Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex — The Laughing Man

If you thought the original box set of the first season of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was too bulky, Bandai finally offers up a proper solution. Rather than the seven individually packed DVD cases sitting in a nifty but space consuming box, the newly released complete collection sets all seven DVDs into one double-thick DVD case. It’s a lot more convenient and compact but that’s about the only thing that’s changed. It still features all the same "Tachikomatic Days” animated shorts, all the same cast and crew interviews and all 26 episodes of this dense, often confusing cyberpunk series. Stand Alone Complex reboots Shirow Masamune’s popular manga as a separate entity from the two previously released Ghost in the Shell movies, using the longer run time to put greater emphasis on the relationships between the members of Public Security Section 9, a super-secret organization of agents tasked with the investigation of the most difficult cyber-crimes. While the first season of GITS: SAC ostensibly deals with the investigation of a cyber-terrorist known as the Laughing Man, the emphasis on that story weighs heavily towards the beginning and the end of the series, with much of the middle section consisting of one-off filler investigations, or "stand alone” episodes, which tend reveal the relationships and characters of Section 9. Essentially a cop show, the action sequences are superb, especially the big finale in episode 25, but the show gets bogged down in endless amounts of exposition, a necessary evil thanks to the layout of Shirow’s original manga, and yet most viewers will still be rather quickly confused. However, by the end it will all make sense and a second viewing should put all the puzzle pieces in place. Combining good art with a good story and many interesting characters, GITS: SAC is perfect for those who prefer some substance in their cartoons. But be warned, the second season (aka the 2nd Gig) is still only available in the bulky box set.