After a global financial crisis, the world is engulfed in an AI-driven "sustainable war." It's up to
Section 9 to counter new forms of cyber threats.
(Source: Netflix)
First of all I'd like to talk about the thing about which most people were skeptical, that is Full CGI. To put it simply the Full CGI here is different compared to the approach that most the anime take i.e, dropping the frame rate to match that anime aesthetic. SAC 2045 decided to throw that away and go with smooth frame rates. The question is did it work? In short it was fair. Certainly not as good as the look of the original SAC or the original movie but nowhere as bad as that it started to ruin the experience or anything. _______ _Story_ - 6.5/10 The story on it's own might've been fair but when you consider the fact that it has to carry the weight of a series like Ghost in the Shell you have to say that it's not up to the standard set by it. The first arc of the story that's set in America is certainly the weakest part. The first few episodes certainly felt the weakest due to mediocre storytelling. However as the story progressed that got better. Also the last arc was pretty good and felt upto the mark like a real gits story. _____ _Characters_ - 8/10 (minor spoilers ahead) So we do get a bunch of new characters along with the og cast with major and the company. In the beginning it looked like we're getting another one named Stan in the company but he was get rid of pretty soon without any development or involvement in the story which definitely questions the whole point of adding him in the first place. Also there's a new pink haired girl at the headquarters who seemed like the annoying point of the show to me at first sight but as episodes moved on it was somewhat leveled down. No complains with the original characters tho. They managed to keep them exactly how they should be. ______ _Animation_ - 7/10 First things first. Just bashing this anime because of the cgi is not a good idea. Many people including me were upset when the trailer came out with the so called "ps2 graphics". But as i watched the show I very quickly got used to it and very soon started to like it as well because of 2 reasons. 1) As i said before, because they decided to not frame limit it, the fight scenes and chase scenes looked really good. They were very well choreographed too. 2) Even without the frame limit the anime aesthetic was there which brings me to the next point that is the main reason why the trailer looked horrible to most people is because of the difference in aesthetic not because it was ugly or anything. Character design was certainly different and one thing that may have striked many people is major's character looked more feminine than before but it didn't bug me as much because she was as badass as ever. One thing that did bug me was character motions sometimes did feel a bit disney-ish( That's the best way I can describe it). _____ _Sound and Music_ - 5/10 Not much to talk about here. OP and ED were nowhere close to the iconic OPs and EDs of original SAC which were performed by Origa(Rip). Music was not bad but it didn't suit the ambience of ghost in the shell at all. ______ __Overall__ If you liked the original SAC then you'll most likely find it decent at least. It's nowhere close to be called a worthy successor but it's not bad enough that it should be ignored or never looked at it again. The cliffhanger on the last episode was good enough to give me hopes for the next season and they might as well will be able make it a better one than this.
__Story (9)__: The bread and butter of this sequel, as it should be. Contrary to the iconic 1995 movie, the original Stand Alone Complex TV animated series featured a much more thrilling political plot that delved into the machinations of a cyberpunk world. And to continue this, SAC 2045 does an absolutely stellar job at capturing your attention with it's intriguing plot. The setting is not much different with the exception of new locales, and that the time period is a little ahead. Every episode leaves you hooked on the premise that there is some organization/individual attempting to gain control in a cyberpunk world. The plot strikes a nice balance between exposition and action as there are philosophical/political discussions every episode, just before or after an action sequence that compliments them (much like the older SAC). There is really only one filler episode, so the story does not wait for long at all. It's surprising to see that people are asking for more when this show borrows the same exact story formula of its prequel. ___ __Characters (9)__: Not much to be said about the cast since it is the same characters, except for a couple new additions. Our beloved cast retains the now veteran VA's who still voice characters like Kusanagi, Batou, and Togusa. So, it is still the characters we love being voiced just like they always were. ___ __Visuals (7)__: The problem child. Or, that is what it's being made out to be. In reality, the new style is just adding on another texture. CGI in anime is very hit or miss, and it makes people reluctant to explore new titles. In this case, Production I.G worked with Sola Digital Arts to create a full CGI experience for the viewers. For a franchise of this magnitude, this was perhaps a bold move. But for the viewer that is willing to take the plunge, a new era of GITS awaits. The character design for the new Major is stunning only because Ilya Kuvshinov is the illustrator behind this new project. As for the CGI, it makes the characters seem too smooth sometimes (but that is maybe for the untrained eye which is not used to CGI). The animation is very fluid most of the time, except when there are certain background characters. The fight scenes are a joy to watch because you can clearly see the detailed choreography. Minor grievances are the muzzle flashes of the guns, and perhaps cars. ___ __Audio (6)__: Let's start with the opening. The OP is a rather large departure from the previous ones as it is the least bit cyberpunk, and just sounds like modern rap with a bit of jazz. As for the ED, it's a polar opposite because it features more synth elements and is sung in a ghost-like voice. The OST is decent, but it could've used more diversity. There are still good tracks, with one in particular sounding reminiscent of Blade-Runner. It's definitely a more modern take, especially when you hear the Drum and Bass during the action sequences sometimes. ___ __Enjoyment (10)__: It was truly a pleasure to be watching GITS again, and SAC 2045 made me feel like this wasn't some milked project. I felt like I was watching SAC all over again, just with a different story and look. It's astounds me how many "GITS fans" will not give this show a shot just because it's CGI or because they hold the original SAC in such high regard that they cannot move on.
