Ghost In The Shell - Solid State Society

Ghost in The Shell - Solid State Society, is the latest production based on the "Ghost in the Shell" franchise, created by Masamune Shirow originally published as a manga by Kodansha (in Japan) and Dark Horse Comics in the U.S. It is available in two editions, the standard one and the "Limited Edition", targeted at collectiors and fans of the series.For those of you that are not familiar with the franchise, it is set on a not-so-far future where mankind has embraced technologies to enhance the human beings in body and mind. Taking some characteristics from the "cyberpunk" genre of sci-fi, the series deal with the social repercursions of an "information era", the status-quo of prosthetics and other physical enhancements and, in esence, with the concepts and philosophies of existence, self-awareness, and the true meaning of the "human being" concept in a context where the so called cyborgs, normally cybernitically enhanced human brains in artificial bodies exist too. These are one of the many reasons of why the Ghost in the Shell series are considered one of the most influential works for the sci-fi genre and the anime/manga context.However, each incarnation of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, has it's own story arch and approach. For example, the manga works are interesting but messy. The characters sometimes are deep, or sometimes are really light-hearted. Understanding them requires having some background of the cyberpunk theme (William Gibson, Bruce Sterling), some knowledge of the manga-as-a-comic-book concept (so you don't get lost within the strips), reading the many footnotes the author includes on them, and backreading. Solid State Society for instance, continues the plot and concepts showed in the anime series (more about it in a moment).The anime feature movies (Ghost in the shell, Ghost in the shell II: Innocence) are based on the manga, however, they treat the themes on the manga in a totally cinematic and deep way, developing the characters far beyond the manga in some aspects and presenting the viewer with a full overview of the concept and main philosophy.For instance, the anime series, Ghost in The Shell Stand Alone Complex, take some aspects from the manga, but it's main focus is to deal with how the characters interact with their world, and the existential and social problems this future has for humanity. In this case, Solid State Society, continues the concept and plot established by this series, having little to do with the movies or manga. Consider it as an "long-play special episode" that fits after the end of the second season of Stand Alone Complex.So, for those new to the series, I recommend you to get a glimpse of the other options to enter the world of Ghost in The Shell and its many differences, before buying it. Or get the Stand Alone Complex Season 1 and Season 2 for the matter. Otherwise, come on in!Solid State Society, is a solid, complex, movie that doesn't waste its 120 minutes of running length. The plot is well constructed and the twists that compose it, far beyond of making it boring or difficult to understand, guide the viewer easily from start to finish. It flwalessly continues the events in Stand Alone Complex season 2, and also opens a new saga in the series. Character visual design and overall graphic presentation are quite polished, mixing CG 2D and 3D images flwalessly and in a natural way for the viewer. Full 16:9 aspect ratio makes Solid State Society a nice visual experience on SD televisions and displays and also on HD with the use of a DVD Player or A/V Receiver with an integrated upscaler. The use witihin the movie of "virtual" lens, and depth-of-view also make for a nice real-life approach to express something in animation instead of live-action. Voice dubbing in japanese and english is quite well done, in fact, I really suggest having a first view in english (if you're somewhat new to the series) then watching it in japanese with subtitles. 5.1 surround (Dolby) sound is supported on both languages and overall sound mixing is of high quality, considering the problems that lip-syncing usually has. The musical score, made by Yoko Kano, a famous japanese musician and composer, deepens the dark enviroment of the movie itself and enhances the plot and characters. Synthethisers, beats and woman-sung chorus, mixed with powerful sound effects also provide a great sound experience. Overall it's a great production worth of watching not just once, but many times.The Limited Edition contains the movie disc, an extras disc with interviews, designs, and other bonus content, and a original soundtrack CD by Yoko Kano, all in a metal-like jewel box. However, I've rated it 4 stars since the soundtrack does not contains a printed playlist nor any additional info. Also it doesn't come with other value-adding bonus (like postcards, some kind of book, plastic figures...) aside from the noted above. For the hardcore fans and collectors I suggest you to wait for a re-edition or similar of it.Overall, the movie itself is a must for the fans of the series. It is also a must for sci-fi lovers or anime lovers, but make sure you get Stand Alone Complex (S1 and S2) at least first (also I suggest that to those who have just watched the two first movies or read the manga only).

