Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX, Kōkaku Kidōtai STAND ALONE COMPLEX) is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. The first season aired on SKY PerfecTV!'s Perfect Choice from October 2002 to October 2003 and was positively received by critics. A second season titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG (攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. 2nd GIG, Kōkaku Kidōtai S.A.C. 2nd GIG) aired on Animax from 1 January 2004 to 8 January 2005.
The series centers on the members of an elite cybernetic law enforcement unit known as Public Security Section 9 as they investigate cyber-crime and terrorism cases; these cases often are connected to their pursuit of an elite "Super Class A" hacker and corporate terrorist known as "The Laughing Man." A series of associated short comic animations, titled Tachikomatic Days, aired after each episode. These shorts star the Tachikoma "think-tanks" from the main series, and they typically relate directly to the story of the preceding Stand Alone Complex episode.
Philosophy of Ghost in the Shell
The Ghost in the Shell series of anime and manga titles is a Japanese cyberpunk story that offers many observations on present day philosophy and speculations on future philosophy.
Ghost in the Shell takes place in the year 2029, when the world has become interconnected by a vast electronic network that permeates every aspect of life. People also tend to rely more and more on cybernetic implants, and the first strong AIs make their appearance. The main entity presented in the various media is the Public Security Section 9 police force, which is charged to investigate cases like the Puppet Master and the Laughing Man. However, as the criminals are revealed to have more depth than was at first apparent, the various protagonists are left with disturbing questions: "What exactly is the definition of 'human' in a society where a mind can be copied and the body replaced with a synthetic form?", "What exactly is the 'ghost' —the human soul— in the cybernetic body, or 'shell'?", and "Where is the boundary between human and machine when the differences between the two become more philosophical than physical?"
I Never Knew
I never knew
I never saw the sadness in your eyes (In your eyes)
Believe me when I say that
Holding on has never been so hard (Never be so hard)
So just open your eyes and seek the love that surrounds you
Now just open your mind and take my word I still love you
I never saw this side of you
The darkness setting in
I never saw this side of you
The darkness setting in
So take my hand and hold on tight
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
I¼ll be your way, your path, your light
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
We both know this isn¼t getting any easier for you or me
We both know this isn¼t getting any easier for you or me
For you or me
Is this the price I pay to keep you alive
To keep you alive
I never knew
I never saw the sadness in your eyes (In your eyes)
Believe me when I say that
Holding on has never been so hard (Never be so hard)
I never knew
Just open your eyes and seek the love that surrounds you
Now just open your mind and take my word I still love you
So take my hand and hold on tight
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
I¼ll be your way, your path, your light
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
So take my hand and hold on tight
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
I¼ll be your way, your path, your light
We¼ll make it through we¼ll be alright
So keep your vision focused
Keep the right mind set
Your doubts will lead us to the end
So keep your vision focused
Keep the right mind set
Your doubts will lead us to the end