5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 02 (Special Edition).

1. Engaging Characters, Interesting Plots, Decent Writing/Translating, Fabulous Animation, Great Music (opening song is in russian, english, and latin). And Tachikomas!
   
   There! 20 Words! You don't have to be a fanatic (or "otaku" as we otaku like to say) about this stuff to like it.
   
   A word about the Tachikomas: they are tank robots the size of a VW bug and designed like spiders, and they are definately with the "Good Guys". They can even shoot "silk" and cling to the sides of buildings. And they sound (and frequently act) like children. You would never think of saying a robot that looks like a spider was *cute*, but the Tachis'll win you over.



2. I am a big fan of both the movies. I was one of the few who was lucky enough to catch the new movie (GITS 2:Innocence) when it came to only one theater in the Atlanta area. I was excited when I heard about this series coming to both DVD and TV (Cartoon network starting 11-6-04). However, after seeing some of the "Stand Alone Complex" series, I have to say I was a little diappointed. It just didn't have the same darkness to it that the movie versions had. Seeing it on the small screen might of been the culprit here, but it felt like it was meant to be a series for TV. Just another cartoon in the ever growing library of Anime series being put out on cable. I didn't feel like there was a lot of mystique to the characters that the movies offered. The story line is intriguing, but it couldn't overcome the production quality for me. I think its definitely worth checking out for any fan of the series. Or even if you're just into Anime, it's still worth a look as well. However, I don't think it stands up to the quality of the original movies.



3. This is the second DVD in the new Ghost in the Shell series. Again the story uses the premise of a heavily cyberneticized world to create a setting where what reality is often what someone has made of it. Technologiy is so embedded in day-to-day life that a full human seems to be the exception, not the rule. Whether this vast interconnection is a good thing or not is a question that is constantly asked the viewer - and rarely answered.
   
   The first two episodes (Decoy and Meme) on this DVD pick up a story introduced on the previous issue (Interceptor) - that of the Laughing Man. He (?) is the modern version of a cyber-terrorist. Sending pinpoint viruses and mind control as a means to accomplish what so far seems to be revenge on corporate and government corruption. This time Major Kusanagi fights to prevent an assassination and tries to pick up the pieces before the evidence disappears. Expect this story to recur throughout the series. This is also the second time the phrase 'stand alone complex' is used, again to describe seeming related aberrant behavior which actually is an independent event. Again the real question is whether this is a true coincidence or 'enemy action.'
   
   Idolator pits Kusanagi and Section 9 against a foreign war hero and drug dealer (Marcelo Jarti) who has far too many lives. This time the ethical question (and there is usually an ethical question at the core of Ghost in th Shell is whether or not a man should be condemned for doing evil to accomplish something desirable.
   
   Missing Hearts gives us a peek into Kusanagi's own story. A six-year-old girl receives a suspicious heart transplant that has Kusanagi chasing after organ-leggers. Again, the illegal action has a positive effect - it saves the child from undergoing a full body cyborg replacement. Kusanagi is more than usually intent on this chase as we learn that it was at the same age that the Major became a ghost in her own shell.
   
   If I haven't mentioned that Yoko Kanno has done the music for this series let my do so now. The DVD includes an excellent interview with her on how she approached the work in this series. Her comments are eye opening, and, of course, her efforts in the series really are exemplary. In fact, if anything, the overall production quality seems to have improved as we are presented with a vision of the world that is as finely detailed as it is well-written.



4. Initial batches of the Ghost In The Shell:Stand Alone Complex Vol. 2 Special Edition have the content of Disc 1 and Disc 2 switched. There is no defect in the disc content but merely a switch in the disc artwork.
   
   Bandai Entertainment has set up an exchange program in which you can exchange both discs for a pair with the correct artwork. Contact customer service at bandai-ent.com for details.



