Ghost in the Shell miniPAGE

Ghost in the Shell Original Manga

Ghost in the Shell Movie

Details Coming Next Update.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Movie

Details Coming Next Update.

Ghost in the Shell Limited Edition Book/DVD

Details Coming Next Update.

Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex Official Logs

Everything is packaged essentially the same way as the Japanese Ghost in the Shell movie Limited Edition package was. DVD embedded in book inside a sleeve. The SAC Log 1 and 2 don't look quite the same, as the book opens up the same way a normal book normally does, and there is no inside cover graphics or anything. The SAC 2nd GIG Log 1 book is structured almost exactly like the GitS Movie LE package. The inside cover is a graphic of a woman dressed like Motoko relaxing in a vaguely futuristic setting. The SAC Log 1 and 2 are in a black slipcase like the US Special Edition SAC DVD's come in. The SAC 2nd GIG Log 1 comes in a silver version of the same slipcase.

The SAC Log 1 and SAC Log 2 BOOKS:
The SAC Log 1 and 2 books contain a lot of full color pictures of characters, scenes from episodes, etc. There are also a LOT of production sketches. There are interviews (the books, however, are almost completely in Japanese, with a little English here and there, but mainly as titles), character dossiers, and plot descriptions written throughout the books as well. Pretty straightforward stuff, however, the second one appears to have a section on JD Salinger (The 'Catcher in the Rye author for those who don't know), and some other section with newspaper clippings.
 

The SAC 2nd GIG Official Log 1 BOOK:
This book has quite a different tone. The last two books were pretty organized and almost could be called dry. This book however, I suppose, could be called...um....wet?

There is a more artistic touch to this book. And indeed, there are some full page, full color images of production artwork that is just nice to look at. The formatting of this book is also less orderly, more chaotic. There is a section where apparently someone is being interviewed by a teddy bear, and there is a small section that has pictures of the US SAC Volume 1 SE disc, and it's contents. There is also a page where a crudely drawn Aramaki is placed in odd backgrounds (in one frame, he is on a pedestal, on another, he is amongst the terracotta soldiers, another has him on a rooftop). There is a section where we get two pages devoted to each episode. Then there is a page of panel cartoons (Titled "How Many TT") that I can't even begin to explain (all I can make of it is someone's face is melting and it is all quite comical). Then we get a bunch of artwork and discussion on the artwork. If only one Official Log could get an English version made of it, I would hope this one is it. I really wish I had it.
 

SAC Official Log 1 DVD:
There are three options on the main menu: "Highlight Flash", "Interview Archives", and "9th Studio Digital Works".

The first is a 30 odd minute highlight reel of most of the SAC episodes, grouped into different subjects (highlight weapons, highlight characters, highlight et cetera et cetera).

The second option brings up a long-form version of the interviews we have been getting in the US version. However, in this, it is all the interviews in one big dose, rather than segmented like it is in the US version. This is a few minutes above 30 minutes.

The third option brings up a video that is a bunch of SAC music on top of various footage of the studio, and video of the people working. No talking, just music and image. However, it occasionally pauses to do a few more interviews (in the style of what we have seen already) with the production people. About 20 minutes long.

That's it for the first disc.
 

SAC Official Log 2 DVD:
The menu has for items to choose from: "Highlight Flash Laughing Man Edition", "Voice After 26 Stories", "Trailers", and "Appendix"

First option is another 45min or so highlight reel, however, this one is called the 'laughing man edition', and only covers the episodes directed at the Laughing Man plotline. it is also interesting to note that this one has an audio commentary track. but by who, I don't know, as it is entirely in Japanese

the second option brings up a 30 odd minute panel interview (titled "Voice after 26 Stories) with all the voice actors together. once again, all in Japanese with no English subs, but the tone of conversation seemed quite high spirited. it would be really interesting to have this interview in English. This interview is about 33 min long.

The third option is a set of trailers for each episode of SAC. Sort of like what some US shows air at the end of one episode to tease the viewer with scenes from the next episode. We get a trailer for everything from "EP 3 ANDROID AND I" to "EP 25 BARRAGE". This is a little over 6 minutes long.

And last, oh last, is very bizarre. It is labeled 'appendix'. If you remember the commercials for the Official Log 1 DVD, with the woman dressed up like Motoko. Well this contains those commercials, along with backstage footage of the filming of the commercial, the woman getting makeup applied, etc. Rather silly. Got a few good laughs out of this, despite the fact that it is all Japanese. This two, is a little over 6 minutes long.
 

