Ghost In The Shell - Solid State Society

Amazon.com

The television movie Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society (2006) continues the adventures of the cast of Stand Alone Complex, the TV series based on Mamoru Oshii's watershed feature. It's been two years since Major Kusanagi left Public Security Section 9 and struck out on her own. Batou pursues only investigations that interest him. Togusa is in charge of the Section, largely by default. All three characters, plus Chief Aramaki and the Tachikoma robots, join in the investigation of a string of suicides by agents of a foreign general. The trail leads them to a terrorist plot involving micro-machines created to release a deadly virus, and to the master-hacker known as the Puppeteer. The depiction of a corrupt politician using resources earmarked for the care of an aging population for his own ends reflects recent scandals in Japan. But Solid State Society feels derivative. The plot borrows heavily from the "Laughing Man" storyline, and the general lack of inspiration is evident in the failure to resolve the mystery satisfactorily. (Rated 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Quick ship.......2007-08-21

Thanks to the seller for quick shipping. I just gave this to my son for his birthday.

Two years after..........2007-08-16

...Major Motoko Kusanagi has resigned from her post and Section 9 has been forced to confront a dangerous hacker called the Puppeteer after tracing a series of suicides to this terrorist. As they dive deeper into what may be a government conspiracy they start to cross paths with the Major. Is this an accident or is she working for the wrong side? Get ready to become paranoid in this action-packed movie based on the Stand Alone Complex series. Extras include interviews with some of the English voice actors and storyboard subtitles.

GitS Rocks.......2007-07-26

Two thumbs up........
Continues the adventures of Section 9 Two years after 2nd gig

Defective.......2007-07-24

I might rate it higher if I got to watch it. It began skipping at 10 minutes in on my main DVD player. While it didn't skip at 10 mins on another player, it did have the Ch15 skip (an earlier reviewer had mentioned) on all my players. I am currently in the process of getting a replacement through Amazon, hopefully it won't have the errors.

bad disks (Chapter 15),..skips 40 seconds.......2007-07-23

My copy freezes at 07 seconds into Chapter 15 then jumps to 46 seconds later. If one watches the timer, one will see it did more then freeze. After it freezes you can back up to 8 seconds into Chapter 15 and continue. A few small things do happen in the during the jump. We checked out 4 copies and all were bad.
As for the movie , I am a big fan of Ghost in a Shell and love them all. And as for one reviewer, it is dubbed into English by them same crew.

Ghost in the Shell SAC Complete Collection Box Set

Average customer rating:

One of the best sci-fi stories ever not just in anime
Wonderful Series
worth the money
NEW ETHICS???
best anime show ive ever seen

Ghost in the Shell SAC Complete Collection Box Set
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Osamu Saka , Akio Ôtsuka , Kôichi Yamadera , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HIVQAS
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Amazon.com

The 2002 broadcast series based on Mamoru Oshii's landmark film Ghost in the Shell (1995) takes place in a parallel world, where Major Motoko Kusanagi didn't vanish into The Net. Although its production values are lower, and director Kenji Kamiyama never matches Oshii's inspired camerawork, Stand Alone Complex does an impressive job of recreating the setting and characters. With the help of the other officers from Public Security Section 9, Kusanagi moves through a deadly city of mecha, cyborgs, humans, and human-prosthetic hybrids. Batou emerges as a more complex and compelling character in the TV series than he was in Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence: He engages the other characters, instead of endlessly quoting philosophers.

Politics and cyber-espionage collide in a somewhat tangled plot that centers on the pursuit of The Laughing Man, an über-hacker whose pseudonym is linked to J.D. Salinger's 1949 story of the same name. The master cyber-criminal leads Kusanagi and Batou into a web of murder and deceit involving bogus cures for "cyberbrain sclerosis" and corrupt government ministers. In the secondary story, the Tachikomas, crab-like robots used by Section 9, develop personalities and an awareness of their existence. The Tachikomas recognize some of the implications of their growing consciousness, but their childish voices--modeled after the performance of Japanese actress Akiko Tamagawa--sound odd discussing philosophical questions. Not surprisingly, the story ends with Kusanagi, Batou, et al. tackling a new case that leads into the 2nd Gig. (Rated 13 and older: considerable violence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, nudity, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

The Smash First Season Anime Extravaganza in one complete set! Major Motoko Kusanagi is a beautiful but deadly cyborg that is squad leader of Section 9-the Japanese government's clandestine unit assigned to battle terrorism and cyber warfare Surrounded by an expertly trained team, Motoko faces her ultimate challenge- the Laughing Man- a terrorist who orchestrated a kidnapping and extortion plot many years ago and has suddenly reappeared. In order to discover the identity of this enigmatic criminal, Motoko and Section 9 are drawn into a deadly labyrinth and they'll have to use all their expertise to survive This acclaimed anime series is from Production I.G (Kill Bill) and features the amazing music if Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Behop) with stories by Kenji Kamiyama (Blood, Jin-Roh) and Dai Soto (Eureka SeveN)

Customer Reviews:

One of the best sci-fi stories ever not just in anime.......2007-08-03

This is one of the best sci-fi stories ever, not just in anime. The political intrigue, philosophies around the story, and action are the perfect combination. The suspense builds through the season to a can't stop watching pace. The standalone episodes in between the main storyline are of the same exceptional quality and memorable in their own right. If you like sci-fi, anime, and/or the Ghost setting, you owe it to yourself to buy this product.

Wonderful Series.......2007-07-22

This is really a wonderful storyline. I liked the original Ghost in the Shell, but I think this is even better and more meaningful. And the box set is definitely a better deal than buying each of the episodes. What sets this apart from other anime for me is the message about the state of our world, or any world, including fantasy and future ones. The mystery aspect is wonderful in this, as is the "Stand Alone" discovery, as far as what they mean by this. I also like the fact that they let you make up your own mind about the philosophies, without using a hammer to get their point across. Great art and not to bad as far as dialogue for this series. (Some anime doesn't do a good job at all of dialogue.) I do recommend this. It is also appropriate for a variety of ages.

worth the money.......2007-07-21

This TV series is about as good as it gets for a anime. It's worth the $35.00-$40.00 you'll pay for it. I consider this to be at the same caliber as "Paranoia Agent".

NEW ETHICS???.......2007-07-16

The better reason to consider that manga has something else to offer than stupid japanese jokes and huge-round-delicious boobs, is Ghost in the shell. In the first place, obviously, the two movies. But the serie is also great and tells us about a future with new ethics because of the existence of cyborgs and all of its legal and financial consecuences. A great opportunity. No doubt.

best anime show ive ever seen.......2007-07-09

When I first saw anime on adult swim it looked very, very unrealistic. Bleach and Inuyasha are the two that I hated the most. When I saw Ghost in the Shell, it was the complete opposite, I love how it draws the watcher into a conflict that takes forever to solve and takes forever to get to the action, just how I like it. I like to wait, and wait, and wait until the right moment at the very end. The best damn anime show Ive ever watched in my opinion.

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite anime movies
Meditative viewing
Try another
Ghost in the Shell
Not for everybody and I'm one of those everbodies

Ghost in the Shell
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Akio Ôtsuka , Tamio Ôki , Iemasa Kayumi , and Kôichi Yamadera
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304493681
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com essential video

The skillful blending of drawn animation and computer-generated imagery excited anime fans when this science fiction mystery was released in 1995: many enthusiasts believe Ghost suggests what the future of anime will be, at least in the short term. The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when an unnamed government uses lifelike cyborgs or "enhanced" humans for undercover work. One of the key cyborgs is The Major, Motoko Kusanagi, who resembles a cross between The Terminator and a Playboy centerfold. She finds herself caught up in a tangled web of espionage and counterespionage as she searches for the mysterious superhacker known as "The Puppet Master."

Mamoru Oshii directs with a staccato rhythm, alternating sequences of rapid-fire action (car chases, gun battles, explosions) with static dialogue scenes that allow the characters to sort out the vaguely mystical and rather convoluted plot. Kusanagi's final quote from I Corinthians suggests that electronic evolution may compliment and eventually supplant organic evolution. The minor nudity, profanity, and considerable violence would earn Ghost in the Shell at least a PG rating. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite anime movies.......2007-06-12

From the cutting edge animation (at the time it was made) to the more than just blow crud up story, I've always felt this to be one of the most superior pieces of science fiction ever produced.

Meditative viewing.......2007-06-05

This film suffers from the comparisons it attacts. It was heavily plagiarised by the Matrix films in terms of its visual presentation and some thematic elements, but differs to it in all other parts. Where one is a very slick adolescent action film which pretends to be philosophical, the other is an entrancing audio-visual feast which engages your subconscious in a very unexpected way. Ghost in the Shell fits better next to films like Kubrick and Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Scott's Blade Runner, in which the story, although interesting, is ultimately secondary to the experience of the film itself.

From its opening credits, with its sparse pounding percussion, haunting Japanese choir, and subtle electronic tone, set against the dream-like and utterly entrancing android 'birth' on screen, engages your eyes, ears and mind in an entirely primal way.

The animation, in a word, is astonishing. The combination of digital imagery is truly subtle and masterful, rather than bashing you over the head with its digital achievement. The film revels in its details, small things which go unnoticed but register with the subconscious. The main character, in her android 'shell', never once blinks throughout the film, her inanimate 'doll-like' elements managing to de-sexualise her often nude body/shell. The gorgeously rendered reflections and lights, as well as imperceptible movements of backgrounds create an entirely dream-like world which has lost its sense of human identity through its merger with the machine. The viewer feels the same mental detatchment throughout the film, and engages in an almost spiritual experience, which is thematically social as well as personal.

It won't be everybody's cup of tea. If you came to this film from the Matrix, there's a good chance you'll hate its lack of constant action sequences. If you come to it from a purely anime-loving background, you'll love it if you enjoyed mentally stimulating and willfully experimental anime like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Mindgame, Catsoup, Memories, or Akira. You'll definately hate it if you're a fan of the empty genre-anime such as Naruto, Final Fantasy or Full Metal Alchemist. But if you're looking for a filmic experience which transcends its genre and demonstrates some unsurpassed animation of the highest possible calibre, look no further.

This dvd release is good, though not excellent. The 5.1 surround-mix in English is fantastic in its scope and enhances the experience but the english dub actors are atrocious. I don't know what it is, but english dub actors cannot emote, and speak with the same monotone 'i'm-reading-a-script' voice that anime-watchers have come to know and despise. The Japanese 2.0 stereo is okay but really could have benefited from a 5.1 mastering, especially considering the Japanese voice-actors are excellent. There is a relatively satisfying 'Making of' featurette on this dvd, including interviews with most of the creators/actors/artists involved on the project, as well as a decent overview of the technology and techniques used in the films creation.

