Wikis
Quiz
Map
| 105th | Top programs broadcast by YTV |
| 45th | Top programs broadcast by Animax |
| 26th | Top films about computers |
| 60th | Top film noir |
|
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX (Kōkaku Kidōtai Sutando Arōn Konpurekkusu) |
|
| Genre | Science fiction noir, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk |
| TV anime | |
| Director | Kenji Kamiyama |
| Studio | Production I.G |
| Licensor |  Bandai Entertainment  Manga
Entertainment |
| Network | Animax |
| Original run | 1 October 2002 – 25 March 2003 |
| Episodes | 26 |
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX Kōkaku Kidōtai Sutando Arōn Konpurekkusu, "Mobile Armoured Riot Police: Stand Alone Complex") is a 26 episode Japanese animated television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura, a screenplay written by Hiroshi Satô, and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. It aired on Animax from 1 October 2002 to 25 March 2003, and was positively received by critics.
The series takes place in Japan during the year 2030, and revolves around the activities of Public Security Section 9, a fictional intelligence department under the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs. The series' main storyline focuses on Section 9's independent investigation of the Laughing Man incident after Togusa, a member of Section 9, receives information from an old friend concerning possible government interference in the official police investigation of the incident. As the series unfolds, Section 9 uncovers government and corporate involvement in the events which took place after the initial incident, and ascertains the identity of the Laughing Man himself. The series is split into two kinds of episodes: Complex episodes, which follow Section 9's investigation of the Laughing Man incident and represents the main storyline, and self-contained Stand Alone episodes, which follow Section 9 as they investigate other cases, serving as opportunities for character development and showcasing the futuristic Japan that Section 9 operates in.
A second Stand Alone Complex series called Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG ran on Animax from 1 January 2004 to 8 January 2005, and was followed by three movies: Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man, a compilation movie based the first Stand Alone Complex anime series and released in 2005,[1] Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG: The Individual Eleven, a compilation movie based on the second Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG anime series and released in 2006,[1] and Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society, a new feature film set after the events of both anime series and also released in 2006. The anime series, their feature film counterparts, and Solid State Society are all set in a continuity different from Shirow's original Ghost in the Shell manga and Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film adaptation, Ghost in the Shell.
Contents |
Stand Alone Complex takes place in the year 2030, in the fictional Japanese city of New Port. The series follows the exploits of Public Security Section 9, a special operations task-force made up of former military officers and police detectives. The series is a "police action drama" that comprises individual cases and the underlying mystery of the Laughing Man.[1]
The Laughing Man incident, which is central to the events of the series, begins 6 years prior to the start of the series. An accomplished computer hacker discovers an internal memo on a form of sclerosis called cyberbrain sclerosis, which reveals that a tuberculosis vaccine is more effective at treating the disease than an emerging therapy using micro-machines. Members of the micro-machine industry in Japan and the Japanese government suppressed the memo in order to profit from the costly but less effective micro-machine therapy being developed. Outraged, the hacker kidnaps the CEO of fictional micro-machine corporation Serano-Genomix, and tries to convince him to disclose the ineffectiveness of the therapy on live TV. The CEO refuses, and the hacker flees the scene. To protect his identity, he simultaneously hacks every electronic device viewing him and replaces his face with a stylized laughing face instead. The brazenness of the kidnapping and the hacking skill required to make his getaway turns the Laughing Man, as he is later dubbed, into a folk hero. The secret of the memo on cyberbrain sclerosis and the ineffectiveness of the micro-machine therapy, however, remains hidden from the Japanese public.
In the wake of this initial incident, referred to in the series as the Laughing Man incident, a series of corporate terrorism and blackmail attacks occur which cause most micro-machine corporation stocks to dive. Although the incidents make use of the Laughing Man's stylized face to indicate his involvement, they are not carried out by the Laughing Man himself. The incidents are instead part of a massive stock manipulation scheme intended to force a government rescue of the targeted corporations. The success of the scheme benefits top corporate executives and government officials, who become extremely wealthy as a result. The Laughing Man is used as a scapegoat, and a police task force is formed to investigate the Laughing Man incidents. Top officials in the Japanese police and various internal government ministries spy on the police task force in an attempt to make sure the truth about the fake incidents and the internal memo on cyberbrain sclerosis remain hidden from the Japanese public.
