[Tobold]

Not alexleavitt, but I'd go with this viewing order (for the whole franchise):

* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Alternative Architecture

* Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie [sic]

* Ghost in the Shell

* Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig

* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society

Not all of them are strictly speaking in the same universe, but afair this gives the most chronological feeling results ;)

[DiabloD3]

The viewing order makes no sense.

Arise, the movies, the manga, and GITS:SAC are all different universes (Shirow himself has said this).

I'd watch it the two movies (avoid the CGI-ed remake of the first one), then all of three seasons of SAC[1], and then Arise: AA.

And for those who don't know, AA is the series based off the four episode OVA. The OVA... sucks, the pacing is really bad, and they basically quit making more of it so they could make a proper series out of it. It isn't bad, but it's no SAC; it's more like an animated version of the manga, but not as Shirowy.

Just realize you're watching three different almost unrelated works.

[1]: Did you know SSS was meant to be an entire third season? They couldn't secure the budget for it, so they made a compressed movie like they did for SAC and 2nd Gig (The Laughing Man, and The Individual Eleven, respectively).

[Tobold]

Yes, that's why I said that they aren't all in the same universe.

I feel Arise should come first because it has the most "origin story", and I put SAC last, because I like to keep the best for last.

And, like I said, it "feels" more chronological that way (to me). TBF, it's been a while since I saw SAC and the movies, so it's possible I misremembered.

[adamsea]

Regardless of "origin story", I'd argue for the (non-CGI'd) original film to be viewed first. The reason is that it contains all the essential themes, visual motifs, and characters. To me it still feels like the "core" of the films/shows.

[gknoy]

Perhaps.... but I am skeptical. The original will always have a special place in my heart, but it feels like there's too much gratuitous nudity and violence that almost masks the deeper interesting sci-fi part. Bateau and the Major seem really well developed, but the other characters feel two dimensional (e.g. Togusa and the Old Man). The later movies never really spoke to me, but I'll have to re-watch them.

SAC really seemed to nail the character portrayals, IMO, and felt more accessible. Arise adds the backstory of how they got together that I really had always wanted to see.

Maybe a season of SAC, then the movie(s), then Arise? I don't know, I'm sure the order is not critical. It's not like Star Wars or Star Trek movies in that regard. :)

[tjl]

One thing I really liked in Arise is that they showed how Togusa joined the Major's team (and how they joined Section 9). We got some good back story on Togusa in Ghost Tears.

Unfortunately, Alternative Architecture (and the Arise OVAs) are all behind Funimation's subscriber paywall. I've seen the first three Arise OVAs on Netflix (although OVAs 1 and 2 come down today). The fourth OVA hasn't come to Netflix (at least here in Canada).

[corysama]

And, beware the "2.0 edition" of the original movie that replaces several iconic scenes with crappy CG re-renders. It's inexplicable that someone thought that was a good idea.

[samstave]

craznappian: not available on netflix...

I know all the many venues to grab these - any preferred method you'd recommend?

[gknoy]

Arise (parts 1, 2, and 3) are on Netflix. I had to use Wikipedia to tell which order they were in, until I read the descriptions more closely. This is a prequel, of how the characters came together.

Stand Alone Complex is on DVD. I like it a LOT more than the movies, as it really portrays more characters as 3-dimensional than just the Major and her partner, Bateau. I don't know if it's on Amazon Video, but there's a decent chance of it.

[Tobold]

If you know where to get them, you know as much as I do!

The only "official" way seem to be the BDs.

[rashkov]

Hulu has a few of these