Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 6 Episodes 21-24

In the slowly rebuilding ruins of Tokyo, Motoko and the rest of Section 9 engage in their final face off with Takashi Shimamura and the Post Humans.  Even with added assistance from a resurrected Purin and Standard, the team finds themselves in a seemingly hopeless battle against a foe who can use their tech, weapons and wills against them.  On the verge of a new nuclear war, Motoko must push herself like never before to stop Takashi and discover just what N has set out to do from the beginning.  It’s all or nothing and it could just be Section 9’s final mission.

Well I cant believe I’m saying this but…I hated this ending, I freaking hated it.  Up til now, SAC_2045 has been a fair but disappointing follow up to two stellar seasons of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.  And you’d think that with two extra years of production time due to several factors including the COVID-19 Pandemic would allow Kenji Kamiyama to iron out the finer details of the mystery of the Post Humans and their mysterious Nation of “N”, tightening the story to make up for the mixed bag CG work.  But no, the mystery of N collapses on its inevitable conclusion…that it was never going to get a proper explanation and instead we’re left with a finale that wants us to believe the stakes are the highest they’ve ever been and that the team might not be coming back from this mission.  But the ambiguity of what ultimately goes down only leaves me actually angry, borderline on the level of my wrath for the Live Action Ghost in the Shell Movie.  Truth be told, I’m not even sure I can properly convey what went down in this finale but I’m gonna try anyway, even if I even up ranting my entire way through it.
 

GBT#13-MS-06S Zaku II (Char’s Zaku)

Char Aznable.  The Man.  The Myth.  The Legend.  Love him or hate him, he’s been one of the most important faces in the Gundam franchise since its inception.  His Darth Vader inspired helmet, cooler than cool personality, complex and engaging story and his rivalry with Amuro Ray have made Char such an impact that many Gundam series and movies have had their own “Char Clone”, it’s almost a requirement (I mean even The Witch from Mercury’s introduced the first ever Female Char Clone with Prospera).  But Char is also known for one other thing: his love of the color red and slapping it onto every single Mobile Suit he pilots.  From standard issue Zeon units to Custom made Neo Zeon suits, Red is the color of the day (makes me wonder why he didn’t just paint the Hiyaku Shiki red after his identity was revealed in Zeta Gundam but that’s neither here nor there).  To close out this First Season of Gunpla Builder Thursday, I’m doing a bit of a bookend by tackling a non Gundam Gunpla, and possible one of the most iconic of them all.

 

T5W#411-Top 5 Motoko Kusanagi Outfits from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

The world of Cyberpunk Anime is home to some of the coolest and most insane characters in all of Anime.  It’s definitely home to some of the hottest ladies in the medium.  And while Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has given us the likes of Lucy and Becca to fawn over, for me the quintessential Queen of Cyberpunk of still Major Motoko Kusinagi from Ghost in the Shell.  As a lifelong Military operative, Motoko is efficient and bad ass in everything she does.  Not only that, but if it isn’t obvious, she’s hot as hell and isn’t above showing off just how sexy she looks on a regular basis.  Casual, on the job, even in the middle of combat, The Major has an outfit for every occasion.  Since we’re rolling with Section 9 once again with Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, why don’t we highlight the greatest hits from The Major’s extensive wardrobe.  Today I present my choices for the Top 5 Motoko Kusanagi Outfits from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.  As the title implies, I’ll be covering the SAC saga including the first two TV Series, SAC_2045 and the Solid State Society Movie.  As much as I love younger Motoko’s all red look from Ghost in the Shell: Arise, that might be a list for another time.

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 5 Episodes 17-20

A message from Togusa sends Motoko and the rest of Section 9 heading for the ruins of Tokyo, where three million individuals are seemingly gathering under the will of Takashi Shimamura.  Declaring themselves the Nation of “N”, Takashi and Suzuka Mizukane hijack a nuclear submarine to fulfill their true intentions.  With time running out, Section 9 launches into their most desperate mission, unaware that a couple of old friends are also coming along for the ride.

