Ghost In The Shell - Stand Alone Complex - Complete Box Set (DVD)

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The Ghost in the Shell refers to the soul in ones body. It is the year 2030 and cybernetics has advanced to the point where not only can people opt for cybernetic enhancements, but severely injured persons can become transplanted into cybernetic bodies. This leads to the question of just when does a machine become a living being, acquiring a ghost in the shell, as society recognises that just as the scientific advances have made these ...
...arc, and the second season, Ghost in the Shell: SAC: Gig 2 has its own story arc, so viewers are left with a satisfying conclusion without having to breathlessly await arrival of the second box set.

Kudos go to the studio for the presentation as well. We get a high quality viewing experience thanks to the compression rate not being too high, with the episodes spread out over seven discs. You can choose to view it in the original Japanese, ... more

I have to come right out and say here that this is undoubtedly my favourite mecha oriented anime. It hits all the right spots for me: It features adults rather than kids and teens, the themes are profound and far reaching, and a little levity goes a long way from keeping it too dark. Not to mention an absolutely fantastic soundtrack.

The Ghost in the Shell refers to the soul in ones body. It is the year 2030 and cybernetics has advanced to the point where not only can people opt for cybernetic enhancements, but severely injured persons can become transplanted into cybernetic bodies. This leads to the question of just when does a machine become a living being, acquiring a ghost in the shell, as society recognises that just as the scientific advances have made these medical breakthroughs possible, likewise the same science is producing ever more seemingly aware artificial life forms. The most advanced of these is light armoured tanks, the Tachikoma, used by the Section 9 security force stationed in the Tokyo like fictional city of New Port that the series follows. Extremely childlike in their demeanour, they absorb information like sponges, exceeding the expectations of their creators with often comically serious results.

This box set follows the story arc whereby a terrorist known as the Laughing Man has appeared. A gifted hacker, he not only manages to manifest himself wholly in the virtual world but seemingly is able to manipulate persons around him so that they unwillingly carry out his wishes, seemingly at random. His ultimate aim is unclear, making him difficult to predict, while his hacking ability puts Section 9 at a disadvantage, as to take over persons he hacks into their cybernetic network by unknown means. Section 9 must use all their cunning and resources to track him down and stop him before his plans come to whatever terrible fruition he has in mind. Each episode is not entirely a cyber Mission Impossible type show, with each episode carefully asking and considering the nature of sentient consciousness in an accessible manner.

One of the most outstanding features of the series has to be its approach to presenting the alternate future we see. The reality is carefully crafted, with the science readily graspable and extrapolated from scientific advances we are already familiar with and even encounter nearly everyday. The side effects that can be experienced from the advanced use of the cybernetics is also shown, with no punches pulled for the devastation wrought by adverse reactions suffered by those when the enhancements go so terribly wrong. It is an imperfect future, plausibly extrapolated from our own both by the outgrowth of our own familiar technology as is the turbulence experienced by the society we see. The legal repercussions of the technology and its use (and restrictions thereof) in society are also highly believable. Interestingly enough, just as the fictional tech is extrapolated from actual current advances, the fictional devices themselves have inspired actual research to make them reality; one such occurrence being active optic camouflage. You can actually view live clips of the tests of the resulting technology released by Tokyo University (someone thoughtfully compiled them into a video over on You Tube). Between this research and Osaka University's advances in cybernetics with their robotic child and teacher (both actually in manufacture for the public to purchase by the way), it is all too easy to slip wholeheartedly into this fictional universe, though not unpleasant to do so.

The art itself is very beautiful. Unlike many of the mecha animes where stress is on making the mecha simply look cool and colourful, here the attention is to realistic detail, though light and colour also play a role. Perfectly complementing the art and storylines is the music, which is often considered some of the best music to ever accompany an anime. The music is composed by Kanno Yoko, who is also renowned for her efforts for Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, and Wolfs Rain amongst others. The music alone is well worth listening to and can be heard over on You Tube, as well as various online Japanese radio stations, and appears on no less than 6 dedicated albums and a single, with sales figures well into the millions.

While this 26 episode anime is based upon the manga by Shirow Masamune, it should be noted that the storylines differ so what you get is not a repeat as happens so often with anime. This box set concludes its story arc, and the second season, Ghost in the Shell: SAC: Gig 2 has its own story arc, so viewers are left with a satisfying conclusion without having to breathlessly await arrival of the second box set.

Kudos go to the studio for the presentation as well. We get a high quality viewing experience thanks to the compression rate not being too high, with the episodes spread out over seven discs. You can choose to view it in the original Japanese, with or without English subtitles, or in dubbed English. Personally, I prefer the original with subs rather than the American dubbed voices, as the seiyuu who did the original voices match the characters looks and depicted moods much better. Sound is Dolby Digital 5:1, so all the action sequences are really enhanced by a good sound system. The little bonuses of having cast interviews, character profiles, an interesting piece on the science within the show, and even the little booklet with its essay on the series, all add value to the box set, even if you arnot an ardent fan. Due to its mature themes, I would recommend this anime for those over the age of 15.  

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