I want to make one think clear at the start of this review, I have seen all other Ghost in the Shell anime’s series at some point before the release of ‘Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045’ and I have watched them quite a few times as they are among my favourite anime’s of all time (especially Stand Alone Complex). With that said I going to try to be natural on this. Just a heads up. Animation – By far the biggest change in the series and a topic no-one can avoid. In brief it’s good. The animation of the 3D models is on level with the use within video games with it’s smooth appearance and natural motion, it stands out more than other as it is one of the best and highest quality I’ve seen in recent anime (AAA video game level work we’re talking about here). All character motion and animation are great, immediate setting (in other words ‘rooms’) is well put together. That said there are drawbacks such as more work could be done on backgrounds, in other ‘Ghost in the Shell’ series the background often showed off the scale of the locations (the use of citywide shots everything from the 1995 film to Arise) creating the appearance of a much larger world. But in SAC_2045 all that is completely gone (probably as it’s quite difficult to make a whole city using 3D models) and the world itself feels bland and lacking any character. When an action section happens (i.e. a fight) this is where most of the problems of animation are. Fights in SAC_2045 can range from fairly okay to stupid to rather stupid (mostly the last) and the tone is completely gone out the window (there’s comedic nudity more than once). This is a series that in the past used combat in a mature way it was always used as a last resort (used realistically) and it was meaningful and impactful. SAC_2045 missies that. So animation then is good, but scale is gone and combat isn’t as mature anymore. Also to note the Opening Sequence is in 3D is nice while the Ending Sequence is in 2D and is also nicely Review for first half story - For me the story in the first half is all over the place as unlike ‘Stand Alone Complex’ season one and season two where episodes where divided into stand alone story episodes and overarching episodes SAC_2045 doesn’t have that (doesn’t feel like than anyway although some episodes are standalone). But the problem is the episodes are wildly different in-terms of focus and tone. We start off with what feels like a mix of ‘The Expendables’ and ‘Scooby-Doo’, with tone more in-line with ‘Scooby-Doo’. The first few episodes are a bit strange was it has to set up a lot of changes that have happened between ‘Solid State Society’ and ‘SAC_2045’ while setting up a main plot. The main plot itself is set up is very odd and makes the whole story feel very wired with also make the episode and characters feel odd. Episodes 7-12 change a bit was it becomes more focused and the pace slows down quite a bit, but tone is still a problem. This is probably the last anime you expect to find comedic nudity (including in fights), but the comedic nudity is followed by a slow gentle episode that is nicely though out. This really is Ghost in the Shell writing mixed with Netflix and a lot of fizzy drinks however I think it works (I explain later). Personally, I feel is written to make a show and sell maybe that why some of potential is lost. Characters – It’s hasn’t changed to much from ‘Solid State Society’ although a few changes happen off-screen to characters that aren’t really explained. There still solid while ‘Purin Ezaki’ (new) makes the show feel fresher. The main cast have felt that they aged a bit, that said that would be expected as the first series took place in 2030 and this series in 2045. As a Ghost in the Shell fan - I said I was going to be natural on this but if I digress of a bit. One of major changes is the (animation duh) tone of the story which is something all other ‘Ghost in the Shell’ anime’s do differently. The stories are much more scuttle by giving very little away to make you look deeper at it and pick it apart which also make people think about it often leading people having different views on the same sense let alone the whole show. While it sounds like I’m ripping it apart it’s (again) because I’m a fan of the ‘Ghost in the Shell’ and my main issue is that it isn’t the same anymore from ‘Stand Alone Complex’ season one and two. All the pacing, mature tone, the thoughtful story, the depth. It’s (mostly) gone from ‘SAC_2045’. It’s hard to say if I would recommend it or not because while it look like I’m ripping it apart I still enjoyed it. The strange thing is that this is a sequel to a show that came out in 2006 (Solid State Society) so change was going to happen. But even more strangely as a continuation to ‘Stand Alone Complex’ it works. ‘Ghost in the Shell’ fans may or may not like it but there’s another way of think about it. Ghost in the Shell as an anime