In 1995, Shirow Masamune was already well-known for his manga writing and its associated anime adaptations. He was best known for his work on Appleseed and Dominion Tank Police. Fans eagerly anticipated his next big hit, Ghost in the Shell, first published in English by Dark Horse Comics. This series ran in monthly installments for four years.
Ghost In The Shell: Narrative Backstory
The continuity in the manga can be pretty confusing to wrap your head around—and that’s just the manga. It consisted of multiple volumes over several years and was the brainchild of multiple writers across those volumes. The basic story beats are that biochip technology has advanced significantly, so many people now have cybernetic implants, allowing them to connect their brains to the Internet. This makes them vulnerable to having their brains hacked by criminals.
The core story focus is centered around Public Security Section 9, which answers directly to the prime minister of Japan. Their goal is to deal with cybercrime and cyberterrorism. The leader and public face of the group is Major Motoko Kusanagi, who is unique in that her only remaining organic body part is her brain, which often leads Mokoto to wonder how human she is.
Stand Alone Complex: What Is It
Stand Alone Complex is the meatiest Ghost in the Shell content currently available. It comprises two 26-episode TV anime seasons, two compilation films, a sequel movie, and several CG animated seasons. Set in Japan between the years 2030 and 2045, Stand Alone follows the aspects, characters, and concepts of the Ghost in the Shell narrative but in an alternate universe that approaches the actual plot in several different ways from what the source material initially chose to do.
It takes plenty of liberties and makes enough creative tweaks to the original story for Stand Alone Complex to be a fresh experience compared to the original Ghost in the Shell. Thus, it can be considered worthwhile viewing even for longtime fans who have already experienced the original story of the anime or manga.
Final Thoughts
Ghost in the Shell started as a manga series by Shirow Masamune and several other authors in the 1990s. The nuances of the story can get somewhat confusing. Still, the basic central plot boils down to the fact that biochip technology has advanced enough that many people have cybernetic implants and can connect their brains directly to the internet, with the minor drawback that this makes their brains vulnerable to hackers. The leading group that centers around this is Public Security Section 9, a futuristic counterterrorism response task force working to respond to these brain hackers.
Stand Alone Complex is a reboot that follows the backstory and characters through a story that hits many of the same plot beats but puts enough unique spins on it to make the new story an authentic take on the existing one.
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