Synopsis
A band of terrorists claims to have possession of a girl who was kidnapped some years ago, but when the Major and company are called in to resolve the situation, they realize that something is very wrong-the girl appears to be the same age she was when she was kidnapped! Things get even tougher as the team is assigned to guard a very wealthy and reclusive businessman who is a target for assassination by an international crime syndicate. As machines learn to evolve and human emotions cloud judgment, Section 9 will come face to face with a brave new digital world.

Review
Keep in note that I am beginning this series on volume four, so please bear with me if I am missing or if I am mistaking anything in the prior volumes. From the standpoint of the volume itself, Production I.G. is one amazing bunch. It brings a whole new ideal with futuristic themed anime. The animation speaks for itself, so I do not even need to describe it. What I will get into is the interest factor that Stand Alone Complex has. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the original Ghost in the Shell, but this series right here sheds a different ray of light. I really enjoyed a lot of the things that happened on screen. The Tachikoma-kuns was a good fun touch added. Maybe it was just the less serious factor that makes Stand Alone Complex so much better than the original movie.

Let us move onto the music score. Although I do not understand the language the opening song was sung in (maybe Russian), I did like the beat a lot, it blends very well with the show. It puts you right into the flow of things. It pumps you up and by the time you know it, you are dumped directly into the show; primed, set and ready for action. The character designs and details are some of the finest that I have ever seen. The fact that it is DVD quality also helps a lot in bringing out the clarity. Major is still the top ass kicking female in anime today, and probably forever heh :).

In this volume of Stand Alone Complex, you should expect to see a test sample going bad, Batou going undercover, and the Tachikoma-kuns’ rally for survival. The entertainment value is superb and from what I have seen so far, I derive that the Second season can only get better whenever that should be released here in the States.

The Breakdown
HOLY COW! I need to catch up in this series :P.