Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is an anime series. After having just finished it I can say that this is without a doubt one of the best anime series I've seen. The story (as is the case with a lot of anime) is set in the future (the year is 2030 I believe). The story is about a secret government agency call Section 9, a fictional division of the real Japanese National Public Safety Commission. The show's main character is the squad leader, Major Motoko Kusanagi, or simply the Major as she's referred to throughout the show. She is a full cyborg who's typical work dress is a Flashdance ripoff. And therein lies the one nitpick I have with the show. It's that a government official would be wearing a leotard with leg warmers on a daily basis and on missions. It's obviously there intentionally so they can use her dress (and by dress, I mean lack thereof) to show gratuitous shots of the Major. I believe I first noticed this when the camera was placed directly behind the seat of a motorcycle type vehicle as the Major was disembarking. 
At it's heart this is a cop show. Think Hill Street Blues, but with lots of high tech equipment. All the tech used seems feasible. All the character on the team have cybernetic implants. These are basically wireless nodes that allow them to communicate with anyone else who has an implant. There are eight members of the team, but four of the are the primary focus: The Major, Batou, Togusa and the Chief. The stories are either "done in ones" or arcs that last an episode or two (with the last cluster of episodes being one long arc). The stories are top notch and really well done, and have a lot of thought put into them. Since several characters are have undergone full cyberization there are a lot of philosophical aspects to the show as well since it causes characters to examine their definition of whether they have a ghost (or soul) after having transferred fully over to cyborg bodies. Overall the show is really well done, and easily the best anime series I've seen this side of Cowboy Beebop (and to be honest, I think it might even be better than that, which I know is considered heresy to some).
The show isn't lacking action either. There is usually at least one big action sequence per episode, and sometimes two. Since some character are full cyborgs (the Major and Batou) you can see them doing fancy Matrix type fighting (lots of jumping and acrobatics sans the slow-mo).
What I've been amazed by is how well these animated series can be done. Especially when I compare it to regular live TV that's being produced here in the States, the quality of the live shows pales in comparison. It's probably partly due to the fact that anime series have a limited existence, usually it's one season (26 episiodes) and that's it. So the story has very defined arcs and acts to them, which also imparts a feeling of closure when the credits role on the last episode of a season (unlike say, Lost, where I've found you never seem to get any closer to getting closure).
3 comments:
th every first manga i saw was golgo13 and it blew me away. i remember the very first ghost in the shell being pretty good but enjoyed akira far more. haven't seen any of this series you're talking about though.
i used to be an avid reader of the 'manga' zine and was the proud owner of the guyver videos in the early 90s.
ahh, those were the days. i haven't watched any anime for years. although my boys watch astro boy from time to time.
Was the Akira you speak of a movie or a series? I remember seeing the movie, but it was after I had watched a few other more recent anime movies, and I remember thinking it dragged a bit in places I thought (and the art was obviously a bit dated since I got into the anime stuff late).
The first Ghost in the Shell movie has the same characters, but everyone seems to have different motivations. It's almost like the manga, the series and the movie all derive from the same characters, but each has their own interpretation of them. The art in the movie is significantly better than the series, but I think the story in the series is superior.
And I've never seen Golgo13, do you think it's still worth watching?
Was the Akira you speak of a movie or a series?
there was only ever a movie although it would have made a fantastic series.
I've never seen Golgo13, do you think it's still worth watching?
it depends on whether you mind your manga being quite graphic in certain areas. i seem to remember it carried an 18 certificate so the storylines were definitely of an adult nature.
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