While it may be one of my personal favorite Anime films of all time, I hear a lot of people have a problem with Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.  No one can deny it’s a visual feast but it’s story and character potrayals have had a more mixed reception.  Some find the heavy handed and forced philosophical quotes to be too much while others cant stand the more somber presentation of the normally cheerful and upbeat Batou.  Personally, yeah the quotes can go over my head but I’m ok with how Batou is handled in the wake of Motoko vanishing and the story can be followed just fine if youre paying attention.  I say this because for all the criticisms Innocence gets, it’s wayyyy easier to follow than anything going on in this set of episodes of SAC_2045.  What should be setup as a close to worst case scenario for Section 9 feels only a little bit like it.  There’s a lot of build up but it’s insanely slow.  And we still have zero insight as to the overall goals and agenda of Takashi and the Post Humans.  All of that adds up to what I can only think of as the most frustratingly annoying set of episodes so far for this season and it makes me dread how this is all going to wrap up.  First things first, let’s go over what went down in this set and try to piece some things together.
 

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 4 Episodes 13-16

The Post Human Investigation takes a dire turn when Togusa goes missing while investigating teen Post Human Takashi Shimamura.  But Section 9’s search for their missing teammate will have to wait as they become tasked with securing a vital asset who may have some rare insight into the origin of all Post Humans.  However, this puts Motoko and her team on a collision course with Post Human Suzuka Mizukane and the American Empire, both of which will stop at nothing to get this vital intel for themselves.  Meanwhile, Purin speaks directly with a Post Human infected cyberbrain, only to be led into a trap that could spell dire consequences for the aspiring tech girl and the whole of Section 9.

As I noted at the end of Monday’s review, there was a 2 year hiatus between the two halves of Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045.  A lot of that wait more than likely had to do with the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic but you’d think it would allow Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki to tweak and refine a few part of the story and animation to bring SAC_2045 to its full potential after a fair but not quite stellar launch.  Well…I’d say they both did and did not succeed.  SAC_2045’s animation might still be a major point of contention but I think it’s larger problem is that its borrowing and rehashing ideas from not just previous seasons of SAC but also the Ghost in the Shell movies too, resulting in something that feel more lazy and unoriginal the more these tropes come up.  However, when it comes to new characters like Purin and PM Tate, there’s still proof that Stand Alone Complex can grow if it chooses to be different and not just stick to tired old tropes.  Anyway, onto the start of SAC_2045 Part 2.
 

GBT#12-RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8

Some Gundams are remembered for their designs.  Others are remembered for their awesome feats on the battlefield.  The Ez8 is remembered for both.  Not only is this a unique and more militaristic model but it’s also part of one of the greatest battles in the entire Gundam franchise.  In fact, all of the mecha in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08^th MS Team feel the most “real robot” in a franchise that birthed the term for Mecha Anime.  Well, it doesn’t get more real than the Ez8 and it’s been one of my favorites since I first saw 08^th MS Team.  And when it came to building it, yeah, it lives up to its unique nature and design nicely.  It’s not perfect…but then again that’s kind of part of the point.  I’ll get to that when I talk about the build itself.

 

T5W#410-Top 5 Worst Power Rangers Crossover Events

Over the course of most of the franchises 30 year history, each season of Power Rangers has focused solely on one new team of teenagers with attitude.  However, it seems to be almost a tradition for the previous team to pay the newbies a visit close to the end of their series for a special team up event.  There’s nothing wrong with this at all, the more the merrier.  Plus, if the previous seasons Rangers are awesome, it’s equally awesome to see them kicking ass again.  But not every team up is gold and not every crossover works as well as planned.  On today’s Top 5 Wednesday continuing our celebratory look at the Power Rangers franchise, I’m counting down the Top 5 Worst Power Rangers Crossover Events.  Trust me, these all could have been better (and one maybe shouldntve happened at all).

 

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 3 Episodes 9-12

Under the direct request of Prime Minister Tate, Section 9 has been reassembled with all of it’s original seven members.  Their new mission: track down and capture a new breed of individual dubbed “Post Humans”.  Stronger than any Cyborg and possessing little to go on in terms of motivations or ideals, the Post Human begin leaving a trail of carnage across the city.  And it’s only a matter of time before the interference of Motoko and her team gets their attention and leads Section 9 into a showdown even they aren’t prepared to face.