Try another .......2007-04-13

Bluntly said Ghost in the Shell is ok. It's not spectacular. The premisis is normal for cyberpunk, the art is brilliant at times horrible at others, the voices are ok but far too quiet, and the nudity felt too tacked on and there was much too much of it. You should check out Stand alone complex before you resort to this. BTW for a special edition they don't put that much special stuff in, and the packaging is horribly annoying and impossible to handle.

Ghost in the Shell .......2007-04-09

A great anime and a must for anyone (not just anime fans). A great sci-fi plot, great character development, and wonderful graphics.

I would also suggest checking out Ghost in the Shell SAC (Stand Alone Complex) at [...]

Not for everybody and I'm one of those everbodies.......2007-03-05

If your the type who loves the kind of anime. That has action every 5 to 10 mins. A cool soundtrack consisting of metal music to get the vibe going. Or a few characters here and there that provide sometype of comedy relief. Then stay far away from this. For some people Ghost in the shell could very well be the beginning for total extinction of sleeping pills. The director's idea was definetly to make you think. And he does a very good job at it. I'll admit the very first time I saw this I did think it was cool. But I tried to watch this again, and I realize this doesn't stand the course of time for me. To me a 4 or 5 star show must be something I can keep in my collection and watch over at any giving time. I cannot do that with this. Without a doubt it is a very intelligent anime and I completely understood the story. It's just the way it was put into action and after 20 mins. I have to watch something else that moves with a faster pace. I'm not saying this is a horrible anime by any means. If your the kind of person that must see action regularly, there is a chance you may not enjoy this.

Ghost In The Shell - Solid State Society (Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Ghost In The Shell Is So Overrated
Top notch!
New Season perhaps....???
a real Stand Alone Complex
If you love the G.I.T. mangas and animes, or good animated sci-fi, this is for you...

Ghost In The Shell - Solid State Society (Limited Edition)
Starring: Michael McCarty (III) , Dean Wein , Yutaka Nakano , Takashi Onozuka , and Joshua Seth
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000PMGNK4
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Amazon.com

The Limited Edition includes a music CD and a second DVD of extras, among them notes on designing the futuristic vehicles in the film, and an interview with Mitsuhisa Ishikawa of Production I.G., all packaged in a metal box. (Rated 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Ghost In The Shell Is So Overrated.......2007-09-05

I keep hearing that GITS is one of the best, deepest, and most thought provoking animes of all time, and everytime I hear it, I keep wondering why.
The series does have its good points, but I've seen both this movie and the "2nd Gig" and they both feel like something is missing.
Just what makes GITS so appealing anyway? Is it good as a military series? Is it he Action? The characters? The themes and philosophical points behind it?
If that's what you're looking for, you should check out Full Metal Panic, especially The Second Raid; It will SMOKE Ghost in the Shell in all the aspects mentioned above, but most notably in the "characters" department -the characters from Full Metal Panic actually have charisma.
People keep talking about the depth and philosophical meaning behind Ghost in the Shell, but what does Solid State Society have to offer in these aspects? Mainly, it brings up the role that the elderly play in society, as well as the problem of child abuse...Okay.
Sounds more like political and social than philosophical.
That is precisely where I think Ghost in the Shell fails: It's supposed to be a military anime, but it doesn't feel like one.

Top notch!.......2007-08-28

I have always been a fan of Ghost in a shell since the very first movie. Solid State Society is an awesome movie, I think one of the best so far. The writing is good, follows the series very well. I loved the music. And if you get the limited edition version you get the sound track on CD, and an extras DVD, plus the main movie DVD. If you are a fan of the series this is a must have. I keep watching it over and over.

This is not a movie for young childern. It is violent, dramatic, and fast paced.

I think all anime fans would like it. As a fan I personally recomened it!

New Season perhaps....???.......2007-08-23

For any "Ghost in the Shell" fan, this is a must see, period. It really is pretty good. I don't like people giving things away so I won't either. Now I know it has a movie time frame already but I thought they could have gone longer even still... Not to say the ending seemed rushed but it downgraded the movie for me from 5 stars to 4. It Certainly wasn't the last "Ghost in the Shell: 2nd Gig" DVD(s). Those had more of a "Lord of the Rings" type of time frame/feel since the episodes were all interconnected. Also it seemed depressing to think, this was or could be the last Ghost in the Shell to come out... Hopefully not. They did set it up for another season/movie if they want to but no word from Japan as of yet that I know of... The DVD extras explain how they made the movie and how for the first time ever a major automobile manufacturer (Nissan/Infiniti) allowed prototypes to be put into an anime. That in turn created a large buzz in Japan when the movie came out so Nissan could show off the cars in real life. Being the Nissan Sport Concept & Infiniti Kuraza (2006).

a real Stand Alone Complex.......2007-08-03

This is the 3rd movie in the popular Japanese Anime serries, but it is far more like the 2 seasons of TV shows than the more artistic movies that came first, and that actually works. While not as artistically amazing as the movies, it's more down to earth and the plot is more comprehensible than the movies.
This is set in the mid 2030's when cyberware is commonly installed in people-imagine having your cell phone and i-pod built into you, and serious hard cases can replace limbs or even entire bodies. The heros are an elite counter terrorism squad, Public Security, Section 9.
Set 2 years after the end of the 2nd season of the TV show, Major Motoko Kusanagi has left the team and since Batou is in a funk, command falls to Togasa. The one time rookie is now the team's field commander and doing a credible job but as he starts to investigate a serries of professional hard cases committing suicide he starts to feel out of his depth.
The Major is floating around on the periphery of the case and suspicion starts to point in her direction. This forces the team to wonder is their trusted, one time leader, now on the other side?
The social commentary and resolution is particularly Japanese but still highly enjoyable. If you love the TV Shows, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, this is well worth the cost. If you like good anime but haven't had a chance to see GitS, then this is a great place to start. Sure it's set after the stuff already out there but it's a complete story and the serries don't over lap, so this truly is a STAND ALONE COMPLEX.

