Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex Official Log DVD/Guide Book (Vol. 1)

Product Description This limited edition set includes a 148 page official guide book. Included is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the explosively popular seven volume first season. Amazon.com Masamune Shirow's landmark cyberpunk fantasy Ghost in the Shell has proved popular and thought-provoking in all its incarnations: the original manga (1989); Mamoru Oshii's critically acclaimed feature (1995) and its sequel, Innocence (2005); and the TV series, Stand Alone Complex (2005). The Official Log offers a wealth of information on the broadcast series, with the contents of the book and DVD complimenting each other. The printed summaries of each episode can be juxtaposed with the montages of recurring elements on the disc. Both contain interviews with key members of crew, including director/chief writer Kenji Kamiyama, audio director Kazuhiro Wakabayashi, 3-D animation director Makoto Endo, and members of the Japanese vocal cast. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a surfeit of design tricks. The text is printed in tiny type, often in color and/or against colored background. The captions urge the reader to examine the details in images the size of postage stamps. Although it can be difficult to read, serious fans of Ghost in the Shell will want the Official Log. (Unrated, suitable for ages and older: considerable violence, grotesque imagery, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon