(L) Ghost in the Shell ARISE

[Zetsubo]

suppose we temporarily forget the originals and just enjoy this as if it were new to us ?

I mean we get so worked up over how its connected to the originals or not that we deny ourselves the chance to enjoy the thing.

Not canon.. not gits... whatever... just watch the thing and evaluate it on its own.

There are people getting into anime now who have never watched the originals and I bet they will have more fun watching this than we will if we keep the self referencing paradox going.

[ars89]

Spoiler for ep 1:

Didn't mind the new cast. Animation seemed fine. Enjoyed it, wished it was longer. Could have a bit more action. Nice to see how the unit is being formed. Logikoma needs more screen time!

[Friday]

it wasn't bad.....it was good
whens the next one?

[Yu Ominae]

ANN reports a November 30 ETA in theaters nationwide in Japan.

[kuromitsu]

Mmmm. I'm not sure what I think about it yet. Ep 1 wasn't bad by far, but it wasn't anything great either. It was pretty slow which I normally wouldn't mind but at some places it seemed to drag. Also, it seems to me they're trying to follow the Oshii movies' general style and feel, which is OK, but then what's up with that Kurutsu woman's boobs hanging out of her uniform? Or the robot buddy cyberdoctor, with legs and random stuff that moves when he speaks... Details like these were a bit jarring.

And I just can't get over how horrible Motoko looks, and the context doesn't help. Her hair is awful, the cut and the color, and that bright red outfit and bike... I mean, she had ridiculous hair and ridiculous outfits in the manga and SAC, too, but 1) those weren't supposed to be "down-to-earth realistic" and 2) those Motokos could've had a neon green afro and a pink tutu, and they would've rocked them anyway, because they had the attitude. This Motoko... let's just say she's not convincing so far. Also, why are her legs longer when she's not wearing heels than when she does? To say nothing of her sneaking around in that bright red, squeaky leather outfit.

Some other things I wasn't pleased with: the music (this kind of music worked for the Oshii movies, but here it just added to the draggy feeling), and the writing wasn't exactly subtle. "What's real? What is the truth?" Oh come on! Oh, and I hope we'll get a proper OP next episode, because this was pathetic, both visually and musically. (Especially after SAC 2. But I freely admit being biased when it comes to music, because SAC has some of the best soundtracks I've ever heard.)

Otherwise as I said above the episode was OK, a pretty decent GITS offering. The voice cast is doing a good job, even with new seiyuu the main characters' voices feel very familiar. Animation is nice, aside of Motoko the character designs were good, and the case itself was OK. All in all, not bad, but I hope it will improve.

[Traece]

I'll do what I rarely do and say something positive, short, and concise.

I'm not a hardcore fan, but I am a fan of Ghost in the Shell. To me this felt like Ghost in the Shell and with the industry like it is that's more than I could have asked for. I had little to no complaints to offer for this episode.

Also, I do think the new character design for Motoko looks very strange, but at the same time I have to admit that for this series and her situation it technically makes more sense for her to look this way. Although the other female didn't exactly meet that military standard.

[Yu Ominae]

Spoiler for Chapter 4 of the manga:

We know why Batou's Ranger unit was decimated in their UN peacekeeping op when it went south. Unit 501 is involved in keeping the civil war around.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

So anyone care to double check my understanding of the episode?

Spoiler for ep 1 side story:

Weapon sales conspiracies aside, there is the little note that for the majority of the episode, Motoko's memories were scrambled. Perhaps the greatest lie was the presence of an adopted mother who raised her. We found out at the end that "there was no mum", that she was raised by someone else. That someone? Mamuro. The dead guy she was trying to avenge and clear his good name. All along, this episode was about a daughter trying to avenge her father, and yet even Motoko didn't realise it. Finally because she was successful at getting Mamuro exonerated, his seized assets were returned to his heir as a part of his last Will and Testament, and that was why Motoko walked away a free woman. Mamuro used the last of his funds to free his daughter from government servitude.