If you love the G.I.T. mangas and animes, or good animated sci-fi, this is for you..........2007-07-31

Ghost in The Shell - Solid State Society, is the latest production based on the "Ghost in the Shell" franchise, created by Masamune Shirow originally published as a manga by Kodansha (in Japan) and Dark Horse Comics in the U.S. It is available in two editions, the standard one and the "Limited Edition", targeted at collectiors and fans of the series. For those of you that are not familiar with the franchise, it is set on a not-so-far future where mankind has embraced technologies to enhance the human beings in body and mind. Taking some characteristics from the "cyberpunk" genre of sci-fi, the series deal with the social repercursions of an "information era", the status-quo of prosthetics and other physical enhancements and, in esence, with the concepts and philosophies of existence, self-awareness, and the true meaning of the "human being" concept in a context where the so called cyborgs, normally cybernitically enhanced human brains in artificial bodies exist too. These are one of the many reasons of why the Ghost in the Shell series are considered one of the most influential works for the sci-fi genre and the anime/manga context. However, each incarnation of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, has it's own story arch and approach. For example, the manga works are interesting but messy. The characters sometimes are deep, or sometimes are really light-hearted. Understanding them requires having some background of the cyberpunk theme (William Gibson, Bruce Sterling), some knowledge of the manga-as-a-comic-book concept (so you don't get lost within the strips), reading the many footnotes the author includes on them, and backreading. Solid State Society for instance, continues the plot and concepts showed in the anime series (more about it in a moment). The anime feature movies (Ghost in the shell, Ghost in the shell II: Innocence) are based on the manga, however, they treat the themes on the manga in a totally cinematic and deep way, developing the characters far beyond the manga in some aspects and presenting the viewer with a full overview of the concept and main philosophy. For instance, the anime series, Ghost in The Shell Stand Alone Complex, take some aspects from the manga, but it's main focus is to deal with how the characters interact with their world, and the existential and social problems this future has for humanity. In this case, Solid State Society, continues the concept and plot established by this series, having little to do with the movies or manga. Consider it as an "long-play special episode" that fits after the end of the second season of Stand Alone Complex. So, for those new to the series, I recommend you to get a glimpse of the other options to enter the world of Ghost in The Shell and its many differences, before buying it. Or get the Stand Alone Complex Season 1 and Season 2 for the matter. Otherwise, come on in! Solid State Society, is a solid, complex, movie that doesn't waste its 120 minutes of running length. The plot is well constructed and the twists that compose it, far beyond of making it boring or difficult to understand, guide the viewer easily from start to finish. It flwalessly continues the events in Stand Alone Complex season 2, and also opens a new saga in the series. Character visual design and overall graphic presentation are quite polished, mixing CG 2D and 3D images flwalessly and in a natural way for the viewer. Full 16:9 aspect ratio makes Solid State Society a nice visual experience on SD televisions and displays and also on HD with the use of a DVD Player or A/V Receiver with an integrated upscaler. The use witihin the movie of "virtual" lens, and depth-of-view also make for a nice real-life approach to express something in animation instead of live-action. Voice dubbing in japanese and english is quite well done, in fact, I really suggest having a first view in english (if you're somewhat new to the series) then watching it in japanese with subtitles. 5.1 surround (Dolby) sound is supported on both languages and overall sound mixing is of high quality, considering the problems that lip-syncing usually has. The musical score, made by Yoko Kano, a famous japanese musician and composer, deepens the dark enviroment of the movie itself and enhances the plot and characters. Synthethisers, beats and woman-sung chorus, mixed with powerful sound effects also provide a great sound experience. Overall it's a great production worth of watching not just once, but many times. The Limited Edition contains the movie disc, an extras disc with interviews, designs, and other bonus content, and a original soundtrack CD by Yoko Kano, all in a metal-like jewel box. However, I've rated it 4 stars since the soundtrack does not contains a printed playlist nor any additional info. Also it doesn't come with other value-adding bonus (like postcards, some kind of book, plastic figures...) aside from the noted above. For the hardcore fans and collectors I suggest you to wait for a re-edition or similar of it. Overall, the movie itself is a must for the fans of the series. It is also a must for sci-fi lovers or anime lovers, but make sure you get Stand Alone Complex (S1 and S2) at least first (also I suggest that to those who have just watched the two first movies or read the manga only).

