Review: Stand Alone Complex #4

Paul

Paul

Ghost of Animes
Administrator
I've reviewed the surprisingly underwhelming fourth volume of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, out now in the UK from Manga Ent..

I also want to take this opportunity to introduce you to the newest member of our news posting team! Michelle (a.k.a. <a href="http://forums.animeuknews.net/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=116">MangaMinx</a> from our forums) has always been a dedicated and friendly member of our fledgling <a href="http://forums.animeuknews.net/">community</a> and we have no doubt that her infectious enthusiasm will only continue to benefit Anime UK News.<ul class="menu">This is a mixed, slightly above mediocre volume of Stand Alone Complex. While Batou's multi-layered and affecting episode alone makes this fourth volume worth watching, the previously exciting narrative standards seem to have taken a slight dip here and I'm already craving a return to the unpredictable "Laughing Man" case and slightly more emphasis back on the personalities of Kusanagi, Batou and Togusa. I suspect this is the "calm before the storm" and all I can say is bring it on!</ul><a href="http://www.animeuknews.net/viewreview.php?showreview=148">Read the full review.</a>
 
4th episode was the best on the disc, tho the one about the kidnappend girl was intriguing too.

For some reason i keep thinking this would do really well on TV.
 
Congrats hun.

For those underwhelmed by this volume 5-7 will more than make up for it, for teh most part the eps on this volume exist to give you an insite into the world Stand Alone Complex is set in before the conculsion of the plot.
 
what got me annoyed with the volume is, yet again, the subtitles!

I just watch ep 13, and they've just had moments where there has been talking but no subtitles.
The most notable part is when Motoko is trying to convince that terrorist to talk by describing the 'Dentist torture', that was almost completely forgotten. As well as when Saito is telling Bouma and Pazu to leave the guy with the RPG 'to me', nothing again.

Is it me or are they ever going to get the subtitles right before they end? They're either mispelt, out of synch, or missing.

EDIT: Just watching ep 14, Tachikoma is told to do camouflage itself, and it says 'Yatta!', but the subs says 'I don't want to'. Talk about a huge cock up in the translation!
 
My only problem with the subtitles this time (I didn't notice any gaps) was the font used. It was way too chunky, words were being joined up and basically, just hard to read.
 
I noticed a problem with the subs in the first vol, instances when grammar and spelling were wrong as well as some gross mistiming. Good thing the show has such a good reputations goes some way to making up for the underwhelming handling of the transfer.
 
Paul said:
(I didn't notice any gaps) .
Click to expand...

Really?

Hang on, I just watched it again, and the 'dentist' torture bit was on there, so I was wrong on that count.

However the bit with Saito and the RPG I mentioned above is missing.

And there has definately been some mistranslation on what 'Yatta!' means.

Ep 13, just before tachikoma gets shot at by the RPG, it shoots some terrorists who fall down some stairs landing on their mates, Tachikoma shouts 'Yatta!', sub says 'Oh no!'.

And the same again with the one I mentioned in my previous post on ep 14.
 
Still haven't got this from play yet :x . Manga's subtitles on the first volume stopped me bothering with them at all from now on. Fortunately I really love the dub.
 
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