Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man
Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Don't sleep on this Anime! I love Japanese Anime.

Image a society where the average person is enhanced with cybernetics. Yeah, the bionic man and the bionic woman is the everyday person. Think of Robocop, but esthetically pleasing. (And don't think we're not creeping towards it!)

The story revolves around an elite, secret task force, the Public Security Section 9. The group is sorta like an enhanced FBI, which the public and most government departments don't know about. It's headed by Chief Aramaki and the leader of the unit, Major Kusanagi.

I know there are a ton of Ghost in the Shell DVDs and story lines. I've also watched some of the videos.

What is fascinating about the Major is that she's entirely prosthetic, which means that only her soul is in the artificial body. She's able to jump about from machine to machine at will. She is the Ghost in the machine. Hmm, if that could be achieved, people could be immortal - to some extent.

The Laughing Man story lines connects cybernetic brains, Internet groups, viruses, American literature such as The Catcher in the Rye, and corruption in post-war world Japan's government (future world wars).

This series follows the methodical process of solving mysteries like CSI or Law and Order. This is one of the best animated series I've seen in a very long time. The creators of this Anime are able to pull the outlaying story lines together effortlessly into a cohesive unit.

Oh hell, I like stuff that makes me think, and these guys pull it all together very very well.

Labels: anime, bionic, cybernetic, cyborg, Ghost in the shell, Japanese anime, Major Kusanagi

posted by GoldenAh
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