The third volume of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig continues to craft an interesting and multilayered story.  The plot thickens as the enigmatic and grossly disfigured Mr. Gohda reveals a tiny portion of what's up his sleeve, and the problems with the refugees escalate.  The disc ends with some bizarre events taking place that don't seem to make any sense, drawing viewers deeper into this season's mystery.

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 problems and unrest with the refugees continues to escalate.  Now there is a group of terrorists who are employing suicide bombers to cause havoc and fear, and the word on the street is that they are refugees.  The members of Section 9 are trying to track down the terrorists, and the Major follows up a lead of her own that takes her to Mr. Gohda, the horribly scarred head of Cabinet Information Security.
 
One of the weaker episodes in the series pops up next.  Togasa stumbles onto a crime while he's off duty.  A woman is being chased by her ex-boyfriend, and Togasa does some extreme damage to the perpetrator's prosthetic body while he (unsuccessfully) tries to save a woman's life.   The killer's attorney is pretty slick though, and manages to twist things around to make it look like Togasa's the criminal.  This courtroom drama doesn't really fit in with the tone of the rest of the show, and though there is more to this trial than meets the eye, it lacks the impact of most of the other episodes.

That weaker episode is followed up by a story that was also a bit different but tone but excellent none the less.  While putting some prospective Section 9 trainees through an entrance exam, the Major stumbles upon an unusual shop, one where people leave objects that they have a strong  sentimental attachment with.  The proprietor relates the story of one pair of objects, some antique prosthetic bodies for children, as the Major listens on enraptured.

While this season isn't quite as good as the first one, it is still excellent.  There are many plots and subplots carefully intertwined so that you're never really sure what is important and what's just an interesting story that gets thrown in.  If you are looking for an intelligent show that will give you a lot to think about, you've found it.

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 12-minute interview with animation directors Kenichi Takeshita and Toshiyuki Kono, and an interview with director Kenji Kamiyama.

Final Thoughts:

One of my favorite series currently being released, I look forward to every volume.  This show has excellent animation, well rounded characters and a very intriguing plot.  More than your mindless fighting or mecha shows, this is a series that pulls the viewer in with it's multifaceted world and intricate plotting.  Highly Recommended.