Ghost in the Shell Arise

[mechaninac]

Looks like this series has inspired the release of a kit from previous series'

http://www.gunjap.net/site/?p=139270

Nice!!

Got that preordered with AmiAmi already...

[GU-11]

Looks like this series has inspired the release of a kit from previous series'

http://www.gunjap.net/site/?p=139270

Nice!!

I remember that from the first ep of the second season. Pretty sad story, that one.

[EXO]

I had that resin model...

[JetJockey]

I think a new normal Tachikoma is coming out too. There was a quick shot of an ad in a video in the anime figures topic.

[Tochiro]

Don't touch the Logicoma!

[Macross_Fanboy]

Man I've fallen behind in the anime world as of late. Anyways, I was hoping for a SAC3, but I suppose SSS ended the SAC storyline.

[Tochiro]

Well, I've had a day to think about Ep.1 now.

Overall, I enjoyed it. A lot more than I expected. As a GitS fan I'd rank it as the weakest animated adaptation to date, but that still puts it above 90%+ of animated SF out there.

Some general spoiler-free impressions:

-Animation was gorgeous, as to be expected from Production IG.

-Cornelius did a better job on the soundtrack than I expected or that the previously released OP led me to believe. The man is no Yoko Kanno (then again, who is) but his score captures the feeling of of the world really well. In fact I left the cinema and immediately went to buy the OST only to find that a full album has yet to be released. A single (OP/ED) is available for 500yen from the Jpn itunes store and a weird MP3 speaker box with the BGM on it has been released. Its literally a speaker box the size of 2 cigarette packs. No way to get the music off it onto your comp or music device. very weird. I expect a full album will be released properly once the OVA is finished. Oh and the ED (Jibun ga inai) on 5.1 cinema sound is an amazing experience.

-Action was done well. A younger, less experienced Motoko means she isnt as invincible as she was in previous iterations. It doesnt take a tank to take her on anymore. She can lose. there are more 1-on-1 confrontations as a result.

-Motoko's backstory is different to SAC.

-The show almost works as a prequel to the original movies. The similarities between the two that many people picked up on in Motoko's character design extend to the themes explored in ARISE as well. Being set in Japan, not Hong Kong though means that, like with SAC before it, its one of those 'if you look at it from a certain angle and disregard certain discrepancies then it almost fits' kinda things.

-I'm not a fan of the new cast. Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko is by far the best performance of the show. She imitates many of Atsuko Tanaka's typical inflections and line delivery but adds the uncertainty and surprise that the younger version of the character needs. Ikyuu Jyuku as Aramaki is passable. Everyone else feels off. Kenichiro Matsuda's Batou had me wanting to find the guy and bitchslap him. Just because a characters voice is deep and gruff does not mean you have to read all your lines in the same tone! I daresay I'll get used to it, but damn I missed Akio Ohtsuka.

-The setting is a little too NEAR future. Scenes of modern day-looking shinjuku with some extra tech. recognizeable ATMs and tech next to full body cyborgs creates a dissonance in immersion.

-Plot was well-done. Was relatively self-contained as well. I really enjoyed the way it was paced and structured.

General spoiler

Remember the ghost-hack on the garbage-man in the original GitS? Well imagine what would happen if something similar happened to a younger and less experienced Motoko. Something that meant she wasnt necessarily investigating or helping who she thought she was (or even when she thought she was). She can still hack Batou's ranger eyes mid-fight though ;-)

Key visual for episode 2 which drops on November 30:

[Macross_Fanboy]

So my wife and I are fans of GiTS and I showed her the above picture and she said, "Oh, I like the old one better. She was sexier."

I must agree, but the character designs aren't why we watched the show. I do like the new Togusa design, he's my favorite character.

[Tochiro]

Kotaku review. I don't disagree with it but wish they had talked about the music.

http://kotaku.com/the-first-film-of-ghost-in-the-shell-arise-is-true-to-568174103

I do like the new Togusa design, he's my favorite character.

Well, you're in Japan right? It's only 1200yen to see at the cinema so catch it while you can!

[Macross_Fanboy]

Kotaku review. I don't disagree with it but wish they had talked about the music.

http://kotaku.com/the-first-film-of-ghost-in-the-shell-arise-is-true-to-568174103

Well, you're in Japan right? It's only 1200yen to see at the cinema so catch it while you can!

Ain't nobody got no time fo dat!

[Tochiro]

Ain't nobody got no time fo dat!

excuses, excuses

If an overworked, full-time salaryman can find time to see it, theres really no excuse

[Macross_Fanboy]

excuses, excuses

If an overworked, full-time salaryman can find time to see it, theres really no excuse

This salary man can't escape his kids.

