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GitS Sequel and Appleseed Remake Are Coming

Posted by michael on from the pretty-colors dept.

LocusMote writes "Masamune Shirow, the creative genius behind the manga and anime Ghost in the Shell , has a few new irons fresh from the fire. One of his earlier manga, Appleseed, already exists as a rather disappointing television quality anime. Shirow thought so too, apparently. He went back to the original manga storyline, blew off the dust, and has produced a beautiful new all-CG Appleseed which hits the Japanese theaters in April. (Quicktime required) Oh yeah, there's a Ghost in the Shell sequel in the pipeline, too, called Innocence ... w00t!" Beautiful.

16 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. Release date? by cmsnell · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Does anyone know when (or if) the GitS:Stand Alone Complex series will get released in the States? I loved the fansubs, but I'd like to buy some DVDs.

    Any truth to the rumors that Innocence will focus more on Batou as the main character? And is Bandai planning on bringing that over here, or will I have to settle for fansubs on that one also?

  2. another spin off soon then...? by freerecords · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Matrix was clearly ripped off Ghost in the Shell.. so will we soon get a new matrix sequel ripped off innocence... i wonder?

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    tim
  3. You may already know that but... by Tei · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you can, get all Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Episodes, where really GREATs, maybe the better anime you can wach. Also get the Tachikomas episodes, has a bonus.

    Some people think that these episodes where BETTER than the original Film itself.

    Thanks Japan Artists!

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    -Woof woof woof!

  4. I mean well.. by back_pages · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I'm not trying to troll, but I gave anime a shot a few years ago and found it all very vacuous. Ghost in the Shell struck me as being both pretentious and half-baked. I've watched a couple other titles and the experience was about the same.

    Someone once told me that there was a tremendous amount of Japanese cultural reference in anime. Any input on this? Is there a reputable online source where I might learn some of this material and reattempt to enjoy these movies?

    Alternatively, I begin to suspect that anime is to film what trance is to music. And again, I'm just trying to draw a framework, not just troll... Both strike me as eye/ear candy that expect the audience to be non-skeptical of the legitimacy of the plot/expression and enjoy the experience without critical analysis. But I've already admitted that I don't truly understand the culture that produces anime.

    At any rate, I like films by Kubrick and Wim Wenders among others, but I'm also a fan of tacky role playing games. I've played The Crescent Hawks Inception and the first Mechwarrior to completion, so I should have some affinity for giant robot fighters, right?

    I guess what I'm looking for is the History channel documentary on anime that will give me enough insight to appreciate what makes anime interesting, or at least the internet's version of such a thing. Any suggestions?

    1. Re:I mean well.. by bugbread · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Well, the first thing you need to realize is that not all anime is created equally (I suspect you know that, but just saying it in case), and that, just as with any other media, what's popular isn't necessarily what's good. I personally hated Ghost in the Shell, so I understand where you're coming from. Basically, you just need to find your niche. My anime niche is incredibly small, consisting basically of Miyazaki's stuff, as well as a smattering of random things (Rojin-Z, Memories...hmm...too few to even recall now, but I'm sure there are others).

      Some anime has a lot of Japanese cultural references, some doesn't (comedies, predictably, have much, much more, which is true in any medium). I suspect that it isn't so much the cultural divide that keeps you from enjoying anime, but discerning tastes.

      Just remember, if you hear a billion people praising a certain anime, it means no less and no more than a billion people praising a certain movie. The Fast and the Furious was very successful, but that doesn't mean it was good. The good stuff is out there, but you have to look, and that can be a pain in the butt.

      What I recommend is: don't bother looking. However, keep in mind that there is good stuff out there, but you haven't seen it. Then, one day, when a friend of yours whose tastes you trust recommends some anime, give it a shot and see if you've found the proverbial needle in the haystack.

