Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex (Vol. 1) [Limited Edition DTS DVD and Audio CD]

Rating:
Summary: Deep concept story
Review: Because all staffs spent more than years, SAC has constructed with deep concept through the story. In SAC, there are couple of individual stories and continuous stories ("The Laughing Man")... you can recognize either one when you see the title. (Individual story described as "a stand alone episode", continuous stories described as "complex epsode"... "i" has been intentionally removed. It gives us a small hint to understand the whole concept of SAC.) I really love SAC because I can watch it over and over, and still can find something new.

Compair to the movie GITS, all voice actores and actresses are doing better job (especially, I admired Tachikoma's voice actress... she really did a good job to maintain Japanese version's attitude.)

I've already watched 26+4 (2nd gig) episodes, and have some DVDs (in Japanese). $40 is a kind of bargain for me! (In Japan, they sell 2 episodes for almost $60!!) I believe, from next volume, they sell a bit lower because this volume has included sound truck. I don't mind to pay this price ($40) for this edition, which comes with three discs. If you don't care about sound environment and original sound truck, I recommend to buy the regular version. However, I it's worth to listen the sound truck! (It's really cool music!)

Rating:
Summary: Anime at it's best
Review: For those of you who like the manga and the movie you will love this series. It is based off the manga and supposedly it is before the movie happened. For me I don't think so, there is a reason I believe why it is called Stand Alone Complex. Now the character design and the story is more from the manga. So for those of you guys who liked the movie and that's all you know or like, you might not enjoy it right away. This series is what the creator(Masamune Shirow)intended it to look like. The movie is the change. This is a 26 episode series so there are a lot of stories and situations to come. I'm glad that finally they are also using DTS for the sound. Many of the Korean animes are in DTS and it's so nice to hear it like that. The only bad thing is that they are charging alot more and giving you the 5.1 disc as well(like you'd play it if you have DTS). The soundtrack that comes with this is excellent, done by Yokko Kano, which is done by the same person who did Cowboy Bebop. Her versatility amazes me. My only complaint is the price as I do not think the next volumes will come anything extra like the soundtrack so you are paying the extra $10 dollars for the 5.1 disc which you don't care about when you buy the DTS vesion.

Rating:
Summary: Cool...but!....check this out!
Review: Ill get to why i rated three stars, but first, some background

I was blown away by COwboy Bebop and it still remains my favorite being that it was the very first 26 episode series ive ever seen. GITSAC came along and it blew away every other anime ive ever seen. the animation is a work of genius, soundtrack is intoxicating, camera work is breathtaking, characters are thorough, and the storyline>>>WHOA!. there was so much and it was so detailed i absorbed every word of it and watched it over to make sure i got it all. This is the anime to beat. i havent met its equal.

as for waiting for it to get to the US, i really want the dvd collection, but i cannot waste 30 to 50 bux on only a few episodes. my problem with this is that they sell them in small volumes(3stars), then come out with the full 26 eps. version(5stars)for a lower price. then we're either all pissed off or shell out another 30 for it. ive seen it in bebop, trigun, beserk, noir. All have sold volumes, then move to a full 26 episode Perfect Collection, which is BY FAR the way to go(Noir has yet to come out with the perfect Collection) As long as it takes, im gonna wait until GITSAC comes out with one. It'll save me money, and although its probably the best anime ever, i am patient enough to wait for a full 26 for a lower price.