anime anyone, Ghost in the Shell Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[HeavyMetalYeti]

I just watched Ghost in the Shell for the first time. Talk about Shadowrunish.

I know, I'm a little behind. Is it a series?

What is the difference between anime and manga if there is one?

[deek]

Manga is written (books, comics, etc), anime is animated (movies, TV, etc.).

There is a GitS series. I've only ever seen the movie, though.

Manga, anime...its all Japanese to me:)

[PBTHHHHT]

Manga, anime...its all Greek to me:)

Fixed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I irked my friend (who knows Japanese) when we were in Japan last week when I kept saying all the characters and symbols was all Greek to me.

Ok, what do you want to know about the Ghost in the Shell franchise?

The author, Shirow, first made the Ghost in the Shell manga. Let's call this the first universe, he has since also came out with two more manga sequels. All of which you can get from Dark Horse.

Then came the movie. They made a sequel to that movie also. Let's call this the second universe. They also came out with a novel for this universe which you can pick up at amazon, it's focused on Batou and takes place between the movies.

The television series has two seasons and a sequel movie that takes place ~5 years after the second season. The writers for the series has also came out with 2 novels that takes place between the seasons I think, well during the series, etc. This is the third universe.

When you read the manga you can see some plots/scenarios that are used in the tv series. Overall, the manga is okay, it kinda gets wonky in the second book, the third book is interesting since they focus a lot on the rest of the unit with the Major popping in and helping out but at least the others get more facetime. The movies, well, they're okay, but the second one was a bit much at times. The tv series and subsequents stuff I like the most, it also pulls a lot of stuff from the manga and repackages it in a better way in my opinion. One example was the sniper standoff from the movie, that was in the third manga book, it was interesting and folded into an intriguing plot of the movie.

[Stahlseele]

watch the series . . both of them actually . . the tachikomas are just too good to pass ^^
they get a real personality instesd of just being a legged tank O.o
and yes, it is that damn good! ^^
Anime= animated pictures/cartoon series . .
manga=drawing book or coloured pictures in an older analogous form of data-storage called paper-sheets in book form *g*

[coolgrafix]

I've never understood why the line developers didn't make SR4's art direction lean more toward anime. SR4 _is_ Ghost in the Shell, with magic. Totally anime. I saw GitS only a couple years ago myself and was blown away at how well it and SR gelled, especially SR4 with the wireless matrix/AR/cranial cyber/etc.

GitS is really a must-see for all SR players in the post-cyberpunk era.

[Wesley Street]

When you read the manga you can see some plots/scenarios that are used in the tv series. Overall, the manga is okay, it kinda gets wonky in the second book, the third book is interesting since they focus a lot on the rest of the unit with the Major popping in and helping out but at least the others get more facetime. The movies, well, they're okay, but the second one was a bit much at times. The tv series and subsequents stuff I like the most, it also pulls a lot of stuff from the manga and repackages it in a better way in my opinion. One example was the sniper standoff from the movie, that was in the third manga book, it was interesting and folded into an intriguing plot of the movie.

I like Shirow and I've read Japanese comics for years but the manga GitS 2.0 completely lost me even after three readings. Pretty art and plenty of fan service shots but... man alive! It was nonsensical! GitS 1.5 was readable but you could see how Shirow was starting to go completely metaphysical with his cyberpunk. Personally I found Appleseed and Tank Police a lot more accessible as a Westerner.

I liked how the animation team on SAC pulled bits from the first manga that weren't in the first film and spliced them into the TV series. The second feature film rocked the house. I haven't seen the SAC movie though I own seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.

[Prime Mover]

When I ran CP2020 campaign years ago I made at least watching first movie a must to help get the point of "cyberpunk" across. Works almost as well with shadowrun, except for the awakening.

Did'nt like second movie as much but still a must see if you like GitS, both tv series still play on animondays scifi and sometimes on cartoon networks adult swim night time lineup.

[Prime Mover]

I like Shirow and I've read Japanese comics for years but the manga GitS 2.0 completely lost me even after three readings. Pretty art and plenty of fan service shots but... man alive! It was nonsensical! GitS 1.5 was readable but you could see how Shirow was starting to go completely metaphysical with his cyberpunk. Personally I found Appleseed and Tank Police a lot more accessible as a Westerner.

I liked how the animation team on SAC pulled bits from the first manga that weren't in the first film and spliced them into the TV series. The second feature film rocked the house. I haven't seen the SAC movie though I own seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.

Appleseed good just with some big full borgs, tank police was a riot, seen most of those episodes on cinimax years ago...giant inflatable dildo roadblocks priceless.

[Wesley Street]

The first Appleseed movie from the late 80s/early 90s was horrid. Stay away. The two newer cell-shaded CGI movies are a vast improvement and they bring the boom-boom but they only utilize the visual trappings of Shirow without any of the emotional or philosophical depth.

[Snow_Fox]

the first two films are kind of arty. the 2 TV serries and 3rd movie should be required viewing for SR

[Stahlseele]

the second GITS Movie(Innocence) was shit . . that was mostly to show pretty graphics and oh how dep philosophical dilemma we have in the world . . not enough real story, not enough action . . and it was too damn windows vista compared to windows 2000 . .
the new Appleseed movie was too bubbly and bright too . .
Bubble Gum Crysis would be good for Shadowrun

[hobgoblin]

I've never understood why the line developers didn't make SR4's art direction lean more toward anime. SR4 _is_ Ghost in the Shell, with magic. Totally anime. I saw GitS only a couple years ago myself and was blown away at how well it and SR gelled, especially SR4 with the wireless matrix/AR/cranial cyber/etc.