5. 
   I would rate the show as 5 stars, this is a review of the extras and features of the Special Edition issue.
   I recently bought all the Special Edition releases of "Stand Alone Complex" after trying to research what I was going to get as extras not included in the regular edition. I found the listings on Amazon's product details to be a little confusing and incomplete on some of the volumes so I decided to write this guide for others trying to decide. I'm not going to review the "Ghost in the Shell" episodes or the series in general because there are so many excellent reviews already on this site, and most of you probably know about this great anime TV series already. There are various other reviews that say that some of the DVD's and CD's have errors on them and Bandai will replace them with corrected discs if you send them in for exchange. I have not ran into problems yet, although I haven't gone through the whole series either. And I will also state that I love the TV series as well as both movies, but I would recommend the Imported Region 2 version of GITS2:Innocence if you have a region free DVD player. Dreamworks really messed up that release omiting the English dub and putting Hard of Hearing subtitles instead of regular ones on the early issues of that movie. Most people find them very distracting and annoying.
   
   First off the discs themselves, you get two DVD discs in each volume with the same episodes on both discs. Volumes 1-5 have 4 episodes each, 6 and 7 have 3 episodes each making 26 episodes total in the series. Both discs are Anamorphic wide screen encoded directly from the High-Definition Masters. Both Discs also have English subtitles. Each set also has two interviews with voice cast or someone associated with the production of the anime, and a printed DVD insert pamphlet or booklet with different interviews and such for each volume. All discs are Region 1.
   
   Disc one has Dolby Digital 5.1 in Japanese and English, and Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and Japanese.
   
   Disc two has DTS 5.1 in English and Japanese and a Dolby Digital 2.0 English track.
   
   Volumes 1 and 2 include soundtrack CD's of the music of Yoko Kanno, the most excellent and versatile composer of the music in the TV series. Anime lovers know her work from the many fine soundtracks that she's done for countless other anime movies and TV series.
   
   Volume 3 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Major Kusanagi graphic on the back. Nice shirt!
   
   Volumes 4 and 5 have a collectable I.D. cards for a section 9 member.
   
   Volume 6 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Batou graphic on the back, and another I.D. card. Nice shirt again!
   
   Volume 7 has another Tee-Shirt! This time it's a White XL with the section 9 logo on the front, and the Laughing Man logo on the back! Once again nice shirt! It also comes with a tin box that's supposed to hold all 7 volumes of the DVD set. I was excited about getting the box but when it arrived I was disappointed with the design. It's kind of like the rectangular lunch box that you used to take to school as a kid, without the handle and latch. Its also of a thinner metal that dents easily. It has marketing type of printing on the backside that pertains to vol. 7 only, and the DVD cases stack inside one on top of the other. The spines of the cases are not visible when you open the box, only the front of the last case you put in. So you have to take all the cases out of the tin to get to a specific volume. There's also not room for the cardboard sleves that the DVD's were in when you got the individual volumes, and no room for the soundtrack CD's either. All said, I was disappointed with the box. Because of it's odd dimensions it doesn't stack in well with my DVD library. I would have much preferred the normal five sided box that usually comes with DVD sets.
   
   Overall I'd say it's worth it to buy volumes 3, 6 and 7 new to get the shirts if they interest you and pick up the others used if you can to save some money on the series. That is if you're interested in the DTS soundtrack options. I much prefer the DTS mixes to Dolby Digital and wanted the soundtrack CD's as well. Also the cardboard boxes that come with volumes 3 and 6 are better than the tin box to store your set in when you complete the series, if you stack them on shelves one row of DVD's on top of another row, and you can fit the movies into those boxes as well to fill them the rest of the way.

1 comments about Ghost in the Shell.

1. This dvd is the exact same one as the 1998 version. The only difference being the cardboard sleeve pictured. Once you take off the sleeve, it's the same dvd case as the earlier one. So beware, this dvd for collectors only!!! Those willing to pay 18 bucks for a piece of cardboard!!!

2 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 03 (Special Edition).

1. This volume gets right to the heart of the plot, and raises important questions. Who really is Gohda? Where is the next refugee threat coming from? Who tried to kill the Prime Minster, and what roll does he play in the Individual Eleven? Is there a terrorist virus causing another stand alone complex? Can Togusa finds his way clear of criminal charges? Also, we all know The Major, but what of her past?
   
