in the shell

Hey, in what order should I watch Ghost in The Shell?
Im wathcing the first movie now.
But should I then watch season 1, and then Innocence?
Or innocence and then Season 1 then season 2?

Thanks

it doesnt really matter, because the movie and Innocence are a different timeline from GITS1&2. there is no relation between the two other than characters and locations. The plots are completely different.

ok.
So, I watched Ghost in the Shell a few years back, but didnt really get it.
I've seen several episodes from sesaon one of SAC, and most of season 2 so far. So I came back and watched the first movie. I understand it now, mostly. But is the Major in the show just the Major, or is she the merge of the Major and the Puppet Master? Is the show before or after the movie?

happy to see a newcomer to the gits world!!!!
consider the television episodes as in another universe from the films. sure, same characters and character designs for the most part, but they are two different interpretations of the original comic by masamune shirow.
the movie, you will find follows closely to the comic storyline of the puppetmaster and the major's merging with it. both film's also incorporates the director's (Mamoru Oshii) philosophy on life and existence.
the tv series goes back, removing the puppetmaster and adding in the laughing man as the main antagonist--or assisting protagonist if you'd prefer. you will find, despite booting the puppetmaster, the series uses much more of the comic's content in it's story--but the first film's ending is more in line with the original comic (manga).
overall, there is no real connection to the films and the tv show, but both are required watching to get the full picture--because somehow they are related in a non-linear way....

let us know what you learn and think about them!!!!!

I'm a newcomer well. I remembered my first episode of GiTS taht really interested me was the one where the entire episode was like a political show, kind of like a futureistic talk show on CNN. I loved the style of it and I got into it. I watched the movie, took me a while to get the end though, but I liked it. But the second one, animation, sound,music was gorgeous, but that movie fucked with my mind so. Like, It really made my mind implode of the weirdness and depth of it. Yet i was obsessed to find out what the hell just happened. So I purchased the Book of Psalms, Lost Paradise, a Confiocuous (sp) book, to better understand it. I still don't really get the scene with the mansion. But I'd like to get into the anime, but see these distributors want my money. I'm used to buying like 30 episodes of a regular television for 60 dollars for the box set. Yet when I went to the movie store, they tried to charge me 15 dollars for 4 episodes. So I'm waiting for a compilation box.

As to the timeline and which to watch first, it's best to think of it as being in three seperate alternate universes, one for the films one for the series and one for the manga. like so; (I know it's not complete but sneh )


Also there are the novels which I haven't read but as i understand it After the Long Goodbye by Masaki Yamada is a prequel to Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. The Lost Memory, Revenge of the Cold Machines and White Maze are set in the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex universe but not necesserily cannon within that universe.

There is a sequel/perqual to innocenecs comming soon which looks good.
The chat show episode was called "chat, chat, chat" and was the first appearence of chroma.
Due to a twisted mind i got the mansion bit of the second film.
Ive got The Lost Memory but have to finish my current book first.
@elmo - you forgot 1.5 human error processor !