Well it only took about 8 or so episodes but we’ve finally brought Motoko and the Gang back home for a big ol family reunion.  Section 9 is back in action and ready to take on the Post Humans and whatever shenanigans the Sustainable War is bound to throw their way.  While it’s good to be back in familiar territory, SAC_2045’s Season One conclusion feels sometimes a bit too familiar.  Familiar plots from both Stand Alone Complex and SAC: 2^nd Gig peek in and make me wonder if Kenji Kamiyama is either trying to merge them together into one new case or is he just being lazy?  Despite this, it does feel like SAC_2045 is trying to get back to basics with Section 9 hard at work in the city, even if some of the silly visual ideas from earlier episodes refuse to go away (looking at you Purin and the giant fish…thingy).
 

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 2 Episodes 5-8

Motoko and her team find themselves in the employ of a shady NSA Agent for what should be a simple mission, the extraction of a high value asset.  But many unknown variables plague the mission, including the sneaking suspicion Motoko and the others aren’t meant to survive.  As Aramaki and Togusa race to save the lives of their former teammates, Motoko and the others come face to face with a terrifying new foe, one whose capabilities surpass even those of the most advanced of cyborgs…and maybe even the skills of Motoko herself.

Ghost in the Shell is a saga centered on exploring the deepest depths of the ever blurring futuristic line of Man and Machine.  Just how much of ones Human soul is left after they convert nearly their entire bodys into cyborgs?  Beyond that, the first two seasons explored the impacts on society beyond this debate with Season One focusing on a Healthcare Conpsiracy and 2^nd Gig centering on a growing influx of immigrants following a global conflict.  Both of these topics proved fascinating watches for their respective stories and it was fun to see how Section 9 fit into it all.  That said, I just watched a segment of SAC_2045 where Motoko and Batou fought a black stared man in a bathrobe who moonwalked his way around bullets before ditching the robe and doing backflips up a stairwell, completely nude…is this really the same Stand Alone Complex I remember?  Cause now I’m worried.
 

GBT#11-ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos

While it never really hit the immense popularity Sunrise wanted it to, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans does have one truly memorable element: the Mobile Suits.  Unlike other series, there’s less of an emphasis on beam spamming.  Instead, combat is more up close and personal, more melee focused and brutal.  The central Gundam of the series, the Barbatos, is the perfect Gundam for this kind of battle: skinny but strong, wielding weapons that can fell suits in very few blows, and bearing a design that strikes fear into the hearts of its enemies.  The Barbatos has arguably become more popular than the show it came from and has likewise become an equally popular Gunpla sought out by many to build…including me.  I built the Barbatos’ future form, the Barbatos Lupus Rex, back near the tail end of 2022.  That proved to be a very difficult affair and I expected it’s first form to be the same.  Turns out…not so much

 

T5W#409-Top 5 Ways to Improve Gundam F91

A couple weeks ago, we looked at Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island and while it wasn’t perfect, it was a very strong update of a concept that even Yoshiyuki Tomino once considered a failure.  The improvements made to the story of Cucuruz Doan and his island of orphans had me thinking about how other Gundam projects that haven’t been that successful could be improved.  Heck, there’s earlier proof with Gundam AGE.  While that series was an almost total failure, the Memory of Eden OVA showed that better focus and character writing could salvage it (I even gave Memory of Eden a much higher score than the TV Series).  Case in point, Mobile Suit Gundam F91 is a title I’ve always wanted to see get told properly.  Originally conceived as a new TV Series in the early 1990s, it was eventually reworked poorly into a 2 hour feature film that is often forgotten amongst the fan base.  Well, if Cucuruz Doan’s Island can rise from the ashes, I see no reason why F91 couldn’t do the same (btw I know full well it’s a bad movie but the behind the scenes production turmoil makes me a little sympathetic).  Anyway, that long intro finally done, these are my Top 5 Ways to Improve Gundam F91.

 

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Part 1 Episodes 1-4

2045AD.  In the wake of a devastating economic disaster known as the Simulteneous Global Default, all forms of paper and electronic currency have had their value shattered.  The response of the “Big 4” Nations of the world is to instigate the “Sustainable War”, a never ending conflict they hope will keep the economy going.  No longer affiliated with Section 9, Major Motoko Kusinagi and her comrades now live their lives as soldiers of fortune, under the codename “Ghost”.  Their latest job seems like a simple one until things suddenly go sideways and they soon find themselves embroiled in a new conspiracy that brings Motoko and her team back into the company of their former Section 9 Chief, Daisuke Aramaki.