[raptormesh]

Quite enjoyed the preview - thanks for posting that. Looking forward to the rest.

[Macross_Fanboy]

I want to pre-order the BD, but I think I'll wait for it to be licensed in the States, do they use the same Seiyu from SAC? I'm hoping they keep the voice talent the same for the English dub if they get around to making one.

[EXO]

Pretty good first episode. A bit of M-66 action going on there.

[LOW_ALT]

Pretty good first episode. A bit of M-66 action going on there.

(o_o) and here I thought I was the only one that had actually watched Black Magic, what a classic

[Dynaman]

(o_o) and here I thought I was the only one that had actually watched Black Magic, what a classic

Your not the only one, I love that show.

[EXO]

Black Magic is probably the only Shirow animation that is close to any of Shirow's design and illustrations. I think Gargantia is closer to Shirow's style than GiTS and Appleseed. It's like Intron Depot the animated series. Lol.

[ErikElvis]

Watched the first episode and am somewhere between liked and really liked it. I got use to the look of the new major pretty quick. I do have to watch it again though as I find it hard to follow on the first run through. Is it just me?!?

[JetJockey]

(o_o) and here I thought I was the only one that had actually watched Black Magic, what a classic

I have that on VHS some where around here. Maybe I'll dig it up and give it another shot. If I remember correctly it was a Terminator type anime. I haven't watched it since I got it some time in the late 80s or early 90s. Whenever the anime was released.

[LOW_ALT]

I have that on VHS some where around here. Maybe I'll dig it up and give it another shot. If I remember correctly it was a Terminator type anime. I haven't watched it since I got it some time in the late 80s or early 90s. Whenever the anime was released.

I made a few gifs from M-66 for my blog a few months back. Definitely terminator style:

[Beltane70]

I've always loved that fight in Black Magic M-66, especially when the unit with the short hair kicks through the guy and the tree behind him.

[Save]

I watched it at the cinema last week and while it was playing the only thoughts in my head were "I'm almost out of Coke." and "Man it's hot in this theater.", a very weak fist OVA installment. The production value was respectable but not worth paying to see it in a theater. Hope it gets interesting out the gate in volume two.

[Tochiro]

A Fist OVA?!? Great! I love me some Kenshiro! :-p

[JetJockey]

Anyone have the Japanese Blu-ray? Funimation is releasing a limited version of that here in the States. I want to know if the extras are worth it or should I just wait for the complete release.

[Tochiro]

Japanese blurays dont usually have that much in the way of extras.

While I don't have Arise yet (am fine with just seeing it at the cinema for now), Amazon lists it as having a short 3DCG animation called Logicoma Beat, and a bunch of trailers, which is fairly standard imo.

[JetJockey]

Japanese blurays dont usually have that much in the way of extras.

While I don't have Arise yet (am fine with just seeing it at the cinema for now), Amazon lists it as having a short 3DCG animation called Logicoma Beat, and a bunch of trailers, which is fairly standard imo.

The article on Anime News Network states that the American release "will have the imported Japanese O-card, film strip, and an English-translated art booklet." However, on RightStuf they don't show a film strip and the booklet looks really slim.

Perhaps, I'll just wait for that complete release or dub since the Ghost in the Shell dubs are actually really good to me.

[Negotiator]

GITS season 1 and 2 were dubbed in Cali. If Funi has it now, they will probably use their Texas VA pool.

[JetJockey]

I was looking for reviews last night and stumbled upon the full episode for viewing. First off, I don't like watching anime that much online. Even though the quality is better than the bootleg VHS I used to watch at times when I was young. It's no where near DVD or even Blu-ray quality. Unless you are really looking for illegal copies. And of course the music isn't in any sort of surround sound.

With that, this is the least I've been excited after a new Ghost in the Shell show. The whole thing feels off. The music is completely different. Not better than the movies and certainly not better than SAC. It didn't stick with me at all. At times the show looks good. Others it looks kind of dull and borderline generic. I know this is supposed to be the origin of Motoko. And she makes mistakes. Kind of like the origin of Bond in Casino Royale and Batman in Dark Knight. In fact Motoko makes a huge mistake in this OVA. But the show left me wanting not to see the other episodes in the OVA but to watch the original movie and some of SAC. Which I did last night.

