The Show:
The second volume of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd
Gig hits the ground running with an assassination threat against the
Japanese Prime Minister and it doesn't stop to look back. Along with a good amount of action, the story gets more
complex and textured in this volume too. Various sub-plots crop up many
of which seem to be related, but then again, maybe they aren't. With
the excellent animation and stellar sound that fans have come to expect
from this show, this is a not-to-be-missed series.
Series Synopsis:
In the not too distant future, most humans are augmented by cybernetic
implants. These implants make people faster, stronger, and more powerful.
No longer do you have to spend excruciating hours in the gym to get the
perfect body, you can just order one. Crime is still prevalent in
this future society, and the criminals are now much more powerful.
In order to combat these criminals, a special division of the police, Section
9 has been created. Manned with state of the art cybernetically enhanced
officers Section 9 handles the cases that no one else is equipped to.
In this season the political background is much more important.
The are a lot of racial tension in Japan at this time. Hoards of
refugees and immigrants from Asia flooding into the country due to the
2nd Viet Nam War. At first Japan welcomed the cheap labor to help
rebuild after the conflict, but now the middle class sees their tax dollars
going to help the new comers at the same time that they are taking up jobs.
Segregated into refugee camps that are nothing more than slums, many fear
that these immigrants with little hope will soon turn violent.
This volume:
The plot starts getting thicker with this volume and more complex.
It starts out with Section 9 learning that several recent terrorist activities,
seemingly unrelated, can all be traced back to a group that calls themselves
the Individual Eleven. They get their name from the group that assassinated
Japanese Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi in 1932. Angry with the way
the refugees have been treated, this group has taken the law into their
own hands and tried to change the governments policies through terror.
The Individual Eleven's latest threat is to kill the new PM. Section
9 has been assigned to protect her, much to the rank and file's chagrin.
They're an offensive police unit, and guard duty isn't in their job description.
This job turns out to be a bit more difficult than they thought it would
be though.
Mr. Gohda, the horribly scarred head of Cabinet Information Security
(CIS), makes an appearance in this volume too. When some Plutonium
is discovered in a section of the city that was destroyed during the war,
the government wants to transport it to a secure facility. According
to the CIS, terrorists have learned of the discovery and plan to hijack
the shipment. Gohda requests that Section 9, once again, plays watchdog
and helps him get the valuable and dangerous cargo through the refugee
camp where it was found. However, nothing that Gohda's involved with
is what it seems.
This was another excellent volume. The Ghost in the Shell
TV series is one of the best shows to ever come out of Japan. With
intelligent writing and complex convoluted plots, it's easy to see why
this series has received such critical praise. The amazing thing
is that this doesn't come at the sacrifice of action and fast pacing.
There's a lot going on, and this program can be enjoyed on several levels.
This is the volume where things get interesting. Gohda appears
to be pulling the strings of several government agencies, and possibly
Section 9 as well. How much he's involved, and more importantly,
what his goals are still remains to be seen. There's also the a government
cover-up of a nuclear power plant buried below the refugee camp, and the
mysterious Individual Eleven to add to the mix. With so many tendrils
floating through the show, just about anything could happen.
The DVD:
This DVD comes in two versions: A regular version, reviewed here,
and a deluxe version. The deluxe version has an extra disc with the
same episodes repeated but with a DTS sound track, along with some bonus
items.
Audio:
The viewer has the choice of viewing this program with either an English
dub (5.1 and 2.0) or in the original Japanese (also 5.1 and 2.0.)
There is good use of the full sound stage on the 5.1 tracks, giving the
show a very encompassing feeling. Music and incidental effects come
from all angles surrounding the viewer, but these never become overpowering.
There isn't a trace of hiss or distortion, and everything is very clear
and crisp. I viewed the show in both English and Japanese, and I
had a preference for the original language, but the English dub sounded
great as well, with the voice talent doing a good job. There are
optional full English subtitles or just subtitles for the signs and song
lyrics.
Video:
Like the previous season, the video on this show is absolutely stellar.
The anamorphic widescreen video was encoded from a high definition master
and is just about flawless. The colors were excellent, blending gracefully
from shade to shade without any signs of banding. The picture was
sharp and the definition was first-rate. This is a great looking
show.
Extras:
In addition to a series of trailers, this DVD includes a 20-minute interview
with character designers Takayuki Goto and Tetsuya Nishio.
Final Thoughts:
Like the other volumes in this and the previous series, this is an excellent
disc. With a tightly plotted script and three dimensional characters
its easy to like this show. I'd enjoy it even if it didn't have such
great animation and wonderful sound. When you take those into account
though, this becomes a top ten series. Highly Recommended.
Buy: