Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013) : A Stunning Prequel (9.57/10)

I have all the 4 OVAs for a while now, but didn't had the mood to watch them. Today I started with the first OVA on a whim and I got hooked up. Just finished the 4th OVA and I'm still in shock. Why the hell they didn't make any more of them? The main culprit is still out there right? right? Or is there a plan to make a new series as continuation of the ARISE?

Anyway, this is a stunning prequel for the series. The character design, the music, the action everything has the touch of the original Ghost in the Shell's smell. The character design is a little different though. But since almost of the the main character's have cyborg body, it's possible that they did some more modification in future. Only problem is with detective Togusa. He looks older than the Ghos in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, which is apparently a sequel of this ARISE series. 

For many generations, humans have wondered what a soul is? Or is there really something like that? What happens when someone get's a cyborg body? Do Artificial Intelligence will have soul? If they can think like human, why can't they have a soul? The series, Ghost in the Shell actually presents that old philosophical question in an imaginary futuristic world. 

Now I feel like watching all Ghost in the Shell series in one go. Time to find my old backups. LOL. Anyway, where is what I think of this series. I may have over rated it a bit, but hey, I'm super excited right now :D

Animation: 10/10
Sound: 9/10
Story Concept: 10/10
Suspense: 9/10
Action: 9/10
Character Design: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10

~Synopsis~

The anime's story is set in 2027, one year after the end of the fourth non-nuclear war. New Port City is still reeling from the war's aftermath when it suffers a bombing caused by a self-propelled mine. Then, a military member implicated in arms-dealing bribes is gunned down.

During the investigation, Public Security Section's Daisuke Aramaki encounters Motoko Kusanagi, the cyborg wizard-level hacker assigned to the military's 501st Secret Unit. Batou, a man with the "eye that does not sleep," suspects that Kusanagi is the one behind the bombing. The Niihama Prefectural Police detective Togusa is pursuing his own dual cases of the shooting death and a prostitute's murder. Motoko herself is being watched by the 501st Secret Unit's head Kurutsu and cyborg agents.

~Alternative Titles~

English: Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border:1 Ghost Pain
Synonyms: Koukaku Kidoutai Arise: Ghost in the Shell - Border:1 Ghost Pain
Japanese: 攻殻機動隊ARISE -GHOST IN THE SHELL- border:1 Ghost Pain

~Information~

Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jun 22, 2013
Producers: Production I.G, Bandai Visual, FUNimation EntertainmentL
Genres: Mecha, Sci-Fi, Police, Psychological
Duration: 58 min. per episode
Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Noragami : God's are born because we wished them to be

Synopsis

Yato, a minor god, dreams to become the most revered deity in the world with big shrine and all. However, being a penniless god that he is, he has a long way to go and his shinki leaving him doesn't help matter. Later, when he does his job, a high school girl named Hiyori Iki pushes him out of the way of a speeding bus; unaware of his status as deity.

Things get complicated when this incident triggers abnormality in Hiyori's soul, causing her to make an Astral Projection whenever she falls unconscious. To turn herself back to normal, Hiyori must help Yato becoming a better god who can fix the problem, along with Yato's new shinki, Yukine.

Information

Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jan 5, 2014 to Mar 23, 2014
Producers: Bones, Avex Entertainment, FUNimation EntertainmentL, Kodansha, Ai Addiction
Genres: Action, Adventure, Shounen, Supernatural
Duration: 24 min. per episode
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Review

After watching the first two episodes, I thought this is gonna be a supernatural comedy. But then it started to change and finally turned into a dark concept. Gods are born from our selfish wish, and when we no longer have the need of them, they starts to wither away from our memory and from the society. The calamity war god 'Yatto' is one of such. But he still exist because with the people's heart, he is changing too. Those who can't change either cease to exist or dies. At the end of the last episode, there left enough elements to make another season and I look forward to it. I may even start reading the manga too.

Animation: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Story Concept: 8/10
Action: 8/10
Character Design: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10