At the start of the series, a detective working as a member of the Laughing Man task force inadvertently uncovers the spying by discovering that several members of the task force have been injected with specialized micro-machines. Referred to as Interceptors, these micro-machines accumulate in the eyes and act as remote cameras, allowing authorized users to see from the visual perspective of the person injected with them. The detective attempts to contact Togusa, a friend and fellow detective recruited into Section 9 several years prior. Before he can meet Togusa, however, he is murdered by his superiors to prevent discovery of the truth. Before he is murdered, he manages to send Togusa a series of surveillance photos taken from the viewpoint of the Interceptors in the task force members. Togusa, although initially confused, quickly figures out the abnormal viewpoint of the photos and alerts Section 9 chief Aramaki.
Section 9 launches its own independent investigation of the Laughing Man incidents, which is the focus of the main storyline in the series and brings Section 9 into direct conflict with several powerful micro-machine corporations, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Japanese Prime Minister himself. Throughout the course of the series, Section 9 slowly discovers the background behind the original Laughing Man incident, the subsequent fake incidents, and the identity of the Laughing Man. Because their investigation implicates top executives of micro-machine corporations and prominent members of the Japanese government in criminal activity, Section 9 becomes the target of a public misinformation campaign to discredit it, and extensive efforts are made to eliminate Section 9 members at all costs. Near the end of the series, Section 9 uncovers the full truth and ascertains the identity of the Laughing Man, but is declared a rogue organization by the Japanese government and is attacked by Japanese military forces. To survive, Section 9 members carry out an elaborate deception, leading the Japanese government and military forces to believe Section 9 members have all been killed; Section 9 itself is temporarily disbanded by chief Aramaki.
The members of Section 9, now safely in hiding, proceed to disseminate information on the internal memo concerning cyberbrain sclerosis and the truth about the fake Laughing Man incidents. This causes a public scandal, leading to the downfall of the Japanese Prime Minister and his administration, as well as several micro-machine corporations and their CEOs. In the aftermath of the scandal, Section 9 is reinstated to its former position in secret. The Laughing Man himself, now revealed to be a skilled young hacker by the name of Aoi, is offered a position at Section 9 but refuses. The series ends with the members of Section 9 once again settling into their accustomed routines, having survived despite all odds.
Major Motoko Kusanagi (草薙 素子 Kusanagi Motoko): Motoko is a full-body cyborg working as a member of Public Security Section 9, a fictional intelligence department under the Ministry of Home Affairs.[2] Frequently called "Major", a reference to her military rank in the JGSDF before joining Section 9, she is in charge as squad leader when field operations are carried out by the group. Motoko is highly skilled in a number of areas, including close quarters combat, use of lethal weaponry, and hacking. Her skills are augmented by the fact that she was cyberized at a very young age following a plane crash,[3] forcing her to become adept at controlling her cyborg body and the greater abilities it confers. Motoko is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in the Japanese version, and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn in the English version.[4]
Daisuke Aramaki (荒巻大輔 Aramaki Daisuke): Aramaki, often called simply "Chief", is head of Section 9 and directs the group's activities and focus. Aramaki deals with various branches of the government and military in his capacity as head of Section 9, and carries substantial political influence even with high officials.[5] Aramaki is voiced by Osamu Saka in the Japanese version, and William Frederick Knight in the English version.[4]
Batou (バトー Batō): Batou is a member of Section 9 recruited from the Rangers,[6] and second in command under Major Motoko Kusanagi. He is voiced by Akio Ohtsuka in the Japanese version, and Richard Epcar in the English version.[4]
Togusa (トグサ Togusa): Togusa is a member of Section 9, recruited from Section 1 where he was working as a detective, making him the only member of Section 9 with no military background.[7] Togusa is voiced by Kouichi Yamadera in the Japanese version, and Crispin Freeman in the English version.[4]
