Reaction: Solid State Society

This was going to be a tubes update (because a few things happened this week: like the arrival of a notification for a depot pick-up, learning that something from PBL turned out to be back-ordered). But instead, I'll concentrate on one thing that went right.

I got my copy of Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex "Solid State Society" from the mailbox last night! Maybe it's been a while since I sat down and watched an episode of SAC, but this was an excellent presentation.

First instinct: I always get the LE version. I'm almost afraid I'm missing out on something if I even consider the regular editions ...borders on OCD sometimes. The LE version of this movie comes in a beautiful "steelbook" package with 3 discs: the movie, an extras disc, and the music soundtrack on an audio CD.
The movie itself is a straight-up sequel to the popular SAC television series. The funny thing being that the movie ties together several concepts seen in the other incarnations of Ghost in the Shell. And as such, the movie seems familiar and new at the same time. We're introduced to a Section 9 with former rookie Togosa in the squad-leader position... and with him is a fellow we (as English readers) only recently met in the GitS1.5 "Human Error Processor" manga published by Dark Horse. Section 9 is also without Major Kusanagi who is now working alone underground (similar to the movie continuity) and surfacing in public using a series of remote-controlled androids (not unlike the depiction in the GitS2 "Man Machine Interface" manga). And we're also back to a mysterious rogue hack going by the code-name "Puppeteer" also not unlike the events in the original manga...
And finally, we're reintroduced to the walking talking tanks... but these are not the Tachikoma we've come to know during the series. Fans will remember that those guys were tragically but unceremoniously wiped out in the line of duty before the series came to an end. Thankfully, they are given their due in this film after a disastrous outing with their replacement units (Batou is lucky to survive the incident).
Of course, Kusanagi is back to kick some serious butt. Which brings up a I point I wanted to address. There's an unusual amount of action-oriented material in the movie. It's distinct from the plodding pace of the Mamoru Oshii films. This movie paces itself with a certain urgency. The team is up against a conspiracy with victims played against each other either being sniped or hacked to commit suicide at every turn. And the body count keeps rising as Section 9 races to uncover the overwhelming plot covering everything from crooked politicians and psycho hackers to child abductions and identity theft.The package: Well, the soundtrack is everything one comes to expect for a Ghost in the Shell soundtrack. More techno than opera this time. However, the Extras disc is jam-packed with must-see material. There's a run-down of the SAC universe for the uninitiated. Interview sessions with the English production team and with Production IG in Japan. A look at a promotional Tachikoma robot built by Nissan labs to promote the film. And also a look at the conceptual design process for the "near-future" cars we see in the SAC series. Very cool stuff for the Ghost in the Shell fans. I'm glad I spent the extra few dollars for the LE version.