Product Description

A.D. 2034. It has been two years since Motoko Kusanagi 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 nicknamed the Puppet Master" is behind the entire series of events. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ANIMATION/ADULT SWIM UPC: 669198251702 Manufacturer No: 25170

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12042 in DVD
• Brand: STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT
• Released on: 2007-07-03
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Japanese
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 108 minutes

Amazon.com
The television movie Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society (2006) continues the adventures of the cast of Stand Alone Complex, the TV series based on Mamoru Oshii's watershed feature. It's been two years since Major Kusanagi left Public Security Section 9 and struck out on her own. Batou pursues only investigations that interest him. Togusa is in charge of the Section, largely by default. All three characters, plus Chief Aramaki and the Tachikoma robots, join in the investigation of a string of suicides by agents of a foreign general. The trail leads them to a terrorist plot involving micro-machines created to release a deadly virus, and to the master-hacker known as the Puppeteer. The depiction of a corrupt politician using resources earmarked for the care of an aging population for his own ends reflects recent scandals in Japan. But Solid State Society feels derivative. The plot borrows heavily from the "Laughing Man" storyline, and the general lack of inspiration is evident in the failure to resolve the mystery satisfactorily. (Rated 13 and older: violence, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

True to the Series
This film is one of the best things that I have seen come out of the GITS franchise. I have watched the movie several times, each time enjoying even more. I would give a description of the plot, but I will not ruin it for you. My only complaint about Solid State Society is that it borrows ideas from both of the feature-length movies. If you liked GITS: SAC, and most specially 2nd GIG, you will enjoy this movie.

Note: It is dubbed in English, unlike Innocence. Amazon just has that fact incorrect

Delving into a detailed universe...
Solid State Society is hopefully a sign of what is to come in the world of Ghost in the Shell. After Stand Alone Complex's 2nd GIG, I was definitely left with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The pacing of the 2nd GIG felt uneven and the story felt more convoluted than tastefully complex, creating an adequate but not perfect addition to the GitS series. However, Solid State Society takes the best from the Stand Alone Complex series and in little under two hours presents a story as rich in detail and as lovingly complex as the series preceding it.

A huge plus of the movie is that instead of feeling like an overstretched episode, it feels more like a long arc of quality episodes stringed together while still feeling cinematic in its presentation. Solid State Society gives us everything we expect in a GitS story: a sci-fi universe that draws you in but never overwhelms, continuity in character development, rich and intelligent dialogue and plot that almost seems plausible down the road, and of course, some light philosophy and shades of grey. Even if you aren't an anime or a strict sci-fi fan, you might just enjoy this one.

Full English Version
I saw this movie for the first time on Sci-Fi Channel's Ani-Monday. I was getting ready to call it a night when this was advertised as being next and had to stay up and watch it. It's a very well done movie with a lot of feeling of the first movie that was brought to the series. Alot of things have changed, alot of feelings are different, but it's all very good. I think I saw an edited version but for the most part it was very well done. All the original cast has returned to do the voices so there's no problem with the english subtitles or with dubbing. Overall it was a good movie.