Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Derek Childs (totalovrdose) When I acquired my copy of Stand Alone Complex, I remember watching this at least a dozen times in a row, none of the episodes ever failing to entertain. I still relished every battle scene; admired every line of dialogue, and cried like a baby each time I witnessed the penultimate episode. Major Motoko Kusanagi to this day remains, quite possibly, my favorite anime character of all time, and what Mamoru Oshii accomplished during the films, and Kenji Kamiyama conceived during the series, was to create a character so beautiful, intelligent and mysterious, nobody could possibly look away from her. Although more respectful and mature than Shirow Masamune's depiction (who occasionally resembled Duenan from Appleseed), Motoko's unflinching authority and superior abilities remained. The youthful impression we have of the Major in Ghost Pain doesn't capture the voice that Masamune conceived, however, does paint a new image of her character that we have never been privy to.For those who have viewed the 2ng Gig of Stand Alone complex, you may remember Kamiyama developed a back-story for the Major, in which, as a young girl, she was involved in a catastrophic crash. After her human body failed her, Motoko's mind was transferred to that of a cyborg. This entire back-story is forgotten in Ghost Pain, which instead describes something else. As Masamune never actually wrote about how the Major came to be heavily cyborg, this allows plenty of leg room for a multitude of perceptions. The fact this feature doesn't reflect what has been previously developed may cause the audience to wonder which interpretation is most plausibly accurate During Ghost Pain, the Major is a seemingly short young woman with florescent blue hair and turquoise eyes. Although the actress voicing her is talented, the fact her vocal range never touches upon previous depictions of Motoko's character, makes adapting to this new design a little difficult. The colors used in Ghost Pain are very well developed, and Motoko's red outfit is further evidence of this. However, if the creators had retained a similar hair color to the previous series and comics, and gone for a blue suit (fans who have read Ghost in the Shell Phantom Fund might know what I mean), I think this would have done the character greater justice.Although Aramaki, Batou, Togusa and Raz make appearances, these often feel like underdeveloped cameos, with Motoko commanding the screen, and though there is nothing particularly wrong with this, one cannot hope fans will want to join the Major on another adventure if she is nothing like they once remember. Rather than feeling like the traditional cyberpunk, although these elements distinctly remain, Ghost Pain is more film noir than anything else, and is a classic case of trying to figure out who the lead antagonist is. Despite been a different interpretation, the way this is written works really well, the developers making the viewer believe one particular idea, before pulling the rug out from beneath their feet and having them believe something else entirely. It is not until the case is concluded that we have all of the answers.I would never go so far as to say the story is creepy, or even retains the same level of darkness as Ghost in the Shell 2 Innocence, but the writers do take advantage of the storyline. As some characters find their memories and eyes hacked, they are forced to witness and believe things that are untrue, and their frustrating battle to uncover what is real, alongside the fear they are losing control, is really well conveyed. Moreover, rather than having all of the answers, Motoko is seen to be a character with vulnerability, and her humanity is heightened in the actions that she takes. Although 'show don't tell' works great in literature, I have always had preference for Motoko's philosophical discussions, none of which make an appearance in this adaptation.The action we have come to appreciate from Ghost in the Shell certainly does make a resurgence, the acrobatic movements of the cyborgs being a flurry of color, the sound of one cyborg smashing violently into another heightening these scenes. Despite a number of robotic bodies been irreparably damaged in some instances, it is perhaps contradictory the same level of destruction is never applied to the human combatants who are attacked. Furthermore, the music, which sounds very retro and digital, really helps immerse the viewer in the action scenes, though the opening and concluding themes are certainly no where near the caliber of Kenji Kawai or Yoko Kano.If you are a massive fan of the Ghost in the Shell universe, you will probably do yourself a disservice by not watching this new reincarnation of the franchise. Don't be surprised however if it fails to live up to expectations, although by the end, if you're anything like me, you'll still want to marry Motoko Kusanagi and have a bunch of cyber babies with her. Despite Ghost Pain been no where near the most exemplary addition to the Ghost in the Shell universe, there are certainly a number of twists and entertaining scenes to captivate your interest. Just don't expect the same story or character quality exhibited from previous titles, both of which could have been equally fleshed out.