Ah Ghost in the Shell: my second favorite Anime franchise after Mobile Suit Gundam, it’s been far too long.  While the original 1995 Mamoru Oshii film may be more influential to the cyberpunk genre, Stand Alone Complex might be the most popular iteration of the franchise.  After all, it did get two TV Seasons and a movie to explore the characters and expand the scope and depth of the world inhabited by Section 9.  While we did get a fun Non SAC connected prequel with Ghost in the Shell: Arise…and a certain 2017 Movie I’d rather forget ever happened, fans have been hoping for more Stand Alone and Complex adventures since we last saw this version of the Major and Batou and the rest of Section 9.  Well it looks like those prayers have been answered in a very unexpected way.  Pretty much the “Third Season” of Stand Alone Complex, SAC_2045 sees Kenji Kamiyama returning to write and this time share directing duties alongside fellow Shirow Masamune Manga adaptor and CG Anime auteur Shinji Aramaki.  Sounds like a perfect combo right?  Well let’s get settled back in and see what Section 9 is getting up to these days.
 

Star Wars: Visions 2

The galaxy opens up like never before with a brand new set of animated tales, set within the Star Wars Universe.  From animation studios across the globe come 9 stories of hardship, loss, sacrifice, love and wonder.  From exiles looking for a second chance to desperate Rebels striking back against impossible odds to wild and wacky adventures on the frontier, these beautifully animated tales a must see for animation enthusiasts and die hard Star Wars fans alike.  You’ve never see a galaxy far, far away quite like this before.

While the first volume of Star Wars Visions was a dream come true for those who’ve always wanted to see Star Wars and Anime married at last, it did leave a lot to be desired.  There was plenty of Jedi vs. Sith and spectacular Lightsaber action sequences for sure.  But for those looking for space combat, pod racing, or even some of the more politically charged drama seen in shows like last years fan favorite series Andor, it came up short.  This new Volume of Animated Short Stories works to correct the shortcomings of its predecessors and while a lot of it can seem familiar from a storytelling point of view, Star Wars: Visions 2 more than makes up for it by taking the visuals beyond the power of Anime and giving Animation Studios across the globe a shot at adding to the epic created by George Lucas.  In those terms, the results are nothing but spellbinding, a rare instance where the sequel might very well be better than the original.
 

GBT#10-Gundam F91

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for the failure that is Mobile Suit Gundam F91.  There’s a lot of potential in the characters and setup that never got to meet its potential due to a lot of behind the scenes mayhem.  Pretty close to the top of reasons why Im alright with the film is the titular Gundam itself.  It’s got a pretty cool design with a sweet assortment of weapons and capabilities unique to this Gundam alone.  When I saw the F91 Gunpla on sale for a decent price (and the cool box art), I couldn’t pass it up.  However, I wasn’t expecting it to be so…tiny.  I’m not talking like an SD Gunpla I mean the F91 is super, super small compared to other 1/144 HG Gunpla I’ve worked on.  Is that a strike against it or is it still as cool as it’s Anime counterpart?

 

T5W#408-Top 5 Abandoned or Unfinished Robotech Sequels

Despite it’s success story in the mid 80s, Robotech has also been seen as a cursed series.  Ignoring all of the controversies around its creation in the first place, it seems like any and all attempts to continue the epic saga beyond The New Generation has ended up crashing and burning.  And those lucky enough to see some kind of beginning never got a proper conclusion.  It’s been a point of frustration for die hard fans who have just wanted some new adventures with Rick Hunter, Lisa Hayes and the crew of the SDF3, but always ended up getting next to nothing on that front.  Well, we saw how badly Robotech: The Movie bombed (so bad it never got a US theatrical release, though it did have one overseas).  So today on Top 5 Wednesday I’m looking at the other Top 5 Abandoned or Unfinished Robotech Sequels.  Are they really all that bad?  Eh, depends.  Let’s take a look.