has always (to me) talked about the challenges of modern technology, for example in 1995 the World Wide Web was starting to be used within peoples homes and as more people starting using this the technology it started to develop faster (using the multiplication theory). That the time it was a new thing that could have in gone in any direction. The 1995 film creates a situation using the technology at the time and creates a film around it and a talking point. SAC_2045 does much the same even the fact that Netflix publish it also shows technology (albeit in a not subtle way). As a ‘Ghost in the Shell’ series that is key and it manages it (differently). Again last thoughts animation good (sort of), story is wired (too wired), world is bland, philosophy element still there (sort of). So I would say watch it but it’s wildly different from other parts in the ‘Ghost in the Shell’ series. Also remember the term ‘Ghost in the Shell’ series is a bit loose (example there is massive different between the original manga (1989-91) by Masamune Shirow, the 1995 film, Stand Alone Complex and Arise (2013-15). Give it a go and see.
Minor spoiler warning ahead! If you're reading this you've been warned! img(https://www.premiere.fr/sites/default/files/styles/scale_crop_1280x720/public/2019-10/ghost-in-the-shell-sac-2045-1174708-1280x0.jpeg) Look I like the Ghost In The Shell series and I really wanna try appreciate everything about it but the Stand Alone Complex's run of the franchise just doesn't cut it from me... I apreciate this one being a single current line of story with very little fillers but i do have to ask: W H Y the 3D!? Some animations seem crappy, characters are too glossy sometimes and have slopy walking animations (you can see it right in the beggining with the major in like episode 1 and it continues through the whole series if you're carefull enough to notice, not to mention the lip sync which is so bad they can't barely move their lips sometimes, the cars don't seem to go into the decor, they seem to be not too well rendered into the landscape, especially in the LA course tailgating scene and if i had to say, the best 3D scenes in this series are the ones without any characters on them, just with the backgrounds and they can still fucking ruin them with the low resolution characters that they add on them to make them feel more "lively"! Like come on guys, you have a wonderful artist here doing some great character designs. (Ilya I'm sorry to say this but if this was one of your ideas it was not the brightest...) I defenitely would love to see it in 2D or even 2.5D even with some of the details that bother me (especially Batou/Borma eyes), and you managed to do something this bad? I mean, for real? You had for sure a fucking big budget to make a huge series and you prefered to use it in motion capture and fucking 3D? No i don't accept that, just no. This could have been a good saver for the Stand Alone Complex Run that I didn't like from the begining with the "sub-episodic" episodes they had with the over exagerated ammount of fillers, but this can be even worst than that in my opinion! If you ask me the best scene is the fucking ending and it's still was able to be not so good! (Don't make me talk about the opening that's another can of worms to be open) And that's only the tip of the Iceberg about the stuff I have to say about this series! First, background story is completely fucked here. I don't know about all of you but I like to have some backstory about what happend before the events that are taking place here (Even though I know that the premises of Ghost In The Shell is to be a little unkown, it really made me enjoy the Arise run of the franchise even more than the original movie!): It was suprising to see fucking Togusa out of fucking nowhere divorcing, getting a new haircut, not to mention that we know that in Solid State Society he got prostethics that we don't know what they are and the fucking kung lee karate moves at the almost fucking end of the series?! Where did he learn them, WHY did he learn them, WHY THE FUCK DID HE DIVORCED AND WHAT JOB DID HE TAKE FOR 2 FUCKING YEARS? He is one of THE essential characters to move the plot of the Stand Alone Complex series and you weren't able to give us some information about what happend about him? I can't allow that! Furthermore, why the other fucking gang going out of japan and going to work for a private security company in the US from all places alongside some newcomer that you're gonna ditch after 4 eps, NOT TO MENTION THE EVENTS OF SOLID STATE SOCIETY? WHAT HAPPEND AFTER IT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IT LET US ON A CLIFFHANGER! It's just not deep enough for me to give a shit! Also, what the fuck happend to borma and Paz? Hello? Don't they exist here? At least in Arise they gave em a little of a spotlight, they almost didn't get the change to talk in the whole series here (I'm