Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

"Do you believe in the existence of the soul?"

-Android And I, Episode 3, one of the many episodes to discuss the idea of the machine becoming self-aware or acquiring a ghost-

Of all of the fruitful anime franchises that exist, next to Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost In The Shell easily ranks among the best and among my personal favorites. As often as I revisit the original Mamoru Oshii film, Ghost In The Shell (1995), inspired by the manga works of Masamune Shirow, and that inspired the likes of directors James Cameron as well as the Wachowski's own The Matrix (1999) trilogy, I am often taken with the rich, thoughtful and beautifully animated universe that was created on film. Each viewing seems to unravel new layers and details offering a new appreciation for different aspects of that mythology as well as the philosophical musings of Oshii that sometimes translate poorly to the moving picture. Oshii is something of an acquired taste and patience is sometimes required.



Ghost In The Shell may be one of Oshii's finest moments where his affection and tendency to talk an audience to death or hang on a given moment for an extended period never seems to languish to the point of boredom, but rather succeeds in conveying his intended desire to muse philosophically on the beauty of what it means to be human or those existential questions of what separates man and machine? These are always the wonderful underpinnings of Ghost In The Shell's thematic and existential subtext that is embraced by fans of that world. Can an android develop its own ghost in the shell or consciousness? If so, what then, free will? Oshii's Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004) further examines these themes with quite possibly some of the most beautiful animation of his career. It may have been his finest moment visually speaking. The man can bring to life worlds and artistically render a basset hound like no other. In fact, it makes sense this 'verse shares some of the same thoughtful ruminations of existence and what it means to live with the classic Blade Runner (1982) by Ridley Scott or even author Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (1968) Oshii and the Ghost In The Shell themes ponder such weighty and complex questions and concepts equally so. There is indeed a spiritual thematic connection to those predecessors.

For those unencumbered by the often talky, lengthy use of exposition, they could likewise turn to Oshii's equally beautiful films for Patlabor: The Movie (1989) and Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993). These films lend themselves less to the groupthink-styled, Headgear-driven OVA series for Mobile Police Patlabor (1988), of which Oshii was affiliated, and more toward the less comedic as well as Oshii's natural tendency to explore the concepts of man and technology and the balance or imbalance of those worlds.





I had always missed out on a proper exploration of the more, allegedly action-based Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002-2003), a series that offers a natural extension to some of the ideas and concepts first explored in Shirow's manga as well as Oshii's film. Despite the series grounding in a heady and often pensive approach, director/writer Kenji Kamiyama was unafraid to take things to the next level and deliver fans of this universe a little more of the action that tantalized many in the original Oshii film. But Kamiyama is just as unabashed in maintaining an inclination for the cerebral too.




Budgeted at roughly 800 million yen (6.8 million US dollars), the twenty-six episode run of GITS:SAC, the standard number of episodes for a Japan TV series in anime, delivers fourteen Stand Alone entry cases like the excellent Idolator and Testation and twelve Complex stories within a more sophisticated ongoing Laughing Man plot arc. GITS:SAC applies the same formula and approach that was applied to series like The X-Files or Fringe, except here it is identified within the show's very title. Avoiding ambiguity is hardly a trademark of the Japanese when it comes to anime but there it is.




GITS:SAC begins with a fine introduction, Episode 1, Section-9 in order to acquaint fans of this new series to the new stylized approach centered around Public Security Section 9 comprised of human and cyborg (humans complete with prosthetic components) agents. Kamiyama, in effect, places more emphasis on the elite team concept building a kind of super group around lead character and cybernetic human Major Motoko Kusanagi. Though the sexy cyborg lead is very much a part of an ensemble cast complemented by Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, Saito, Paz, Borma and led by Daisuke Aramaki. Kamiyama also introduces a new concept in the form of the blue, spider-like mech called Tachikomas, artificially intelligent think tanks. The roving think tanks serve to aid the Section 9 armored riot police unit and investigators whilst their own AI systems continue to self-develop.

Episode 2, Testation, a stand alone highlight, is a thrill ride bursting at the seams with wonderful animation and color from Kusanagi's new look to the free-styling blue Tachikoma units with which agents can insert themselves.




