Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
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| Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex | |
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| 攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX (Mobile Armoured Riot Police: STAND ALONE COMPLEX or Kōkaku Kidōtai: Stand Alone Complex) |
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| Genre | Mystery , Drama , Shonen , Adventure , Sci-fi , Cyberpunk , Postcyberpunk , Action , Film Noir |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Kenji Kamiyama |
| Studio | Production I.G. |
| Network |  Animax         Animax Cartoon Network (Adult Swim) YTV (Bionix) MTV Central Cuatro SBS Anione TV SIC Radical |
| Original run | 1 October 2002 – 25 March 2003 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| TV anime : Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG | |
| Directed by | Kenji Kamiyama |
| Studio | Production I.G. |
| Network | Animax, Nippon TV Animax Cartoon Network (Adult Swim) YTV (Bionix) MTV Central Cuatro Anione TV |
| Original run | 1 January 2004 – 8 January 2005 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Movie: Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society | |
| Directed by | Kenji Kamiyama |
| Studio | Production I.G. |
| Released | 1 September 2006 |
| Runtime | 105 minutes |
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX Kōkaku Kidōtai?, Mobile Armoured Riot Police) is a Japanese anime TV series set in the Ghost in the Shell universe created by Masamune Shirow. It is often referred to by its acronym GitS:SAC.
Production of the show was undertaken by Production I.G. headed by director Kenji Kamiyama. The overarching series was sketched by original creator Masamune Shirow, unifying each season's 26 episodes into a larger encompassing plot. The series first premiered in Japan on the anime satellite television network, Animax, which was also involved directly in the production of the series, and have also broadcast the series across its respective networks worldwide, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and other regions.[1]
The series receives its subtitle from a theoretical mental complex attributed to the adaptation of cybernetics into the mass public. In the story, 'stand alone complex' is said to describe copies with no original and is portrayed by copycat crimes with no original criminal or, in other words, an imaginary criminal. It also refers to the structure of each first season episode: each episode can be viewed independently of each other, and there is little catch-up (if at all) given in each episode to keep the viewer up to date (unlike many anime series). The individual episodes are discreetly marked either "stand alone" or "complex" in the title screen. The "complex" episodes are more closely entwined with this encompassing plot, and the "stand alone" less so.
There is also a DVD extra of comedic shorts, Tachikomatic Days, attached to the episodes on the home video releases featuring the antics of the Tachikoma mini-tanks of Section 9, involving plot points from the episodes it accompanies.
After finishing its run in 2003, the series was continued into a second season under the title Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, which premiered in Japan on Animax, from January 2004, via a pay-per-view basis.[1] The second season episodes are labeled "Individual", "Dividual", and "Dual", with "Individual" episodes closely intertwined with the Individual Eleven case, "Dividual" episodes stand-alone, and "Dual" episodes having to do with the Cabinet Intelligence Service and Gouda.
The series has also been continued into an anime TV film, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society, which premiered on September 1, 2006 in Japan on Animax via a pay-per-view basis.
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[edit] Story
Taking place in a fictional city of Japan called "Niihama-shi" (New Port City) in the year 2030, Stand Alone Complex tells the story of a special operations task-force called Public Security Section 9, or simply "Section 9". The series follows the exploits of Section 9's agents who range from ex-military to ex-police to even ex-mafia as they address each case and how it affects them on a personal level, eventually leading to the mysterious figure dubbed by the media as "The Laughing Man".
Public Security Section 9 is an elite domestic anti-crime unit charged with the task of preemptive prevention of technology-related acts of terrorism and crime. Their duties include response to serious cyber crimes (i.e. cyberbrain hacking, cyber-terrorism), investigation of unlawful acts of those in public office and of high profile murder cases. From time to time they also serve as protection to foreign VIPs.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex follows an alternate and separate storyline from that of Mamoru Oshii's theatrical film adaptations. The TV series expounds further on the careers of Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9, and also retains more elements from Masamune Shirow's original manga than Oshii's feature films.
Literary references within the series include Flowers for Algernon, the Nine Stories written by J. D. Salinger, and The Catcher in the Rye, also authored by Salinger.
[edit] Cinematic comparison
The TV series differs from the cinema adaptation in its focus upon issues created by the advance of technology. Instead of the intensely focused and personal examination of technology, what is presented is a look at society and technology as a larger whole. The series of 52 half-hour TV episodes has a larger budget of time to explore the concepts and ideas found in the original manga. In comparison to the film version, the series is considered by many to be easier to understand. Also, in comparison, the series can be found to be closer to the manga; due to the presence of some humor, the usage of the Tachikomas ("Fuchikomas" in the manga, and referred to simply as "tanks" in the one scene in which a variant version makes an appearance), the design of the characters, and also, the usage of the characters Pazu, Borma and Saito (the last of whom made only a brief cameo in film version).
Stand Alone Complex exhibits the accumulated experience and expertise of Production I.G. in their application of computer generated imagery. This is evident in their digital color grading, environmental effects, and cel-shaded computer models.