pretty sure Paz didn't talk and Borma talked like 2 lines of dialogue max)! What did they do in these two years? What's with the new eyes of borma? Why paz changed haircut? IT'S TOO FUCKING INCOHERENT! Now, don't even have me fucking talk about Purine or whatever her fucking name is. I DON'T WANT A FUCKING IDOL ON MY FUCKING STOIC SERIES JUST TO BE THERE TO FUCK BATOU AND GIVE A LITTLE HELP ON THE CASE, IT BREAKS THE STOICISM OF THE SERIES! She just doesn't have her place here! I could also mention the Hell that is the Tachikoma problem alongside the question of where the uchikoma's went but it would be too fucking long to write it so i'll just say that I'm not happy with that and just move on to the end of the Character review part here... Side Characters are below average and everything else alongside is it too. I don't wanna get into details or this fucking comentary is gonna be fucking long just dont make me talk about it (I swear to god if i have to talk about that nude 3D fucking scene i swear to god I'll have an heart attack of how shitty it was and it's purpose here) Music is ok in my opinion (ok maybe not that opening i don't get the Ghost In The Shell vibe i would like) but the ed is pretty GITS, also those loud music noises that we can here in the middle of some scenes is prob a bit too loud Yeah I don't think I have nothing else to say about this. (I do have a little rant about that rape scene that I actually can't be over with, to mention or see... Considering this was a netflix series idea I don't think it's a very open scene to everyone globally, let alone the fact that It had to be approved by a massive team of people, I mean, are you serious? Please don't make more of them) If you don't have anything to do and want to netflix and chill go for it just watch it to pass your day watching something If you're into this kinda stuff, I would consider watching the rest of the Stand Alone Complex franchise. Maybe you wanna have somewhat of a background to every character in order to try enjoying this but appart that I think you would be able to see Arise (The movies aren't the best to use to watch this afterwards) then watch this if you'd like to, Arise is only a couple of movies and two real anime episodes it's pretty quick actually. Would __I__ Recommend watching this? No not at all I don't like it, the story is meh for me but i'm only watching it to see all GITS related series. Guys, just try not to make a fucking bad season 2 and uhhhh try to make a fucking good ending for this run of GITS for crying out loud it's a good franchise that i wan't to treasure and enjoy and please make it end after season 2 don't make a follow up movie or i'll fucking throw up
~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/fTMsat7.png)~~~ Prima e forse ultima recensione(?). Quando ho finito di vedere il primo trailer di GITS SAC_2045. Quel dannato trailer mi ha fatto proprio una cattiva impressione, quasi ribrezzo però dopo aver visto la serie, dico che il nuovo Ghost in the shell è un capolavoro mancato. Il design utilizzato in quest'ultima serie stona forte con il genere e la storia, uccidendo le scene dark/violente, rendendo purtroppo quasi tutto vuoto e ridicolo. Con la Computer Grafica potevano e dovevano far venire delle scene assurde invece p%x7x7x7 è uscita roba che Cristo... i chiodi... negli occhi li avrebbe voluti. Comunque, oltre al disappunto estetico, quest'ultimo capitolo della serie GITS si salva perché la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, dove temevo dei cambiamenti, è rimasta la stessa dei precedenti Stand Alone Complex quindi nessuna delusione su questo tranne che per due nuovi personaggi di cui un clown che non fa ridere e una ragazza stalker. Suoni/effetti sonori sono eccellenti infatti riescono a dare un pò di volume all'opera che sennò risulterebbe piattissima, però stranamente ho letto molte critiche che disprezzavano pure questo, forse non ci sentiranno bene. La storia è di alto livello, tanto che, anche in questo "disastro visivo", rimane superiore a tantissime altre serie anime, anche blasonate, e ti porterà a completarla tutta senza annoiarti. Ovviamente chi guarda anime solo per vedere delle belle cartoline in movimento forse lo schiferà (anche senza forse) ma questa sarà solo una questione di gusti. OP orribile, canzone per gente che GITS non sa neanche cos'è e la grafica usata in quest'anime è proprio per quelle persone, ma qua forse si estende a chi non guarda proprio anime. Dopo il terzo episodio ho saltato sempre l'opening dato che non c'è l'ho fatta più ad ascoltare sta roba. La cosa buona dell'opening è il video che per non fare "spoiler" non è questo che ho linkato. Questo è il video dell'OP ufficiale del cantante/gruppo non ho capito chi è o chi sono e non m'interessa minimamente saperlo. Se ti piace, lascio a te il piacere di scoprilo. Millennium parade - Fly with me : youtube(https://youtu.be/fuXZMQAD9vU) ED