In fact, Testation is a nice spin on classic anime concepts. The idea of rogue mechs is certainly not a new one, but the team behind GITS:SAC deliver a gem of fun whilst also infusing the script with a generally sad commentary on humanity through a tragic love story. Though I loved the entry I kept feeling a sense of deja vu on one level as the team pursued a rogue heavy-assault, multi-ped tank. The story borrows inspiration from one of Patlabor: The TV Series finest entries. The early episode was Episode 5, Runaway Labor X-10! (1989), a phenomenally exciting thrill chase between the officers of Mobile Police Patlabor in their respective Ingrams (Alphonse) in pursuit of a devastating military weapon. Testation, in effect, pays homage to Patlabor, but offers an exceptional riff on the idea of an experimental weapon amok by infusing the creation with the mind of its creator and an agenda that is devastating in its emotional pay off.





So the themes of man attempting to find balance and harmony with technology falters somewhere between a proper marriage with the benefits of a harmonic connection and a stumbling towards war between the two. Patlabor, another exceptional anime franchise, and Ghost In The Shell are two of the best at illustrating Japan's struggle with both the benefits and ills of a technological world. Japan, always a nation grounded in the natural world and a respect for its revered past, also embraces the challenges of the modern world, and that dichotomy is often beautifully animated in these two aforementioned series.



Testation is indeed a hallmark of the GITS:SAC series packed with dynamic, gorgeously animated action sequences and bold designs. This is the high watermark of the Stand Alone entries and sets the bar for eye-popping visual entertainment coupled with a story filled with real heart.



Episode 3, Android And I, explores the concept of the ghost further and leaves viewers pondering the idea of self-awareness and the kinds of themes that were popularized in Blade Runner.




Episode 4, Interceptor, takes us into the world of The Laughing Man, similar in concept to the hacker Puppet Master in the original Oshii film, and the arc that not only pays homage to the work of Oshii, but sets up the longstanding Complex story arc of the series. It's also an arc that does its fair share of talking too. It's not recommended viewing when sleep is edging its way into your eyes in the late hours of a day.  These computer hacker stories can get long-winded, but there is certainly enough intrigue to break up the political diatribes. The arc centers on cyber brain (artificially augmented brains) infection or ghost-hacking and individual cyber-hacking. In essence, to put it simply, GITS:SAC takes zombie infection into the virtual world.



The series is filled to the rim with positively glorious mech design from the chatty spider-like Tachikomas to the scorpion-inspired Kenbishi Heavy Industries HAW206 Prototype to the Jigabachi flight craft and much more. The series is just brimming with equal amounts eye candy and mental provocation for the more mature, discerning anime geek. Though, and with no intention to denigrate the production, GITS:SAC is a bit more accessible and mainstream than the films, but truthfully it is really no less ambitious and often times dense in terms of mythology. Understanding the high tech concepts of modernity within its universe, particularly with its unique Japanese foundation and aesthetic, offers its challenges. From the cutesy accessibility of those Tachikoma voices to the snug-fitting sex appeal and allure of the now beautiful and less androgynous Kusanagi demonstrated a boldness by creators to take the series and shoot for a much larger audience. But apart from those touches, there is also indeed a pacing to this sexy, stylish series that can be appreciated by audiences with a shorter attention span whilst still retaining the more cerebral elements the franchise had on offer to reward its more patient ad demanding fans.



Hottie agent Kusanagi is a bit like UFO's Gabrielle Drake with an ability to kick ass. But seriously how exactly is that form-fitting uniform bureau-approved? How do those men actually concentrate? At least, the human Togusa. I mean she may not be human but she's spectacular. And how the heck did the Tachikoma's receive approval for those child-like audio sound systems? Yet somehow it all kind of works actually. All of it contributes beautifully to Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex making it a unique, clever, meticulously produced and original anime series that remains one of the finest on the market despite the sometimes weak scripting coupled with smart ambitious ideas.




Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex: B+.
Writer: Kenji Kamiyama.
Director: Kenji Kamiyama.
Studio: Production I.G. (1987-present) (Evangelion, Patlabor, FLCL, Ghost In The Shell).



Episodes:
1. Section-9.
2. Testation.
3. Android And I.
4. Interceptor.
5. Decoy.
6. Meme.
7. Idolater.
8. Missing Hearts.
9. Chat! Chat! Chat!.
10. Jungle Cruise.
11. Portraitz.
12. Escape From.
13. Not Equal.
14. YE$.
15. Machines Desirantes.
16. Ag20.
17. Angel's Share.
18. Lost Heritage.
19. Captivated.
20. Re-View.
21. Eraser.
22. Scandal.
23. Equinox.
24. Annihilation.
25. Barrage.
26. Stand Alone Complex.

Images taken from Episode 2, Testation.




























Oh and fan(ny) service. There is so that.

Godzilla (2014)

"Let them fight."

