Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex

In the not so distant future, mankind has advanced to a state where complete body transplants from flesh to machine is possible. This allows for great increases in both physical and cybernetic prowess and blurring the lines between the two worlds. However, criminals can also make full use of such technology, leading to new and sometimes, very dangerous crimes. In response to such innovative new methods, the Japanese Government has established Section 9, an independently operating police unit which deals with such highly sensitive crimes.

Led by Daisuke Aramaki and Motoko Kusanagi, Section 9 deals with such crimes over the entire social spectrum, usually with success. However, when faced with a new A level hacker nicknamed "The Laughing Man," the team is thrown into a dangerous cat and mouse game, following the hacker's trail as it leaves its mark on Japan.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kusanagi, Motoko Main

Tanaka, Atsuko Japanese

Batou Main

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Togusa Main

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Aramaki, Daisuke Main

Saka, Osamu Japanese

Tachikoma ing

Tamagawa, Sakiko Japanese

The Laughing Man ing

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Saito ing

Ookawa, Tooru Japanese

Ishikawa ing

Nakano, Yutaka Japanese

Aoi ing

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Pazu ing

Onozuka, Takashi Japanese

Maseba, Yutaka Producer

Matsuya, Yuuichirou Producer

Sugita, Tsutomu Producer

Kamiyama, Kenji Director, Script, Storyboard, Series Composition, Series Production Director

Reviews

Jan 8, 2025

Joe_Devaney

Recommended

Note: This will be a review of both seasons, plus the movie.

Overview:
When it first aired back in the 2000s, "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" (much like the 1995 movie that inspired it) gained a huge amount of acclaim for its deep, philosophical themes and great cyberpunk action, with even those who weren't fans of anime praising it. Two decades on, however, and the series is beginning to show its age, with multiple parts of it not holding up as well as they used to. That's not to say that it’s a bad series now- far from it, in fact. It's just that it ... falls a little short of being the ingenious masterpiece it was once hailed as.

Story (8/10):
"Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" is set near-future Japan, where cybertechnology is now widespread and many people have been converted into cyborgs with prosthetic bodies. Unfortunately, this new outbreak of technology has also allowed a whole array of new crimes to be committed, many of which can't be solved or tracked by the police. Enter Public Security Section 9, an elite law enforcement agency led by Chief Daisuke Aramaki and commanded by our protagonist and heroine Major Motoko Kusanagi. Together with former solider Batou and former police officer Togusa, along with a host of other , it's up to these special ops agents to investigate these cybercrimes and terrorist plots, as well as any other conspiracies that are too much for ordinary people to handle, and they're generally willing to resort to any means necessary in order to do so.

The series has two seasons consisting of 26 episodes each, and each season has its own separate overarching plot. However, not all episodes tie in to the arc of a given season, which is generally highlighted by the type of episode they are, shown in the title screen near the beginning of each; in the first season, the stand-alone episodes are called, well, "Stand Alone", while the arc-important episodes are called "Complex", while in the second season, there are three types of episodes- "Individual" episodes tie into the primary arc of the series, "Dual" episodes tie into the secondary arc (which is related to the primary one) and "Dividual" episodes are stand-alone. Most episodes do a fine job at fleshing out the world of "Ghost in the Shell", as well as providing some good development for the various of Section 9, though some far more so than others. The main plots of both seasons are also very intriguing and will often leave you wondering just where they're going to go and how things will ultimately end.

However, while the story is certainly interesting, it can also be very confusing at times. The characters have a habit of engaging in these deep discussions that require knowledge of obscure philosophies in order to understand, meaning quite a few conversations will make no sense to the average person. Treating viewers like they know nothing is insulting enough, but if you ask me, treating them like they know everything is just downright patronizing. It doesn't help that a lot of these philosophies are at the core of certain characters' motivations, meaning you'll sometimes find yourself scratching your head and wondering why certain characters do what they do. Furthermore, of the 26 episodes of the first season, only 12 tie in to the overarching story, which is a problem since the "Stand Alone" episodes, while not bad by any means, are nowhere near as interesting as the "Complex" episodes. And while the main plot does take over the season completely in the final quarter, the overall ending to the arc is very anti-climatic, with much of the conflict being resolved off-screen and only told to us in ing. Thankfully, the second season goes out its way to fix all of these problems save for the first, with more episodes that tie into the overarching plot and a more satisfying ending. The movie continues down the same path, wrapping things up with what really feels like a fitting conclusion to the series as a whole.