[SQA]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

So anyone care to double check my understanding of the episode?

Spoiler for ep 1 side story:

Weapon sales conspiracies aside, there is the little note that for the majority of the episode, Motoko's memories were scrambled. Perhaps the greatest lie was the presence of an adopted mother who raised her. We found out at the end that "there was no mum", that she was raised by someone else. That someone? Mamuro. The dead guy she was trying to avenge and clear his good name. All along, this episode was about a daughter trying to avenge her father, and yet even Motoko didn't realise it. Finally because she was successful at getting Mamuro exonerated, his seized assets were returned to his heir as a part of his last Will and Testament, and that was why Motoko walked away a free woman. Mamuro used the last of his funds to free his daughter from government servitude.

In response:

Spoiler:

A little clarification on the last part. It was Mamuro's will/assets that bought her clear of the Army, but that also went along as part of his report/recommendation for end of hostilities reorganization. This is set not long after the 3rd World War and the War in South America that Japan was a party to.

So the assets weren't as important as the recommendation of her commanding officer on de-enlistment.

[SQA]

Oh, and this is a really "inside baseball" bit: Aramaki is still driving around Infinity concept cars. I like that touch returned.

[Kanon]

I had my misgivings prior to watching it, but in the end, this did feel like GITS. That was a very good installment. The case was very interesting and complex. The new voice actors are excellent, especially Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko. Miyuki Sawashiro sounded super moe as the tachikoma as well. My only complaint would be Motoko's design, but I suppose I'll get used to it.

[SQA]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I had my misgivings prior to watching it, but in the end, this did feel like GITS. That was a very good installment. The case was very interesting and complex. The new voice actors are excellent, especially Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko. Miyuki Sawashiro sounded super moe as the tachikoma as well. My only complaint would be Motoko's design, but I suppose I'll get used to it.

I think the issue is that Motoko is the only female protagonist to ever consistently get more clothing in each iteration.

I also like the design. She looks younger and with a harder edge. Fits the story and the current place in life.

[Dop]

I really enjoyed that.

I mean, about every iteration of Ghost in the Shell is in some way different to the others. The manga is different to the movies which are different to the 'Stand Alone Complex' TV series, which are different to this.

But what is the same is that they all have the same feeling to them, the same Ghost in the Shell-iness, and Arise has that in abundance.

So yes. Slightly different character appearances, different voice cast, different soundtrack, but all in all it still has all the things I expect and like in Ghost in the Shell.
I'm totally looking forward to the second one!

[SinsI]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

And I just can't get over how horrible Motoko looks, and the context doesn't help. Her hair is awful, the cut and the color, and that bright red outfit and bike... I mean, she had ridiculous hair and ridiculous outfits in the manga and SAC, too, but 1) those weren't supposed to be "down-to-earth realistic" and 2) those Motokos could've had a neon green afro and a pink tutu, and they would've rocked them anyway, because they had the attitude. This Motoko... let's just say she's not convincing so far. Also, why are her legs longer when she's not wearing heels than when she does? To say nothing of her sneaking around in that bright red, squeaky leather outfit.

I actually find no problems with her looks. Sure, she looks different from the way we are used to, but it is a prequel, she has a full-cyborg body (thus she can look any way the director wants) and her body was designed by the military - she might not have had an opportunity to customize it to her tastes yet.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

So anyone care to double check my understanding of the episode?

Spoiler for ep 1 side story:

Weapon sales conspiracies aside, there is the little note that for the majority of the episode, Motoko's memories were scrambled. Perhaps the greatest lie was the presence of an adopted mother who raised her. We found out at the end that "there was no mum", that she was raised by someone else. That someone? Mamuro. The dead guy she was trying to avenge and clear his good name. All along, this episode was about a daughter trying to avenge her father, and yet even Motoko didn't realise it. Finally because she was successful at getting Mamuro exonerated, his seized assets were returned to his heir as a part of his last Will and Testament, and that was why Motoko walked away a free woman. Mamuro used the last of his funds to free his daughter from government servitude.