[edit] Technology
Stand Alone Complex tries to depict the near future convincingly, extending trends from the current day into the future. Often a viewer can even speculate which current-day factory or design firm would be responsible for the future machines and buildings.
Of the many futuristic technologies, the cyberbrain or neural computer augmentation technology is discussed and convincingly portrayed. This is the implantation of powerful computers directly into the brain, greatly increasing certain mental capacities such as memory. Coupled with ubiquitous access to the informational net, this is shown as a fundamental technology integral to the future Japanese society. Applications include wireless communication just by "thinking" it, massive informational recall capabilities, and digitization of printed media and the encryption thereof. The series is notable for portraying a comprehensive and believable user interface to this technology. At the same time, drawbacks are revealed in the form of "Closed Shell Syndrome" or cyberbrain autism and "Cyberbrain Sclerosis". This technology is in many ways the crux of the series.
Microelectromechanical systems and the medical and less benign applications also figure heavily within the futurescape depicted within the show. In the fictional future date of 2030, this technology and its applications are still considered to be experimental, only reaching the first stages of practical usage.
An important technology used in the series is thermo-optical camouflage. Members of Section 9 as well as their Tachikoma tanks have the ability to activate a special camouflage technology which enables them to blend in with the environment, making them near-invisible to the naked eye. It is an active stealth system which projects ambient conditions of the opposing side, and thus rendering the masked object transparent by transmission. The system is not shown to be perfect, as it seems unable to compensate for sudden changes and physical impacts nor impervious to close observation. A faint translucent distortion is shown as the limitations of the technology. In the legal landscape of the series, usage of the technology without a warrant is heavily restricted. The use of this technology by Section 9 is the exception, and not the norm - further highlighting their extraordinary legal standing. Surprisingly, there is present day research into the active optic camouflage inspired by the fictional portrayal of it by the University of Tokyo [1].
The use of Light Autonomous Tanks, left out of the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie by time constraints, are used extensively in Stand Alone Complex. Called Tachikoma (also known as "think tanks"), they are four-legged light tanks with two forearms and adhesive wire shooters. Armed with a small caliber machine gun in their right arm and an interchangeable weapons mount at their "mouth", they provide Section Nine with a quick and highly mobile weapons platform. The weapons mount is often equipped with a grenade launcher or a Gatling gun. The body design and movement of the Tachikoma appear to be modeled after jumping spiders.
With very advanced AI, they act as the comic relief of Section 9 as they are endlessly curious and innocent. As such they provide a counterpoint to the cynical and hardened humans of the force. Two episodes are dedicated to their exploits; episode 12, "ESCAPE FROM", and episode 15, "MACHINES DÉSIRANTES". In the latter episode, the curious nature of the Tachikoma result in instabilities in their artificial intelligence fatal to operation as weapons, leading to their disarmament and decommission from service with Section 9.
Another technology that is noticeable in the series that was also not included in the 1995 film is the use of Armed Suits, bipedal powered armored exoskeletons. Resembling Shirow's Landmate armor from another of his works, Appleseed, the Armed Suit uses a small set of inner "master" arms to control the larger, more-powerful, "slave" arms. A prototype Armed Suit makes an appearance later in the first season, and a new upgraded version of the Tachikoma returns in 2nd GIG. Another Armed Suit, the Fuchikoma (that appears later in the manga too) is briefly shown at the end of 2nd GIG.
The series features Section 9 using a tiltwing aircraft very similar to the American-designed V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The aircraft depicted within the show has the capacity to carry six Tachikoma and a complement of personnel, allowing Section Nine to rapidly deploy a highly mobile and well-armored force anywhere in Japan.
The ECHELON wiretap system makes an appearance in a later episode. While under the command of the American Empire's (United States) CIA, the system is borrowed by Section 9 for a short time. The system depicted within is a more powerful and more pervasive communications monitoring system capable of real-time interception of all phone, internet, cyberbrain communication of Japan. The limitation of this system was shown to be the computational power to process the flow of information.
The subtitle "Stand Alone Complex" refers to the phenomena of emergent behavior catalyzed by parallelization of the human psyche through the cyberbrain networks on a societal level. There is no original, there is no leader. What ties together the disparate and unrelated individuals into the event called the "laughing man" case is the systematic motive encoded into the basic informational flow itself. This concept of an ever normalized ego into the fabric of society recalls the writings of Philip K. Dick, among others.
[edit] Episodes
- See main article: List of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex episodes
[edit] Trivia
Episode 1 Public Security Section 9 – SECTION-9
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs attempts to read an encrypted document. Around the pupils of his cyberneticly enhanced eyes reads "Made in Germany... Carl Zeiss". Carl Zeiss (1816-1888) was a famous German optician who pioneered several camera technologies. It is also a tribute to cyberpunk classic/precursor William Gibson who used eye implants by Carl Zeiss in his short story Burning Chrome (1984). It also reads "Directed by K.K." in reference to series director Kenji Kamiyama.
