Ghost In The Shell is one of the most compelling manga and anime from the '90s. Its dark and gloomy cyberpunk tone was something that was revolutionary at the time. So much so, that there are so many different interpretations from the films and the various TV shows.
One of the best adaptations is Stand Alone Complex, which helps deliver intrigue and humanity in a way not many anime do. However, despite its praise, it's still an adaptation of the manga and there are some things that aren't exactly the same.
10 Accurate: The Crew
For the most part, everyone in Public Security Section 9 is accounted for. Daisuke Aramaki is still the head leader of the team, Togusa is still primarily the heart of the team as seen in most other interpretations of the character, and the Major is still the leader.
Everyone's chemistry is also taken into consideration still, with the main three taking the spotlight. Mainly the Major, Togusa and Batou, who are arguably the main focus in every iteration of the franchise compared to the rest of Sector 9.
9 Inaccurate: Motoko Kusanagi
Surprising to those that may not know, the Major has actually had a variety of different iterations over the years. Although the character is often popularized as a somewhat stoic character in the films and in Stand Alone Complex, she is very different in the manga.
Being much more of a loud, slapstick type of character, it is quite a departure from what most people are used to such as the recent live-action film or the anime classic. Despite these deviations, the core of her character still remains and as such is still Motoko Kusanagi.
8 Accurate: New Port City
The common setting that is seen in every single Ghost In The Shell adaptation. New Port City is a metropolis full of neon lights and high-end buildings. No matter which version of the anime or film, the setting hasn't changed a single bit from when it was first introduced to audiences around the world.
7 Inaccurate: The Plot
Because Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex is a television anime first and foremost, a lot of elements from the show didn't show up in the manga. For example, the whole laughing man plot during the first season was an anime original, as opposed to the manga which is focused almost entirely on the crimes of the Puppeteer. This is obviously understandable as Stand Alone Complex is its own universe with its own identity. However, the Stand Alone Complex universe did eventually get its own version of the Puppeteer arc.
6 Accurate: Togusa
Despite a few minor alterations, Togusa, for the most part, has generally been the same person throughout every iteration. Being the human heart of Sector 9, he is often very emotional, something that was kept the same in the manga. Although the version in Stand Alone Complex is a little bit more mellow, he can still be extremely emotional as shown when he seriously injured a criminal when he murdered under his nose. Regardless, Togusa has always been one of the main focal points along with the Major and Batou.
5 Inaccurate: Motoko Kusanagi's Origin
Just as every version of Motoko Kusanagi looks and acts different, her origin changes too. In the manga, there isn't a lot of information on who she is. Other than that her brain might be older than her cybernetic body and that she was in the military in order to obviously have her rank. While this was still partly the same with Stand Alone Complex, viewers eventually learned about her origins and how she was one of the survivors of a plane crash when she was a child.
4 Accurate: The Themes Of Humanity And Philosophy
One of the things that keep fans staying regardless of which version of Ghost in the Shell they enjoy, are the themes relating to humanity and philosophy. A lot of times, in most adaptations, the Major often questions the "ghost in the machine." What makes a character truly human, is it to have a living flesh and body or is having individuality in a cybernetic body enough to be an individual. The show continues that theme by looking into the "Stand Alone Complex" which makes unrelated crimes form into something much bigger and be deeply related to human psychology.
3 Inaccurate: The Art Style
In every adaptation of the Ghost In The Shell franchise, the art styles are often changed in order for something to stand out. Although the Stand Alone Complex anime maintains the feel of the manga in terms of its aesthetics, it is still quite a departure from Masamune Shirow's style. After all, Shirow's art style is highly stylized and is quite distinct compared to the more mellow designs that Stand Alone Complex provides.
2 Accurate: Batou
One of the more accurate things that was adapted from the original manga is the personality of Batou. Unlike the Batou of the anime film, who is fairly serious just like the rest of the cast, Batou in Stand Alone Complex is more of a joker like his original counterpart.
He also has a temper, being occasionally hotheaded when the matter is justified such as the manga when his trainee died or his frustrations with new recruits in Stand Alone Complex.
1 Inaccurate: The Puppeteer Incident
The main plot thread of the Puppeteer Incident is central to the manga. Essentially, the story is about how the Puppeteer commits "ghost hacking" in order to create a lot of crime through controlling human minds. Ending with the merging between the Major and the Puppeteer AI.
In Stand Alone Complex, it's a bit more complicated than that. Here, the Puppeteer AI is a collective consciousness that ends up becoming a solid state, it is a rhizome that is known for kidnapping children. Eventually, Kusanagi is still left with a piece of the Puppeteer inside of her but rejoins Sector 9 as opposed to the manga where she leaves.