5 ms·

I had trouble getting into the series and was wondering if it was just me, but this makes me want to go back and try Stand Alone Complex again. I really did enj

I had trouble getting into the series and was wondering if it was just me, but this makes me want to go back and try Stand Alone Complex again. I really did enjoy the movie. It had really good world building.

wayoutthere 7y ago
Yeah, the world building is awesome. It's really the reason to stick with the show through its rough spots. The show is divided into 2 types of episodes; about half are one-shot episodes that are only loosely referenced by the main story arc (but they usually explore an interesting theme). If you watch the episodes in the order they were released it can be hard to follow the overall plot.
- steveklabnik 7y ago
  (In my understanding, this is related to the name: the one-shot episodes are "stand alone", and the main story arc ones are "complex". Of course, the name has other meanings as well, more directly relevant to the story and explained in the article, but I always found it neat.)
hottycat3 7y ago
I recommend watching the original Japanese dubbed version with English subtitles. At that time translation was rough in most anime but this has since then improved. (For German readers I recommend the German sub, the used the same people who dubbed the Stargate series which did a really good job in both cases.)
- malvosenior 7y ago
  Just a nit pick but the original Japanese version isn’t a dub, it’s the original audio. I totally agree it’s the best version though. That being said the English dub is pretty good too.
  - idle_zealot 7y ago
    >original Japanese version isn’t a dub Unless SAC is one of those incredibly rare pieces of Japanese animation where the voices were recorded prior to the animation being completed, the Japanese voiced version is just as much a dub as the English version. >https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dub>dub https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dub>dub verb (2) >dubbed; dubbing >Definition of dub >(Entry 4 of 5) >transitive verb >1 : to add (sound effects or new dialogue) to a film or to a radio or television production —usually used with "in" >// They dubbed in the music.
    - wayoutthere 7y ago
      The voices may not have been recorded, but the script is almost certainly better in Japanese. The English dub is a static script, but the fan-created subtitles are usually a much better translation than the official ones from that era.
      - idle_zealot 7y ago
        I agree completely.
- westpfelia 7y ago
  The English version is really good. A lot of work went into it when it came over to Adult Swim.
DanTheManPR 7y ago
It is a tough series to get into, and I won't apologize for a lot of it's pacing issues. All incarnations of Ghost In The Shell have prioritized communicating ideas about future society, which often comes at the cost of narrative cohesion. Stand Alone Complex and the Manga are, I think, the best entries in the franchise, but even those subject the audience to big exposition dumps. But for my money, I think GitS has been one of the most prescient pieces of futurology. It's depiction of the impact of omnipresent telecommunications and technology on society is eerie.
Shish2k 7y ago
FWIW there's a Stand Alone Complex movie, which is basically just the central plot of the series, with the side-stories edited out. I love the side-stories, but the movie is definitely easier to watch :)

wayoutthere 7y ago

Yeah, the world building is awesome. It's really the reason to stick with the show through its rough spots. The show is divided into 2 types of episodes; about half are one-shot episodes that are only loosely referenced by the main story arc (but they usually explore an interesting theme). If you watch the episodes in the order they were released it can be hard to follow the overall plot.

steveklabnik 7y ago
(In my understanding, this is related to the name: the one-shot episodes are "stand alone", and the main story arc ones are "complex". Of course, the name has other meanings as well, more directly relevant to the story and explained in the article, but I always found it neat.)

hottycat3 7y ago

I recommend watching the original Japanese dubbed version with English subtitles. At that time translation was rough in most anime but this has since then improved. (For German readers I recommend the German sub, the used the same people who dubbed the Stargate series which did a really good job in both cases.)

malvosenior 7y ago
Just a nit pick but the original Japanese version isn’t a dub, it’s the original audio. I totally agree it’s the best version though. That being said the English dub is pretty good too.
- idle_zealot 7y ago
  >original Japanese version isn’t a dub Unless SAC is one of those incredibly rare pieces of Japanese animation where the voices were recorded prior to the animation being completed, the Japanese voiced version is just as much a dub as the English version. >https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dub>dub https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dub>dub verb (2) >dubbed; dubbing >Definition of dub >(Entry 4 of 5) >transitive verb >1 : to add (sound effects or new dialogue) to a film or to a radio or television production —usually used with "in" >// They dubbed in the music.
  - wayoutthere 7y ago
    The voices may not have been recorded, but the script is almost certainly better in Japanese. The English dub is a static script, but the fan-created subtitles are usually a much better translation than the official ones from that era.
    - idle_zealot 7y ago
      I agree completely.
westpfelia 7y ago
The English version is really good. A lot of work went into it when it came over to Adult Swim.

DanTheManPR 7y ago

It is a tough series to get into, and I won't apologize for a lot of it's pacing issues. All incarnations of Ghost In The Shell have prioritized communicating ideas about future society, which often comes at the cost of narrative cohesion. Stand Alone Complex and the Manga are, I think, the best entries in the franchise, but even those subject the audience to big exposition dumps. But for my money, I think GitS has been one of the most prescient pieces of futurology. It's depiction of the impact of omnipresent telecommunications and technology on society is eerie.

Shish2k 7y ago

FWIW there's a Stand Alone Complex movie, which is basically just the central plot of the series, with the side-stories edited out. I love the side-stories, but the movie is definitely easier to watch :)