    2. Re:I mean well.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Thank goodness there is someone else who thought GitS was tripe. I agree wholeheartedly with you and recommend the same thing. Me? I am into fantasy dramas and general comedy shows and martial arts animes. Hardly any of the stuff I like is what would be considered popular (Eatman'98 anyone?) so just try watching a few off the wall stuff that isn't so well known, that is where the real gems are hiding.

  5. whaa??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I thought GitS TV was pretty cool! The beginning was kind of slow but then it got really awesome (I love the whole Laughing Man concept).

  6. optical camouflage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    oh yes...

    did you also hear about the research at toyko university dept of electro-communication?

    http://csdl.computer.org/comp/proceedings/ismar/ 20 03/2006/00/20060348.pdf

    the productionig crew are quite ahead in addressing the idea of when the distinction between humans and computers have infinitely blurred... than many media forms

  7. Re:too bad by M1FCJ · · Score: 3, Interesting
    GiTS SAC is absolutely beautiful in animation and in story. I started to watch the 2nd season and so far it is going good.

    If you read the manga, you'll see that GiTS SAC is much more closer to it than the movie was. I still love the movie but SAC is much better than the movie in story-terms.

  8. Don't forget it's based on the manga. by oujirou · · Score: 2, Interesting

    One may find it very interesting to read the original manga, of which Dark Horse had made quite a nice translation several years ago (with the infamous Three Lesbian Pages out, but who does really care?).

    First of all, Shirow began drawing Kokaku Kidoutai (the original name of GITS) back in 1989, the last years of Soviet Union. The plot is heavily based on the Soviet intrigue, not without the funniest blops, like calling an aircraft carrier Pirozhki, which means Patties. Note that the Soviets line was not featured anywhere else but the original manga, although in Standalone Complex and the following series both opening songs are in a strange Russian-English language mix and are sung by a Russian actress Olga Yakovleva.

    Yeah, and the manga also features Annapuma and Unipuma "The Famous Catgirls" from the very Shirow's Dominion. :)

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    On Slashdot, Russians comment on YOU!
  9. Re:News? by caitsith01 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Oh man, I loved that game. I was just thinking the other day that there aren't enough cool gimmicks like the moving seat in afterburner any more. I mean, it doesn't look that great now, but AB had cool graphics, a great sense of speed and a funky rotating cockpit... what more could you want!

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    Read Pynchon.
  10. Big Eyes by HarveyBirdman · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Someone was asking about the big eyes. It's just a stylistic thing. Some anime creators use it, some don't. One thing I've noticed is that the eye size is inversely proportional to the character's age. Young grils will have big eyes, but older women will have more normal eyes, but this isn't a hard rule.

    One a mildly related note, realdoll.com now has an anime doll (named Annie Mae... sheesh...) with pink hair and big blue eyes. I dunno... it just looks creepy to me. I've seen other attempts to do realistic images of big-eyed anime women, and it just gets disturbing. Although the same could be said about a Picasso. :) Some things should stay in the world of art.

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    --- Ban humanity.
  11. Re:Lesbians = Ratings by PeDRoRist · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually Motoko is more of a bisexual than a lesbian.

    I like the bogus excuse of cyberbrain sex not working between male and female for showing some girl-to-girl action in GITS.

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    Anything you do can get you slashdotted, including nothing.
  12. Re:Lesbians = Ratings by DigiShaman · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You should see Bjorks video "All is full of love"

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    Life is not for the lazy.
  13. Re:too bad by Halthar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    SAC really is worth the time (and money) to watch. I already have the first season as fansubs as well as the first few episodes of the second season, but the moment the DVDs start to be released I will be picking them up as quickly as possible. It really is a series worth owning in my opinion.

    The second season, so far as I have seen, is looking to be just as good as the first, if not better.

  14. Re:I no longer believe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I read a translated copy of GitS with footnotes from Shirow, and in it, he sounded pretty ... uh... fascist, if you ask me. Here's a quote:

    "One should take care that those who commit crimes do not get too many advantages. Maybe one should just sentence people to death and then postpone the execution as long as they do good for society." "