SAC 2nd GIG Official Log 1 DVD:

The menu is very different on this one. There are three options, "highlight flash", "interview archives", and "something I can't read because it is all in Japanese".

The first option, "Highlight Flash" is just like the other two. This one is grouped by episode, up to episode 16. Then it is briefly grouped into a character profile section. A little over 30 min of footage in this one.

The interview section is all new interviews, all in Japanese. The format is the same, but the graphics this time look different from the US version, as to reflect the 2nd GIG-ness of the series I suppose. About 26 min of footage.

The last section is essentially like the last section of SAC Log 1. Production studio shots, but much less of the scenes with just music on top of footage. This time, there is a lot of video of them in meetings, talking at lunch, etc. It gives one quite a look into the minds behind SAC, or it would, if you can speak Japanese, which I can't. Man, these animators' desks are messy! No interviews in this one like there were in the Official Log 1 version. But a lot of times where people show the camera what they are doing. Man I wish this footage was in English, it looks pretty interesting. It clocks in at about 25 min of footage.
 

That's all folks!

Elements From the Manga that Have Been Found in Stand Alone Complex

(NOTE that the bulk of this information was compiled by '.Pi' from the Production IG forums)

Ghost in the Shell Original Manga
- Ghost dubbing of the kids in the chapter Super Spartan, appears at the end of Ghost in the Shell - Innocence.
- Motoko making Minister of Internal Affairs punch himself at the end of the chapter Super Spartan, is mimicked by Motoko making Batou punch himself in an episode of Stand Alone Complex.
- Motoko's girlfriends and apartment are seen in Stand Alone Complex.
- Tachikoma's 'freedom' episode of Stand Alone Complex, a test of the Tachikoma AI's reliability, similar in purpose to the Revolt of the Robots mini-chapter.
- A Jameson-type cyborg that runs Hanka Precision Instruments in the chapter Robot Rondo, is seen in Stand Alone Complex running the pig farm/cloning corporation.
- The Face Artist that Motoko kidnaps in the chapter Brain Drain, he gets killed in the Paz episode of Stand Alone Complex.

- The courtroom from Togusa's trial in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG is identical to the one from Motoko's trial in the original GitS, though with fewer judges.

Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor
- THe new Prime Minister in here is the same as in 2nd GIG.
- Aramaki's Military friend shows up throughout.
- The assault on a criminal that was already dead, like the woman who had the money gun in SAC.
- Includes a tank similar to the one that had a dead man's mind put into in the third episode of Stand Alone Complex.
- The young "redshirt" technician in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG comes from this manga.

- Batou uses a trick where he hacks the eyes of his opponent to make them think that he has been decapitated is used in the second to last episode of Stand Alone Complex.  Click on image below for an example.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface
- SAC's cybercomm interfaces mirror Motoko's in Man-Machine Interface, as well as the view of the net in general.
- Chroma outfit in Chat! Chat! Chat! episode of Stand Alone Complex is the costume from one of her other bodies in Man-Machine Interface.

- Motoko's headgear in Cash Eye matching that of her 'Firewall' cyberspace outfit in Man-Machine Interface.
- Section 9's 'conferencing' headgear same as that worn by Motoko in parts of Man-Machine Interface.
- The role of Motoko's Man-Machine Interface decots similarly duplicated by Tachikomas in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG.
- Engineered pig farm growing human organs is also seen in Stand Alone Complex.
- The Cyber DJ killed by one of the Individual Eleven in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG, came out of Man-Machine Interface.
- Tachikomas brains in space in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG, similar to people in the satellite in Man-Machine Interface controlling bodies on earth.
- The hacking of the Decontale in Man-Machine Interface, including the same security supervisor character, is nearly replicated (but for different objectives) in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG.

- The presence of Millennium and her cyber-cult Stabat Mater in Stand Alone Complex: 2nd GIG.  Image.

About Shirow

Details to be added in a later update.

About Oshii

Details to be added in a later update.

What's up with the dog in the Ghost in the Shell Movies

Put simply, that is Oshii's dog, and it doesn't just stop with the Ghost in the Shell movies.  The dog can be found in other projects by him, including his live action cyberpunk film, Avalon.