I remember reading posts that some people didn't like Solid State Society. But that's a far better show than this. Of course, we still get the references to future events / iconic scenes. Which happened as well in SAC. But enough is enough. It's easy to do that now and a sign of no real ideas to me at this point. I think the best thing about the show are the action scenes which are quick and fluid. Maybe the other 3 OVAs will be better but this isn't a good start. I remember seeing by surprise the first episode of Ghost in the Shell SAC. I caught it late at the raid scene. It was in a period when I wasn't watching anime yet I immediately knew that was Motoko and I wanted to see more. This show I don't have the same feelings. In fact, the first few episodes of Psycho-Pass are far better than this.

* The fan service is the most I've seen or at least more direct in this show too. We get Motoko in her underwear many times. Plus nude.

Edited August 17, 2013 by JetJockey

[technoblue]

* The fan service is the most I've seen or at least more direct in this show too. We get Motoko in her underwear many times. Plus nude.

But this isn't anything new for Ghost in the Shell. Did you see the first Mamoru Oshii film? Have you read the original uncut manga? Nudity and slinky clothing are both historically part of Motoko's character. In this first episode alone, I noticed a number of homages to Oshii's film and Shirow's original publication.

Anyway, since Production I.G is doing this without Masamune Shirow (unlike SAC) I don't know how much of it is actually canon. Even though it is a prequel, some people are content to take it as an alternate universe thing. I'm holding off judgement until the end. I thought the frist episode was a little rocky because the writers were trying too hard to make these very familiar characters complete strangers. I'm not sure if that worked, but it was okay... Hm, I might have to watch the episode again.

[GU-11]

I just watched GITS Arise - Border 1: Ghost Pain. Is this supposed to be a pilot episode or a movie like Solid State Society?

Honestly, it's not as bad as I feared, but not nearly as good as the first Oshii movie. The plot is standard GITS fare, and pretty good, all things considered.

Her origins are very different from the one stated in GITS: SAC 2nd Gig, though. But since SAC was produced with Masamune Shirow's involvement, I guess that cancels out the legitimacy of the Arise version.

[technoblue]

Arise is not a single movie like Solid State Society, but a four part OVA. I think the second episode will be out the end of November.

[JetJockey]

But this isn't anything new for Ghost in the Shell. Did you see the first Mamoru Oshii film? Have you read the original uncut manga? Nudity and slinky clothing are both historically part of Motoko's character. In this first episode alone, I noticed a number of homages to Oshii's film and Shirow's original publication.

Anyway, since Production I.G is doing this without Masamune Shirow (unlike SAC) I don't know how much of it is actually canon. Even though it is a prequel, some people are content to take it as an alternate universe thing. I'm holding off judgement until the end.

That's why I mentioned that the fan service is more direct in Arise. I'm a big fan of Ghost in the Shell. I have Motoko as my wallpaper. But in the movies the nudity had a point even if it was silly. Motoko needing to completely strip to use her camo. And her creation scenes. Even the stuff in SAC has an old school fan service feel. I have the uncut manga but I don't remember the homage scenes in Arise. What did you notice?

Perhaps I'll watch Arise again if it's still online.

Her origins are very different from the one stated in GITS: SAC 2nd Gig, though. But since SAC was produced with Masamune Shirow's involvement, I guess that cancels out the legitimacy of the Arise version.

So far it's different. The change could have something to do with something I won't spoil. At least that's what I was thinking on first view. If not this is an alternate universe. Which I don't understand why they needed to create. SAC did a good job of linking up to the first movie. Both at the end of 2nd Gig and SSS. In terms of the look of the characters and Motoko's state of mind.

[technoblue]

That's why I mentioned that the fan service is more direct in Arise. I'm a big fan of Ghost in the Shell. I have Motoko as my wallpaper. But in the movies the nudity had a point even if it was silly. Motoko needing to completely strip to use her camo. And her creation scenes. Even the stuff in SAC has an old school fan service feel. I have the uncut manga but I don't remember the homage scenes in Arise. What did you notice?

The backstory about her military service record. However, it wasn't exactly how I remembered it because Batou and Kusanagi seemed to exchange blank stares with one another when first meeting in Arise. I thought Masamune Shirow had characterized them as being more familiar, even fighting together prior to Section 9, but I may need to reread the manga to refresh my memory.

[GU-11]

So far it's different. The change could have something to do with something I won't spoil. At least that's what I was thinking on first view. If not this is an alternate universe. Which I don't understand why they needed to create. SAC did a good job of linking up to the first movie. Both at the end of 2nd Gig and SSS. In terms of the look of the characters and Motoko's state of mind.

All this while I was thinking it was just a prequel that recaps her earlier days in the military. I agree, why bother with an alternate universe? Motoko's origins have already been well-established and there's nothing wrong with it.

I've got my own theories about this, if it isn't actually an alternate universe, but we'll just have to wait for the second OVA.