GitS is really a must-see for all SR players in the post-cyberpunk era.

people complained that with year of the comet, and especially the surge effects introduced there, the game have turned to much towards anime.

mostly it seems to boil down to the interview with a girl that had surged into a feline hybrid, and was using that to get ahead in the world as a exotic dancer or something.

basically, there was a very vocal minority around sr2/3 that viewed anime as the plague of sr...

me, i dont mind. there are good anime and there are bad anime, just like anything else of entertainment out there.

trying to watch full metal panic right now, and i dread the out-of-combat social moments. give the guy a break damn it! still, its the first series where a guy have crashed into the girls locker room without going into a state of panic (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Stahlseele]

and he did not get beaten up? O.o
intriguing o.O
try watching pani poni dash . . it will give you diabeetus with the intro alone x.x . .

[hobgoblin]

well, there was a whole lot of flying objects aimed at the door, but he just stood there while it happened. no panic, no bleeding nose, nothing. but then he approach everything as if its a military op...

[Wesley Street]

I've never understood why the line developers didn't make SR4's art direction lean more toward anime.

Static art (SR4 illustrations) vs. cultural animation style (anime) is an apples and oranges argument. If you're asking why the SR4 developers didn't push for manga-esque art...? It would be too big a shift for most (Western) players to accept.

[Stahlseele]

the artwork of SR is good as it is . . fugly as hell for the most part, but fitting for the game *g*

[Wesley Street]

What RPG doesn't have its share of bad art? There was some real shit around the time of 3rd ed. (Rigger 3 I'm looking right at you!) but overall it's been consistently professional looking, especially recently.

[Zaranthan]

To date, I've only seen one image in a SR book that I haven't liked: the picture of someone rappelling down a monowire on BBB p.313. Where is her face and what is strapped to it? Aside from that one detail, I like the style of nearly all the images. They're not MoMA material, but they convey what they need to, and that's what pictures in a roleplaying rulebook are supposed to do.

[reepneep]

Bwah? Is that the only page you've looked at in the only SR book you've ever seen? Its worse than pg 112 or 136? No accounting for taste, I suppose.

[Rad]

To date, I've only seen one image in a SR book that I haven't liked: the picture of someone rappelling down a monowire on BBB p.313. Where is her face and what is strapped to it? Aside from that one detail, I like the style of nearly all the images. They're not MoMA material, but they convey what they need to, and that's what pictures in a roleplaying rulebook are supposed to do.

Gas mask, if I recall.

[Glyph]

Gas mask, if I recall.

Damn ravers. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)


Shirow's manga (Appleseed and GITS) are good, both for high tech shadowrunning flavor and for that elite strike team feel. Dominion Tank Police is one of my favorite animes, showing that distopias don't have to be depressing. Plus, it has android catgirl strippers!

Bubblegum Crisis is great, but the Knight Sabers are on a whole different level than shadowrunners. Shadowrunners are the pawns of the megacorporations - the Knight Sabers keep them in line. When an executive (Mason) goes after them, they respond by fighting their way to the rooftop of the office building and killing him, then signing the crime scene.

Despite being futuristic sci-fi, Cowboy Beebop, to me, really captures a shadowrunning feel - crew of hard bitten misfits doing shady jobs, seedy locations and colorful characters, etc.

[hobgoblin]

on the topic of shirow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Drive

[Starglyte]

I have always felt that Black Lagoon is the Shadowrun of anime. Granted the cyber is missing, but the mood, theme, and characters are Shadowrun.

[hermit]

Totally, yes ... I know two separate SE Asia pirate campaigns inspired by the show. I also have a number of Episodes converted into SR adventures (my fave being a slightly twisted Rückkehr des Adlers episode).

GitS SAC is definitly SR4 according to Unwired. GitS movie 1 is slightly more 80s, lacking Motoko's apparently totally superior wifi hacking moments, and going for a mich grittier look in general. GitS movie 2 is ... 2001, a space oddyssey, part 3. Honestly. That's about how accessible it is to me. Prettier pictures, it doesn't torture you to death by moving at a snail's pace, but it's so highly esotheric, it makes the final NGE episodes feel down to earth in comparison.

SAC is a good watch in terms of SR feel, though. Transports the shirowesque esotheric cyber philosophy while not being totally out of this world. I like 2nd Gig better than the first episode, though. Have yet to get me SSS. Lots of artistic inspiration from GitS SAC went into SR4 art, though; like the AR windows' shape in most art (the few rectangular ones look like straight out of Ergo Proxy, by the way).

Appleseed, the newer movies, are nice and fun and much more easily accessible to the western viewer, but are also much more SciFi than cyberpunk. The old one is a but dull, though not the total crap as some make it out to be, if you ask me.

Personally, I find Ergo Proxy's early episodes almost as much SR4, purely by look and design, as GitS SAC 1 and 2.

[Irian]

100% agreed, Starglyte. I just wanted to mention Black Lagoon myself. Of course, it has no magic, no cyber, no trolls, elves, etc. - but the whole mood is really Shadowrun... I really felt the wish to start a southeast asia campaign after watching the anime...