Each episode has its own style and substance, but all of them ultimately lead to the same end; who is the Laughing Man? While some episodes are self-contained and focus on one thing they don't come off as intrusive or-dare I make a pun?-"Stand Alone". Instead, the plot moves forward during the slight detour and instead of what might otherwise seem a pointless side-story is actually a smaller piece to the bigger picture.
The music is awesome and you can really tell Yoko Kanno put her all into it. OSt such as "Cyber Bird" and "Run Rabbit Junk" give the series that necessary cyber-punkish feel while "I Do" is a softer, more emotionally-charged work that makes you feel. While not a fan, I also suggest giving "Inner Universe" a listen if only because the lyrics are both fitting and neutral enough to be used anywhere.
The characters are also memorable and easy to empathize with. A few small peeves I have with it is Batou can sometimes come off as too goofy and Makoto sometimes seems unstoppable. Another problem the first season has is that the rest of Section 9 aside Togusa and Aramaki feel hollow and more like set-pieces than actual members. Granted, 2nd Gig fixes this somewhat with more focus and development, but they still don't come off as "being there". Thankfully, the antagonists and side characters make up for some of this, but I still sort of wish we got to see more of Paz's womanizing come back to bite him, or maybe have some Ranger flashbacks with Borma.
Overall, Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex holds up even today. If you're in the mood for great story-telling and good characters in a cyber-punk setting, give it a shot. I promise you won't be disappointed!