   This DVD set includes the following:
   
   2 Discs:
   Disc 1 - 4 episodes in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (English and Japanese)
   Disc 2 - 4 episodes in DTS (English and Japanese)
   
   Episodes:
   1. Ambivalence
   2. Trial
   3. Affection
   4. Selecon
   
   Extras: 2 figures: Major, Tachikoma
   
   CORRECTION: Ghost in the Shell: O.S.T. 3 was NOT released with this volume, but will come at a later date.
   
   Upcoming Releases:
   Ghost in the Shell: SAC Official Log 2 - scheduled release date 1/26/06
   Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2nd GIG Vol. 4 - scheduled release date 3/21/06
   
   NOTE - If you see any anime items for sale that seem to cheap, they are BOOTLEGS. DO NOT BUY!



2. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 02 (Special Edition).

1. You'll find that the outer of the two DVD's will come loose in shipping many times. As both discs rest on the same spindle, the outer one will often come loose and bounce around in the packaging as it's shipped resulting in a scratched DVD.
   
   I just hope this one doesn't promise extras on the package that aren't actually on the DVD.



2. I received volume 02 today and there is a little foam insert that keeps the disk from falling off of the spindle. This should solve the issue of the disk being scratched during shipping. Thanks to the people who corrected this.



3. I can't tell you how relieved I was to get my package from the Royal Mail this afternoon and NOT hear any discs rattling around inside the box. The disc securing is now working and there's a good chance you'll get an intact product. The box includes the metal cased DVDs, a mouse mat and a pack of GITS themed playing cards. Excellent.



4. so far the series has started with what seems like unrelated incidents, just as Section 9 has beenr eformed and back in the field. BUT, after some closer investigating there's one tread that keeps reappearing, the mysterious group known only as the Individual Eleven...this group is apparently following in the footsteps of the group of Japanese military officers who attempted a coup d'etat around 1936-37. When these 11 conspirators went put on trial, their testimony invoked a strong sense of nationalism which led to peple across japan actually agreeing with their actions. And as a gesture that would only happen in Japan, 11 people chose to cut off their pinky finger and sent the fingers to the Prime Minister(the same PM whose job and life were threatened!), and the 11 conspirators were spared execution and viewed heros.
   
   That's the quick and easy version LOL, and in this dvd volume you will se how the Individual 11 start to piece together some kind of massive scheme to change history. And Section 9 will be up to their necks trying to piece everthing together. Ths rivals the suspense I use to see on the X-Files.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 07 (Special Edition).

1. Niihama is actually a real city on the island of Shikoku in Japan. It is a highly industrialized port city.



2. I was looking for a T-shirt with laughing man's logo on it...
   
   I found where I can get it (except this dvd), but now look what I see here... If you see what I see, you must be hacked!
   http://blog.livedoor.jp/geek/archives/23151779.html
   
   Only those who watched this series can get what I'm talking about... :-)
   
   BTW, highly recommended to watch and have an experience of this intelligent series!



3. would rate the show as 5 stars, this is a review of the extras and features of the Special Edition issue.
   I recently bought all the Special Edition releases of "Stand Alone Complex" after trying to research what I was going to get as extras not included in the regular edition. I found the listings on Amazon's product details to be a little confusing and incomplete on some of the volumes so I decided to write this guide for others trying to decide. I'm not going to review the "Ghost in the Shell" episodes or the series in general because there are so many excellent reviews already on this site, and most of you probably know about this great anime TV series already. There are various other reviews that say that some of the DVD's and CD's have errors on them and Bandai will replace them with corrected discs if you send them in for exchange. I have not ran into problems yet, although I haven't gone through the whole series either. And I will also state that I love the TV series as well as both movies, but I would recommend the Imported Region 2 version of GITS2:Innocence if you have a region free DVD player. Dreamworks really messed up that release omiting the English dub and putting Hard of Hearing subtitles instead of regular ones on the early issues of that movie. Most people find them very distracting and annoying.
   