Good plot and all around great character development.

Without dissecting the plot, Motoko has left Section 9, and her interaction here reminded me of Innocence; you idealize over her short appearances, and end up reeled closer to her than ever by the end. There's also less action, with more character bonding and a more mysterious plot to engage the brain.There was a pretty big time lapse between me watching the series and this "sequal", but Solid State Society starts as fast, if not faster paced and awesome than where it left off. The intro, even the title menu will get you pumped and grinning like a school boy/girl.Huge contributor to that was the OST; a lot has been recycled from the series, but this is by no means a bad thing. I believe GitS' OSTs to be the most provoking, adaptive and beautiful i've heard (NGE is up there too).As I clicked play, I was metaphorically slapped in the face; I was passively watching the show while doing a few other house activities. You can't simply let GitS roll in the background and expect to comprehend it without dedicating your full attention.And as always, the english cast is phenominal.Bottom Line:-Phenominal dub-Beautiful OST-Story line twists that will leave your head spinning even after the credits start rolling-That faint romantic tension (it's not just me right?) between Motoko and (maybe Batou, or maybe some urge she just hasn't fulfilled yet in life. I haven't pinpointed it.)-Must buy for a fan of any degree

So, the first thing I have to say is yes, I am glad I bought it. However, don't make the same mistake I made... I, for no good reason, assumed that the team who created GITS: Innocence created GITS: SSS. Wrong!!! Do not expect the same dramatic, philosophical, and artistic depth and sophistication found in GITS: Innocence.The team that created this film is the same team that generates the series. As a matter of fact, this film has a "made-for-TV" feel about it. It seems as if two individual stories were grafted together as one which may account for some of the disharmony. It also felt somewhat episodic, as if filmed so that it could be easily serialized. (As an aside...The involvement of Nissan makes me a little nervous for the future, hopefully the studio doesn't lose their artistic vision and swing too far to the commercial side. The concept cars were cool but they weren't anything the art team couldn't have created on their own. With the exception of one scene, the cars simply were not integral to the film.)Now, with all of that said, I love the series. This film is on par with caliber of the 2nd season. The art, audio, general plot, English dubbing, etc. is top notch. (Writing? Well...the continuity people responsible for ensuring that the story flows smoothly could have tightened things up a bit.)If you love the series, you'll love this movie.So, yes, I'm glad I bought it and I'll probably watch it again today!!

Ghost in The Shell : Stand Alone Complex est la série d'animés adaptée du manga de Masamune Shirow.Originellement, il avait été annoncé que la série et les 2 films (Ghost in The Shell et Ghost in The Shell : Innocence) n'avait rien à voir l'un avec l'autre. Ce film fait le lien entre la deuxième saison et le premier film - ce qui sous-entend que la série est une immense préquelle aux films.La série est très bonne et le film ne déroge pas à la règle, il est lui aussi très bon.A noter, c'est le seul "vrai" film de la série. Les autres sont des compilations d'épisodes re-montés.Edition anglaise: propose les versions japonaise et anglaise et les sous-titres en anglais uniquement.

Comment indiqué dans un autre commentaire, les sous-titres (français en tous cas) présentent des guillemets un peu n'importe où. ça fait vraiment amateur. Quitte à acquérir légalement quelque chose, autant que ça soit fait avec un minimum de soin. C'est vraiment dommageSinon l'anime est très bien, l'image et le son nickels, et quel plaisir de revoir la bande de GITS !