Ishikawa (イシカワ Ishikawa): Ishikawa is the information warfare and technology specialist in Section 9, advising the group on related issues and often assisting Motoko in electronic infiltration and exploration. He is voiced by Yutaka Nakano in the Japanese version and Michael McCarty in the English version.[4]
Saito (サイトー Saitō): Saito is Section 9's tactical sniper, a highly skilled marksman called in for field operations requiring precision shooting. He is voiced by Tōru Ōkawa in the Japanese version, and Dave Wittenberg in the English version.[4]
Pazu (パズ Pazu): Pazu is a member of Section 9 who often operates in a support role, investigating leads or acting as backup to Motoko, Batou, or Togusa during field operations. He is voiced by Takashi Onozuka in the Japanese version, and Robert Buchholz in the English version.[4]
Boma (ボーマ Bōma): Boma is the munition and explosives expert of Section 9. He, like Pazu, is a member of Section 9 who supports Motoko, Batou, and Togusa during field operations, and often works with Pazu in investigating leads on cases that Section 9 is involved with. He is voiced by Taro Yamaguchi in the Japanese version, and Dean Wein in the English version.[4]
Kubota (久保田 Kubota): Kubota is a military intelligence officer in the JGSDF, and frequently provides Aramaki with inside information on the cases that Section 9 investigates.[8] Kubota and Aramaki also appear to be old friends, although from where remains unclear.[9] Kubota is voiced by Taimei Suzuki in the Japanese version, and Michael Forest in the English version.[4]
The production of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series was headed by Production I.G, and anime television network Animax, who broadcast the series across Japan, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and other regions, Bandai Entertainment, Dentsu Inc., Kodansha and Victor Entertainment.
The series is licensed for North American distribution by Bandai Entertainment, with the English dub produced by Animaze, which airs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in the United States, YTV's Bionix block in Canada and AnimeCentral in the United Kingdom. The series is also licensed for distribution in the United Kingdom region by Manga Entertainment, and for distribution in Australia by Madman Entertainment.
The music for the series was composed by Yoko Kanno and produced by Victor Entertainment. The opening theme for each episode was "Inner universe" (lyrics: Origa, Shanti Snyder; music: Yoko Kanno; vocals: Origa). The ending theme for each episode was "Lithium Flower" (lyrics: Tim Jensen; music: Yoko Kanno; vocals: Scott Matthew).
The original soundtrack for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, composed by Yoko Kanno, has been released over six albums and one single:
Also released was a Limited Edition box set containing all soundtracks (except for the GET9 single) and a fourth previously unreleased soundtrack called O.S.T. 4 – Smooth in the Shell. Included with this Limited Edition box set was a USB flash memory stick in a tachikoma design.
Literary references within the series include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Flowers for Algernon, and several J. D. Salinger works, "The Laughing Man" and "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" from Nine Stories and The Catcher in the Rye.
Stand Alone Complex tries to depict the near future convincingly, extending trends from the current day into the future. Often a viewer can even speculate which current-day factory or design firm would be responsible for the future machines and buildings.
Of the many futuristic technologies, the cyberbrain or neural computer augmentation technology is discussed and convincingly portrayed. This is the implantation of powerful computers directly into the brain, greatly increasing certain mental capacities such as memory. Coupled with ubiquitous access to the informational net, this is shown as a fundamental technology integral to the future Japanese society. Applications include wireless communication just by "thinking" it, massive informational recall capabilities, and digitization of printed media and the encryption thereof. The series is notable for portraying a comprehensive and believable user interface to this technology. At the same time, drawbacks are revealed in the form of "Closed Shell Syndrome" or cyberbrain autism and "Cyberbrain Sclerosis". This technology is in many ways the crux of the series.
Microelectromechanical systems and the medical and less benign applications also figure heavily within the futurescape depicted within the show. In the fictional future year of 2030, this technology and its applications are still considered to be experimental, only reaching the first stages of practical usage.