   First off the discs themselves, you get two DVD discs in each volume with the same episodes on both discs. Volumes 1-5 have 4 episodes each, 6 and 7 have 3 episodes each making 26 episodes total in the series. Both discs are Anamorphic wide screen encoded directly from the High-Definition Masters. Both Discs also have English subtitles. Each set also has two interviews with voice cast or someone associated with the production of the anime, and a printed DVD insert pamphlet or booklet with different interviews and such for each volume. All discs are Region 1.
   
   Disc one has Dolby Digital 5.1 in Japanese and English, and Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and Japanese.
   
   Disc two has DTS 5.1 in English and Japanese and a Dolby Digital 2.0 English track.
   
   Volumes 1 and 2 include soundtrack CD's of the music of Yoko Kanno, the most excellent and versatile composer of the music in the TV series. Anime lovers know her work from the many fine soundtracks that she's done for countless other anime movies and TV series.
   
   Volume 3 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Major Kusanagi graphic on the back. Nice shirt!
   
   Volumes 4 and 5 have a collectable I.D. cards for a section 9 member.
   
   Volume 6 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Batou graphic on the back, and another I.D. card. Nice shirt again!
   
   Volume 7 has another Tee-Shirt! This time it's a White XL with the section 9 logo on the front, and the Laughing Man logo on the back! Once again nice shirt! It also comes with a tin box that's supposed to hold all 7 volumes of the DVD set. I was excited about getting the box but when it arrived I was disappointed with the design. It's kind of like the rectangular lunch box that you used to take to school as a kid, without the handle and latch. Its also of a thinner metal that dents easily. It has marketing type of printing on the backside that pertains to vol. 7 only, and the DVD cases stack inside one on top of the other. The spines of the cases are not visible when you open the box, only the front of the last case you put in. So you have to take all the cases out of the tin to get to a specific volume. There's also not room for the cardboard sleves that the DVD's were in when you got the individual volumes, and no room for the soundtrack CD's either. All said, I was disappointed with the box. Because of it's odd dimensions it doesn't stack in well with my DVD library. I would have much preferred the normal five sided box that usually comes with DVD sets.
   
   Overall I'd say it's worth it to buy volumes 3, 6 and 7 new to get the shirts if they interest you and pick up the others used if you can to save some money on the series. That is if you're interested in the DTS soundtrack options. I much prefer the DTS mixes to Dolby Digital and wanted the soundtrack CD's as well. Also the cardboard boxes that come with volumes 3 and 6 are better than the tin box to store your set in when you complete the series, if you stack them on shelves one row of DVD's on top of another row, and you can fit the movies into those boxes as well to fill them the rest of the way.



4. When I saw the 1st season of SAC, I was thrilled. When they added a 2nd season, I was even more estatic. The final 3 episodes of this series were well written and of course the animation spectacular. I think the best part is the presence of Kuse and how he somehow affects the human side of the Major. The conclusion was good and here's hoping future series/movies continue to come.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

3 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 05 (Special Edition).

1. Just got this out of the cellophane! Two days is amazingly quick service. This does have the collectable toys in it. This time it is Togusa, completing the Laughing Man logo base with Batou and Motoko. There is also a black Tachikoma. It is two disks. Two more releases and this series will be complete!



2. You have to see the whole series to understand, however I can safely say that you are a sophisticated type of person, this will interest you anime or not!



3. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

1 comments about Max Headroom: The Original Story.

1. What a groundbreaking series and i love this movie , the series that followed is what the future was going to be, we could only imagine in the 80's. it was just great i can't wait until the powers that be release this movie and the series out on DVD Matt Frewer is just awsome as the wisecracking reporter in the future Edison Carter who breaks the stories with help from his friends at the network including max headroom his cyber buddy. the gadgets i just love some of them and few have already come to pass . Anyway Please Release this Movie And Series On DVD Whoever Owns the Rights Please. If you ever do release it, Release It with all the Max Pepsi /Coke Ads Etc. Parrrrty Onnn Ok !