Robotech: The Movie

2027 AD.  Eighteen years have passed since the near apocalyptic end of Humanity’s first intergalactic war with the Zentradi.  As the Human Race continues to rebuild its homeworld, the Zentradi’s overlords, the Robotech Masters, descend upon the planet to finish what the Zentradi started.  When civilian Mark Landry is given control of an experimental Motorcycle, he suddenly becomes the custodian of the key to the Masters plans for conquest.  Now Mark must dodge shady government assassins and unlock the secrets of the MODAT 5 if Humanity is to have a chance against this seemingly invincible new enemy.

Robotech.  To some it’s either a genuine science fiction masterpiece or an irredeemable insult to Anime (more believe the latter than the former).  The combination of three totally unrelated Mecha Anime, united only by the theme of transformable Giant Robots, was an ambitious project that proved hugely popular in the 80s.  And like many other properties that had both successful toylines and Cartoon TV Series (Transformers, GI Joe, My Little Pony), Robotech was also destined for a big screen adventure.  And just like it’s TV counterpart, Writer Carl Macek sought to recreate the magic he’d lucked into by adapting yet another unrelated Mecha Anime and pasting a new Robotech chapter over it.  But while the success of the TV Series may vary (especially after the First and most popular Season featuring Super Dimension Fortress Macross), Robotech: The Movie is a total disaster.  It’s so much in fact that the only way you can track down a copy is through YouTube uploads since it never saw an official wide release in North America outside of a few test screenings.  So, just what went wrong with this attempt to expand the Robotech mythos outside of the TV Series?  Well I said “total disaster” so just about everything.
 

Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island

Universal Century 0079.  After successfully repelling a Zeon attack on their home base of Jaburo, the Earth Federation feels the time is right to push Zeon off the Earth by launching Operation Odessa.  In the build up to the attack, the Federation begins several mop up operations against lingering Zeon outposts.  The White Base is assigned to retake “The Island of No Return.”  Here, Gundam Pilot Amuro Ray encounters a lone Zaku defending a group of war orphans.  Up against a Zeon pilot looking for redemption, Amuro must find a way to defeat this ferocious enemy before time runs out.

 
Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island is a curious little project for the Gundam franchise.  It’s based on an episode from the original 1979 TV Series that Tomino thought was so terrible that he attempted to bury it after its only TV airing.  Now, I’m all about second chances with this franchise (still holding out hope for a redo of Gundam F91).  But the notion of turning a failed 22 minute episode into a two hour feature film seems baffling to me.  And yet here we are, the 6^th Original Gundam Movie in a nearly 45 year old franchise (btw that’s less than half of the Compilation Films or OVAs out there).  So does the resurrected failure of Cucuruz Doan’s Island offer anything new for the franchise or at least redeem this lost tale?
 

Anime Corner-Summer 2023 Update

Welcome Dear Readers to Summer 2023 (unless you’re like me and Summer kicks off in May with the start of the Summer Movie Blockbuster Season, in which case, hey there).  We’ve officially crossed the threshold into June and now, to quote Anakin Skywalker, “This is where the fun begins.”  A lot of old favorites are returning to the Anime Corner for new stories, some of which have been lost to time (with good reason?).  Add in brand new Top 5 Wednesdays, the Season Finale of Gunpla Builder Thursday and the return of First Impression Fridays and it’s looking like it’s gonna be another action packed Summer of reviews and fun.  Grab a seat and lemme take you through what’s on the horizon from now through the beginning of August.

 

GBT#9-The O

The term “Gunpla” might be a little misleading sometimes.  Sure it’s a generalized short hand term for “Gundam Plastic Models”.  But, it’s pretty clear there’s more than just The Gundams themselves.  If there’s a Mobile Suit in a series, it’s bound to have a model kit of its own.  Heck, the first Gunpla Builder Thursday was about a non Gundam Mobile Suit, the Shinenju Stien from Gundam Narrative, and one of my favorite Gunpla to cover to date in this new blog feature has been the Kampher from Gundam 0080.  Seems kind of silly to cover this 9 episodes in but figured why not.  Today’s Mobile Suit in the spotlight today is a Final Boss kind of Mobile Suit, the personal creation of one Paptimus Scirrocco that would be used in the final battle of the Gryps War depicted in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.  It’s also shares part of its name with a Mecha Anime I looked at a couple of months ago and man would I love to build a model of The Big O.  Anyway, on to this O, The O.