Someone please explain to me Ghost in the Shell

[Panzer]

Ok, I have the manga collection of the original Ghost in the Shell. I also have the DVD of the first Ghost in the Shell anime.

1. Can someone please explain to me what the 4 part Stand Alone Complex TV series available on DVD is?

2. Whats the difference between this and the GITS 2 movie that was released in theaters in the US? Is this available on DVD yet?

3. Is there a compilation out yet that has all the manga GITS 2 comic books in one volume?

thanks, i'm clueless but love the series.

[Gunbuster]

I was going to said its about a naked robo chick running around fighting crime The DVD will be release near the end of Dec for US ( I think the date is Dec.28)

Edited December 10, 2004 by Gunbuster

[Panzer]

but what are the 4 part TV series that are out right now? do they suck compared to the movie? are they a waste of $$?

and is there an anthology out yet of all the Dark Horse GITS 2 mangas in one book?

maybe i just need to get my ass down to a comic book shop and check it out.

[bsu legato]

Ok, I have the manga collection of the original Ghost in the Shell. I also have the DVD of the first Ghost in the Shell anime.

1. Can someone please explain to me what the 4 part Stand Alone Complex TV series available on DVD is?

It is exactly what you've said it is. Stand Alone Complex is a TV series, seperate from both the manga and the two Oshii films. It also happens to be the best thing since sliced bread. Its highly recommended viewing.

2. Whats the difference between this and the GITS 2 movie that was released in theaters in the US? Is this available on DVD yet?

The movie is a sequel to the first Ghost in the Shell film. The manga, films and TV series are related only in name, and should be treated as seperate entities. Even the characters themselves differ somewhat in the various incarnations.

3. Is there a compilation out yet that has all the manga GITS 2 comic books in one volume?

I believe its scheduled for next spring. Your best bet is to check Dark Horse's site for the exact date.

[Panzer]

ok- clear now. i guess i had the anwers all along..

what you guys like better? the GITS 2 movie or the 4 part TV series?

why oh why does manga in the US come out in dinky little comic books? why can't i just buy a big ol' book like they sell it in japan?

instead i gotta look at every volume of GITS 2 that comes out month after month and wait for the compilation.

akira was the only series that came out in really nice single volumes cause they were colorized. made it worth buying every gorgeous volume...

Edited December 13, 2004 by Panzer

[Radd]

The first GitS movie was a let down. Very shallow treatment of Shirow's premise. The characters were stripped of all personality. The animation was pretty, but not nearly so much as was promised. The hype machine said it would be better animated than Akira, and when you make promises like that you better deliver. Oshii's GitS did not.

The second GitS movie, Innocence, was actually surprisingly pleasant. The characters were still far more grim than in the manga, but they at least had some personality, and it went well with the grim world that was presented. The animation, while still not "better than Akira" was excellent, and this time they made no such promise as to the quality, so there was no letdown. Also, this was one of those films were the CG was actually much better than I'd been expecting, and that does not happen often. Also, since this movie did not directly try to cover the major story arc of the books, it wasn't really dumbing down something on the order of 12 volumes worth of material. Instead, they took the premise of a single chapter of the original GitS manga, and played around with the ideas there.

Masamune Shirow, the creator of Ghost in the Shell, had absolutely nothing to do with either of the two movies.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is a tv series that does not even pretend to be the original manga. It's a seperate world altogether. The characters are all decently developed, personality-wise. The stories are smart and interesting. The first several episodes seem incredibly episodic, but after about episode 5, they settle into an ongoing story, interrupted now and then with individual stories that don't dissapoint.

Shirow was apparently consulted for the tv series.

To me, GitS:SAC still isn't as good as the original manga, but it's a far cry better than the original movie, and definitely entertaining.

I'd reccomend checking out all of the GitS related media if you're a fan of the manga. The first movie is pretty, it's just shallow and weak on characters and story. However, the second movie is much better, and having seen the first movie will help you get into the second as it is a direct sequel. So the first movie is worth at least a rental, though I don't know that I would reccomend buying it.

If you're dissapointed with the first movie, well that just means you'll probably appreciate GitS:SAC a lot more. It really is a top notch tv series in it's own right.

[bsu legato]

ok- clear now. i guess i had the anwers all along..

what you guys like better? the GITS 2 movie or the 4 part TV series?