Average customer rating:

Buy the Region 2 or Region 4 DVD!!!
Meh... The subtitles bugged me
Could have been amazing
Don't waste your time.
Ghost in the shell 2 Innocence

Ghost in the Shell 2 - Innocence
Starring: Akio Ôtsuka , Atsuko Tanaka , Kôichi Yamadera , Tamio Ôki , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006A9FMI
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Amazon.com

Mamoru Oshii's landmark Ghost in the Shell (1995) largely defined the cyberpunk genre and influenced the Matrix films in the U.S. The long-awaited sequel continues the adventures of Batou, Major Kusanagi's former assistant, who was left behind when she disappeared into the cyber-realm of the Net. With his new human partner, Togusa, Batou investigates a series of bloody murders involving gynoids, robots with sexual functions. The case leads them to the headquarters of the Locus Solus company, where Batou uncovers the evil secret behind the creation of the gynoids. Innocence includes some staggeringly beautiful CG images, especially a parade depicting characters from Chinese mythology. Oshii contrasts this glittering beauty with a Blade Runner-esque dystopia. But even his skill as a director can't disguise the fact that the underdeveloped story and flat characters are far less interesting than the opulent visuals. (Rated PG-13: graphic violence, violence against women, brief nudity, profanity, alcohol and tobacco use.) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Buy the Region 2 or Region 4 DVD!!!.......2007-07-23

I loved this movie, being such a huge fan of the original, as well as Masamune Shirow but they sure bungled the DVD in Amercia. No worry, simply buy the British (Region 2) or Australian (Region 4) DVD because they feature a full English-language dialogue track featuring the entire voice cast of the Stand Alone Complex series! Not only that, but the artwork is the original theatrical art, not that wanky Cartoon Network looking crap they forced on us in the US. Trust me, it's worth the import prices to see this movie they way it was meant for English audiences, not spending the entire film reading the bottom of the screen, and missing half the action.

Meh... The subtitles bugged me.......2007-07-21

Apparently Go Fish Studios isn't so good when it comes to subtitles. They decided to cram the hearing-impaired Japanese-English subtitles and the standard Japanese-English subtitles together. The movie was pretty good, but I kept getting distracted by the fact that it was putting up subtitles telling there was a chopper flying by, birds cawing, etc. I questioned their funding for this project. The film itself, though, was good, in my opinion.

Could have been amazing.......2007-06-13

Visually stunning. Great strory. However, this is about as bad of a job as I've ever seen in putting a DVD together. I've seen better fan subs.

Don't waste your time........2007-06-09

The original Ghost in the Shell was an unusual film. Occasionally difficult to follow, exquisitely animated, featuring a very subtle use of digital animation technology, hauntingly minimal music, a totally unique vision of our near future, and a profoundly affecting experience. It perfectly blended the alienation and isolation of an increasingly mechanically-dependant culture with an individual identity crisis. It also featured some excellent and original action sequences, but the film was overall a philosphical questioning and a subconciously engaging visual feast rather than an action anime.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, is by far a lesser film. Even standing alone, this film is substandard, and I'm utterly shocked its gotten as high a rating as it has. In terms of animation, the garish digital settings completely fail to cohesively interact with the 2d characters. Unlike the original Ghost in the Shell, which cleverly disguised most of its digital animation through its selective use and painterly renders (mostly using it for soft zooms and other effects not possible with traditional animation), this sequel really just mashes together the 2d and 3d elements, with most scenes resulting in flat 2d characters floating around in an unconvincing 3d video-game environment. Except for the wonderfully animated Basset-hound in the sequel, the 2d animation is also also a severe drop in quality from the meticulous and pain-staking detail of its predecessor. The only place the 3d animation really excels is in the scenes in the delicatessen where Batou's cybernetically enhanced brain is hacked and his vision begins to disintegrate, but it is not enough to rescue the otherwise empty animation effort. Simply compare the opening credit sequences of the two films, where one is haunting and cohesive in its unique vision, the other is flashy and overly clever and unconvincing.

The story of the sequel is difficult to assess. It starts by promising more of an action-packed story with a potentially more engaging plot. The original was intentionally never focused on this part, instead using its story-elements to present its visual/auditory messages, the characters would find a lead, then lose it, and not pick it up until the very end of the film. The end climax was a personal act of will rather than an important plot climax. The search for the 'Puppetmaster' in the original film was secondary to the Major's questioning and self-doubt in her mechanical body. The sequel initially promises a more 'clinical' story, trading off an emotional engaging story with a mentally engaging one, or rather, a more predictable detective story. However, at about the point where the two investigators visit the coroner, the concept begins to fall apart as it attempts to straddle the 'detective' story and the same emotional territory from the first film. From that point on, the film either swings from ridiculously corny action sequences to insincere and overly concise discussions on the nature of reality. The original film also showed this dichotomy, but its motives were entirely different. In the original, the discussions were sincere and self-questioning, without any of the sheen of an overly scripted conversation. The Major was a woman of great physical power with a deep-seated questioning of her own reality. In the sequel, they attempt to rehash the same territory with Batou, a man of great physical power with no such personal questioning. As such, all of the conversations seem like the characters just like to hear themselves talk. The action in the original was exciting while remaining utterly wierd and symbolic, the final action sequence featuring the Major fighting a tank in the nude with her bare arms and destroying her body in the process. In the sequel, Batou uses huge guns to mow down hapless rows of Yakuza, then engages in a ridiculous hollywood kung-fu fight with a cyborg. The sequel is action for action's sake. As for characterisation, the main character Batou shows promise very early on, especially the wonderfully affectionate scenes with his dog, but then disintegrates into a tough-guy-with-a-gun not too long after. The other characters aren't worth mentioning.

The music is entirely a dissapointment. Both films feature the same musical composer, Kenji Kawai, but the sequel seems to be an overly clever re-hashing of the same themes in the original film. The Japanese choir, so alien and harsh in the first film has been watered down to something more melodic and otherwise uninteresting, the minimal sound-scapes have been replaced with some overly clever instrumentation, and the simple but affecting drums from the first film have been switched with action-packed drumming. The mood has shifted to flashy instead of primal, and becomes entirely unappealing in the process.