jacksondanny020 This was some bull crap. This movie was almost nothing like the original ghost in the shell. For what ever reason there is an unexplained conflict between two characters that is in no way explained what so ever.this was so bland that I found my self falling asleep. The entire plot is freaking confusing. I don't even why some of the stuff in the film is happening. There is so many freaking cliff hanger that I lost count. This was a very poor attempt to revive ghost in the shell. Watch this crap if your curious. The animation was new but the constant cameos of Microsoft tablets were annoying considering this is a Prequel and that the original ghost in the shell did not have smartphones or tablets because during that era, they did not exist

politic1983 Prequels are usually pointless, telling story lines that we already know and cashing-in on the popularity of previous films. If you look at it from this perspective, which I am, prequels are often lazy attempts to milk that cash cow dry!Any new GITS (haha, gits) variation, therefore, is always going to be compared to what came before it - supposedly what comes after it. The original films by Mamoru Oshii are standards by which a lot of anime is set, complemented by the two strong 'GITS: Stand Alone Complex' series by Kenji Kamiyama. So, as I've stated I'm going to do this, I will compare the new incarnations to the previous works, because I'm like that.To start, the look of the animation and character design is very much more aligned with the 'Stand Alone Complex' TV series and this is not necessarily a bad thing. The lead characters have obviously been designed to look younger, with the greatest age difference seeming to come in Major Kusunagi's character, looking more like an obnoxious schoolgirl than anything. Secondly: the sound. Whether the previous films or TV series, the music has always been strong in 'Ghost in the Shell', but here it is altogether more bizarre. 'Stand Alone Complex' had good music, but was a big step down from Kenji Kawai's original soundtracks. And the 'GITS: Arise' offerings are a further step down. The opening credits are what sounds like the result of a fan staying up all night on their computer with some completely non-descript pieces throughout. With the opening credits, immediately you feel that this is not going to be as good as what came before. Lastly, the story lines: With both 'Border 1: Ghost Pain' and 'Border 2: Ghost Whispers', the story lines are quite political and quite uninteresting. Neither particularly grabs the attention and can lead to moments of distraction along the way. Perhaps the problem is the duration of these prequels. At around fifty minutes each, they do not offer the ability to delve as deep as the films, nor offer bite-size story lines in a more grand arc, like 'Stand Alone Complex'. For me, this is probably the key failing. Oshii's films were visual feasts, offering moments of reflection and philosophy in between lavish pieces of animation, getting into the psychology of its characters. The two TV series also developed interesting story lines over their twenty- six episodes. Depth and detail are what made 'Ghost in the Shell' so interesting. 'Arise' just seems to lack this a little. All-in-all, the 'Arise' series of prequels just doesn't create enough interest, other than being a new take on a well-established franchise. They will always be compared to what came before them: it will always happen. One can only hope the next instalment, 'Ghost Tears' will offer something more. But currently, they feel little more than a couple of 'GITS: SAC' episodes - and not particularly your favourites - that don't do quite enough to stand alone. politic1983.blogspot.co.uk

WasteBot For fans of the original film and the 2004 follow-up Innocence, this will be both impressive and disappointing. It seems to be intended as the first part of a TV series rather than a film, so it feels abrupt and under-developed. I may be biased as someone who deeply appreciates robot sci-fi stories but also has high expectations for them.For first time viewers of any Ghost in the Shell animation, this may be as mind-opening and impressive as the other 2, although the animation style reverts to the original and may seem a little old to people used to more recent animation/cartoon advances. The essence of the science-fiction story remains, with some more modern realism thrown in to keep the story relevant.The makers should either rebuild and expand this into a proper film or follow-up with another short film that fills in the gaps and then combine the 2. It would be sad to see a great film series like this turn into half-developed TV melodrama.