Ghost in the Shell 2.0

[yellowlightman]

New enhanced version of the 1995 film by Mamoru Oshii

ANN Link 1

ANN Link 2

Before and After Comparisons

Streaming Teaser

Considering how good it looked originally, seems really unnecessary to add a bunch of 3D and special effects to it. Still, I'll probably see it in theatres when it comes out here next month.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

It's an interesting concept. I could see the want of updating the visuals to be more in line with Innocence, but I can't say I like how drastically it alters the look and feel of the film (much like the afore mentioned SEs). The new shots are a lot redder, which is odd given the bluish look of the old footage. I wonder if they're just replacing the old CGI, or if they're going to do a lot of needlessly adding of more CG. The chopper shot suggests the latter, and looks terrible in comparison. It's always a bit sad to see hand done work replaced by flashy, cold technology, no matter how much "cooler" it looks.

I suppose as long as is doesn't supplant the original, it's okay. Though I'd rather see a third Oshii GitS film instead.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Mercurial Morpheus

[Mowe]

I never saw it in theater, so this might be a chance to see it on big screen.

[bsu legato]

Kusanagi shoots first?

Production IG raped my childhood?

[Mowe]

Your pray is answered: http://www.vap.co.jp/sky-crawlers/

Though I'd rather see a third Oshii GitS film instead.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Mowe

[yellowlightman]

I never saw it in theater, so this might be a chance to see it on big screen.

I'm not sure how much of an international release it'll be getting, it's only playing in a handful of theaters here in Japan.

But between this and Sky Crawlers I guess it's a good summer for people who like Oshii films.

[eugimon]

I'm all for it if it means we get a proper DVD/BD release.. the current transfer is a crappy POS.

[bandit29]

Looks kinda cool..even though I've never been a big fan of Oshii's vision of GITS(or any of his films really) ..I saw both GITS films in the theater I wouldn't mind seeing this too.

[Sumdumgai]

I was going to say "Kusanagi shoots first" too. Not on my must see list.

I liked Patlabor 1 and 2. Patlabor Wasted XIII was a steaming pile of $h*t to me. It was like they called it Patlabor to try to get more people to watch it, or threw it in as an afterthought. If it were another movie, it wouldn't have been as bad, but as a Patlabor movie I expected something a lot better.

[Scream Man]

I liked Xiii for what it was, but yeah, it wasnt Patlabor.

Thought GITS was ok, but found it vaguly confusing. Thought innosence was kinda boring.

Ill stick to the SAC series for my GITS needs.

[The Shade]

Oshii didn't direct Patlabor 3, so maybe that's why it was a bad film.

Put me down also for Kusanagi shoots first. There's just too much temptation with these "2.0" versions to want to change things around too much. Also, I'm just not a fan of 3D animation on 2D cell work, especially when it looks so obvious like in the new 2.0 footage previewed.

[Mr March]

As long as the original always remains available in every new format that is released from now until my death, then they can make all the alternate versions they want. Listen to the wisdom of Ridley Scott; here's the versions and I'll let you the audience decide which you like best.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

Mr March and The Shade speak much truth. Though it'd be nice if the constant stream of redos and DCs ended. I'm sort of tired of not getting the film I saw in theatres because the DVD to get just happens to also be unrated or "the version we couldn't show you". Remember when DCs were made up of footage that actually got cut for a reason, not so they could release two or three different sets at once or to beef up the marketing campaign? Or when a director shot something and then moved on immediately? Yeah, neither do I.

As for Sky Crawlers, I don't know much about it, so how so?

[Major Focker]

possibly OT, but does anyone have any news if SAC is going to be released in blu-ray? or if there's an HD version already floating somewhere?

thanks

[yellowlightman]

Saw GitS 2.0 with Save last night.

It was um, strange. The same movie shot for shot, just with added CG and a color shift from green to orange. Didn't change a thing in terms of story, pacing or characters.

I wrote up a post on my site here if you're interested in a more detailed explanation.

