Anime Review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (English dubbed version)

Another incarnation of Shirow Masamune's "Ghost In the Shell" story, Stand Alone Complex brings back the characters from the Ghost In the Shell world and presents them in a different light from both the manga series and the movie. Set in an ultra-futuristic background, this political thriller both presents an interesting story and asks somewhat troubling questions about our own relationship with technology and the world around us.

The year is 2030, and technology has inextricably embedded itself in society with stalwart tenacity. People are rarely "entirely" human anymore, their bodies often a mix of real and artificial flesh. This leads to a condition the anime series is named after: a "stand alone complex". Those without such cybernetic enhancements often feel like an outsider from a society that operates largely through cybernetic communication. They feel as though they "stand alone", apart from a community they just can't keep up with.

The phrase also has other implications. The series is split into two types of episodes: "Complex" episodes that involve the overarching plot of the Laughing Man, and "Stand Alone" episodes that have no connection to the main story.

The story focuses on Public Security Section 9, an elite group made up of former policemen, soldiers and even mobsters, all trained to handle cyber- and technology-related terrorism and other high-profile crimes. Upon occasion, they also serve as added protection for high-ranking officials. The 52-episode series delves further into the personal lives of the characters than the movie and manga series did, exploring both the terrorist atrocities that take place and the various reactions of the Section 9 members on a deeper level.

The main plot revolves around the Laughing Man case, a hacker with the ability to take control of someone's cybernetic brain and even erase his existence from their mind. No one knows what he looks like, as he hacks their computerized eyes so they only see a logo of a laughing man. As Section 9 probes the case further, they uncover more than they expected.

Aside from being a political thriller, Stand Alone Complex investigates the inherent fears behind taking technology too far. Where does it stop being a useful tool for humanity, and starts to conquer it? Those humans who have become part or all cyborg still retain their human memories and feelings, but some are strangely disconnected from it all. The rapidly blurring lines between human and machine could not be better displayed than with the "tachikoma" characters in the series-light tanks with advanced AI and a curiosity level equivalent to that of a human child.

The tachikomas assist Section 9 with their work, but when left to their own devices they begin to discuss individuality and the "meaning of self". This inquisitive nature leads to their inability to perform as weapons for Section 9, further erasing the boundaries between humanity and computers.

The series contains several references to real-life literary works, particularly that of "Catcher in the Rye": the Laughing Man's motto, "I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes", is taken directly from the book. The logo the Laughing Man uses is also derived from the Starbucks logo.

The animation is highly detailed, bringing the bustle of a major metropolitan city to life with expert accuracy. There's very little to pull you out of the story, with characters that respond to their environment and evidence of physics at work (particularly in firefights.) The soundtrack is impressive, with a memorable opening sequence and atmospheric music that seems to fit the corresponding visuals like a glove.

Due to the graphic depictions of blood and violence, even older children should stay away from this series. Stand Alone Complex will also not suit anyone who isn't into realistic depictions of political machinations in a fictional city. If you enjoy deep, multi-layered stories that may take you more than one viewing to fully understand everything, and answering questions about the future of a cybernetically connected society, you won't be able to put this series down.