Art & Animation (8.5/10):
"Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" was a relatively early project of Production I.G., and it shows as it is a great-looking series, especially for the time period, with a highly detailed art style, great character designs and CGI that's highly effective without ever being too obvious. Even so, there are a few shots where rough edges become apparent, especially in the first season and it ultimately doesn't look quite as good as some of their more recent anime like "Psycho " or "Guilty Crown". Even so, the visuals have held up remarkably well over the years, and I would definitely say it looks a lot better than most of Production I.G.'s other early projects, particularly "xxxHolic".

Sound & Dialogue (9/10):
If there's one thing you can expect from a cyberpunk story, it's great music, and "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" is no exception, especially considering it's composed by Yoko Kanno, who is almost as good a composer as Yuki Kajiura and Hiroyuki Sawano. There are a lot of great tracks that play over the series, and I honestly find it hard to pick a favourite, though "Replica" from the movie is definitely among them. The two openings (both of which are sung by Russian singer Origa, who sadly is no longer with us) are fantastic and the ending themes are great as well, especially that of the second season. Besides the music, the voice acting is excellent as well, with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn stealing the show as Motoko Kusanagi (particularly when compared to the rather flat performance delivered by Mimi Woods in the movie), though the dub cast is solid all around, whether it's Richard Epcar as Batou, the always-awesome Crispin Freeman as Togusa or the late William Frederick Knight as Aramaki. As a whole, the sound design is definitely the best part of the series.

Characters (8/10):
As with most of my reviews, I will start with the protagonist, namely Motoko Kusanagi, who's usually just referred to as the Major. The first thing to note about Motoko is that she's not your typical run-of-the-mill cyborg- rather than having a body consisting of both organic and synthetic parts, her body is entirely synthetic, with the term "ghost" referring to what somebody human even when their body isn't. This essentially makes her one of the robot girls that Japan seems awfully fond of, and like a robot, Motoko is very unemotional and will resort to any means to get the job done. She hacks systems, kills people and generally breaks laws that her organization is above, all with zero hesitation. However, all of these things are done with the explicit intention of saving people and keeping the public safe, and Motoko is a surprisingly kind person when not on the job, and views her co-workers as close friends, with her relationships with Batou and Aramaki being particularly standout examples. The second season also delves into her past while also connecting it to the overarching plot, which helps to humanize her even further than before. Overall, Motoko is easily my favourite character, being very likeable, badass, complex and an all-around fantastic protagonist. Hell, pretty much the only problem I have with her is that she tends to overshadow the rest of the cast, and even that's nowhere near to the same extent as some other examples I can name.

Next up is Batou, the male lead of the series who is known only by his last name to the point that his first name is never revealed. Like Motoko, Batou is a cyborg with an entirely synthetic body, though he tends to show a lot more emotion than her and is pretty abrasive, though it's never to the point of being obnoxious and he clearly cares about his comrades. This is most evident in his relationship with Motoko and how he takes care of the Tachikomas, a squad of A.I. think tanks with the personalities of curious dogs who assist Section 9 on missions and can even be ridden in as vehicles. What's more is that while Batou may seem like a dumbass at first glance, he's actually anything but, being highly intelligent and an expert hacker, as well as surprisingly philosophical. A former soldier, Batou has his past revealed in the first season unlike Motoko, though sadly the episode that focuses on it is one of the worst episodes of the entire show, if not THE worst. While I definitely didn't like Batou as much as Motoko, he's nevertheless a very likeable and badass character with plenty of awesome moments to his name.

Next in importance to the Major and Batou is Togusa, a former police officer who, like Batou, is known only by his surname. Togusa is very much the odd one out of the team; not only is he not a cyborg like Motoko and Batou but he also has a very different career background from the rest of the team and, most significantly, is happily married with two children, making him the only family man. As a matter of fact, his unique background is precisely why he was recruited into Section 9 in the first place, as it makes the team less predictable and allows him to approach things from a unique angle. However, his comparatively easy life also means that he can often be pretty naïve, and he's frequently blindsided by the bizarre cases Section 9 specialises in dealing with, though he gets better about this as time goes on, possibly a little too much better. Rounding up the main cast is Chief Daisuke Aramaki, the only other non-cyborg of the team. While Motoko Kusanagi may be the team's field leader, it's Aramaki who's really in charge and he frequently guides the group during missions, being a stern but fair leader who goes out of his way to ensure everyone's safety. Sure, his advanced age and lack of cyber enhancements means he can't contribute anything in of combat or hacking, but his charisma, guile and political savviness nevertheless make him an indispensable part of the team, and it's no exaggeration to say that the plots of both seasons would have gone very differently without him.

