For me the whole GiTS saga ended when Spielberg took over. I'm a huge fan (even got an original manga with many thanks to my gf who picked it up on her vacation in Japan) which started with picking up the original movie on DVD and then slowly expanding my collection a bit. I was super excited when Stand Alone Complex came out and thanks to the power of the Internet I was able to follow it even though it wasn't being aired outside Japan.
Of course I made sure to pay my credits. A few years later it finally released on DVD and I was also able to buy into it in Holland and that resulted in me picking up the 2 seasons (first special edition, which also got me t-shirts and OST CD's and such), but I got the 2nd season regularly because... it was enjoyable (and good!) but... Not enough to spend a lot of money again
Anyway, I also saw the latest series 'Arise' and although it was decent enough I didn't really like it. Too many loopholes, too much stuff which didn't add up when compared to the originals (example: Kusanagi was already considered wizard class in her teens, yet in 'Arise' she keeps finding herself getting hacked. That made no sense to me and I also thought it made her look weaker than she actually is).
As to the movie: I'm going to totally ignore it. I have no prejudice about the actress and solely going on her looks and the few words I heard I think she's not that bad. But I don't think they're going to do the franchise justice. Take for example the scene where she jumps through the glass. Allegedly nude. That scene is plain out stupid and I can't help feel that the only drive is the "noodie bit" and not so much storyline. I mean: in the original Kusanagi also too off her clothes so that she could use her therm-optic camouflage. But that didn't magically turn off the moment she jumped through a window. Basically only water would short circuit things (as can be seen in the chase scene from the original movie).
Then we have the scene where Kusanagi's body is getting maintenance (so I assume). That too simply doesn't add up to the whole storyline, not even in the time (or setting) of the original movie. Kusanagi would never allow herself to become that exposed and/or vulnerable. It simply doesn't add up to the original character build up. Not at all.
And of course the scenes which they desperately tried to re-create one-on-one from the animated movie. Even up to a point where I can't help think things become ridiculous. It's a bit too much for me, overdoing it.
Most of all: the drive. There is no drive here to make things better, the main drive here is money. Further monetizing an already popular franchise. That did not apply so much to the original authors. Meaning: they didn't try to milk it dry. Basically we had 2 main movies, a 2 season spin-off series which also had an associated movie (Solid State Society, one of my favourites). And that was basically it. I know plenty of fans would really have wanted a 3rd or 4th season of S.A.C. yet not doing that (stopping at your peek) also kept it great.
I can't help feel that all this excessive stuff will only weaken the whole storyline and franchise.
To quote: "
Overspecialise, and you breed in weakness. It's slow death..."
