Regular Price $24.97

Starring: Jane Alan,  Stephen Apostolina,  Robert Axelrod,  Kirk Baily,  Beau Billingslea, 
Directed By: Kenji Kamiyama, 
Rated: Unrated
Release Date: 2004-11-07
Studio: Manga Video
Format: Animated,  Box set,  Color,  DVD-Video,  Subtitled,  Widescreen,  NTSC, 

Editorial Reviews and DVD Information about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Description
Chasing Phantoms While on the trail of Kuze, Section 9 tracks down the person who made his one-of-a-kind prosthetic face. There’s only one problem—the designer is dead. And the person who killed him is Paz, or someone who looks exactly like him! And Section 9 has some downtime, which they put to good use. During a friendly poker game, Saito recounts his first encounter with the Major, when they were both looking down the barrel of each other’s guns. But there’s still a lot of work left to be done, as everyone tries to unravel the mystery of the Individual Eleven and discover the whereabouts of Kuze.

Amazon.com
Stand Alone Complex (2nd Gig) continues to grow more pointedly political as it progresses. The agents of Public Security Section 9 discover that the cases they're investigating are linked to the troubled relations between Japan and Imperial America: The latter is attempting to reassert its global military dominance while grappling with its economic weakness. But the prime minister and her cabinet face those problems. Batou, the Major, and the rest of the Section have to deal with unrest among the refugees, suicide bombers, and the Individualists. The members of the Individual Eleven--except for Kuze, their leader--commit mass suicide in a bloody spectacle that recalls the theatrical death of the great Japanese writer Yukio Mishima in 1970. The Tachikoma robots speculate that as they are abandoning collective consciousness and developing individuality, a dependence on the Net is leading humans in the opposite direction. That trend makes people more vulnerable to the micro-machines and cyber-viruses of the Individualist plot--unless Section 9 can thwart it in time. (Rated 13 and older: violence, violence against women, brief nudity, alcohol, drug and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

What you would expect!
This is what you would expect from the team that makes this awsome film and series! Visuals are as always, Top notch in the anime world, with thought provoking story lines, that make it so you can't wait to watch the next episode in the series. If you like you anime like i do with realistic looking charaters, and just alaround good damn movie. you have to have this in your collection, along with the whole series!Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

OUT OF THE SHADOWS
After the Individual Eleven committed ritual suicide on a skyscraper roof last volume, Section 9 is left with the only one of the members that did not submit to the killing directive. He's the same guy that tried to kill the Prime Minister and his name is Kuze. He has a custom made cyborg body that makes him almost invulnerable to weapons or injury. He also has a very distinctive face, one so distinct that there's only one person in the country that could make it, but he's been killed by....Paz??!! This is just the beginning of Volume 4's focus on the supporting cast, allowing background characters to receive the main focus. Episode 14 is about Saito's first encounter with the Major many years ago when they were on opposite sides of a war. Episode 15 concerns the Tachikoma's creator as he decides to flee to another country, taking his technological expertise with him. It's up to Section 9 to capture him before that happens, but along the way, the Tachikomas begin to question their own individuality and their own feelings(?) about their dad. The last episode brings Kuze's past to light as we get a glimpse of the man behind the mask...literally.

Volume 4, while a great anime, was a bit of a letdown in a way to me. While I liked the focus on some of the minor characters, their stories seemed a little tacked on to me. To me it felt like the creators said something like "Let's write an episode about Saito" without really fitting or adding to the larger story. The writing didn't seem as strong either. How many times have we heard the "Let me tell you about the time...." cliche during Saito's episode? They should have just played the episode with a "10 years ago" subtitle at the bottom instead of making it a flashback. I enjoyed the Tachikoma episode the most because sometimes those robots seem the most human of the entire cast, if that makes any sense. While it was subpar for this series, this volume still blows away most anime out there.Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Awesome and I don't care if it is Anti-American
As a Journalist in the U.S., I am pleasantly surprised at how close 2nd gig is following real world situations, especially in the area of illegal immigration the U.S. I feel 2nd gig is providing us with a glimpse of the future and what "might" happen if President Bush gets his "immigrant worker status" approved. As far as Anti-Americanism is concerned, more people need to watch the first season and this current season (2nd gig) to understand how nations around the world perceive us. This is a wonderful mature series that needs to be placed along side some of the best movies and television shows that have received critical acclaim.Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Re: anti American
After watching this DVD I must say I am still very impressed with there work. however another reviewer said something that I believe needs to be corrected. the first and most obviouse error is the American Flag Patches. If you look at any american service man, or woman, you will find there flag is the same way. this is actually the correct way for it to look.

While I agree that "make up" has its flaws in that place, it just wouldnt have been the same exciting ending if it was otherwise.

The tachikomas and a philosophical element to a, for the most part, otherwise psychological anime.

This DVD is deep, and gives you some more back stories to the lesser known characters and I highley recomend it to any fan.Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Ghost In The Shell S.A.C. (Vol 4.)
Production I.G. does it again in Vol.4 this series continues to get better with every volume and every episode. For those of you who have not seen this series I suggest you do so ASAP. Way to go Production I.G.!Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

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