Translation/writing/dub wasn't very strong at the time, I can see how ppl feel now (and felt at the time) the headiness/philosophizng was filler for robot tanks and augment porn, but it was all there in the source manga by Shirow. IMO reaching for something deep about is what the series is all about, just explored more competently in shows like SAC where they had many hours to deep dwelve into many subjects.
I know 0 japanese but never ever watched any of their produce in anything but japanese with eng subs. Even though EN is not my primary language but one I grok easily without subs needed.
Sure, people are lazy and have tons of excuses, but they are just that. If you(anybody) couldnt otherwise as a kid, do yourself a favor and re-experience it again in better form.
Always subs!
... Shirow filled in gaps between panels with tons and tons of notes, discussing details, sometimes pointing to source material, etc.
One of the worst things about it is that none of the GitS 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 come with bibliography section - they need it.
I know when I go back to movies that "blew my mind" when I was a teenager or in my early 20s, now 30 years later, they're rarely as incredible as I remember them being..
I'm older, wiser and with more life experience, and it's therefore much harder to "blow my mind" as they say..