Review of Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: Vol. 7

Introduction

13 months and 7 two-disc volumes ago, I ventured with a degree of trepidation into the world of a new anime series. I had previously seen the Ghost In The Shell movie and found it intriguing and thought provoking, if a little dry. The film`s design was stunning, and over its running time it asked philosophical questions that went to the heart of existence, of intelligence, and of the soul. I wondered how such weighty matter could transfer to a weekly 25-minute anime series, and how such a show would maintain the interest over 26 episodes. Then I the watched the first volume. Since then, I have been waiting greedily for each successive instalment of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex and now, 13 months down the line, I am faced with the finale, the climax, the last volume of the series. I`d be a little depressed if I didn`t know that a second series is due early next year.

Ghost In The Shell inhabits one of those strange new worlds we often hear tell of. Set in the not too distant future, the divisions between man and machine are blurring. AI is a reality, and life like androids do the menial jobs that humans used to. It isn`t unusual for the average citizen to be enhanced in some way with implants or prosthetics. For some the enhancements are to such a degree that little of the original human remains. Major Motoko Kusanagi of Section 9 is one such person, who since the age of 6 has been equipped with a totally cybernetic body. The only biological component left is her brain. The differences between man and machine becomes ever more meaningless when machines can develop personality. It also opens up a whole new area of criminal activity, when cybernetically enhanced senses can be fooled by an enterprising hacker, or worse their brains themselves can be hacked into, subverting the innocent by reprogramming their `ghosts`. In the light of such terrifying possibilities, a special unit is created to head off the threat of such cyber-crime. Section 9 led by Aramaki is at the forefront of combating the new cyber criminals.

All the evidence starts to fall into place as the final episodes commence. The truth about the Laughing Man and his quest becomes clear, and points to a conspiracy at the highest levels. Just possessing this information is dangerous enough, but lethal consequences await when Section 9 tries to bring the criminals to justice. This release from Manga Entertainment comes on 2 discs and contains the final three episodes of the series. Disc 1 contains three episodes and the bulk of the extras, as well as DD 2.0 and DD 5.1 soundtracks. Disc 2 contains the same episodes, but with DTS soundtracks.

24. Annihilation
Togusa is out of the hospital and back at work, but the investigation takes him and Aramaki to the highest levels when they have to inform the Prime Minister just how far the corruption goes. But Section 9 is pre-empted when their existence is leaked to the press, as well as a conjectured link with The Laughing Man. The tables are turned as the Major and her colleagues are hunted by the military, while Togusa is arrested.

25. Barrage
Separated and on the run, the members of Section 9 are easy pickings for their pursuers. Batou decides to help the Major and heads for the safe house. He`s walking into a trap though.

26. Stand Alone Complex
The final episode of the series, where we learn what Stand Alone Complex actually means…

At the end of each episode, the Tachikomas continue their mini-adventures, now in Tachikoma paradise.

Video

Ghost In The Shell is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic ratio. This is another good transfer, with the image clear and sharp throughout, and digital banding is kept to a minimum. However the episodes on this disc display their NTSC roots to a degree, with ghosting apparent in some scenes. It`s a drop down in quality from the earlier discs and as such is a little disappointing. It must be said that the character design is greatly simplified in comparison to the detailed and beautiful characterisations of the movie. That`s to be expected when creating these characters for a serialised television show, but the animation is still dynamic and effortlessly realised. However the sheer detail and intricacy of the world design is marvellous. It`s the mix of the animation and design that makes this show look so good. In general the episodes on this disc continue and even exceed the high standard of design and animation established in earlier volumes.

The Ghost In The Shell movie was lauded for its use of CGI. Computer imagery was used to create displays and overlays in the film and certainly contributed to its look. Seven years of advances in animation have made Stand Alone Complex a different animal when it comes to CGI. All 3D objects are realised through the computer, and are flawlessly integrated with the traditional style animation. The displays and overlays are if anything better than in the film. To cap it all off, the title sequence is completely rendered in CGI, with a 3D version of Major Kusanagi in action in a computer-generated world. There are some stunning mechanical creations in the episodes on this disc, with the CGI put to brilliant use in realising the climactic action sequences.

It would have broken a consistent run in flawed discs if this one had been perfect, and I`m actually relieved to be able to point out the glitches on this disc. It`s now a matching set. 8 seconds into episode 25, there is a burst of pixellation. It`s during the opening credits so it doesn`t much matter. There is also a glitch 2:06 into the interview in the extras on disc one.

