I don't usually review anything, but I am a massive fan of the Ghost in the Shell series and wanted to make sure people know not to watch this dvd if you haven't seen the original Stand Alone Complex series. By all means get it and watch it once you have seen the first GIG, but this dvd is - like previously mentioned by other reviewers - for die hard fans only. If you can't afford the original series.... keep saving! Trust me - it's worth it! (in fact the whole series on amazon is not much more than this dvd)
I was aware this was going to be similar, but wasn't sure if it was going to be like an OVA. t's the same scenes editied from the original to put all the laughing man story in one feature length story - and dubbing completely re-recorded with a new cast.
The first series to me is still one of the most incredible I have seen and touches so many issues and scenarios that could well be something possible in a future age. The first series, where its main focus is the laughing man case, includes random stories that may not always have anything to do with the laughing man, but add to your understanding of the world of cyberisation and how and why characters have developed through the series.
This dvd, where it does not lose much content of the actual laughing man story - I feel that there are parts a new viewer may find either unexplained, random or convienient. Obviously they have changed some dialog to make it more feasible, but it doesn't feel as sharp as the original series.
The voice acting - as I totally agree with another reviewer - was nowhere near as good as the usual crew. I found it irritating that the new cast sounded to me like the original cast re-recorded the whole thing whilst pinching their noses to make a nasal sound (although I am biased - the original crew on this series still to me have done the best dubbing I have seen on an Anime. There are other animes where I wont watch the dub as it is just too hurrendous). The Chief's voice is terrible - Togusa and Batou just sound like young arrogant teens, and although the voice of Kusenagi does well - she's definately still no Mary McGlynn
Please don't let this put you off of the GiTS series in anyway, mangas, films, series, music, novels - it's all fantastic - just make sure you watch it after the first series
The story of the laughing man easily gets 5 stars
This dvd gets 2 stars for nothing new in story and sub-par voice actors