Unfortunately, while there are a good number of well-developed characters in the series, there are others who get next to no focus or development at all. First, there's two of Section 9, Pazu and Borma, both of whom have barely any meaningful dialogue and no standout abilities when compared to the rest of the team. And while Pazu does eventually get a focus episode, Borma never does, and his explosives expertise are only relevant in one episode late in season 2. Furthermore, despite playing such an important role in his story and character, Togusa's wife and children ultimately have little to nothing in the way of personality or even names for that matter. They just exist to give a reason as to why Togusa is the way he is. Hell, the friggin' Tachikomas, the above-mentioned think-tanks of Section 9, have more focus and development than any of the characters I just mentioned and they don't even LOOK human! In almost any other story, I would have let something like this slide, but in a series where what it means to be human is such a major theme, it's a serious problem, especially considering there aren't even that many characters to begin with.

Enjoyment (8/10):
Given that this is a series that seems heavily inspired by "Blade Runner" and other similar works, it's safe to say that the world of "Ghost in the Shell" is not a happy one, with gruesome deaths and horrific crimes aplenty and bittersweet endings being very much the norm. Yet within all the chaos comes plenty of fantastic action and some surprisingly good comic relief as well, with Batou and the Tachikomas providing most of the latter. The series also has plenty of brilliant set-pieces (helped by the amazing music), which help draw you in even when things are at their bleakest.

Overall:
"Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" is a series that is sadly past its prime. While it may have been incredible back in the day, other anime and games like "Psycho " and "Deus Ex" have since combined the basic formula with stronger characterization and tighter, more coherent writing, and now the more questionable parts of the series are just a lot harder to ignore. That being said, while it may not have been as great as it once was, this is still a series that comes highly recommended, especially if you're a sci-fi fan, as it has great visuals, outstanding music and voice acting and some truly fantastic set-pieces.

Score:
8+8.5+9+8+8=41.5/50=8.3/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Nov 1, 2024

LightningComet

Mixed Feelings

When I contemplate Kenji Kamiyama’s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (heretofore “SAC”), I’m reminded of the ending lines of the morning routine monologue from American Psycho:

“There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense that our lifestyles are probably comparable, I simply am not there.”

Coldness aside, it’s as though SAC itself spoke these words to its audience. For all its flair, for as meticulously ... crafted, honed, and maintained as it is, and for as much as it presents itself as something especially valuable through these specifically material lenses, there is an underlying emptiness there by design. This is a show that lacks immaterial value, a work of art with little to no actual artistic statement at its core; in other words, SAC is mostly devoid of a soul. That does not mean it is without any value, seeing as it is generally good fun, but it strikes me as odd that a series held in such high esteem by so many would be one that engendered such minimal emotional attachment from the audience to its characters, at least in my experience.

I don’t believe it’s fair to compare SAC to the Oshii film (“GitS”). I respect that these two works exists alongside each other and are designed to be consumed differently (TV versus film), even if not necessarily by different audiences; they have real-world purposes distinct from one another that inform the style of their stories as they have been put to the screen. Where GitS is a film rooted in its lead character’s mind, functioning as a psychological deep-dive that ponders the fluidity, strength, and capacity of that element labeled an individual’s “humanity”, SAC is mostly unconcerned with these concepts and just wants to be a fun cyberpunk conspiracy-thriller show into which audiences tune every week.

And doesn’t that ever sound familiar. In my last review (on Tiger & Bunny), I mentioned that Witch Hunter Robin skated by on its aesthetic and atmospheric value in lieu of presenting engaging characters. I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t also give a nod here to Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, a series that, while having more heart than either SAC or Robin, in my opinion, very clearly puts the brunt of its effort into looking as good as it can for as long as possible. Both Robin and Kabaneri are shows that I enjoy and even afford solid ratings. I’m no hypocrite; SAC deserves the same fair treatment.