Stand Alone Complex, is by far my favorite of the two. It's not only closer to the feel of the manga (remember when Shirow had a sense of humor?) but the story is so much better, in terms of the individual episodes and the overall arc. BTW, Stand Alone Complex is actually 26 episodes with an additional 26 in the second season known as "2nd Gig."

why oh why does manga in the US come out in dinky little comic books? why can't i just buy a big ol' book like they sell it in japan?

instead i gotta look at ever volume of GITS 2 that comes out month after month and wait for the compilation.

Blame Dark Horse...or is it Studio Proteus we're mad at. I can't remember.

[Commander McBride]

SAC is great. If for no other reason.....

TACHIKOMAS!!!!

[Fatalist]

Ok, I have the manga collection of the original Ghost in the Shell. I also have the DVD of the first Ghost in the Shell anime.

1. Can someone please explain to me what the 4 part Stand Alone Complex TV series available on DVD is?

2. Whats the difference between this and the GITS 2 movie that was released in theaters in the US? Is this available on DVD yet?

3. Is there a compilation out yet that has all the manga GITS 2 comic books in one volume?

thanks, i'm clueless but love the series.

Its only 4 episodes of the 27+/- episodes for the season. Currently in the US, they are on volume 3, which means episode 12. In Japan I believe they are already done with the second season called GITS: SAC 2nd GIG.

[JELEINEN]

SAC is great. If for no other reason.....

TACHIKOMAS!!!!

Bah. The manga fuchikoma designs are ten times better.

[Commander McBride]

SAC is great. If for no other reason.....

TACHIKOMAS!!!!

Bah. The manga fuchikoma designs are ten times better.

It's not about the designs. It's the personality, direction, and voice acting that make the Tachikomas so great.

Even so, where can I find the manga? GITS and MMI were translated and released, right? I've been unable to find them anywhere.

[JELEINEN]

SAC is great. If for no other reason.....

TACHIKOMAS!!!!

Bah. The manga fuchikoma designs are ten times better.

It's not about the designs. It's the personality, direction, and voice acting that make the Tachikomas so great.

Even so, where can I find the manga? GITS and MMI were translated and released, right? I've been unable to find them anywhere.

The original manga just got a re-release from Dark Horse with all the parts originally edited out for the US release put back in. I imagine a comic shop should be able to order them for you.

[Mislovrit]

Blame Dark Horse...or is it Studio Proteus we're mad at. I can't remember.

Blame Studio Proteus, iirc Dark Horse is more than willing to accommodate manga creators on how they like to see their creations published in the States.

[EXO]

That manga is probably the most available title in all translated mangas, I don't understand why it's so hard to find. That also gives Studio Proteus and Dark Horse mad props for giving mangas a wider audience. As far as I remember Toren Smith of Studio Proteus worked together with Masamune Shirow, a recluse mind you, in bringing Appleseed and his other work over to the US. Yes there were some bad judgement in the earlier releases, such as Adam Warren covers. But the material was basically there. Yeah Tokyo Pop is more faithful to the way it's done in Japan. But let's face it, most of their property is crap. It's more machine driven than SP/DH releases. And I've had no problem enjoying Appleseed, GitS, Gunsmith Cats, Blade Of The Immortal and Oh, My Goddess from Studio Proteus. I think they've done a fine job where hardly anyone else was doing quality english versions. And I've read Viz and other companies during the time I'm talking about. I've met Toren Smith also. He was pretty much as a-hole, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment that I've had from the books.

As far as now,I don't think you have to worry about Studio Proteus anymore.

[NERV]

i havent read the manga but ive seen the movies and SAC and i would rank them as such:

1, SAC, high quality animation, the cg fits in perfectly, and it has an awesome opening. it has a much lighter feel than the movies and more interesting stories.

2, GITS1, while the plot was lacking i liked the animation style and while it may not match akira it was deifnitely high quality and since i had never heard such a bost i wasnt disappointed with it. I actuaolly watch it every now and then because i find it to be great eye candy.

3, GITS2, the animation i hated, they uglified everytihng, all the character designs were repellent, and the mechanics were just offensive, every single car was from the 1940's which doesnt make any sense, androids looked tubbly and stupid, and wtf was up with that plane? i also say they got way ahead of themselves in the CG to the point where the characters hardly went along with anything, they would look like flat paper cutouts in a 3D environment. It was painful to watch, tihnk of it as a riced out lamborghini, high price, high quality, but ugly as sin for no damn reason. The story was alot better than the first but animation put me off so much that i really cudnt enjoy it

[JB0]

The first GitS movie was a let down. Very shallow treatment of Shirow's premise. The characters were stripped of all personality. The animation was pretty, but not nearly so much as was promised. The hype machine said it would be better animated than Akira, and when you make promises like that you better deliver. Oshii's GitS did not.

