if u like GitS (… thats a funny short form…) u will like this tv version too. its currently at episode 7 or so, nicely done, almost movie quality, and of course, very intriguing.
and
i have watched the 1st episode of macross zero. it was breath taking ! can’t wait for the next one (its actually out, i just dont have the money to get it)
I’ve seen fansubs through episode 8 of GitS: Stand Alone Complex. The animation is pretty incredible, and there’s some great action and stories. A couple have been on the slow side, but very good overall.
I’ve watched Macross Zero as well. Absolutely amazing! I can’t believe I have to wait til, what is it? Spring? For another half hour? I’ll do it if I have to, but only if there’s more veritech on veritech action!
Well in a kinda sucky development, apparently Bandai came down on all the fansubbers and GITS:SAC’s fansub treatment got stopped at #19. So while I have a very very general idea of what’s going on up to this point (#24) it’s still a little disappointing… and the show has literally gone to hell. Man it ain’t ever going to be the same. Kinda cool, yet kinda… aww man.
Supposedly they are still aiming to show it in the US this year, or at least start.
Macross Zero is awesome.
— Alan
Is that why the fansubs dried up? Bummer. The show has been fatastic from about episode 11 on.
I’m just glad that Kusanagi no longer has to strip down to turn invisible - doubly so, since her male colleagues turn invisible as well. Ugh, don’t want THAT picture in my head.
Bad, bad, bad.
I never understood why she had to strip in the movie, was a kinda silly dynamic. Hell she still had stockings on at the beginning. Must be a weird Oshii thing. I wonder if GITS2 (the movie) will be like that.
Yeah that’s why the fansubs stopped, in AonE’s case, after #19. It’s disappointing because it’s stopping when the show’s concept and main plot (the Stand Alone Complex/Laughing Man storyline) is resolving and there’s some wild-ass shenanagains going on - #24, “Annihilation”, really pretty much sums up the situation for Section 9.
— Alan
The good news at least is that there “appears” to be a second season, at least 26 more episodes. A second soundtrack was also just announced.
Bad news is that I have no idea when the show will show up on the Cartoon Network, and they’ve kept very secret about it. It would make marketing sense to air the show right around the time Innocence (the second GITS movie) hits the US theaters, but that could be in mid to late 2004 (it should air in Japan in early 2004). Then again, I heard plans to release Innocence in America & Japan simultaneously. That’d be a new one.
— Alan
Bastards. Rotting bastards. They hopefully will start on a dubbed version soon then since the dvds are already out in japan for what, half the shows. Probably not though. Its not like I wouldn’t buy the dvds when they came out, sigh.
I think the Japanese DVD releases are about a month (in other words, 2 episodes), maybe two, behind the air dates. They are up to Vol. 10, so 20 episodes on DVD so far (out of 26, and 24 have aired).
I would have thought a sub of the Japanese DVDs would have appeared already, but I haven’t seen any sign of it (there are English subtitled DVDs but they are apparently horrible translations from Chinese or Korean subtitles). Haven’t mustered up the strength to buy one yet.
It’s disappointing to say the least, as we have no idea when (or how edited/cut) the dubbed episodes will be officially released. Bandai is saying absolutely nothing, just that the fansubs stop.
— Alan
If you’ve seen Episodes 20-24 but don’t know what’s going on, here’s a plot summary I cropped from someplace else… mostly accurate as far as I can tell, those I think he left some stuff out.