decisamente meglio. Non è come le grandi canzoni usate nei precedenti Stand Alone Complex però almeno è degna(?). Anche qui non lascio il link della versione video di quello usato nell'anime per non fare "spoiler" ma della versione completa. Mili - sustain++; : youtube(https://youtu.be/JHY0PYZXvfU) Ripeto: Non auto-importi di non vedere quest'anime solo perché dal Trailer hai visto quella grafica che non ti è piaciuta, credendo sia solo una perdita di tempo e autolesionismo, fidati di me questo è un anime da guardare, rimane solo quella delusione della grafica che non è male ma diciamo che qua è un pò inadatta. Riassumendo tutto in poche parole: GITS SAC_2045 sarebbe il continuo, in stile kawaii, dei precedenti S.A.C. con nuovi nemici da contrastare chiamati Post-Human. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/EzYbmtv.png)~~~ ____ https://i.imgur.com/fTMsat7 First and perhaps last review(?). When I finished watching the first GITS SAC_2045 trailer, that damn trailer made a really bad impression on me, almost disgusted but after seeing the series, I say that the new Ghost in the shell is a missed masterpiece. The design used in this latest series clashes strongly with the genre and the story, killing the dark/violent scenes, unfortunately making almost everything empty and ridiculous. With Computer Graphics they could and should have come up with absurd scenes, instead stuff came out that Christ would have wanted nails in the eyes. However, in addition to the aesthetic disappointment, this last chapter of the GITS series is saved because the characterization of the characters, where I feared changes, has remained the same as the previous Stand Alone Complex so no disappointment on this one except for two new characters including one clown who is not funny and a girl stalker. Sounds/sound effects are excellent in fact they manage to give a little volume to the work that otherwise would be very flat, but strangely I have read many criticisms that despised this too, perhaps they will not hear us well. The story is of a high level, so much so that, even in this "visual disaster", it remains superior to many other anime series, even those considered "the best", and will lead you to complete it all without getting bored. Obviously, those who watch anime just to see beautiful postcards in motion perhaps will disgust it (even without perhaps) but this will only be a matter of taste. Horrible OP, song for people that GITS doesn't even know what it is and the graphics used in this anime are just for those people, but here maybe it extends to those who don't really watch anime. After the third episode I always skipped the opening, since I didn't anymore to listen to this stuff. The good thing about the opening is the video that in order not to "spoil" this is not what I linked. This is the video of the official OP of the singer/group I did not understand who he is or who I am and I do not care in the least to know. If you like it, I leave you the pleasure of discovering it. Millennium parade - Fly with me: https://youtu.be/fuXZMQAD9vU ED much better. It's not like the great songs used in previous Stand Alone Complex but at least it's worthy (?). Here too I do not leave the link of the video version used in the anime so as not to "spoiler" but the full version of group. Mili - sustain++;: https://youtu.be/JHY0PYZXvfU I repeat: Do not convince yourself not to see this anime just because from the Trailer you have seen that graphics that you did not like, believing it is just a waste of time and self-harm, trust me this is an anime to watch, only that disappointment of the graphics remains which is not bad but let's say that here it is a little unsuitable. Summarizing everything in a few words: GITS SAC_2045 would be the continuation, in kawaii style, of the previous S.A.C. and the new enemies to fight are the Post-Humans. https://i.imgur.com/EzYbmtv
Season 1 of GitS SAC 2045 is a mixed vision, with the split almost even across the middle. A first half that is constant action in the style of the Arise movies, and a second half in the style of traditional SAC. This split harms the show immensely and is what has really ruined it for me. This split has bigger issues with how the show is paced, with both parts feeling rushed in their own ways. You end up being thrown around in location and conversation to keep the story moving forward in ways that just feel jarring. And never do you feel like it stops long enough to think about what is going on, we are just onto the next section. With the story, this is a real mixed bag. The first section was boring action, with the group fighting constantly. Acting as an extended prologue that just lasted way too long. But once they moved into the second half things improved immensely. Suddenly you have a story looking into mob justice and right and wrong and some definitely grey moral areas. Visually I still dislike the show