ghost in the shell: ARISE Border 1 impressions

Here you'll find news and tidbits about the upcoming Ghost in the Shell anime "Arise"!
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marto_motoko
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ghost in the shell: ARISE Border 1 impressions

Post by marto_motoko »

ALERT: SPOILERS!!!!!


After finally watching border 1 of Ghost in the Shell and having it snuggly tucked in my arms on Blu-Ray, many viewings later I feel comfortable enough with it to REALLY want to talk about it.

In the prequel we're greeted with a young Motoko, and a team of people yet to even be enlightened to the fact that they're to join forces in one of the strongest groups that the brilliance of mind and technology can muster.

I was very happy to see the Major painted in a more humane light, specifically through such a backwards psychology of doing so - instead of identifying her as a human, they flat out reveal that she's had no body to begin with, and that all of her human behaviors are voluntary, sentimentalities that she chooses to hold onto and indulge in, therefore high-lighting her ghost as the thing that grounds her in the realm of humanity.

I really enjoyed the narration style and how the plot was delivered, it had that great "who-dun-it" feel, rather than feeling like you're just watching events slowly pan out. With both the movies, and with SAC, I felt there was a steady way that the story felt like it was being presented at a very point-by-point process, and with this, there was a very intelligent entanglement with character's thoughts, and scene progression. I liked the camera angles used, and the careful attention to minor details and environmental cues as to how the characters are feeling: Motoko's attire, and the full length mirror, her fetal pose while nude and net-diving, the graveyard as an opening scene and motoko leveling a gun at Aramaki. All these things seemed very smart in their presence.

Speaking of settings, the entire setting for the movie's premise was brilliant! I have always felt a certain chill from the idea of simex memories, and cyberbrain exploitation. But this. THIS nailed it. It was horrifying. Never has the experience been tackled for the full influence it has both on the psyche, emotional status, or overall experience of confusion and loss that becomes so prevalent with this instance. I really enjoyed it. I felt like it was both a sensitive angle from which to approach Motoko, and a spooky introduction to the realities and potential happenings of the world in which the protagonists exist.

The music was something I was honestly worried about initially when I heard that Kanno and Kawai would not be the composers. So I did my research and listened to a wide array of Cornelius' works, and when the movie came out, I entered with a bit more ease that I originally had. Not only was I left at ease, I was ecstatic with the product. It had the soft trickling feel and slithering ambiance that I would have expected in Ghost in the Shell, but also the same synthetic thumping techno that I would have hoped to hear from Cornelius on a more personal touch from the artist. He really handled the project with enough confidence and respect to melt both his own ambitions and tastes with the essence of the series. I really enjoyed the fact that the music seemed very well placed in terms of presence too - at times it felt so minimalistic that it could barely be noticed [ albeit still adding to the scenes ] and at other times it was the perfect guide for the action on screen.

There's very little that didn't make me happy about it. Except for the length, but that's just me being extremely picky to be frank.
Any specific thoughts on it? Observations? Questions? :gabu:


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Who are you? Who slips into my robot body and whispers to my ghost?
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GhostLine
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Post by GhostLine »

I just finally watched Ghost Pain.

In the two SAC seasons they had some pretty complex themes, such as the standalone complex in first season...and in 2nd Gig, I felt it was about the manipulation of information. And while to me it fit closer to SAC, it didn't have the social commentary.

To me, border 1 of ARISE reminds me of the detective story in Innocence, although not nearly as philosophical. Motoko is trying to get to the bottom of an "accidental" murder of an endeared superior...while on a short leash with the 501st. In the process of the investigation, she encounters other interested parties wanting to know the truth. Beware of the Mobile Land Mines!!!!

SPOILER///The twist near the end is quite a surprise, especially when Motoko is rarely on the receiving end of someone's ploy...and it makes me wonder how deep the Firestarter virus infected her...I felt sad for her when the memory of her adoptive mother seemed to erase. ////END

It calls for repeat viewing....and I eagerly look forward to some "rematches" in the future episodes.
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