saw it early '90s and I remember at the time I had the Eclipse translations of the manga and remember being dissappointed by the anime because it didn't have as much detail. I remember it looking really flat in comparison. I saw Black Magic M66 a while after that and thinking it looked much better. Never saw the new Appleseed and wasn't a fan of the Ghost in the Shell movie or franchise at all. Anyway this disc apparently has the live action short at the end and I've resisted watching that on Youtube sooo that should be cool.
I just spun up the newly acquired Laser Disc tonight. Guess I fucked up, no live action short on this disc! Still hunting I guess. Yeah this version completely flips the original story, I remember I hated that. The animation is GOOD. The reverence for firearms, real and imagined is awesome and the general animation quality is off the charts. SO good. BUT it just doesn't pack the detail or feel of the manga, esp on the two protagonists.. Here's Deunan in the animation. No detail on the vest, no load bearing gear, kinda an older look to the face, more masculine
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1282639077174411355/1365417373682634782/image_2025-04-26_060016925.png?ex=680d3b86&is=680bea06&hm=2ce619ebd8c94c5ded3d39b56ef5a5284b047f95be4c67437fc7d2720a52067b&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=743&height=465)
Here's Shirow's original Deunan n Bri
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1282639077174411355/1365417531644317777/7.png?ex=680d3bab&is=680bea2b&hm=0af404c2df21e25fcd69040fba96231ea8bb07f1e0e4d6888650ef8ee5fd9912&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=474&height=633)
softer younger face/body on Deunan and mad amounts of detail with load bearing equipment and uniforms (ESWAT, not SWAT) on both. Even the basic Land Mates look better in the manga.
Still worlds better than the crummy CGI Appleseed.
Funfact. Appleseed and Dominion are in the same setting.