An important technology used in the series is active camouflage. Members of Section 9 as well as their Tachikoma tanks have the ability to activate a special camouflage technology which enables them to blend in with the environment, making them near-invisible to the naked eye. It is an active stealth system which projects ambient conditions of the opposing side, and thus rendering the masked object transparent by transmission. The system is not shown to be perfect, as it seems unable to compensate for sudden changes and physical impacts nor impervious to close observation. A faint translucent distortion is shown as the limitations of the technology. In the legal landscape of the series, usage of the technology without a warrant is heavily restricted. The use of this technology by Section 9 is the exception, and not the norm - further highlighting their extraordinary legal standing. Surprisingly, there is present day research into the active optic camouflage inspired by the fictional portrayal of it by the University of Tokyo [1].
The use of Light Autonomous Tanks (in this case Fuchikomas, left out of the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie by time constraints or copyright issues), are used extensively in Stand Alone Complex. Called Tachikoma (also known as "think tanks"), they are four-legged light tanks with two forearms and adhesive wire shooters. Armed with a small caliber machine gun in their right arm and an interchangeable weapons mount at their "mouth", they provide Section Nine with a quick and highly mobile weapons platform. The weapons mount is often equipped with a grenade launcher or a Gatling gun. The body design and movement of the Tachikoma appear to be modeled after jumping spiders.
Their AI simulates the endlessly curious and innocent behavior of small children, which both logically encourages fast learning and enables them to act as the comic relief of Section 9. As such they provide a counterpoint to the cynical and hardened humans of the force. Two episodes are dedicated to their exploits; episode 12, "ESCAPE FROM", and episode 15, "MACHINES DÉSIRANTES". In the latter episode, the curious nature of the Tachikoma result in instabilities in their artificial intelligence fatal to operation as weapons, leading to their disarmament and decommission from service with Section 9.
Another technology that is noticeable in the series that was also not included in the 1995 film is the use of Arm Suits, bipedal powered armor exoskeletons. They resemble Shirow's Landmate armor from another of his works, Appleseed, which in turn were inspired by the Hardiman exoskeleton concept developed by General Electric.[10] The first Arm Suit, a JMSDF 'Type 303' uses a small set of inner "master" arms to control the larger, more-powerful, "slave" arms and is featured in SAC. The second Arm Suit encountered is a JGSDF model and features a hanging turret similar to those on the Jigabachi helicopters and is seen in 2nd GIG.
The series features Section 9 using a tiltwing aircraft very similar to the American-designed V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The aircraft depicted within the show has the capacity to carry six Tachikoma and a complement of personnel, allowing Section Nine to rapidly deploy a highly mobile and well-armored force anywhere in Japan. A large tiltwing aircraft is also shown in use for a commercial passenger flight at the beginning of episode 14, "¥€$", proceeding to land on what appears to be a large, building-top helipad.
The ECHELON wiretap system makes an appearance in a later episode. While under the command of the American Empire's CIA, the system is borrowed by Section 9 for a short time. The system depicted within is a more powerful and more pervasive communications monitoring system capable of real-time interception of all phone, internet, cyberbrain communication of Japan. The limitation of this system was shown to be the computational power to process the flow of information.