Anybody expecting a hypnotic and subconsciously stimulating dream-like film worthy of its predessor should stay well away from this film.

Ghost in the shell 2 Innocence.......2007-05-14

not worth the effort to watch a real let down too bussy reading the english sub title, planing to send back the dvd

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 05 (Episodes 17-20)

Average customer rating:

CAN I CALL YOU MAMA AND PAPA?
America's got nothing on this!

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 05 (Episodes 17-20)
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Osamu Saka , Akio Ôtsuka , Kôichi Yamadera , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Manga Video
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ASIN: B000ERVKNK
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Customer Reviews:

CAN I CALL YOU MAMA AND PAPA?.......2006-06-22

The first two episodes of Volume 5 are a little bit uncharacteristic of the usual Ghost in the Shell emotional range. In episode 17, the Major travels to Taiwan in search of more info about Kuze, but instead surrenders to her maternal instincts by stepping in between a teenage boy and a local gang war. The next episode features Batou as the main star as he and the Major are taken away from the Kuze case to help an international effort succeed in nailing an infamous terrorist bomber. Batou begins to become attached to a young handicapped girl who mysteriously seems to be looking right at him, even when he's in camouflage mode, which should render him invisible to the naked eye. Even though Kuze was a member of the Individual Eleven, which wanted to drive all refugees out of Japan, it seems he's switched sides now, and is the main driving force of the rapidly escalating insurrection of the refugees. When Section 9 gets wind that Kuze wants to get his hands on atomic weapons, the stakes get dramatically higher!

This series gets better and better, even outshining the first season since 2nd Gig is dealing with an issue that is really upfront and center in the US right now. If you've made it this far, then you'll know just how amazing the writing is on this show. Even after all the years spent with these characters, you can still find nuances in their reactions and be charmed that no matter how mechanized their bodies become, their "ghost" still remains and makes them human, even the Major, whose body is full prosthetic! The art and animation is the best I've ever seen in a TV anime, and you have to marvel at how they pulled off the budget to make it. Classic stuff.

Extras: Interviews with Japanese voice actors who play Motoko, Batou, Togusa, Borma, and the director Kenji Kamiyama.

America's got nothing on this!.......2006-06-03

I'll start by saying all those people who think that american animated series are as good as it gets animation wise have been living under a rock since this series started 11 DVDS ago, and it continues with this volume. As for the episodes themselves, They were a good addition to the season because with the next two discs, everything comes to a head and resolves. Looking back on the four episodes, the only perceivable problem was that there was no real explanation as to why the major and batou were compelled to go to berlin with everything that was going on at home in Japan. This was not enough for a point deduction. At the end of the day, anyone who likes a good series or animation that is technically perfect shoud buy this discs and all of the discs from both seasons. You will not be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite anime movies
Meditative viewing
Try another
Ghost in the Shell
Not for everybody and I'm one of those everbodies

Ghost in the Shell (Special Edition)
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Akio Ôtsuka , Tamio Ôki , Iemasa Kayumi , and Kôichi Yamadera
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002RQ2T4
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Product Description

2029 A female government cyber agent and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of a "The Puppet Master" a computer virus capable of invading cybernetic brains and altering its victim s memory. Created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and codenamed "Project 2501", this 'hacker' is actually a prototype virtual agent which has now defied its makers by seeking asylum within a new host body outside of the electronic net. Now the two agencies must maneuver against each another in a violent, high- tech race to capture the omnipresent entity.

Ghost in the Shell took the world by storm exhibiting a new dimension of anime with unprecedented and mesmerizing cinematic expression. Seamlessly merging traditional cel animation with the latest computer graphic imagery, this stunning sci-fi spectacle broke through the boundaries of mainstream animation with detailed artistic expression and a uniquely intelligent story line. The film has gone on to inspire a generation of filmmakers and has become the most revered anime feature of all time.

Veteran anime writer/director/producer Mamoru Oshii, working in conjunction with the animators at Production I.G. (Blood: The Last Vampire, Kaidohmaru, Kill Bill) brought to life Masamune Shirow s vision (originally serialized in 1991 in Japan s Young Magazine manga). This excellent cyberpunk thriller was co-produced by Manga Entertainment and enjoyed both critical and popular success at the U.S. box office before becoming the first Japanese animated film to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top Video Sales Chart (August 24, 1996).

Features

Creator & Director Biographies

Character Dossiers

Digital Works

Ghost in the Shell Trailers

Production Report

System Requirements:

Running Time 82 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite anime movies.......2007-06-12

From the cutting edge animation (at the time it was made) to the more than just blow crud up story, I've always felt this to be one of the most superior pieces of science fiction ever produced.

Meditative viewing.......2007-06-05

Try another .......2007-04-13

Ghost in the Shell .......2007-04-09

Not for everybody and I'm one of those everbodies.......2007-03-05

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 07 (Episodes 24-26)

Average customer rating:

GITS owns us
good series
Inspirational
Amazon mistake, makes me more of a fan
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 7

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 07 (Episodes 24-26)
Starring: Ghost in the Shell
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GI3RHE
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Description

The Prime Minister is taken into custody, but her removal from office is being kept secret. Aramaki and Togusa work to get to her so they can prevent a nuclear attack. In Dejima, the military begins its assault. The Major and some of Section 9 try their best to defuse the situation, and the injured Ishikawa tries to deliver the rest of the plutonium to the authorities to prove their case. During the fighting, the Major and Kuze become trapped beneath the rubble together. The Tachikomas inform her that there is a nuclear submarine just out of sensor range. Batou, meanwhile, gets the rangers who are pursuing them to stop fighting and listen to him. Things are starting to go Section 9's way, but the nuclear missile is still being prepared for launch! The explosive second season of Ghost in the Shell ends now!

