Sui
Tank
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2004
- Messages
- 5,998
- Reaction score
- 3
I just finished watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex GIG 1 and I must say it’s one of the best animes I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. My second favourite, in fact, with Cowboy Bebop slightly in front.
The main reason I find it such a great series is the comparison between humans and machines. Throughout the series, the cyborg humans are portrayed as being cold and mechanical, whereas the Tachkumas (little tanks with the voices of girls!) actually appear comical and full of life, and towards the end of the series, actually start thinking and behaving more like humans as well as showing emotion- despite their lack of “ghosts” or “souls”.
The “Stand Alone” episodes that centre around one unconnected case that Section 9 must solve, are excellent by themselves because they give insight into the main characters without doing a clichéd “flashback” or throwing them into ridiculous situations. Instead, GITS manages to avoid the predictable anime devices and instead evolves the characters simply on how they perform during the missions. While you’ll finish the series knowing less about the characters than say, Cowboy Bebop- you find them a lot more intriguing and interesting for this very reason.
As for the “Complex” episodes; you could watch them all back-to-back without the SA episodes and it would feel like watching a movie. The ‘Laughing man’ plot is excellent, with twists and turns and more than a few stunning revelations. It’s one of the only anime plots I’ve felt satisfied with instead of left wanting more.
---Spoiler---
Jesus, the Tachkumas final sacrifice was f**ing sad. I mean, the tachkumas were abandoned by section 9 and stripped of their duties simply because they grew too smart- and then to see them exchange their lives for the very people who abandoned them at the end is tear-jerking.
Oh and there’s one final twist at the end that seems *bloody stupid*, so I’d recommend *NOT* watching the final episode until you’re about to watch the second series. It’s just a rather pointless ending that ties up all the loose ends without really explaining it (the last episode can be summed up by “BY THE WAY, EVERYTHING WAS O.K. REALLY!”)
LOOK GITS:SAC IS £33 ON AMAZON! GO BUY!
The main reason I find it such a great series is the comparison between humans and machines. Throughout the series, the cyborg humans are portrayed as being cold and mechanical, whereas the Tachkumas (little tanks with the voices of girls!) actually appear comical and full of life, and towards the end of the series, actually start thinking and behaving more like humans as well as showing emotion- despite their lack of “ghosts” or “souls”.
The “Stand Alone” episodes that centre around one unconnected case that Section 9 must solve, are excellent by themselves because they give insight into the main characters without doing a clichéd “flashback” or throwing them into ridiculous situations. Instead, GITS manages to avoid the predictable anime devices and instead evolves the characters simply on how they perform during the missions. While you’ll finish the series knowing less about the characters than say, Cowboy Bebop- you find them a lot more intriguing and interesting for this very reason.
As for the “Complex” episodes; you could watch them all back-to-back without the SA episodes and it would feel like watching a movie. The ‘Laughing man’ plot is excellent, with twists and turns and more than a few stunning revelations. It’s one of the only anime plots I’ve felt satisfied with instead of left wanting more.
---Spoiler---
Jesus, the Tachkumas final sacrifice was f**ing sad. I mean, the tachkumas were abandoned by section 9 and stripped of their duties simply because they grew too smart- and then to see them exchange their lives for the very people who abandoned them at the end is tear-jerking.
Oh and there’s one final twist at the end that seems *bloody stupid*, so I’d recommend *NOT* watching the final episode until you’re about to watch the second series. It’s just a rather pointless ending that ties up all the loose ends without really explaining it (the last episode can be summed up by “BY THE WAY, EVERYTHING WAS O.K. REALLY!”)
LOOK GITS:SAC IS £33 ON AMAZON! GO BUY!