-Ken Watanabe-

Now there's a novel idea. Please don't read this if you haven't seen the film. There are no major spoilers, but -. Here are my general reflections on the big lizard with a few days to simmer.

Like director Ishiro Honda's classic Gojira (1954) this is a review of Godzilla (2014) by a monster unleashed. Please tread carefully and certainly see the film for yourself.



Trailers are a funny business. It was roughly one year ago I was completely underwhelmed by the trailers for Pacific Rim (2013). Eventually, my son dragged me along with him to the cinema and to my utter surprise director Guillermo del Toro had crafted an energetic, lively, colorful, H.P. Lovecraftian-drenched love letter to the kaiju genre that completely took me by surprise.

To the contrary, apart from being mildly disappointed that director Gareth Edwards felt the need to reveal Godzilla himself in the trailers, the Godzilla (2014) trailers had me riveted with anticipation, primed and stoked for the latest incarnation and rebirth of the classic monster that we have all loved from afar normally from the ground and gazing skyward.

Imagine how utterly stunned I was to discover that the new Godzilla film was underwhelming and even disappointing. The highlights in those trailers certainly placed my expectations in a relatively high place.



I cannot praise Edwards enough for having the guts it took to take on the iconic creature full speed ahead based solely on the small budget, indie work that was his solid little Monsters (2010). Monsters was a bold, forward-looking approach to guerilla-style filmmaking if there ever was a film crafted in such a manner. The level of detail and seamless production work made for a nice surprise. Based solely on the journey of two principal characters, Monsters was a subtle, tender journey with the titular monsters merely operating as a backdrop for their story and Edwards' political message.

In many respects Godzilla takes a similar approach, with a story that sees the creature through the eyes of its human principals set against issues of radiation and Fukushima-inspired terror (even if Edwards denies it all). But I had secretly hoped for a picture with a stronger Godzilla-centric view of the universe.



So with all of the praise that Godzilla had heaped upon it as a character-centric film placing largely 90 minutes on so-called "character development" I can tell you it was sorely lacking in that department. Do critics understand what character development means? Or do they read from the same scripted talking points? Certainly the classic Toho kaiju pictures had their fair share of underdeveloped players, but today sophisticated audiences expect more at least if that is how the picture is sold to them.  Transformers will remain mind-numbing escape but Godzilla (2014) was reaching for more. To compare, Pacific Rim's character development looked more like Shakespeare by comparison. That's an exaggeration, but it was certainly as good if not better. Many cite some the great monster films whereby the monster is revealed much later from Jaws to Alien, but at least in those films the character drama was second-to-none and their trailers didn't give the monster away already.



I periodically looked down to my phone at the time awaiting Godzilla's arrival from the weak dialogue and the less-than-engaging character stories. Seeing the two seasoned and most interesting acting professionals (Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche) meet their early demise took a bit out of the film for me. Godzilla and the film sort of arrives in more thrilling fashion at the ninety minute mark with just a little more than thirty minutes dedicated to the film's titular monster protagonist.



I say protagonist because Godzilla is hardly the force of destruction purveyed by Honda in his 1954 original. Godzilla is much more an amalgamation of concepts from the long Toho legacy - a legacy even inspired by Gamera.

In fact, I was often reminded more of the Gamera-like approach found in the spirit of the Gamera trilogy, Heisei series, and Gamera's efforts to rein in the Gyaos and restore balance to the world, a concept often cited here in Godzilla. And personally, I enjoyed those Gamera films a bit more. And I see no problem with that approach to Godzilla at all. As a kid I always liked the idea of Godzilla, like Gamera, as friend over foe, but no need to push the 1954 original.



Again, in a rare turn, the CGI Godzilla looks phenomenal. That much is true and he has it all over the Roland Emmerich debacle, but we never really feast our eyes upon the creature for any great length of time or prolonged, paused moments. Pacific Rim took a lot of criticism for being dark and rainy, but the neon look and the lighting of that Lovecraft-inspired world was generally successful as an artist's vision. The photography here in Godzilla is dark, sometimes smoky and just as unclear as the aforementioned previous summer blockbuster. Edwards really goes conservative with his approach to unleashing Godzilla which is surprising given that trailer had me expecting much more. But, the gritty, earthy look of the film is becoming trademark Edwards. It's hard to believe this is just his second picture in many ways.



The moments with the atomic breath were nice, but sometimes Edwards would cut away from the action just when things seemed like they were about to really take the gloves off.

The MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) were also another originally conceived, well-constructed monster design with a bit more background than our human characters. Edwards employs a good bit of his effects work, concepts and ideas to those creatures straight from his own Monsters origins. Those creatures seemed a natural extension of his glowing alien designs from the aforementioned picture complete with a nifty electro magnetic pulse energy. And like the creatures in Monsters, the MUTOS exhibit a familial inclination. They are actually fairly sympathetic. At least I felt something for them. In fact I felt more for those misunderstood creatures than I did for the human characters in the film save for Cranston and Binoche. And sadly, we never have the joy of a Cranston/ Binoche-anchored film. The rest of the film rested squarely on the shoulders of Aaron Taylor-Johnson who simply had little presence to hold the picture together on the human front.



I feel like a curmudgeon. Have I become so cynical and jaded with films that I am unfair in my assessments? Is my discerning eye working against me now?  Based on all of the positive feedback over at Rotten Tomatoes.com you would think I saw a different film. Everyone raves and I come away rather puzzled. Though I had a gaggle of youth with me whose reactions ranged from "it was okay" to "it kind of sucked." Those kids would have had a ball seeing Godzilla Vs. Megalon (1973) back in the day. But I had a similar response and reaction to the unwieldy The Avengers. Well, the good news is, Godzilla is better than that and certainly better than Godzilla Vs. Megalon as a work of cinema.



I don't mean to be unkind to Edwards' film and vision. This is a director with real promise even if he doesn't quite pull it off with the wisdom of a visual, veteran hand like Ridley Scott. There were only a few truly suspenseful sequences (the train bridge, the nuclear facility with Cranston and Binoche). Otherwise I was often left rather disaffected. Sometimes it might seem you're damned if you do and damned if you don't with me. It's a fairly fine line to walk. Transformers this is not and nor would I want it to be that, but if you are going to spend time developing character it needs to be more compelling and interesting than the material in the first ninety minutes of Godzilla. And when we get to the spectacle after viewers wait ever so patiently, a director needs to deliver a more significant punch than the one found here. Sequences are certainly not without merit, but I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Edwards was slightly out of his league or needed more of the practical experience of a Guillermo del Toro to really deliver such a mammoth film.

I've been a huge champion of Edwards after Monsters and I wanted Godzilla to be as massive as those banner posters and as special as the design of the creature which he gets entirely right.



But Godzilla, despite plenty of reverent touches of homage to the ideas often placed in classic films like The Thing (as in Godzilla Vs. The Thing) or Rodan or any host of other terrific Showa Era classics including the original, marginally succeeds. Still, that 1954 original representing Godzilla as an untamed force unleashed is still as classic as they come. Why the press, cast and crew interviews continue to sell the film as returning to the 1954 roots is something of a curiosity, because even my young son could see the contrast as clear as atomic breath. Certainly there are elements that bring us back to that era from the mushroom clouds and issues of a world impacted by the creation of nuclear science. But there are moments in the film whereby the human race sees Godzilla as a savior, like Gamera, which, as I say, is fine by me. I want him on our side.



Perhaps Godzilla will settle in for me, but, for now, the film was marginally a good picture with meticulous technical production that was extensive. But pretty devastation and talking heads are not enough to fill a film called Godzilla. The rebirth needed to be better. Ultimately I think Godzilla delivers the necessary, prerequisite excitement for another shot and I expect it to do well.



For once, I don't slight the CGI, because Edwards really does a masterful job with the effects work. I take absolutely zero issue with Godzilla's design. In fact, over decades there have always been modifications to the Godzilla appearance and design.  Only the 1998 Godzilla from the Roland Emmerich/ Dean Devlin production remains truly unfaithful in execution. The new film offers a faithful and gorgeous rendering even in the absence of the man in the suit. The human absence takes a little away from the spirit of a Godzilla film if I'm to ask myself did it feel like a Godzilla picture? Maybe that is why this Godzilla somehow still feels a little empty. It's not a bad film and the vistas are stunning. It's just not as good as I had hoped. I had longed for a little less subtlety in favor of a few killer shots. The classics will certainly always have their place with men filling those suits and watching them trudge through the rich, detailed legacy of Eiji Tsuburaya's amazing model work. In my opinion, enter Godzilla with lowered expectations. I entered rather enthusiastically, maybe too enthusiastically. It's a faithful but flawed film, reverent and thoughtful to the monster's legacy, still there's plenty of room for improvement in handling the Godzilla sequences and character work going forward improving upon this and the deficiencies of the classics. I'll remain optimistic about future potential.

Godzilla (2014): B-. Director: Gareth Edwards. Writer: Max Borenstein.