Audio

This release comes with a full selection of soundtracks. Disc 1 has soundtracks in DD 2.0 English and Japanese Stereo, as well as DD 5.1 English and Japanese, whereas Disc 2 allows you to watch the show with DTS 5.1 English and Japanese (encoded at 754kbps), as well as a repeat of the DD 2.0 English Stereo track. There are English translated subtitles for both discs.

As usual I chose to listen to the original Japanese track. The surround is stunningly effective, with full use made of the soundstage to effectively convey the action, the future world and Yoko Kanno`s stunning music. The action ramps up an extra level for these climactic episodes, so be prepared for some stunning use of the surround speakers. Listening to the action and gunfights in the episodes, I felt totally immersed in the world. And I`m almost jumping for joy to report that there are no problems with the audio that I experienced. I sampled the other tracks and heard no immediate problems there. Subtitles are fine as well, a nice white font, with the subtitles discretely placed at the bottom of the image.

Features

Depending on where you buy this volume, you can get a nice metal tin to store all the volumes in, as well as a T-Shirt. I just got the test discs, so I can`t even comment on the cover art. The extras are split across the two discs again and there are glorious animated menus reflecting the cyberpunk style of the show on both. They are set to the show`s music, although for this volume, the various images and logos that appear as the menus boot are subsumed by the Laughing Man logo, which I thought was a nice touch. The transitions between menus are short and never get tedious.

Disc 1 contains the episode synopses related to the episodes on these discs. Beware of reading them first, as they obviously contain spoilers for the episodes. Instead of the usual character profiles however, there are text paragraphs going into detail about the science at the heart of the story.

There is only one interview on this disc this time around, with director Kenji Kamiyama speaking for 16 minutes about the way he works, his vision for the series, the world design and the inspiration for the story. There is also some behind the scenes footage of a script meeting.

The new Manga trailers show up on this disc also, although one is curiously absent. There is also the trailer for the Stand Alone Complex Video Game.

Disc 2 has the usual quiz, but this time this unlocks the trailer for Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, the second series in other words. It would be more impressive if the trailer wasn`t available already on other contemporary Manga Entertainment titles. As it is, it`s far too short a taster of the next series, and doesn`t satisfy as a prize for completing the quiz.

Fortunately, there is more on the disc, most notably the Terratag Featurette. This is a UK exclusive, and features an interview with Paul Nicholson, the designer who created the Laughing Man logo. He also lets slip that he has worked on the new series, and there are more revelations for the new story in this featurette than in the trailer.

Finally there are the ROM features, which include a weblink, wallpapers and a game demo that I couldn`t get to work on my system.

Conclusion

After the stunning episodes on the preceding volume, the words `eager anticipation` don`t do justice to how much I was looking forward to this disc. Yet Volume 7 actually managed to exceed my expectations, delivering in all aspects when it came to completing the story, delivering on jaw-dropping action, tying up all the loose ends, and ensuring enough twists and turns in the narrative to have me on just the good side of dizzy. You`ll have noticed that I was uncharacteristically brief with the episode descriptions, and I`ll continue that now. The story on this disc just mustn`t be spoiled, despite the fact that I ache to share some of the high points of the episodes. Usually when a series comes to an end, there is a rather melancholy feel to the climax, as if you are saying goodbye to the characters, and it seems that the story goes through the motions of tying things up. There is none of that here, as Ghost In The Shell`s climax if anything has even more energy and vitality than the opening episodes, where everything seemed fresh and brand new.

These seven volumes comprise one of the best anime series I have seen. Everything about it, from the design to the story and the music has been consistently of high quality. It`s taken cyberpunk philosophy and fused it to a charged and frenetic cop show that simply has no equal. It is infused with originality and style to a degree that makes it like nothing I have ever seen before. Everything from the writing to the characters comes together to deliver an outstanding anime experience. It`s one of those rare animations that actually transcends genre and excels as a piece of entertainment in its own right. I`m gushing I know, but Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex has been something of a bittersweet experience. Against the awesome series has to be considered the niggling quality control issues that have plagued every single release from Manga Entertainment. Were it any lesser series, I doubt fans would have been so forgiving, but by the same token and given the reputation of this series, this is one release that should have been gotten right from the off. Here is hoping that 2nd Gig manages to avoid the same problems.

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I just love it. With this seventh and final volume, the first series comes to a stupendous climax that justifies the faith that any fan has had in collecting this series. Minor glitches aside, there is no need to hesitate to complete your collection. Manga Entertainment are also releasing the collected volumes in a boxset, as well as a budget beating collection of single disc editions, so if you haven`t yet sampled the joy that is Stand Alone Complex, the ideal Christmas present beckons. Now it`s just a matter of waiting for the 2nd Gig.