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 01 (Episodes 1-4).

1. Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell- in all of its incarnations- is an exceptionally literate and stimulating franchise. But the best of these incarnations is the second season of Stand Alone Complex, directed by Mamoru Oshii. Even at the most superficial level, the visual and sound design of the series are pathbreaking. But Shirow's vision for the manga was deeply informed by artificial intelligence theory and philosophy of mind. This series continues to explore these themes, even as Oshii has added on layers of international politics, speculative history, diplomacy, systems theory, law, bureacratic infighting, Japanese culture. The final product is even richer intellectual and dramatic material than its closest rival, the new Battlestar Galactica. Unlike the Matrix, this series gets better with each installment, with a bit more of the puzzle revealed in each installment. This is because - also unlike the Matrix- there is a POINT. This is not an endless symposium on the dualing natures of technology and humanity, it is thesis-driven and these questions are ultimately RESOLVED. The stories are so complex and the pace of the series is so quick that many viewers complain that it is impossible to follow. But this is merely an invitation to multiple viewings, and they repay the effort with interest.



2. As a fan of the Matrix, Stargate, and other Sci-Fi type films, I was given as vol. 5 of 2nd Gig, as a gift by a well intentioned, but uniformed family member. I think the person thought it was the entire season, so did I when I opened it, but as you know, or learn, there are 3 episodes per volume.
   
   Review of the story, the concept is not new, but very inventive in the twist on the Bionic Man (6 million dollar man) story from the US series in the 70's, staring Lee Majors. Additionally, with the fame of secret service, government intelligence drama, (Tom Clancy's CIA, Broccoli's 007, the many KGB stories, Israeli Mossad, Japan has entered the mix with its own fictional (or is it) "Section 9" of the Public Safety Ministry. Like their Anglo counter parts, this supper secret agency answer only to the Japanese Prime minister, has lots of high tech gadgetry, even more heavy duty fire power, and more importantly, a very keen nose for high level government corruption and conspiracy.
   One of the more notable plot devices used by the author is the "tochcoma" which is not a fancy car, not an invisible submarine, nor a super plane or helicopter, though Section 9 does possess all those things, what a tochcoma is, only the Japanese could think this up, a "think tank," in the literal since of the phrase. It is a tank, which can think, talk, solve problems, follow you around like a 20 ton puppy, and of course, save the day with a 88mm howitzer when everything else in your bag seems to fail. The tochcoma does provide both a sub plot of its own, and at the same time, becomes a vehicle to move the main along with the story begins to drag. The author, similar to Tom Clancy, likes to have lots of elaborate complex dialog essentially to explain, "why are we here?" The author does take a serious look a possible future of the world and technology in the same vein Blade Runner. If you like Blade Runner, you will probably enjoy this too. The only criticism I can offer is, the author, in an effort to explore the plight of the refugees, does not explain in more detail, the plight of the refugees. The refugee protagonist, is not in fact a refugee, but a mysterious enigma of nobility who was part of the original research in prosthetics, same as the Major, the female good guy protagonist. There are some other minor plot flaws that we could discuss, but not necessarily debilitating to the story. Besides, it is the flaws in literature, that makes it worth discussion. Overall, this is an excellent piece of work for television, home theater that is worth watching, often more than once. Take note of the opening theme, which the lyrics are in Latin, English and Russian, with subtitles, this is novel, and quite interesting.



3. 2nd gig picks up storywise where the last left off. Section 9 is given the opportunity to get another mission. However it has to be executed perfect, because the public hasn't forgot the scandal they were behind at the end of the last series. All the characters from the first season has returned. So far the stories is pretty interesting. I enjoyed all of them even though its not guns blazin every episode. The soundtrack is alot better to me this time. Especially the end theme. I can hear it over and over. The dvd has 4 episodes with some extras. I haven't seen the later episodes yet because this time I'm waiting for the boxset to drop. Usually if I really get into a series I wont wait for the collection. But right now I'm checking out a few different shows that to me are far better than this. If your already a fan, and you enjoyed the last season plus the movie. Then your most likely going to enjoy this one.