Je ne parlerais pas du film dans mon commentaire, si ce n'est pour dire qu'il est excellent. Si vous ne le connaissez pas, sachez qu'il fait suite aux deux saisons de la série télé Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, et qu'il serait donc dommage de le voir sans avoir vu la série préalablement. Ma note représente donc mon appréciation de la qualité du produit, et absolument pas celle du film.Ceci étant dit, parlons du Blu-Ray en lui-même, et de son packaging. Le Blu-Ray nous vient dans une boite format plastique sans rien d'exceptionnel, et rien dans la boite non plus. Pas grand-chose à dire de ce côte-là, donc.Côté contenu, le disque propose 3 pistes audio, toutes en 5.1, avec la version originale japonaise, la version doublée américaine, et la version doublée française. Les sous-titres, eux, ne sont proposés qu'en français.Premier point positif: on insère le disque, un petit logo Beez, et nous voilà sur le menu. Pas de 36 sponsors consécutifs, avertissement anti-piratage, et tutti quanti... Toujours appréciable.La qualité de l'image et du son ne fait pas mentir le format, le film étant aussi agréable à l'oeil qu'à l'oreille.Un bémol cependant sur les sous-titres, d'abord, des guillemets sont parfois situés sans raison au milieu d'une phrase, cela semble arriver dès qu'un mot devrait être en italique (par exemple, lorsqu'un personnage parle sans être à l'écran, ou lorsque le ghost est mentionné). Ça gâche un peu le confort de lecture, et ça fait franchement amateur... Il y a également une seconde partie de phrase à un moment qui n'est étonnamment pas sous-titrée, elle se déduit par le contexte, mais ça n'arrange pas cette impression d'amateurisme dans les sous-titres.Côté bonus, ils sont divisés en deux catégories, une première se rapportant plutôt à Solid State Society, le seconde à la série des Stand Alone Complex en général. Et là, si la première catégorie est constituée de bonus vidéos (disponible uniquement en japonais sous-titrés français), leur intérêt reste assez relatif. Quant à la seconde catégorie, il s'agit majoritairement de bonus textes, parfois intéressant, souvent franchement anecdotiques ou évident. C'est un peu dommage. Un des bonus est d'ailleurs une interview du créateur des production I.G. clairement destinée au public américain par ses questions... Je donne la liste des bonus à la fin.Un point noir des bonus est l'idée saugrenue d'interdire de couper un bonus en cours... C'est-à-dire que une fois un bonus lancé, il faut soit le regarder jusqu'à la fin, soit le mettre en accéléré, soit relancer le disque. Les boutons "avancée de chapitre", "menu du disque", etc, sont bloqués.Liste des bonus:Catégorie Solid State Society:La conception du film (vidéo)La conception d'un tachikoma (vidéo sur la réalisation d'un robot pour la promotion du film)Dessiner la voiture du futur (vidéo)Interview du créateur de Production I.G. (vidéo)La vie des Uchikoma (vidéo du style "la vie des tachikoma" qui concluait chaque épisode de la série, en VOSTFR ou VF)Bande-annonce japonaiseCatégorie univers de GITS:SACExplication du logo de la série (texte expliquant la traduction du titre original)Notes de production (texte présentant un peu l'univers de GITS)Personnages (texte, courte bio de chaque membre de la Section 9)Bande-annonces de 2 saisons de la série animéeLes bandes originales (en fait, juste une image faisant de la pub au BO)Et enfin, une 3ème section contenant seulement 3 bandes-annonces de séries éditées chez Beez (gundam 00, Planetes et Eureka Seven). Peut-être des bonus cachés, mais alors je ne les ai pas trouvés :p

Decent continuation of the series.Note: The photo does not reflect the correct packaging. This is just a normal bluray case with different cover, it is NOT the card slipcover version as indicated in the photo

Ghost In The Shell: SAC - Solid State Society [Blu-ray ]I bought this re-release as I thought it might offer something new but as it turns out, it doesn't. Everything including the menu is exactly the same. The only thing that's different is the box art. Ghost In The Shell: SAC - Solid State Society [Blu-ray