[Xeros]

Just put my hands on the DVD

Wow

The CG modifications are great, the diving scene is awesome

But I still hope for a new movie or even a new season of S.A.C

[Mr March]

Want to see, want to see

Any sample clips or adverts on YouTube or some such?

Edited December 23, 2008 by Mr March

[Xeros]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEarWEgUB7Y

[Graham]

Err..........which are the 'before' and which are the 'after' pics in the post above?

In every instance, I think the bottom pic of each pair looks far better.

Graham

[Xeros]

The bottom pics are the originals

To me is logical that you see the original animation better because the detail level on each frame is insane (like the others works of Mamoru Oshii) but IMO the CGI animated secuence looks better

GHOST_IN_THE_SHELL_2_0_0.bmp

GHOST_IN_THE_SHELL_2_0_1.bmp

Edited December 24, 2008 by Xeros

[yellowlightman]

To me is logical that you see the original animation better because the detail level on each frame is insane (like the others works of Mamoru Oshii) but IMO the CGI animated secuence looks better

It looks like a videogame intro and is totally inconsistent with the rest of the look of the movie. Why they added it I have no idea.

[Graham]

Too much CG can definitely be a bad thing.

Definitely prefer the old school cell animation of the original movie, to the redone CG.

Graham

[Gui]

[...]

To me is logical that you see the original animation better because the detail level on each frame is insane (like the others works of Mamoru Oshii) but IMO the CGI animated secuence looks better

It looks damn great! This is far much more consistent with Innocence IMO, but does the rest of the film looks the same or is it just these 3 sequences which have been reanimated?

[yellowlightman]

I really want to know what you guys are smoking... it looks cheap as hell.

Whereas GiTS did a good job of mixing CG and cells (by using CG mostly for computer displays and such), the new 3D segments stand out because they look totally different than the rest of the film.

For those that haven't seen it, the only redone segments are the opening scene where Matoko jumps off the building and the scene where she's swimming, so it's clear they didn't want to do much more than just model her and some backgrounds. They also redid all of the helicopters in 3D... but no other vehicles. The whole effort makes no sense, as the added CG effects to the cell scenes look terrible, the 3D doesn't mesh and the whole thing just reeks of messing around with something that didn't need to be fixed.

It's far worse than something like the Star Wars Special Editions, where you could kind of justify by saying they didn't ave the technology back then or it didn't look as good... But truth is, GiTS looks better than just about any other modern anime film, and it sure as hell didn't need a bunch of extra CG cr*p to "modernize" it.

[Radd]

I'm not particularly attached to the movie. I'll probably give it a once-over sometime. I do agree that too much CG is a bad thing, but then I do tend to like a lot of modern digital effects, like adding atmospheric shaders and better light effects to animation, when it's done well. (Unfortunately, far too many abuse these effects.)The stills in the comparison shots show some of that, and it looks decent. On the other hand, I liked the still shot of Motoko about to leap from the building, but it looked pretty bad in motion when I saw the teaser.

Of course, I'm not certain I'd agree that GitS looks better than just about any other modern anime film. It was a great looking film when it came out, sure, but there are certainly movies before and after that look much nicer.

[Totoro242]

What a waste of resources and slap to face of the animators who worked on this. Why not just make a new one?

[Xeros]

I really want to know what you guys are smoking... it looks cheap as hell.

Whereas GiTS did a good job of mixing CG and cells (by using CG mostly for computer displays and such), the new 3D segments stand out because they look totally different than the rest of the film.

For those that haven't seen it, the only redone segments are the opening scene where Matoko jumps off the building and the scene where she's swimming, so it's clear they didn't want to do much more than just model her and some backgrounds. They also redid all of the helicopters in 3D... but no other vehicles. The whole effort makes no sense, as the added CG effects to the cell scenes look terrible, the 3D doesn't mesh and the whole thing just reeks of messing around with something that didn't need to be fixed.

It's far worse than something like the Star Wars Special Editions, where you could kind of justify by saying they didn't ave the technology back then or it didn't look as good... But truth is, GiTS looks better than just about any other modern anime film, and it sure as hell didn't need a bunch of extra CG cr*p to "modernize" it.