4. I own both the Ghost in the Shell movies, and both complete series. They are very intelligent and very well scripted stories. The first movie, especially, is a masterpiece. If you are into linear, simple action ANIME, you may not like these, because (especially in the two GIGs) the story is very complicated.
   
   I purchased the 2nd GIG from eBay, where I ordered a very inexpensive box which included the complete series. I am writing this review mostly to warn you against doing this, or at least so that you know what you are likely to purchase if you do as I did. The box is, I believe, a copyrighted original, which is much cheaper than the products sold by Amazon because the box is an Asian import. The video quality is good, as well as the sound. There is no dubbing, so all the dialogues are in Japanese, but I don't care about this, and actually I think the Japanese versions are much better than the English versions anyway, because the Japanase actors involved in this sort of production are much better professional than the 2nd or 3rd rate folks who dub the US versions.
   
   So, where is the problem? The SUBTITLES... In the cheap complete box I purchased the subtitles of many (fortunately not all) episodes are so bad that you often literally CANNOT understand what the characters are talking about. Sometimes you can clearly infer that the characters are saying the OPPOSITE of what the subtitle suggests. Grammar and syntax are all over the place, and there are sometimes words which are just made up. It is clear that the translation was done by a Japanese with a VERY poor knowledge of the English language, and no one English-speaking professional was consulted. I was surprised by this, because I purchased an equally cheap complete box of the first GIG, and in that case the translation was spotless. But you truly have to consider that if you buy a cheap box for the 2nd GIG chances are you will end up with a hardly comprehensible series, and given the complexity of the storyline, this will seriously affect your ability to enjoy your purchase.
   
   This said, AS FAR AS I COULD UNDERSTAND, the 2nd GIG is excellent, even if I have the feeling that the first had better artwork. Anyway, it's still a very stimulating ANIME story, but just make sure you know what you are buying if you decide to go ahead with the purchase.



5. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!

5 comments about Pinocchio 964.

1. Yowza!!! This is an amazing flick from Shozin Fukui (Rubber's Lover). This baby is filled to the brim with kinetic energy that'll blow the unsuspecting viewer away.
   
   Previously residing in the lonely world of bootleg video, Unearthed Films released this fantastic edition on DVD. The image quality is something magnificant to behold. For a film shot on 16mm, the restoration is quite breathtaking. I couldn't believe how amazing it looked.
   
   For me, this film isn't really about the story, it's about the experience of watching it, and it's one hell of a ride. Fukui has an impressive eye (I wish he crank out a few more films) and even though he was working within the limited aspect ratio of 1:33:1, he still manages to capture some striking compositions. His creative use of cinematography creates a very chaotic and unstable world that can become unhinged (which it usually does) at any given moment. His use of sound and performaces from fearless actors will further test of audiences' boundaries of sanity.
   
   I saw this before I saw Tetsuo: The Iron Man, which many people accuse this film of ripping off. No way! This baby is a completely different animal. In many ways, I think Pinocchio 964 emerges as a better film. At the very least, it lives within its own creative world and I'm very happy that I can finally view it as it was meant to be seen!
   
   Check it out!



2. this was a very good film if you are looking for something completely awkward. lots of nonsense that makes it so unique however still the similarities to this and tetsuo the ironman are obvious. only thing i didnt like was that it seemed to drag on a bit much like tetsuo but i love how these japanese actors pull off the delusional acts. not enough lesbian action if you ask me. i like the extra short as well



