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LTTP - Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (series 1)
- Thread starter Suairyu
- Start date
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Holy damn I never realised what a limited run that was. Seems to be a similar story in the UK. Thank fuck I bought mine already.
edit - yet you can get it from the nearest second-hand megastore for £5. Goddamn eBay mentality has really fucked over the internet second-hand marketplace. You can never buy things for what they're actually worth these days.
edit 2 - what the pizza guy said. Best version.
Buy the JP Absolute Edition for $75ish plus shipping. It has the best video and audio quality of any release and has subs.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0018BL6SU/
Thanks guys. I'll track that version down if I can. Problem is, I'm from Canada. Thanks to our bilingual requirements, online retailers like Amazon (excluding .ca) won't ship movies or games that don't have both french and English on the packaging. =(
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Try ordering from Amazon JP. Not sure what their Canadian situation is, but I haven't heard of any issues before.
If they won't ship to Canada it won't let you go any further in the checkout process. Also the original movie isn't out on BD in anywhere but Japan so you might want that too. It's also subbed.
There was a sealed tin on YAJ recently. It ended up going for 7750 yen. '~'
Guess we aren't the only ones looking for the tin.
My favorite anime series of all time, loved the manga too!
I tried to get various friends to watch it, I even tried to describe it as a high tech, futuristic CSI... but due to it being anime, it's just a hard sell.
I wonder whatever happened to the live action movie Spielberg was interested in? Would be great if the keep the actress Japanese and don't dumb down the story and premise.
EDIT: Also, that Christmas in the Silent Forest opening of Second GIG, sooooo goood. Never understood why they took it out of the US [as] run.
I tried to get various friends to watch it, I even tried to describe it as a high tech, futuristic CSI... but due to it being anime, it's just a hard sell.
I wonder whatever happened to the live action movie Spielberg was interested in? Would be great if the keep the actress Japanese and don't dumb down the story and premise.
EDIT: Also, that Christmas in the Silent Forest opening of Second GIG, sooooo goood. Never understood why they took it out of the US [as] run.
Yeah but it being YAJ you have to factor in the cost of the shipping within Japan (~500 yen) to the middleman [at this point you're already past Bandai Visual Nice Box prices for a tin case] and then the cost of the shipping to you (~1500 yen, probably more for protective packaging you should probably request to avoid denting in transit) and then finally the middleman fee. It adds up to something pretty hefty.
Mattlikewhoa
Member
I need to re-watch my boxset again...
I just checked Amazon, and holy crap is that ridiculous! Even if the cheapest used copies are $90, I'm still happier with my copy rather than selling it for over four times what I paid brand new.
Amazon says I bought it on the 12th of January 2009. I probably preordered or bought on release given that date.
I really don't get why Bandai's release is worth so much. Usually OOP BDs only skyrocket in price when the OOP version is also the superior version (see: Zodiac US) but the US BD is probably (? haven't seen the HK disc, it's a BD25 like the US release though) at the bottom of the list in terms of Innocence releases...
The Absolute Edition is $75 from yesasia.
http://www.yesasia.com/us/ghost-in-...glish-subtitled/1011044616-0-0-0-en/info.html
If you can wait a few weeks, you can get free shipping.
http://www.yesasia.com/us/ghost-in-...glish-subtitled/1011044616-0-0-0-en/info.html
If you can wait a few weeks, you can get free shipping.
This raises another question. I've never seen Ghost in the Shell 2.0..only the original cut. The re-release reminded me a bit too much of George Lucas. Am I right to steer clear? I ask this because I saw 2.0 on bluray at Best Buy yesterday. I almost caved..but I figure I should ask on GAF for a general consensus.
As I understand it, the major changes occur with the opening credits, as well as certain CGI additions throughout. The colour balance has also been shifted towards the amber look of the sequel. Personally, the colour thing doesn't bug me too much because it adds a layer of visual consistency between the two films..but then again, I was really pissed off when they recoloured The Matrix to have that green look on bluray, so I'm not sure how I'd feel while watching.
Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.
I have no fucking idea what Oshii was thinking and I reckon it's indication of the old man having lost it.
Yupp. Figured as much.
Also, one last question for you, since you're the one behind the thread.. What's the general fan consensus on Innocence?
I've struggled with it a bit, personally. When I saw it, I found it a lot harder to penetrate than the original film, but I also suspected it might actually be the better of the two. Strangely enough, I'd compare it to Ridley Scott's two SciFi mastepieces. Alien is more accessible..but Blade Runner is more rewarding over time. Likewise, Ghost in the Shell may be outright more enjoyable, but Innocence felt more literary, like it had more working under the hood. I've only seen it once, but from what I could absorb of the philosophy in one sitting, I saw flashes of brilliance and I liked that it challenged what I expected from a Ghost in the Shell sequel.
I was sort of shocked to see it at a 65 on Rotten Tomatoes. When you compare it to the majority of sequels, Innocence brings a hell of a lot to the table. Then again, I haven't seen it in years.