I would agree with you in that the CGI alone doesn't justify the whole movie, after all it's looks like the done the new CGI only for test the technology in preparation for the Sky Crawlers movie. But there's not the only additions inluded, they re-recorded the dialogs and even the have some variations from the originals, and the remastered music sounds even great, or did you make the anology with Star Wars because the sound were remastered in Skywalker Sound? xD

Anyway my point in this is that the CGI is cool, but it seems to me most likely you did a poor check in the material and anly focuses on the animation and obviously you dislike Oshii's work

[yellowlightman]

I would agree with you in that the CGI alone doesn't justify the whole movie, after all it's looks like the done the new CGI only for test the technology in preparation for the Sky Crawlers movie. But there's not the only additions inluded, they re-recorded the dialogs and even the have some variations from the originals, and the remastered music sounds even great, or did you make the anology with Star Wars because the sound were remastered in Skywalker Sound? xD

I made the Star Wars comparison because Lucas started a trend of going back and messing with films that were perfectly fine and adding unnecessary stuff to them just for the sake of change. That's exactly what GiTS 2.0 is... a bunch of unnecessary changes to an already great film. It's a waste of money and an insult to fans.

Anyway my point in this is that the CGI is cool, but it seems to me most likely you did a poor check in the material and anly focuses on the animation and obviously you dislike Oshii's work

Yeah, you're completely off on that assumption but nice try.

[Noriko Takaya]

I just finished watching GitS2.0 and I have to say that while I found the updated version kind of neat to look at, I still prefer the original. I'm in agreement with a few on this thread; they should have left well enough alone.

[bandit29]

Just watched it.. thought it was ok. The added CG kind of sticks out but I've seen this movie many times over the years. The new soundtrack mix is done well.

But why? Whats the point? I don't think fans were sitting around thinking " Yeah this movie would be better if it looked more like Innocence"

Maybe Oshii should redo Innocence to look more like the first GITS movie..

or should start work on the next GITS movie..one that has the Major in it for more than 10 minutes and in her normal body..

[Radd]

Someone else already mentioned it, but often "special editions" like this are test runs. It is entirely possible that Oshii is working on a movie that will use a lot of the programs and/or techniques they used for the redone footage here.

[bandit29]

Someone else already mentioned it, but often "special editions" like this are test runs. It is entirely possible that Oshii is working on a movie that will use a lot of the programs and/or techniques they used for the redone footage here.

Ya you are probably right but the new intro with the Major looks so cheap. Reminds me of the CG from early PS2 games..I wouldn't want to see a whole movie like that..

[Hikuro]

God dunno why they would of done this, but I'll atleast watch it since I enjoy GiTS...still .....man......oh well.

[ChrisG]

I made the Star Wars comparison because Lucas started a trend of going back and messing with films that were perfectly fine and adding unnecessary stuff to them just for the sake of change. That's exactly what GiTS 2.0 is... a bunch of unnecessary changes to an already great film. It's a waste of money and an insult to fans.

Unlike George Lucas and Star Wars though, this doesn't replace the original version, and no one is forcing you to buy/watch it anyway, so what does it matter?

[drifand]

I think it's Oshii's ego demanding a visually 'unique' signature on his most precious works. When GITS came out, it was cutting edge for its depiction of virtual environments in the cyberbrain. And then the W. Bros copied the 'green = cyber' look for Matrix and the rest is history. Needless to say, the more artistically inclined Oshii was aghast at the success of such an inferior and populist copycat.

When he did Avalon (Beautiful. Yawn), he was adamant in seeking new ways to portray his vision of a virtual world in a live action setting. No cyber-shticks like green-lines and raining numbers, no siree. It's all gone sepia!

From there, Innocence carried on his hue-driven repudiation of the Matrix-hijacked visual language. It only makes sense that he would in time revisit his first international hit. After all, he has already done such updates for the first 2 Patlabor films (although only in digital remastering and sound re-recording).

I'm definitely going to watch this remake to see how successful he was in retaking his visual signature from Hollywood. At the worst, fans will still have the original already on remastered digital media.