Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Top notch! solid animation, catchy music. Great action. But above all intriguing characters and stories that make you think... Has a depth that no single movie can achive, the series format is used to its full potential. The stories treat issues of the future that are becomeing a reality, AI, cyborgs, technology acheveing more and mor of the impossible. But it is also about life... this series goes much further than the movie in all aspects. The only problem I had was the silly looking outfit our heroine seems to prefer, but you get used to it. Anyhow, a must see! Average 10(10)

I've been a fan of "Ghost in the Shell" since 1997 when I saw it for the first time. The movie offers sophisticated entertainment that Hollywood couldn't even come close to. Then "Innocence" came out and was an extraordinary achievement with an incredible story and special effects (I still wish they would come out with an English dub).

I didn't think that a TV series could come close to the movies.

I was wrong.

Even though the graphics are a downgrade from the movies, the story has an impact that will give you with goose bumps! The story is an interweaving of events that span for sometime through the series. You have to pay close attention to everything or you'll lose some insight on what is going on.

"SAC" gets into tough subjects like corporate corruption; political corruption and scandals; individuals fighting to restore some semblance of justice and sanity; self sacrifice; robots and their individuality that creates a "Ghost" or a sort of living entity; among other subjects that normal movie production artists wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. It may require most people to watch it at least 3 times to take in all of the information.

For the ultimate in entertainment, sound effects, music - this IS a must own for any individual!

I am a big fan of the movie, and was pleased to see it made the transition into a series.

It's very well done, with well-balanced action and with the same characters we all know from the movie, plus some more.

Though the episodes trickle out very slowly, I'm always looking forward to each one. This series should be in any animewatchers collection, and even if one does not usually watch anime.

I couldn't believe that someone compared the series with the movie and found it lacking. It is true that it transforms the very cool idea of Ghost in the Shell into a police series, but the underlying idea of Stand Alone Complex is very consistent with the one in the movie: the evolution of the soul.

Now I don't mean to sound too smart and start explaining the series. It is well done, with nice music and interesting suspense technique. Any GITS lover should watch it, that is for sure. As any movie transformed into series it does have its faults. Sometimes the plot is described by the characters talking to each other and there are inconsistencies in the way the technology is used, but taking into account it is a 2 season of 26 episodes each anime, it does well.

I do feel that the second season was so disconnected from the first that it almost becomes a separate series. I didn't like that. Fill-up episodes when nothing pertaining to the main story is happening also did not make me enjoy it more, but the atmosphere and the world of GITS is detailed enough to keep you waiting for what is going to happen next.

I am not fanatic enough to kill someone if they don't continue either the series or the movies, but I am close enough. :D Get to work! Good work, that is.

This animated series puts most live action drama films & TV series to shame. The animation is excellent; the stories are even better. Every episode is an absolute gem, much like a little techno-thriller feature film.

It's a real pity cyberpunk fiction never really made much impact in the film world - but this series makes it all work.

Apparently set in a world where Motoko Kusanagi never met the Puppet Master, this series involves complex political intrigue, cyber-crimes, people being hacked as one would hack a computer nowadays, etc.

If you even remotely liked the Ghost in The Shell feature film, check this out if you get the chance.