Spoiler for ep 1:

That's how I understood it, too (+ what SQA said). Although I got the impression that it was more like "adoptive parent" since there wasn't a whole lot of "raising" involved, at least not in a traditional way. Blue Dreadlocks Guy first refers to Motoko as "that girl from the labs" (or something to that effect) who was allowed to live only because she was a test subject (for the system that saved her life as a foetus - I gather she was the first person ever to grow up as a cyborg, obviously the unit had been waiting for an opportunity to do this experiment), and then later as Mamuro's favorite, and even Mamuro's last message to her is not very "familial." So even if Mamuro was her legal guardian who came to care for her as his daughter, they weren't technically a family.

Actually, I kind of wonder about Motoko's position in Unit 501. That Kurutsu woman is apparently her superior, but Motoko is awfully familiar with her, she doesn't talk to her with any kind of respectful speech register. On the other hand, she doesn't seem to be close to Blue Dreadlocks Guy and the others. How old is she supposed to be at this point, anyway? I'm really curious how she grew up, I hope this will be touched on in later episodes.

(Btw, why are we putting this under spoiler? The episode is already out, with official subs and all.)

Originally Posted by SinsI

I actually find no problems with her looks. Sure, she looks different from the way we are used to, but it is a prequel, she has a full-cyborg body (thus she can look any way the director wants) and her body was designed by the military - she might not have had an opportunity to customize it to her tastes yet.

My problem is not that she looks different from what we're "used to" - she's looked a bit different in every one of her incarnations so far, and I'm fine with that. My problems, as I said:
-The colors are horrible. I wouldn't even mind the color of the hair too much (although Arise seems to follow the down-to-earth realistic style of the first Oshii movie, and there was a reason why they made her hair a more natural color there), but the way it clashes with the bright red outfit is just painful for my eyes.
-Also, the haircut makes it look like a bad wig. Simply bad chara design.
-That red outfit bothered me from the start, but even more so in the episode. It just doesn't fit her personality at all. It's like she wears all red just because the character designer thought a red outfit was a cool idea, and not because it fits her personality in any way.

What's done is done and this is how she looks, but that doesn't mean I can't grumble about it. :3

By the way, I'm sure others have noticed this already, but still:

Oh, product placement. (At least it's not Apple. xD)

[SQA]

One of my family's running jokes about 2nd Gig (we all like the GitS universes) is the desire for the Infinity concepts that kept showing up. It's a product placement... for a car they never actually built. But it still looked/functioned pretty awesome.

Of course, I wouldn't mind Batou's styles of rides either. But that's a lot more expensive.

[cuzsal]

hmmm

that was actually good, music was not that great but other than that, it was good nice reboot

was going into it thinking it would suck but dam i enjoyed watching that. cant wait for ep 2

[Drkz]

Originally Posted by SQA

I think the issue is that Motoko is the only female protagonist to ever consistently get more clothing in each iteration.

I also like the design. She looks younger and with a harder edge. Fits the story and the current place in life.

Its because unlike 20 years ago everything has to "safe."

The manga serves as a prequel neat I guess, but than the life expectancy wouldn't last .

I think the whole purpose was to get re-branded. But when in comes to GiS, what most of us remember is SAC. This might be good for a new audience, but for the older generation you'd feel like you got betrayed in a way.

Same way I see HxH. I prefer the 1990s version. The new one feels like it was adapted for western audiences...

[orion]

Originally Posted by kuromitsu

By the way, I'm sure others have noticed this already, but still:

Oh, product placement. (At least it's not Apple. xD)

That's because Motoko couldn't afford one on her military salary.

[Helius]

Originally Posted by orion

That's because Motoko couldn't afford one on her military salary.

Hey leave the Surface alone. We'll talk the day Apple releases an iMacPad.