"Kôkaku kidôtai: Stand Alone Complex" (2002) TV series 2002-2005

Director:

Kenji Kamiyama

Writers:

Mary Claypool (american version)
Yutaka Omatsu (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

19 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

A New Beginning, A New Threat...

Plot:

New government, new office, and a new aggressor... the continuing story of Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex takes a turn towards today's headlines as Section 9 faces a new terrorist cell called the Individual Eleven.

Plot Keywords:

Japan | Terrorist | Cyborg | Major | Counter Intelligence

Cast

Dino Andrade	...	Children / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Kevin Brief	...	Kanzaki / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Loy Edge	...	SWAT / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Barbara Goodson	...	Maruta / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Michael Gregory	...	Reiko / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Kate Higgins	...	Children / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Paddy Lee	...	Fom / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Michael McConnohie	...	Commander / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Liam O'Brien	...	Fake Laughing Man / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Peggy O'Neal	...	Girl / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Douglas Rye	...	Litton / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Barry Stigler	...	Foreign Minister / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Doug Stone	...	Matsuoka / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Julie Ann Taylor	...	Miyahara / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Kari Wahlgren	...	Sales Person / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Tom Wyner	...	Interior Minister / ... (51 episodes, 2002-2005)
Bob Papenbrook	...	Doorman / ... (50 episodes, 2002-2005)

Also Known As:

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (USA) (literal English title)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (USA) (second season title)
Kôkaku kidôtai: S.A.C. 2nd Gig (Japan) (second season title)

Runtime:

USA:25 min (52 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14 | Australia:MA | USA:TV-MA | New Zealand:M | Canada:14+ (Quebec) | Canada:16+ (TV rating) | South Korea:15 | UK:15 (most episodes) | UK:18 (one episode) | South Korea:18 (some episodes) | Japan:R-15 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:TV-14 (some episodes)

Company:

Bandai Visual Company

Trivia:

The text revolving around the Laughing Man's logo reads: "I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes." This is actually a quote from J.D. Salinger's classic novel "The Catcher in the Rye"; additionally, the Laughing Man's name comes from a short story of the same name by Salinger.

Quotes:

Major Motoko Kusanagi: Look at the bright side, if this doesn't work, we can all go drown our sorrows at a nudie bar.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Daredevil (2003)

Soundtrack:

Lithium Flower

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Season 1)

This is a beautifully animated series format derived from the characters of the philosophically oriented movie 'Ghost in the Shell'. The animation is closer to the original concepts for the manga and adds amazingly gorgeous music to produce a show that is an instant draw. The characters draw some of the aspects familiar in the movie... Motoko's commitment to her job, Batou's casual-tough guy attitude, etc... though it adds some surprisingly refreshing characters like the blue child-like mini tanks Section 9 rides around in so much.

The same philosophical elements of the movie -consciousness in a cyber-oriented world- are present, but definitely take a back seat to plots focused on political wranglings, terrorism, and general lawlessness. The series seems to be more "all in a days work" themed than the cerebral current of the first film.

Overall I highly recommend this series to all fans, though hope they watch the movies as well.