Production IG is scheduled to release three new Ghost in the Shell movies. The first two, are mash-ups of the first two seasons of the TV series with new footage included.
For the uninitiated, Stand Alone Complex (S.A.C) takes place in a fictional city of Japan called "Niihama-shi" (New Port City) in the year 2030 and tells the story of a special operations task-force called Public Security Section 9, or simply "Section 9". Public Security Section 9 is an elite domestic anti-crime unit charged with the task of preemptive prevention of technology-related acts of terrorism and crime. Their duties include response to serious cyber crimes (i.e. cyberbrain hacking, cyber-terrorism), investigation of unlawful acts of those in public office and of high profile murder cases. From time to time they also serve as protection to foreign VIPs.
Stand Alone Complex follows a completely separate storyline from Mamoru Oshii's theatrical film adaptations. The TV series differs from the cinema adaptation in its focus upon issues created by the advance of technology. Instead of the intensely focused and personal examination of technology, what is presented is a look at society and technology as a larger whole.
The first movie, entitled "The Laughing Man",the exploits of Section 9's agents who range from ex-military to ex-police to even ex-mafia as they address each case and how it affects them on a personal level, eventually leading to the mysterious figure dubbed by the media as "The Laughing Man". The idea was based on an incident that happened in 1984.
The second movie, "The Individual Eleven", picks up six months after the "Laughing Man Incident" was solved. About 3 million refugees are living in Japan, invited to fill the labour shortage. However, the emergent presence of the invited-refugees intensified their confrontation with the "Individualists", who called for national isolation, which then led to the increased incidences of terrorist attacks. Under these circumstances, a terrorist group called the Individual Eleven carries out a suicide attack. But there was a greater scheme behind their action. When Section 9 learns this, they attempt to nail down the mastermind of the incident. The movie focuses more on the relationship between Motoko and Kuze.
The third movie, which is completely new, was released earlier this year in Japan and is called "Solid State Society". It has been two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9. Togusa is now the new leader of the team, that has considerably increased its appointed personnel. The expanded new Section 9 confronts a rash of complicated incidents, and investigations reveal that an ultra-wizard hacker named the Puppeteer is behind the entire series of events. In the midst of all, Batou, who was stalking the case on a separate track, encounters Motoko. She goes away after saying, "Stay away from the Solid State Society." Batou is left with a doubt in his mind. Could Motoko be the the Puppeteer?
Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and with the participation of the same staff from the popular series, this full-length 105 minute feature has required an unprecedented budget of 3.2 million dollars.
All three movies were released earlier this year in Japan and are due out in North America tentavely in 2007.
-B
Links: Production I.G. | GITS:SAC movie trailers
Further Reading: GitS philosophy (what is the stand alone complex?)