3. Like Tetsuo: The Iron Man this film takes you into a really bizarre, neurotic, and insane world where all of the normal conventions of cinema have been thrown out. In other words, you are either going to love this film or you are going to completely hate it. Personally, I am stuck somewhere in between those two extremes. This is by no means a perfect movie, but I really enjoyed it for what it was... or rather whatever you may wish to call it. The imagery was very abstract and, even though it felt like a Tetsuo rip off at times, there were still some pretty creative ideas within this film. I also liked how the entire film was shot in color instead of black and white. I think that too many of these types of movies rely too heavily on the stark atmosphere of black and white instead of exploring the vivid colors and imagery that can be projected in color. I especially liked seeing the actors freaking out in public. That was quite an amusing site to behold. How modest the Japanese are! I wonder how Americans would react to that. They stared at times, but for the most part they kept to their own individual business. I wonder what other bizarre events they ignore. Overall, if you are expecting a conventional movie with a storyline and a cast of well developed and likable characters, then look elsewhere. If you want to see an LSD trip of a movie, then this is going to be right up your alley, because the images on screen are just very bizarre and abstract. I guess that you could read into this film in any way that you choose. Ultimately, as a piece of art it is left open to interpretation. However, you have to look at the images in order to understand what this film is trying to say. So, with that in mind, this is a film that is told through images, not dialogue.



4. 10 minutes of poor writing stretched to 97 minutes by bad acting with a 90 minute sound track of grunting, screaming, and gagging. Like getting on a bad ride after a bad meal. When it finally stops you still don't feel well and you regret wasting your time and money. I don't know what drug cyberpunks are on to enjoy this but thank you, I'll pass.



5. What a pleasant treat 964 Pinocchio is. I was always curious as to what the Japanese "Cyberpunk" Cinema scene was all about and now I at least have a little bit of an idea...maybe?
   
   As an average person or moviegoer - what are you going to get out of 964 Pinnochio? You're going to get A LOT of people running around and the way it's portrayed makes you feel as if you're high on PCP. You're going to get incredibly uncomfortable moans, groans, and screams, CONSTANTLY, and some brutally gooey scenes of violence. Oh yeah, and "NO PLOT!"
   
   Basically, this movie is not for everyone. Definitely not. But for anyone who can see a film as a piece of art, put this in high regards! It is definitely a masterpiece of it's kind and culture! I, for one, have never seen anything like it. The speed-fused style of cinematography and editing will have anyone who can actually SIT through the whole movie feeling antsy and a bit dreadful! But you need to look at things the right way, any movie that can work it's way into your psyche like that and become a CHALLENGE to watch, is a GOOD THING! Some of the scenes with the wandering around camera reminded me of the sort of queasy feeling that the 2002 masterpiece IRREVERSIBLE provides.
   
   I'm not going to say much else, other than that you need to expect an extremely abstract ride full of horrifying imagery, dreadful atmosphere, and ultra-violence...all at hyperspeed! I especially enjoyed the finale! 964 Pinocchio is certainly a masterpiece of it's own kind!

3 comments about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 06 (Special Edition).

1. I was kind of annoyed this box set only included episodes 21, 22, and 23. Then I found out, Volume 07 will include the last 4 episodes of this series. So we are getting pretty close to the end, which is unfortunate for fans of the series.
   
   Regardless, with the limited edition version, you get the usual 2 Disc DVDs (Disc 1-DD audio, Disc 2-DTS audio) and this time around we get the following 2 figurines; Tachikoma (Vulcan Type) & President and Maid (Secret).
   
   I haven't viewed the 3 episodes yet, which include 21-'Embarrasment', 22-'Reversal', 23-'Martial Law'. I'm still waiting for a new widescreen HDTV display to view it on. However, based on the rest of the series which I've thoroughly enjoyed, I am counting on more of the same top notch production values with the usual solid storyline.
   
   There are already rumors of a 3rd GIG series coming out in Japan this winter...keep your fingers crossed.
   
   Meanwhile, in the here and now, this is easily the best anime drama series out there. If you still haven't watched this series, I strongly urge you to give it a try. Nothing comes close to the maturity found in this adult storyline/plot. You have to go back to the original Ghost in the Shell movie or even AKIRA for this kind of production value in an anime.



2. I really enjoy the series. But who's idea was it to put the second series special editions in tins?! They are virtually impossible to get the DVD out. The potential for some to crack the disk is too great. And the tins take up twice the space as a normal clam shell dvd box. The makers may think it is cool as a collectable, but I think it is really annoying. Keep with the clam shell covers!



3. This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!