Koukaku Kidoutai Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society

Title:Koukaku Kidoutai Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society
Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
GITS - SAC - Solid State Society
Solid State Society
攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
Overall:Watch
Keywords: , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - Production I.G.
Music - KANNO Yoko
Original Concept - MASAMUNE Shirow
R1 License - Manga Entertainment
A.D. 2034. It has been two years since Kusanagi Motoko left Section 9. Togusa is now the new leader of the team, that has considerably increased its appointed personnel. The expanded new Section 9 confronts a rash of complicated incidents, and investigations reveal that an ultra-wizard hacker named the Puppeteer is behind the entire series of events.

In the midst of all, Batou, who was stalking the case on a separate track, encounters Motoko. She goes away after saying, "Stay away from the Solid State Society." Batou is left with a doubt in his mind. Could Motoko be the the Puppeteer?

The series of intriguing incidents that Section 9 faces gradually link together almost artistically. Who is the Puppeteer? What will happen to Batou`s relationship with Motoko? What is the full truth behind this carefully planned perfect crime? And what will the outcome be? Mysteries surround the Solid State Society...

Directed by Kamiyama Kenji and with the participation of the same staff from the popular series, GitS: SAC, this full-length 105 minute feature premiered in Japan on the SKYPerfecTV! satellite television network on September 1st, and was successively released on DVD on November 24th. Release outside Japan is to be July 3, 2007.

NOTE: The word "Puppeteer" is used in this text as a temporary translation for the original Japanese term "Kugutsu Mawashi" ("傀儡廻") and it is not meant to be the official English adaptation. ["傀儡" = "kairai" = "puppet/marionette"; "廻" = "mawashi" has a lot of meanings, such as the belt of Sumo wrestlers, tippet, or replacement; "廻者" = "mawashimono" would mean spy/scout/agent.]

(Summary from Production I.G`s GitS: SAC SSS page at http://www.productionig.com/contents/works_sp/47_/index.html)

Animation by Production I.G.
R1/License by Manga Entertainment.
[edit] The ↗Ghost in the Shell franchise:
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 10 10 9 9 6 Ggultra2764 [series:1681#1552]
This movie proved to be a bit of a letdown compared to the quality plotting I seen out of the two TV seasons. Like the TV shows, Solid State Society features Section 9 investigating a common case which eventually erupts into a bigger plot being organized by a powerful individual/ group. Here in this movie, Section 9 is investigating a string of murders which eventually become connected to a case of political corruption as they dig deeper into the case. Unlike the two TV seasons building up into something suspenseful and intriguing, Solid State Society is a bit flat in its plotting quality where Section 9 doesn't get anywhere with the case until Motoko steps in (making her seem like a walking deus ex machina) and developments with prominent members of Section 9 in the two years following 2nd GIG being contradictory to the types of characters they were in the TV series (Bandou being hands-off unless it interests him, Ishikawa becoming a cyborg, the return of some "old pals" after being supposedly dead). This makes the second half to the movie fall flat due to the lack of proper buildup and solid resolution that the two TV seasons provided. Solid State Society does retain the high quality visual presentation and Yoko Kanno composed soundtrack you would come across in the two TV seasons. But these aren't enough to justify wanting to give the movie a second watch if you watch through it. It's a good treat if you are a Ghost in the Shell fan. But you will find the plotting to be nowhere as well-written and engaging as what the TV seasons provided.

Last updated Wednesday, July 27 2011. Created Wednesday, July 27 2011.

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