stand alone complex | complete

this is how good it was.

haibane renmei
serial experiments lain
ghost in the shell: stand alone complex
chobits
cowboy bebop
witch hunter robin

that is the ranking as it stands now.
though chobits is more honest, stand alone complex is just such a feast for the mind – so much dialogue – so much political intrigue – and genuinely loveable characters – if you’re mature enough to understand them.  the only thing that keeps me from ranking it higher than lain is that it’s straight forward, whereas lain really strikes me at my abstract heart.  even with my horrible taiwanese subs it was an amazing experience.  it is well worth the money spent on it – the most expensive anime series ever to date.

and there’s another series airing right now.

only two dvds have made it to our shores in australia, maybe just a little under the first half of the series, but i’m going to wait until it’s all out – there is no wat i’m going to be able to be patient with this series.  now all i have to do is wait a zillion years for the stupid american dub, the stupid american masters, and the scraps that will be thrown to madman for local release (http://www.madman.com.au if you want to see pretty much most of what we have access to here – officially that is.  these are region 4 australian dvds – though many of us buy taiwanese ones from importers – hence my stand alone complex experience).  aside from the english dub being an absolute murder of the series, i just know someone clever like adv has it and will spread it out over as many discs as possible, leaving at least two or three months inbetween dvds just because they’re slack.  gotta love adv.  i suppoes i should actually check their site to see if they’ve licenced it or not – still, that’s how they are and i hate them for it regardless of whether they have gits:sac or not.  all i know is madman secured it so i’m happy (more or less).

i am very very glad that i just ordered all the stand alone complex soundtracks today – at best they’ll arrive friday – at worst next thursday.  the fumoffu and second witch hunter soundtracks made it to my door today, but alas no-one was home – so someone will swing by the post-office tomorrow and pick the parcel up for me.  good thing though – i might have listened to them rather than watch gits.

am i writing about general nothing?  i am just full of energy – very very inspired by what i’ve just experienced.
and it has even inspired vroenis to write – to honour the series with a piece.  how strange.  and fitting his general mode.

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Commentary
March 16, 2010

Stand Alone Complex ended up being Holy, just maybe not as immediately as it should have. I mean, sure, it was a kick in the head once it was done for the first time and I rated it highly, but upon subsequent re-watches, and with a healthy dose of personal experience and maturity, I’ve come to appreciate it as equal with Haibane Renmei. That is of-course taking 2nd Gig as part of the entire work, even though strictly speaking they are separate.

There are many facets to the higher echelons of my taste; there’s a very minimal aspect, a very abstract one – and the two often mix, and then there’s the dense complexity side of things that is more often than not paired with symbolism and subtext. Essentially the house that Mamoru Oshii built way back with Patlabor 2: The Movie, and maybe even a touch with the first Patlbor film, the entire animated realm of Ghost in the Shell still stands as the ultimate universe of complex socio-political drama while also having deeply emotional, deeply personal and spiritual themes. Behind all of that politics and complication is some of the most intimate emotions ever depicted on film, it’s just very very subtle, but all the more powerful because of its subtlety.