Episode 2 Runaway Evidence – TESTATION
- The weapons designer Takeshi Kago, who dies because of religious stigma and is later 'reborn' inside his latest creation, draws a parallel against Takeshi Kaga, a famous Japanese actor known for his role as Jesus in the Broadway rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as in his participation in the Japanese production of Les Miserables as his lead role of Jean Valjean, although he is now mostly known for his "Chairman Kaga" persona on Iron Chef.
Episode 12 Tachikoma Runs Away; The Movie Director's Dream – ESCAPE FROM
- When the major talks to the old man after watching the movie, a poster can be seen behind him reading 'GoSeeBananafish'. This is a reference to J.D. Salinger's short story 'A Perfect Day For Bananafish', published in Nine Stories (Salinger) along with 'The Laughing Man'. Like the episode, the short story addresses themes of escapism and features a conversation with a young girl. Also, the young girl makes mention of a story, 'The Secret Goldfish', a story written by 'D.B. Caulfield' in 'The Catcher in the Rye'.
Episode 16 SA: Chinks in the Armor of the Heart – Ag2O
- As Batou works undercover in this episode, he states that he has a wife and young son as part of his cover story. Upon further inspection, a picture of a child and a woman resembling Major Kusanagi is found in his wallet. There is no mention of Batou posessing any family anywhere else in the series, so it is possible that the picture may have been a fake.
[edit] Voice cast
[edit] Japanese Voice Cast
- Atsuko Tanaka as Motoko Kusanagi
- Akio Ohtsuka as Batou
- Koichi Yamadera as Togusa
- Osamu Saka as Daisuke Aramaki
- Takashi Onozuka as Pazu
- Tarô Yamaguchi as Borma
- Toru Okawa as Saito
- Yutaka Nakano as Ishikawa
- Yoshiko Sakakibara as Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki
- Rikiya Koyama as Hideo Kuze
- Ken Nishida as Kazundo Gouda
[edit] English Voice Cast
- Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Motoko Kusanagi
- Richard Epcar as Batou
- Crispin Freeman as Togusa
- William Frederick Knight as Daisuke Aramaki
- Robert Buchholz as Pazu
- Dean Wein as Borma
- Dave Wittenberg as Saito
- Michael McCarty as Ishikawa
- Steven Jay Blum as The Laughing Man
- Barbara Goodson as Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki
- Kirk Thornton as Hideo Kuze
- Ivan Buckley as Kazundo Gouda
[edit] Music
The music for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series has been composed by Yoko Kanno and produced by Victor Entertainment.
[edit] Theme music
The opening theme for episodes 1-26 of the first season:
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- Lyrics: Origa, Shanti Snyder
- Music: Yoko Kanno
- Vocals: Origa
The ending theme for episodes 1-26 of the first season:
- Lithium Flower
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- Lyrics: Tim Jensen
- Music: Yoko Kanno
- Vocals: Scott Matthew
[edit] Soundtracks
The original soundtrack for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, composed by Yoko Kanno, has been released over four albums, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T 2, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T 3, and a mini-album, entitled be Human.
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T 2
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T 3
- be Human
[edit] Production and distribution
The production of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series has been headed by Production I.G, anime television network Animax, who have broadcast the series across Japan, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and other regions, Bandai Entertainment, Dentsu Inc., Kodansha and Victor Entertainment.
The series is licensed for North American distribution by Bandai Entertainment, with the English dub produced by Animaze, which airs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in the United States and YTV's Bionix block in Canada. The series is also licensed for distribution in the United Kingdom region by Manga Entertainment, and for distribution in Australia by Madman Entertainment.
[edit] DVD Releases
All episodes of the original 26-episode run have been released in the UK and distributed by Manga Entertainment. 7 box-sets (each comprising of 2-discs) have been released and feature the following episodes:
- Vol.1 - Episodes 1-4
- Vol.2 - Episodes 5-8
- Vol.3 - Episodes 9-12
- Vol.4 - Episodes 13-16
- Vol.5 - Episodes 17-20
- Vol.6 - Episodes 21-23
- Vol.7 - Episodes 24-26
- Complete 1st GIG Box Set - Episodes 1-26 (7-discs)
[edit] See also
- Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
- Cyberpunk
- Postcyberpunk
- Optical camouflage
- Artificial intelligence
- Ship of Theseus
- Cyber-terrorism
- Catcher in the Rye
- J. D. Salinger
- Laughing Man (Ghost in the Shell)
- The Laughing Man (Salinger)
- Jean Baudrillard - Created the theory "Precession of Simulacra" aka Stand Alone Complex
- biohacker
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b Production I.G.. Into the Network: The Ghost in the Shell Universe. Retrieved on 2007-03-24.
[edit] External links
- Official Site (Japan) (Japanese)
- Official Site (United States)
- Official Site (Australia)
- Production IG's SAC page
- Production IG's SAC page (Japanese)
- 攻殻機動隊PKI - GISPKI (Ghost in the Shell Wiki Site) (Japanese)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex at the Internet Movie Database
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex at the TV IV
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- YTV Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex page
- Yellow Menace's SAC Episode Guide
- In-depth discussion of the series, especially in relation to Postcyberpunk science fiction by Lawrence Person
- Shirow Sama. El blog español (Spanish)