Very difficult for me to get a handle on, as I haven't been big into anime or the anime community in years.
During the buildup to its western release, everyone was hype as fuck. In the UK scene, the lucky few (including me!) who got to see it in an arts cinema declared it the best thing ever. When it hit DVD a few months later the reaction was mixed. A lot of fans of the original hated it, if I remember rightly.
Compared to the first film, it's quite a difficult one to follow along and I think almost certainly takes a few watches to fully grasp it. The talking head philosophical quotes certainly don't help and unless you're paying really, ridiculously close attention, the entire Chinese segment of the film can be incredibly disorientating and confusing.
Also, no Major.
It's also really weird in that it isn't really a sequel, just another story in the same universe a few years after the fact. Yet despite that it still requires the first film as context or you're just going to be lost.
I consider both films two equal sides to the same coin. The first film probably achieves what it sets out to do better and cleaner, and the second one is quite reliant on you having watched the first, but taken together as a complete work they are incredible.
My gf actually considered the second film to be much more accomplished and worthwhile watching, though she too would also agree it doesn't stand on its own and requires the first film as context.
No idea how the general community considers them.
... I should really be saving all this for the thread.
Also, pizzaroll is going to hate my 2nd GiG thread because so far I'm finding it brilliant and nearly every fault I had with the first series is gone. Nearly.
How far are you with the 2nd GiG so far?
I'm much more eager to comment on the second season of S.A.C. because, well, it was better. Much better. The first season was great when I watched it as it came out, but I've never been able to rewatch it. I always watched 1-3 episodes and never got around to the rest - I must have done this at least three separate times. The second season, on the other hand, is good enough that I could rewatch it again in a week and get right back up to speed with it; most notably because I'm much more partial and passionate about it for multiple viewings.
Commenting too heavily on the first season could lead me into an incredibly critical bitching session, despite my enjoyment of it the first time around. That was a long time ago, and as I've matured so have my tastes (for the most part, anyway). And the movies, being more succinct and to the point are also better for it; that might play a role in why many consider them to be the better pieces of work to begin with.
Just under halfway.
The Individual Eleven just lopped each other's heads off HOLY SHIT.
LoveFiLM (Uk equivalent of Netflix) let's me have 4 dvds out at a time so in another week and a bit to two weeks I should have the 2nd GIG thread up.
Dude, you read the OP? Proper critique with a side-serving of bitching (see anything I ever wrote about the tachikomas) is the name of the game in this thread!
ComputerMKII
Banned
I'm watching this show (I'm at episode 7 right now). I'm a fan of the movies (especially the first one) and the show is as hard to follow, maybe even harder. I often find myself not caring about the political intrigue and I tend to forget who's who, outside of the main characters. I usually only care about the Major and Batou (I'm fascinated by them) and the philosophical descriptions and reflections about artificial bodies. Because of that, I keep watching the show. By the way, I dislike the art style (the original movie was better) and the opening looks horrible. The music, while not horrible, is a serious downgrade compared to Kenji Kawai's work.
After watching the films I pictured the Major as an emotionless fighter and a bit of a philosopher but the TV show version seems different. I'll have to see more to decide whether I like her or not but I'm kind of shocked at the sex-appeal and sassiness the OP mentioned. It somehow broke the image I had of her.
After watching the films I pictured the Major as an emotionless fighter and a bit of a philosopher but the TV show version seems different. I'll have to see more to decide whether I like her or not but I'm kind of shocked at the sex-appeal and sassiness the OP mentioned. It somehow broke the image I had of her.
Callo Merlose
Banned
I just want to comment on the opening's bit with the Major's doll being crushed. I think it's touched upon in 2nd Gig
Love this thread, although I'd have more to add about 2nd Gig. Make a thread for that once this one's run its course!
with Kuze and Motoko as kid.
It definitely is directly referencing that.
Yeah, GITS1's artstyle is still one of my absolute favorites.
Those lifeless robotic eyes are so good.
I've only seen 1st GIG myself, because i was so used to the Italian dub and that was the only one they did here.
Major (Batou, too) has the same voice in the 2 movies and the whole of 1st GIG, it'll be hard to adapt to the original voice.
Haha. I got half way through making a thread about 2nd GiG then got distracted and forgot. Thanks for reminding me - I'll need to do a quick series re-watch then finish the thread.
ComputerMKII
Banned
I've just seen Episode 15, 'Machines Désirantes'. Tachikomas are adorable! And the philosophical discussions is why I love Ghost in the Shell.
However, I like the Major less and less. She's a bit of a bitch, if I may say so.
However, I like the Major less and less. She's a bit of a bitch, if I may say so.
ComputerMKII
Banned
I've just finished the first season. There were some good moments but the plot was too complicated. I wanted to like it but I had to force myself to watch. I'll give the second season a chance though.
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