Customer Reviews:

GITS owns us.......2007-05-23

GITS is perhaps my fav. anime of all time. and this dvd is perhaps the best of them all. of course you need to see the rest of the sieries to get to this dvd, but let me tell you. once you get here. it was all worth it! I've been known to just watch this dvd over and over with out bothering with the rest of the sieries.

not like any of the other dvds are bad though....

good series.......2007-03-15

I was scared when i heard that Ghost in the shell would be animated. But if you love the original movie you will love the continuing back story here!

Inspirational.......2007-01-20

Most animes are not inspirational. That doesn't mean they're not good, they can be really good but to be inspirational is yet another optional step to connect with a certain audience. The reason I like SAC 2nd Gig is because there is really no one "bad guy" that must be vanguished for the world to make sense again and morality to be reinstalled. The world never makes sense from the very beginning, and it continues to be enigmatic up until the very end. Some people would call this an unresolved story. I call it a genuine emulation of the real world. A world where even though teamwork and communities work hard to bring about a better world, individuals still feel very lonely. Isn't that everyone's real dilemna? Even with so many friends, why are we so lonely? The fact that our behavior is fueled primarily by neurochemical stimulation and plasticity does not make this existential crisis any better. What do we do? Some of us resort to fables and fairy tales to get some sleep at night. Others become megalomaniacs (Kuze, Gouda). Others try to restore (install) some sense of justice to the world (Motoko, Batou and Section 9). Others put all their efforts into worshipping and following a hero (refugees). Believe it or not, some people just withstand it and go on with life disregarding all injustices and just attempting to live a life of comfort and security. (Japanese citizens, Nietzche's Last Man). It is very evident solitude is a key theme in SAC 2nd Gig. It is also evident the writers of this show are very erudite. In a way, 2nd GIG is like a pastiche of real life and various existentialist works (I detected abit of Nietzsche, Sartre, Dostoevsky, and Kierkegaard).

If you're a fan of overthinking plotlines and creating structures and comparisons that never existed in the first place. This is a gold mine. If you just want a good anime, this is also a good anime. But I urge you to let it tickle your brain a little. Let it create a spark.

Amazon mistake, makes me more of a fan.......2007-01-17

I actually bought whole set of 2 Gig, collectable edition, because I enjoy the show and thought of it as an investmet. As it turns out, I was shipped all of 2 gig, except vol. 7, which was actually vol. 7 of the first season. I watched the 1st season for the first time, and really enjoyed it too. It is somewhat different from 2 gig.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 7.......2007-01-05

If you love the rest of the Ghost in the Shell series, than this is definitely a must have. It's a good finish to the second season.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 06 (Episodes 21-23)

Average customer rating:

Ghost in the shell.
Philosophically heavy sure, but then thats GITS
IS IT REAL OR IS IT ATOMIC?

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 06 (Episodes 21-23)
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Osamu Saka , Akio Ôtsuka , Kôichi Yamadera , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FA57VM
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Description

The revolutionary leader Kuze manages to elude Section 9 once more. There's no time for Section 9 to recover though, because soon the threat of a nuclear weapon has the entire city of Nagasaki evacuated. Section 9 must then rush to the scene and determine the true origins of the bomb. The government declares Martial Law, and sends in the Self-Defense Forces to restore order. As the group from Section 9 works to prevent a nuclear explosion and unravel the truth behind these events, one random shot escalates the conflict to new heights!

Customer Reviews:

Ghost in the shell........2006-12-04

Would have been 4 stars if it wasnt only 3 episodes.

Philosophically heavy sure, but then thats GITS.......2006-08-06

The entire GITS universe, whether it be the original manga, motion pictures, or the adapted TV series, are all heavily philosophical so I'm not sure why the last reviewer bothers to complain. These next episodes set up the confrontations later with Kuze to illustrate his true intentions as a radical reformist but needs the cover of a terrorist to strike fear into the government. The episodes are consistent, driven, and well acted so I can't see giving this less than five stars. If you're not able to unweave the philosophical web of dialogue that GITS (or The Matrix) lays before you then I suggest you find a brainless action film that the general public is used to having explained for them...you'll only get frustrated with this kind of complicated thinking.

IS IT REAL OR IS IT ATOMIC?.......2006-08-03

As Volume 6 opens Batou finds himself pursuing and confronting Kuze by himself in an attempt to capture him and the plutonium he just recieved. But did he really get the plutonium or was he cheated in the deal? What does it matter, because the Japanese government cannot ignore the threat and take a chance. Kuze plans to use the plutonium to arm a bomb with which the refugees can blackmail the government for their independence. Even if it's a fake, Gohda will still be able to use the situation to start a war against the refugees. The Major and Section 9 must find some way to tie in the nuclear device to Gohda and CIS unless they want to be the fall guy like in the first season.

You would think the last episodes of a show would be the best, but this sixth volume of 2nd Gig suffers a bit from a talking head disease which had been kept relatively in check for most of the season. You could have just taped the audio and listened to it and got the same experience as watching. It's like three episodes of Keanu Reeves' conversation with the designer of the Matrix in Reloaded in which you only comprehend about 20% if what is said. With only one more volume to go, hopefully the final episodes will be a return to form for this show. The only interesting bit from these episodes is that Motoko is beginning to understand that Kuze is someone she knew in the past. Someone that was very close to her. The origami birds that Kuze leaves behind are clues.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Average customer rating:

OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Awesome and I don't care if it is Anti-American
Re: anti American
Ghost In The Shell S.A.C. (Vol 4.)
Awesome show as always!!

