the viewer right in at the deep end of the story's world is pretty wise. Had the show spent a handful of episodes explaining to us 'oh, and this is what an e-brain is, and everybody's bodies are actually artificial now, except not everybody's but some people's... and there are these things called tachikomas as well...' - well, I'd have found that pretty laborious and un-GITS-y.

I'm reminded how much I love the look of this show as well. Absolutely glorious!
 
Testation is one of those episodes that I like a little bit more each time I see it.

I love how this is the first time we see the Tachikomas deployed en masse. Those little blue dudes are one of my favourite aspects of the whole series!
 
I find them rather annoying. Their presence as the comic relief feels rather forced, and they aren't even funny. Production IG must have been high to think giving them those voices was a good idea.
 
I call personal taste on that one - plus, the voices are kinda in character with the inquisitive, mischievous Fuchikomas from the manga.

Their antics really amuse me - although I do find some of the stuff in 'Tachikomatic Days' a little hard to take.

Big spoiler below:

And if you Really hate them, well you're catered to - because the ALL DIE!
 
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Episode 2


Daaaaym I love this episode. I'd totally forgot how good this one was. It's got awesome action, and a really touching end. Was great to Saito getting a chance to bust out the Sniper rifle too.

So sad about Kago and wanting to show off his steel body, though. I'm so glad to be re-watching this show.

By the way, did anyone else enjoy the butt-shot of the Major towards the end before she ejected from the Tachikoma? lol.

Aside: I still love the OP theme - better than Rise, although Rise is good.
 
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