Even so, I have to it an inherent bias: I feel a net loss upon observing just how removed SAC is from GitS in every meaningful way while retaining the same now-ill-fitting name. The fact that it seeks to fly through that film’s jet-stream in spite of sharing only aesthetic elements and general character profile makes SAC read as an attempt at cashing in on brand popularity. This is only my cynical and reactive gut feeling; my conscious mind instead argues that SAC stands on its own merit both in style and substance. While the main story is not one I found very affecting, ditto many of the standalone episodes, all are effectively told with some moments being memorable enough that their tension remains. This is a tough feat to accomplish and yet an essential one in a show that could have weeks between episodes relating to the main story; that Kamiyama and his team did it so deftly is a testament to their capability. But this ability to craft and maintain suspense does not necessarily make SAC a great show.

Where is the drama, the emotional conflict? We get pieces here and there of hearts in the standalone episodes, but these stories are rarely well-written; episode 16’s “I’m the one with the blind spot” line made me and my brother almost die laughing. The emotional climax of the episode should not seem so ridiculous. GitS may not have been quite so willing to shed a tsunami of tears or scream loudly with feelings, but it presents itself as a film with a palpable mood. I think back to when the Major is being assembled while eerie vocals flood my ears, or the Major floating upward to her reflection in a moment scored with what I can only describe as aural serenity, or the time when she wakes up in the morning and opens the blinds to let in the ghostly daylight and we hear nothing at all. As much as I do believe that GitS and SAC should be taken on their own merits and flaws, that they are not comparable works, I think that emotional resonance and a willingness to build empathy within the audience is something inherent to all works of art. My philosophy is that to be effective requires being affecting, and SAC doesn’t have that.

And it’s this absence of a beating heart that takes me back to that quote from American Psycho. There is something fundamentally missing; in spite of all of its attempts to reach the audience, it doesn’t seem to succeed or even really try when it comes to connecting in ways that matter e.g. touching the hearts and minds of viewers. All that I can say about SAC is that it is fun, has great art, animation, and music, and showcases solid ability at crafting a suspenseful conspiracy thriller; hats off to you, Kamiyama. SAC can be a good choice of show to watch an episode of with your friends or whoever after a day at work, but it does not function well as a drama, and this is a recurring pattern in Kamiyama’s oeuvre. He’s like the J.J. Abrams of the anime world for all the good and bad that entails.

I don’t think it is fair to not recommend the show given its merits, so I will instead leave you all with this: really consider what you hope to get out of something before devoting your time to it.

Happy watching!
- LC

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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May 19, 2010

no_forehead

Not Recommended

There are several things I don't appreciate in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

Spoilers included by necessity:

I found it really disappointig that the final solutions to the main mysteries didn't actually have anything to do with the technology of GITS's world like would have expected. Why not explore the chance that, for example, the EXACT replicability of things electronic input/output to brain allows could result in different minds processing the raw thoughts to a same conclusion as the results of human minds being at some level identical? Instead the "copies without original" were explained through memetics, despite the fact that the concept of memes ... doesn't have much to do with random people deciding to do the same thing randomly after witnessing some event.

This reminds me much about the reasons why I don't like Paranoia Agent - making a work that involves psychological and sociological dynamics, but then exaggerating the phenomenon to totally unplausible levels causes it to not deliver any real message, or illustrate the workings of these theories in educational sense. Some may find it brilliancy, but I find it as a lacking sense of reality and/or poor grasp of the concepts it is all about. It's even more frustrating when it's offered as a solution to a mystery the whole series is based upon.

Also, what's up with the Major's outfit? Nobody wears clothes like that, that's pure fanservice. It's up to you to decide whether or not this cheapens the work (GITS is not a character-driven show to begin with after all), as long as you aren't a hypocrite and think that in the case of Code Geass it does but in the case of Ghost in the Shell doesn't.

Some praise the difficulty of the plot to follow, such as mentioning a important, relating case in one episode in the beginning when one has not a clue of the whole picture of what the series is about, and then casually referring to it later on. I can't see how this is a positive thing and somehow adding 'depth' into it and not different from just bad storytelling.

My strong opinion is, mindfuck for the sake of it is never good, it should be used only as a tool to serve a purpose, to deliver the message of the work if it cannot be effectively delivered any other way (such as in Paprika, in which it is fun to guess whether what's happening is a dream or real event, or to a lesser extent in Serial Experiments Lain, which uses uncertainty and inconsistency as a metaphor for the layman's defective understanding of the nature of modern technology and detachedness from the world's clockwork functions).

Overall, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex is pretty average and unrealistic cyberpunk that has nothing that is actually worth a honest thought of 'what if this happened in reality' and you haven't seen somewhere else already. And by this I mean most of the Stand Alone episodes are based onto recycled cyberpunk ideas.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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