Following a terrorist incident and the suicide of a foreign colonel, Section 9 begin investigating a series of mysterious occurences involving multiple cyberbrain hackings perpetrated by someone codenamed ‘The Puppeteer’. With Motoko Kusanagi (Atsuko Tanaka) no longer a part of Section 9, the team is led by Togusa (Koichi Yamadera), with the help of Batou (Akio Otsuka) and others. They discover a large number of kidnappings; a plot to implant nanomachine viruses; links to politicians and a medical research facility in their attempts to track down the elusive hacker.
“Solid State Society” follows on directly from the second series of “Stand Alone Complex”, and while it doesn’t require knowledge of the series, it is set in that world rather than being a continuation of the Mamoru Oshii films. This time around the film is directed by “SAC” series director Kenji Kamiyama, with a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno, although the voice cast of both original films and series remains unchanged. The change in tone is noticeable, but not jarring, wtih more emphasis on the action and investigation, with the philosophical concerns serving as background. We also see an expansion of the world, with more Section 9 team members present, more personal interactions between characters, and Togusa’s family playing a part in the drama. The story features the same blend of politics and technology familiar to fans of the previous films and the series, paying homage to now-established tropes (such as Motoko’s dive into optical camo, and references to a ‘Puppeteer’). We also get some new elements brought over from the series, such as the Tachikoma (autonomous spider-tanks).
“Solid State Society” is a fun watch, feeling like an extended episode of the series, with a new mission for Section 9 to tackle. While it lacks some of the more iconic moments of the previous films, it makes up for it in telling a more personal story. We get to know the characters better here, and to a degree they have more personality. Kamiyama’s direction and Kanno’s upbeat score create a vibrant, action-packed feel, and the plot’s numerous twists keep you engaged throughout. Well worth a watch for fans of the series, and for those who enjoyed the previous films this feels like a different take on the same characters.