immensely. The 3D CGI just wasn’t well done, it did the fluid fights and movement well but everything else fell far short. Textures end up being flat and low quality lacking any depth, character models are soft and lack in detail or emotion, and the lighting feels fake. It has been compared to a video game, and I stand by that comparison. And for a major 3D CGI anime in 2020, it should be at least matching if not going beyond what I could make in Unreal Engine. Just being fluid isn’t enough anymore when you are up against other studios doing high quality mixtures of 2D and 3D to make fluid fast paced action scenes. We are introduced to some new characters to complement the original cast. But most don’t do anything for me at all. John Smith is the generic American Government guy who of course has to be incompetent, Standard is a comedic relief solider who doesn’t do anything, and Purin is the groups adorable little sister who fangirls on Batou. Meanwhile the original cast just doesn’t get enough screen time, with the Tachikoma units getting more dialogue than most of them. They don’t grow or change at all in this season, with the only change being Togusa just completely forgetting about his family it seems. The OP and ED weren’t terrible, simply different. A different style than the original’s but I don’t think they were bad. And over the show they do kinda grow on you. Music during the show though didn’t do much, and I can’t actually remember anything from it. In total, the show has potential. The second half wasn’t terrible, just harmed by bad pacing after being crammed in behind the action movie first half. Visually it will never look good and will never be as good as the originals. But if this is your first experience with GitS, I think it could be worse. It will never be the 10/10 that the original was, but I think it can manage an average score. And maybe the second season will improve it if they don’t go the action route, and just give a solid story based in politics and philosophy.
Would I recommend this? No. Go watch Stand Alone Complex instead. Biggest note: this series is fully CG animated. I strongly dislike this style (I HATE how RWBY looks in stills and in motion). Land of the Lustrous intentionally utilizes CG’s strengths to simulate fluids and light refraction to incredible artistic effect. I cannot tell what reason CG was used for this series except to reduce costs (but I can only speculate). The models and textures in the series are jarring, especially in broad daylight where the simplicity of the textures is blindingly obvious. In dark scenes, it works much better. Unfortunately, most of the first three episodes takes place in a desert at noon. The movement animations are not bad but feel like they are lacking all power. Every impact feels same-y, which is a problem when you have cybernetic punches, small sidearm fire, high-power sniper rifle shots, hellfire missiles, and mech-dog bites. Narrative pacing is wobbly in this series. The first episode opens with a leisurely chat between our protagonists and the worst incarnation of the Tachikomas yet. Suddenly, a gunfight erupts and the cracks in the animation of movement and the plain-ness of the models’ textures immediately show. The environment and enemies introduced feels like they wanted to remake Mad Max but only had a $20 budget. After the third episode some genuinely interesting mysteries are introduced, but very infrequent developments to this mystery feel like a brick on the story, not well-planned plot development. Nothing interesting is revealed about the main cast and the new characters oscillate between excruciating and forgettable. The music is solid, but only occasionally memorable. I only watched the final episode with the English dub, which I thought was terrible (all the male characters sound the same and every line feels like a bored first-time reading). The writing itself is mediocre, and it seems to have lost all the subtlety and reflection on technology and society that made any of the other entries in the series engaging. The fights are all physical (and weakly directed), the extent of the political intrigue feels like the boring part of cop procedurals where the feds argue with local law enforcement over jurisdiction (petty). It feels all the individual parts that came together to make Stand Alone Complex gripping were shaved off in pursuit of an artistic direction I cannot fathom. I gave this series more than a fair shake (even discounting for my sky-high expectations due to previous installments in the series). This 'season' also ends abruptly in the middle of an important plot line and the second 'season' picks up right where it left off as if there was no break at all. I cannot, in good faith, recommend this series. Every other Ghost in the Shell entry has much more going for it than this one, and most reward re-watches, so do yourself a favor and check any of those out.