My Impressions of GHOST IN THE SHELL: SAC_20145 on Netflix
Prior to GHOST IN THE SHELL: SAC_2045, I happened to rewatch "The Laughing Man" - because I had wanted to showcase a moving anime visual in the background while I played with my toys on IG-live (Legit Video, thanks), and ended up watching the entire film (after the camera stopped recording a grown-ass-man playing with his man-dollies LOL), and had thoroughly enjoyed the watch, and had an immediate comparison to when I watched SAC_2045, to which this quick review(ish) is coloured with.
NETFLIX PAGE DESCRIPTION: "After a global financial crisis, the world is engulfed in an AI-driven "sustainable war." It's up to Section 9 to counter new forms of cyber threats."
PLOT: "In the year 2045, after an economic disaster known as the Simultaneous Global Default which destroyed the value of all forms of paper and electronic currency, the "Big 4" nations of the world are engaged in a state of never-ending "Sustainable War" to keep the economy going. In this world, Motoko, Batou, and other members of Public Security Section 9 have sold themselves out as mercenaries under the group "GHOST," using their cybernetic enhancements and battle experience to earn a living while defusing hot-spots across the globe. However, the emergence of "Post Humans" and a conspiracy uncovered by former Chief Aramaki force PSS9 to reunite." (Text via Wikipedia)
This series is set in the "Stand Alone Complex" sub-continuity.
It took me a bit to get to the series, actually... took me longer than I expected to do it too ... and while I cannot 100% echo every other folks "disappointed" commentary, I'd somewhat gravitate towards "underwhelmed", based on my literal "comparison" to The Laughing Man which I had watched slightly earlier, and something I cannot avoid ~ LOL.
Like when I watched the Hollywood live-action GITS (with Scarlet Johansson), I did not hate on it as much as I enjoyed the film for what it was (to me): A project with similar themes, but not necessarily THE remake of the 1995 and was by no means meant to take over from the source, IMHO.
Colour me "naive", but that's one of the ways I can keep myself sane and be able to move forward with being entertained and not evolve into a angry wannabe-oldtaku ("Old Otaku", thanks) ~ LOL
Moving on...!
Coming back to SAC_2045 - it is with such notions that I embraced the anime, as much as the negatives that plagued my full enjoyment of the series - from the gnawing CG-rendering of the figures (*Which reminded me of store-bought miniature "anime figurines", actually), to the not-so-convulated cliched world of PMC (*Private Military Contractors = half the time thinking how I could kitbash the characters in 1/6th scale OMG), and the awkward inclusion of the none-too-subtle "Purin"-character (to appeal to whomever viewership-demographic I don't pretend to associate with...), and struggle to rise above to enjoy the series itself.
I had truly hoped the "content/story" would've allayed my fears and apprehension of the illustration/aesthetics-style when I first witnessed the teasers & trailers, but alas my hopes were foiled.
NO, it does not suck, but at the same time, don't hold out too much hopes that it'll be in anyway parallel the past series, nor match up to the originals from two decades ago (the irony tho), and you'll probably have something decent as you wash it down with chips and alchobeverage, or playing in the background as you go about your work, IMHO.
The first season premiered exclusively on Netflix on April 23, 2020 in Japanese (with English subtitles available). "The English dub wasn't made available until May 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing production delays."
Is it a "must watch"? I personally think it is not essential, but in keeping the GITS-dream alive, we watch it because it is "necessary", because maybe it'll help the franchise continue? And without giving away nor commenting too much on the show themselves (as the episode titles and descriptions shown/listed on the Netlfix-page already could have), but needless to say, if you need to know what happens by the end of this season, you'll need a "Season Two" ... which was somewhat frustrating for me personally!
Season One consists of 12 episodes, each lasting 25minutes - which feels shorter than I imagined, when watching them, split into two days, which you can technically binge in a single day, if you focus nd have no responsibilities otherwise. Watch at your leisure, and need not take a special day out just to do so (and maybe you'll not be too P.O'd about doing so LOL).
I'll end this post with Opening & Closing songs for the series, and a "Directors Interview and Behind the Scenes" featurette.
Above: "Fly with me" (Opening theme) by Millennium Parade
Below: "sustain++" (Ending theme) by Mili
ABOVE-VIDEO: "Take a look behind the scenes of the much talked about latest installment in the Ghost in the Shell series, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, and get a glimpse into the motion capture process in this making-of video featuring exclusive interviews with directors Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki."Read the FULL post - with personal experiences - HERE on TOYSREVIL and HERE on I NOT OTAKU!.
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