Darn right.

Never understood why it gets so much praise.

[Commander McBride]

Speaking of cars, I love that SAC has so many cool cars in it! Batou has his Lancia Stratos of course, we see RX8s a few times, and coolest of all, we see a futuristic Silvia! (In one episode, Tachikoma disables a suspicious looking car, we see the motor and it's clearly an SR20, and we see the rear of the car, which is very reminicent of the S15!)

[JELEINEN]

3, GITS2, the animation i hated, they uglified everytihng, all the character designs were repellent, and the mechanics were just offensive, every single car was from the 1940's which doesnt make any sense, androids looked tubbly and stupid, and wtf was up with that plane? i also say they got way ahead of themselves in the CG to the point where the characters hardly went along with anything, they would look like flat paper cutouts in a 3D environment. It was painful to watch, tihnk of it as a riced out lamborghini, high price, high quality, but ugly as sin for no damn reason. The story was alot better than the first but animation put me off so much that i really cudnt enjoy it

I disagree. I thought it looked amazing, especially in the theater. Also, the chara designs are pretty much the same as the first film, only slighly aged.

[bandit29]

I thought the first GITS movie was ok but the second was really bad. Most of the animation is nice but the second rate philosophical babble was really annoying. Oshii takes himself way too seriously. It's laughable. The action scenes with Batou are the only good things in the second movie.

I'm liking GITS SAC so far. Its entertaining.

Too bad Bandai can't release a volume that doesn't have Q/C problems

Never read the manga. Any good? I though about picking up the rerelease from Darkhorse.

And the the GITS SAC PS2 game is barely ok. Graphics are nice but the controls are awkward and targeting is bad. Plus most of the missions are boring and the A.I is really dumb. Look for it on ebay for 29.99 new. That's where I got mine. It ain't worth more than that.

[JELEINEN]

I thought the first GITS movie was ok but the second was really bad. Most of the animation is nice but the second rate philosophical babble was really annoying. Oshii takes himself way too seriously. It's laughable. The action scenes with Batou are the only good things in the second movie.

I honestly don't think Oshii is taking himself seriously at all. Nor do I think what the characters espouse in the films directly reflect his own beliefs. Also, the philosophy in the films is no heavier than what's in the manga. The films just lack the silly cartoonish bits to distract you from it.

[NERV]

I disagree. I thought it looked amazing, especially in the theater. Also, the chara designs are pretty much the same as the first film, only slighly aged.

i saw it in theater myself, didnt help, i still thought it was hideous

[JB0]

I thought the first GITS movie was ok but the second was really bad. Most of the animation is nice but the second rate philosophical babble was really annoying. Oshii takes himself way too seriously. It's laughable. The action scenes with Batou are the only good things in the second movie.

I'm liking GITS SAC so far. Its entertaining.

Too bad Bandai can't release a volume that doesn't have Q/C problems

Never read the manga. Any good? I though about picking up the rerelease from Darkhorse.

And the the GITS SAC PS2 game is barely ok. Graphics are nice but the controls are awkward and targeting is bad. Plus most of the missions are boring and the A.I is really dumb. Look for it on ebay for 29.99 new. That's where I got mine. It ain't worth more than that.

The manga is WAY better than the movie.

For one, Major Kusanagi isn't a simmering pile of depressed suicidal angst.

For 2, it's just massively better written.

3, They don't prattle on and on about one philosophical point. There's a lot of thought-provoking stuff in it, really. But it puts the ideas out there and lets you mull them over.

4. SEBUROS!!!

5. FUCHIKOMAS!!!

Note that 4 and 5 are the ravings of a fan that read the manga first. While the Seburos are very neat handguns and the fuchikomas are fun characters, they are HARDLY constitute a massive diffrence.

But long story short... Shirow needs to be involved in the adaptations of his work.

He is not in the first movie, and it is painfully obvious. It's heavy-handed, preachy, and kinda WTF at several points.

Also... the footnotes and end notes in the graphic novel(I ASSUME they kept them for the new edition...) are worth the price of admission alone, IMO.

[Prime]

It is funny how your views get shaped by what you saw first. For me, I saw GitS and really enjoyed it. I had no background with the manga and so didn't compare it to anything. I was just entertained. Then I learned about Standalone Complex and based on my enjoyment of the movie I checked it out and fell in love with it. To me, it is better than just about every sci-fi series that is on North American TV right now. I haven't seen Innocence yet, but I'm looking forward to getting it on the 28th.

