Jan 9, 2024
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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2045............. My thoughts on my initial viewing of “Season 1″
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2045... I am a Ghost in the Shell fan, let's get that established, so anything new with Ghost in the Shell I sop it up with great enthusiasm. But being it is currently in Japanese and Netflix is taking the safety of the voice actors due to COVID-19, an English dub version is pending. More of this at the bottom. So until then, I will have to watch it a couple of times to gather all my thoughts on it.
So I just finished Season one of Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 that was just released on Netflix on April 23rd. And my initial thoughts are somewhat mixed about it. From what I gathered thus far is that it is a sequel series of the Stand Alone Complex series, which last left off at here comes a mouthful "Stand Alone Complex - Second Gig - Solid State Society" for those new to the animated series
I am still working out the details; it seems like it picks up quite some time after SAC-2ndGig-SSS. But a new Cyber-threat has arisen in the form of Post-Humans who are 100% human who can hack Cyberbrains just by looking at someone with a cyber brain...? As I said, I am still working things out. I'll do a better review of it on my next day off the episode by the episode when I have time to watch it and read the subtitles.
That being said, returning to the issue of English dubbing, I have mixed feelings on who I want to do the voice dubs. It wouldn't be a Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series if the English Voice actors from that series didn't return. But after watching Ghost in the Shell: Arise/The New Movie, I feel that the new voice actors have so much potential and let's not forget this scene where it seemed like Mary Elizabeth McGlynn was done with the role passed the torch on to Elizabeth Maxwell during the GitS: Arise Series.
Some concerns I currently have is as follows:
1.)The pacing of the episodes. It took almost all of "Season 1" for the Section-9 Team to assemble. That is Aramaki, the Major - Motoko, Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, Saito, Borma, Paz, and their Tachikomas (WHICH STEAL THE SHOW LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAVE!) But also they seem too quick if that makes sense. I'll explain more further down.
2. Music. So far, the music has been rather eh... But keep in mind its hard for me to focus on the music when I need to read the subtitles and watch what's going on, especially when it is Ghost in the Shell. A series like this, if you miss one visual detail or dialogue detail, the plot of the episode risks being lost on you. But from what I have heard, some queues in episode 9 seemed recycled or reused from the Swamp Thing "shit is about to drop" theme of the 2019 series (listen to music from the 3:28 mark to the 3:51 mark - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4928j0YunmE ) and other themes just haven't grabbed me or also contributed to the story. I am not trying to compare the soundtrack to Yoko Kanno, because that would be unfair considering there are many masterpieces of hers from the series you can catch on Adult Swim's Toonami... when they aren't playing trash series.
3.) The episodes do hook you in like the original series. BUT thus far, it has been almost all action, which made the episodes fly by too fast. The original series had substance to it, whether it was political, philosophical, world-building, character development, it didn't need to rely on action almost all the time to keep the viewer's attention. But it felt like this season barely had any of that. Keep in mind, this was just my first viewing of the entire season and may have missed a lot of things, because when it comes to GitS, I prefer it dubbed, so I don't miss any visual or dialogue detail going back and forth between the two.
4.) If you aren't ready for it, it touches on some sociologically dark themes when it comes to "positions of power" and one female character. It also seems to touch on the subject of an obsessed female character literally stalking a member of Section-9.
My last concern is how the "Season"... if you can truly contain Ghost in the Shell to 12 episodes and call that a season, ended. Certain series ending on a cliffhanger works, but Ghost in the Shell is not, and I repeat in bold letters NOT one of those series. I understand while being a possible sequel series to the 2000s Stand Alone Complex series/seasons & animated movie, they want to make their own identity. Still, they are going to need to work hard to not only tie this series with the 2000s one but make it a Ghost in the Shell fans expect when they see a Ghost in the Shell series.
I know I am going to have to do at least 2 or 3 more viewings of the Stand Alone Complex 2045, but as someone who watched everything Ghost in the Shell, I just honestly don't think Netflix is the right place for a new Ghost in the Shell series. My attitude may change when the original SAC Dub-Voice actors return (according to IMDB), and we get more seasons, but I will see then.
I still would recommend it, it is, in my opinion, a better series than some that I have watched or tried to watch on Netflix, including the Godzilla animated movies, Voltron: Legendary Defender, and a few others I tried getting into.
Until then, I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to your thoughts on it. Did you like it? Not like it? What parts did you dislike or like?