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Osamu Saka , Akio Ôtsuka , Kôichi Yamadera , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000DZ95N0
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Amazon.com

Stand Alone Complex (2nd Gig) continues to grow more pointedly political as it progresses. The agents of Public Security Section 9 discover that the cases they're investigating are linked to the troubled relations between Japan and Imperial America: The latter is attempting to reassert its global military dominance while grappling with its economic weakness. But the prime minister and her cabinet face those problems. Batou, the Major, and the rest of the Section have to deal with unrest among the refugees, suicide bombers, and the Individualists. The members of the Individual Eleven--except for Kuze, their leader--commit mass suicide in a bloody spectacle that recalls the theatrical death of the great Japanese writer Yukio Mishima in 1970. The Tachikoma robots speculate that as they are abandoning collective consciousness and developing individuality, a dependence on the Net is leading humans in the opposite direction. That trend makes people more vulnerable to the micro-machines and cyber-viruses of the Individualist plot--unless Section 9 can thwart it in time. (Rated 13 and older: violence, violence against women, brief nudity, alcohol, drug and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

Chasing Phantoms While on the trail of Kuze, Section 9 tracks down the person who made his one-of-a-kind prosthetic face. There's only one problem—the designer is dead. And the person who killed him is Paz, or someone who looks exactly like him! And Section 9 has some downtime, which they put to good use. During a friendly poker game, Saito recounts his first encounter with the Major, when they were both looking down the barrel of each other's guns. But there's still a lot of work left to be done, as everyone tries to unravel the mystery of the Individual Eleven and discover the whereabouts of Kuze.

Customer Reviews:

OUT OF THE SHADOWS.......2006-06-02

After the Individual Eleven committed ritual suicide on a skyscraper roof last volume, Section 9 is left with the only one of the members that did not submit to the killing directive. He's the same guy that tried to kill the Prime Minister and his name is Kuze. He has a custom made cyborg body that makes him almost invulnerable to weapons or injury. He also has a very distinctive face, one so distinct that there's only one person in the country that could make it, but he's been killed by....Paz??!! This is just the beginning of Volume 4's focus on the supporting cast, allowing background characters to receive the main focus. Episode 14 is about Saito's first encounter with the Major many years ago when they were on opposite sides of a war. Episode 15 concerns the Tachikoma's creator as he decides to flee to another country, taking his technological expertise with him. It's up to Section 9 to capture him before that happens, but along the way, the Tachikomas begin to question their own individuality and their own feelings(?) about their dad. The last episode brings Kuze's past to light as we get a glimpse of the man behind the mask...literally.

Volume 4, while a great anime, was a bit of a letdown in a way to me. While I liked the focus on some of the minor characters, their stories seemed a little tacked on to me. To me it felt like the creators said something like "Let's write an episode about Saito" without really fitting or adding to the larger story. The writing didn't seem as strong either. How many times have we heard the "Let me tell you about the time...." cliche during Saito's episode? They should have just played the episode with a "10 years ago" subtitle at the bottom instead of making it a flashback. I enjoyed the Tachikoma episode the most because sometimes those robots seem the most human of the entire cast, if that makes any sense. While it was subpar for this series, this volume still blows away most anime out there.

Awesome and I don't care if it is Anti-American.......2006-05-19

As a Journalist in the U.S., I am pleasantly surprised at how close 2nd gig is following real world situations, especially in the area of illegal immigration the U.S. I feel 2nd gig is providing us with a glimpse of the future and what "might" happen if President Bush gets his "immigrant worker status" approved. As far as Anti-Americanism is concerned, more people need to watch the first season and this current season (2nd gig) to understand how nations around the world perceive us. This is a wonderful mature series that needs to be placed along side some of the best movies and television shows that have received critical acclaim.

Re: anti American.......2006-04-06

After watching this DVD I must say I am still very impressed with there work. however another reviewer said something that I believe needs to be corrected. the first and most obviouse error is the American Flag Patches. If you look at any american service man, or woman, you will find there flag is the same way. this is actually the correct way for it to look.

While I agree that "make up" has its flaws in that place, it just wouldnt have been the same exciting ending if it was otherwise.

The tachikomas and a philosophical element to a, for the most part, otherwise psychological anime.

This DVD is deep, and gives you some more back stories to the lesser known characters and I highley recomend it to any fan.

Ghost In The Shell S.A.C. (Vol 4.).......2006-03-22

Production I.G. does it again in Vol.4 this series continues to get better with every volume and every episode. For those of you who have not seen this series I suggest you do so ASAP. Way to go Production I.G.!

Awesome show as always!! .......2006-03-14

Just wanted to point out a couple things quick namely the first review by Dylangump which states he doesn't like the tachikoma voices?? They are the same voices as season 1, and why now of all times do you decide to complain about them halfway through season 2?? As for the anti Amercian pleeeeaaassse! What other countries aren't entitled to there opinion? Plus if you knew anything about the military you would know that the US Army wears there American Flag on the shoulder backwards because it is meant to symbolize how the flag looks when charging into combat! Anyway this is a great show, and fans of the series, or the ghost in the shell movies will enjoy!

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