EP 20
A document was smuggled out of the FDA, Togusa feels strongly this is connected to “The Laughing Man” but was shot down by Aramaki and Motoko. Eventually Togusa convinces Motoko to follow that lead, arguing the event fits “The Laughing Man” pattern. Togusa searches through the archives and discovers a missing file pertaining to the list of patients in Murai Vaccine trial. Togusa learns the background of Murai Vaccine, meant to cure cyber brain scleroses, a disease without cure. Prof Murai discovered the vaccine by accident and was not popular as it went against the Micro Machine Therapy ways. The vaccine was not approved and eventually disappeared. Sunflower group is a NPO that would be looking for the list and Togusa goes undercover as a grieving journalist. He finds the group does have the list and learned many celebrities, athletes, politicians have received the vaccine. More shocking was the FDA chairman who disapproves Murai Vaccine has received vaccine, and he’s the one that sent the list. While during meeting, Sunflower group office was attacked and Togusa was shot. Togusa barely escaped but lost the list.EP21
Togusa was rescued and manages to brief Section 9 of what happened. They approached the FDA who explained what happened the night before was a tragedy. The FDA chairman is missing and both FDA and Section 9 is looking for him, it seems like Laughing Man got him to hide in hotel. Eventually he is located and Motoko/Batou tries to save FDA chairman. Batou escapes with chairman while Motoko deals with an armed suit. Motoko was badly injured and Saitou arrives in time with heavy rifle to take the armed suits down. While under Batou’s protection, FDA chairman is shot by the baddies and the Laughing man hands Batou the list of vaccine recipients.EP22
Head of FDA is arrested for assault on Sunflower group. Motoko needs to have her body exchanged because of the damage. During, Aramaki learns his brother has been arrested and treated for drug addiction. Government refused Aramaki from visiting his brother and he decides to visit the slums to find out what happens. Two bums tells him his brother was setup for the crime and they have evidence to prove so. Ishikawa learns the people after Section 9 are the two bums meeting with Aramaki, also one of whom is the doctor operating on Motoko. The two bums drugged Aramaki and left him for the cops, Batou manages to save him in time. The Dr was about to kill her when “The Laughing Man” shows up he shares his memory with her and saves her. Turns out Aramaki’s brother was never there and Head of FDA has committed suicide.EP23
So turns out a top government official was behind all this, seems like it’s a way to blackmail companies. Once again Serano was kidnapped by “The Laughing Man” where they have a chat about what happened 6 years ago. Turns out the kidnapping and the crimes that happened afterwards were unrelated. The crimes that happened afterwards were a scheme to manipulate stocks and blackmail companies. All “The Laughing Man” wanted to do was for Serano to mention that Murai Vaccine worked better than Micro Machine therapy. Serano finally agrees he would talk about what really happened, that’s when the police stepped in. “The Laughing Man” is no where to be seen. Batou catches “him” as he’s leaving the scene, but turns out it was Motoko in disguise verifying “The Laughing Man” memory.EP24
Togusa returns from the hospital. Top government officials discuss what happened and what to do from here. Seems like there would be repercussions for what Section 9 found out. Aramaki is told to abandon Section 9 in order for him to survive. Off in the sea, the SDF Navy is preparing for an assault with Special Forces and armed suits. On his way back, Aramaki and Togusa are kidnapped by Prime Minster’s Secret Service. Motoko tells the crew to prepare for assault and prepare body double dummies. She also gives Ishikawa and Pazu datachip to leak to media about the truth. On the roof, 6 armed suits and Special Forces takes Section 9 apart. Unable to stop them, Motoko and group manages to self-detonate the office and escape with the body double dummies as fake bodies. SDF Navy knows they didn’t really die and go after them. Meanwhile, Tachikoma whom has been delegated to taking care of elderly home finds out about what happened. Motoko tells the group Section 9 has been disband and survive no matter what. Bouma was shot and Pazu manages to hand off the datachip before he is captured. Tachikoma recieved a desperate message via elderly patient and a box, he wonders about what’s happening to everyone.
— Alan
For those that aren’t following it, Last Exile is nearing its end (first 23 episodes out). Pretty damn good series. Competes with SAC visually, and I don’t say that lightly.
What kind of show is it?
— Alan
I’ve only seen the first couple episodes myself, but so far the key words are “steampunk” and “flying machines”. Visually lush, good (if not quite great) integration of 2D and 3D animation, and generally just plain cool. It helps that a major character lurking in the background has obviously been taking lessons from Captain Harlock. Based on my limited exposure, I’d still have to say it’s the highlight of the recent anime season.
FnordChan
Well I did get #23 of Last Exile, visually looks very interesting, I like the feel of it so far.
I found out there is a rogue group fansubbing GITS:SAC, they just released #20 a few days ago… a little behind but it’s very welcome. This is the episode where pretty much the entire plot of the first season begins to unravel (in a good way), all the way to the end (#26). Good stuff.
— Alan
Yeah, I just found it on usenet last night. God bless those rebels, every one.
I went on a limb and bought one of the DVDs available on Ebay (episodes 19-22). The English subtitled translation is really bad, but you get the (very general) picture. Image quality is pretty good; not sure if the source is a real high definition transfer or ripped from a DVD (probably he latter since the origin seems to be South Korea).
— Alan
Ditto, I found it on bit torrent last night.
Sorry, the DVD is evidently from China (or in Chinese), not Korean. Doh.
— Alan
What sites are you guys using to find these things? The “rebel groups” version just popped up today on the site I frequent. I wonder if one of you has a much better source for this than I do? I won’t name names here since everyone seems to be keeping this licensed distribution site hush hush. PM me maybe?
(P.S. Before this errupts into a copywrite thing, I watched the subs of Rah Xephon and then proceeded to buy the DVD set. I spend money when I’m pleased.)
EDIT: Removed a link.
I download from usenet. Groups alt.binaries.anime and alt.binaries.multimedia.anime
You have to check daily if you don’t want to miss something, but stuff ends up there pretty much as fast as anywhere else. Also helps that I can bury the needle on my cable modem because the comcast news servers are so fast.