But based on my initial experience from the movie and series, I had a hard time getting into the manga since it is quite different...

Edited December 13, 2004 by Prime

[Panzer]

I was a fan of the original GiTS manga before the movie came out. I've been a fan of Shirow since the days of the Appleseed manga.

I thought the first GiTS movie was entertaining but not much like the manga. BTW the original soundtrack on CD is reeeeally good. its great headphone music if your at work or working on some graphic design homework.

I haven't picked up any of the GiTS 2 manga but will buy SAC on DVD when it comes out, I'm still kicking myself for not seeing it in the theater. its not everyday we get anime on the silverscreen like that, i even saw commericals on TV for it..

Intron Depots are really sweet too. I have the first three. Shirow is insanely talented, guys like a Japanese Michelangelo..

[Panzer]

Speaking of cars, I love that SAC has so many cool cars in it! Batou has his Lancia Stratos of course, we see RX8s a few times, and coolest of all, we see a futuristic Silvia! (In one episode, Tachikoma disables a suspicious looking car, we see the motor and it's clearly an SR20, and we see the rear of the car, which is very reminicent of the S15!)

i REALLY gotta see this...

[Duke Togo]

I always thought the GitS movie was everything that was wrong with big budget/theatrical anime at the time. Pretty to look at (though it was crap compared to Shirow's artistic stylings in the manga), but just boring as hell.

[ewilen]

Aside from seeing some comic book covers, I had no experience of Shirow before the first movie, which I rather enjoyed after finally getting round to renting it on DVD. As a newcomer, though, I would have liked a little more exposition. I agree that it's somewhat heavy handed--as if many of the concepts in the story had never appeared anywhere else. But still, I liked it.

On the basis of the general Shirow-mania I'd seen here, I picked up a set of the Black Magic manga at a yard sale, but it's practically unreadable. The serious stuff isn't interesting, and the funny stuff isn't funny. But then again, it was an early work.

Also on the basis of the movie and lots of people here saying that GitS:SAC is great, I watched the first episode on Cartoon Network, but either it's not my cup of tea or the deficiencies of the dub are just too much to overcome. When/if it shows up at the video rental store, I may give it another chance.

[JB0]

It is funny how your views get shaped by what you saw first. For me, I saw GitS and really enjoyed it. I had no background with the manga and so didn't compare it to anything. I was just entertained. Then I learned about Standalone Complex and based on my enjoyment of the movie I checked it out and fell in love with it. To me, it is better than just about every sci-fi series that is on North American TV right now. I haven't seen Innocence yet, but I'm looking forward to getting it on the 28th.

But based on my initial experience from the movie and series, I had a hard time getting into the manga since it is quite different...

By contrast, if I'd seen the movie first, I never would've looked at any other Ghost products.

I didn't think the movie was just a bad Ghost in the Shell movie. I thought it as a bad movie.

[uminoken]

Soo....totally new to the GitS 'verse aside from seeing the first movie (thought it had potential, but poorly exectuted), love what I've seen of SAC so far, but I'm looking to read the mangas.....which one's are uncut, amazon has about 6 different manga listings...which should I start with?

[EXO]

.....which one's are uncut, amazon has about 6 different manga listings...which should I start with?

This is the uncut Volume 1 Second edition.

http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=10-029

Same cover, but with the Japanese Writiing on top I guess... it's smaller than the first edition.

[Panzer]

theres some dirty, dirty stuff in those mangas too like the lesbo yacht scene with Kusanagi.. totally filthy.

THIS they put into Intron Depot 2. Looked real sexaay.

[JB0]

Was anything noteworthy cut ASIDE from the lesbian cybersex?

Though knowing those 3 pages were there DID add a semblence of sanity to Batou's appearance and Motoko's reaction.

[Prime]

Soo....totally new to the GitS 'verse aside from seeing the first movie (thought it had potential, but poorly exectuted), love what I've seen of SAC so far, but I'm looking to read the mangas.....which one's are uncut, amazon has about 6 different manga listings...which should I start with?

Fair enough. But I did enjoy it, and so continued looking into that universe.

[wolfx]

Shirow has alot of pr0n works unmentioned to the US market.

[JB0]

Shirow has alot of pr0n works unmentioned to the US market.

*runs off to look for imports*