The subtitle "Stand Alone Complex" refers to the phenomena of emergent behavior catalyzed by parallelization of the human psyche through the cyberbrain networks on a societal level. There is no original, there is no leader. What ties together the disparate and unrelated individuals into the event called the "Laughing Man" case is the systematic motive encoded into the basic informational flow itself. This concept of an ever normalized ego into the fabric of society recalls the writings of Philip K. Dick, among others.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex received a generally good reception from reviewers, who praised the series' high quality of animation and the musical score by Yoko Kanno.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] In particular, reviewers reacted positively to the high tech setting that Stand Alone Complex takes place in,[12][15][17][18] described by one reviewer as "believably futuristic".[12] Reviewer Lawrence Person from Locus Online noted that "the world of GitS:SAC is recognizably our own, or rather, one recognizably extrapolated from modern Japan. While parts of the technology seem unlikely in the timeframe allotted, none seems impossible."[18] Several reviews mentioned what they perceived to be overarching themes explored in the series as a result of the setting; specifically, the meaning of humanity in a world where the lines between man and machine were becoming increasingly blurred,[14][15][17][18] as well as various societal issues that might emerge as a result of advances in technology.[11][17][18][19]
Reviewers were divided in opinion when discussing the overall plot structure of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as the episodes are split into two categories, Stand Alone and Complex. The Stand Alone episodes do not focus on the main plot, instead following Section 9 as they investigate various cases. The Complex episodes focus on the main plot, which deals with Section 9's investigations into the "Laughing Man" incident. Reviewers agreed that the main "Laughing Man" plot line was satisfying, characterizing it variously as "interesting",[18] "complex",[20][21] and "engaging".[12] There were mixed reviews, however, when it came to the Stand Alone episodes. For example, reviewer Derrick Tucker of T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews remarked that he did not "much care for the vast multitude of one-shot storylines that are strewn haphazardly throughout the series ... some of these self-contained episodes are really freakin boring ... they foul-up the pacing of the main arc of SAC."[12] Person called the Stand Alone category episodes a "mixed bag ... [that] include some of the worst episodes."[18] In contrast, reviewer Chris Beveridge, an AnimeOnDVD reviewer, contended that "it's through the self-contained stories that we see how this government works, the kinds of connections the head of Section 9 has and just various bits of background on the characters."[11] John Sinnott of DVDtalk agreed, noting that "each little mystery reaches a conclusion, though some are more tightly wrapped up than others ... the stories are very creative and entertaining, and they are not predictable"[14]. Dani Moure, another AnimeOnDVD reviewer, echoes Beveridge's review, saying that "the stand alone and complex episode structure ... gives the creative team the opportunity to flesh out the characters, often by focusing an episode around them."[20]
Because Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was produced after the critically acclaimed 1995 Ghost in the Shell film, directed by Mamoru Oshii and produced by Production I.G., some reviewers specifically commented on the series' success or failure in achieving the high standards set by the animated film. Beveridge viewed the anime series adaptation positively, noting that "while a lot of Shirow's more comical side and offbeat nature that fills the edges of his stories are absent, the hardcore material is here in what is the best adaptation of his work to animation yet."[11] Person concurred, stating that in his opinion, "GitS:SAC is the most interesting, sustained postcyberpunk media work in existence, intellectually (if not visually) superior to the original movie."[18] Tucker compared the film and the series to each other in depth, concluding that "the characterization in SAC is considerably improved over the GITS film" and that the series "embodies much of the intrigue and intelligence of its theatrical predecessor", but that it failed visually, stating that "the animation of GITS: SAC is fairly easily surpassed by its cinema antecedent ... it doesn't quite scale the bar set before it."[12]
In addition to the generally positive reviews of the series, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex won an Excellence Prize (Animation Division) at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival,[22] a Notable Entry Award at the 2003 Tokyo International Anime Fair,[23] and was featured in June 2004 by Newtype USA, with a double scoop cover story, and cover art drawn exclusively for the magazine.[24] The Japan Media Arts Festival provided a brief summary of Stand Alone Complex, calling it a "completely original television series ... entertaining and easy to understand".[22] Reviewers agreed in their summaries of the series, with Person declaring that it "plays like a cross between CSI, SWAT, and Neuromancer",[18] Beveridge calling it a "solid action series that's filled with adult characters",[11] Tucker describing it as "unusually intelligent and challenging, a treat for an adroit audience",[12] and Tong from AniMetric concluding that the series "is truly one of the best ... anime series out there. Not only does it present us with a convincing view of what the near future could look like, it encourages us to think about some important philosophical as well as social and political issues."[17]
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2004 - ) is a Japanese anime television show based on the manga by Masamune Shirow and made popular world-wide by Mamoru Oshii's 1995 cyberpunk classic Ghost in the Shell.
Tachikoma 1: Wow, it sure is damp. Our optical camouflage visibility index is definitely going to shoot up.
Tachikoma 2: Our gaskets won't corrode, will they?
Boma: Quit your whining. Just be thankful you don't have a sense of smell.
Tachikoma 1: Is there an unpleasant odor? We can analyze it with our sensors.
Tachikoma 2: Bouma's discomfort index is at 68%.
Boma: Ah, shut up.
Kanazuki: What do you think?
Major: I have to admit, for a movie it wasn't bad- but diversionary entertainment is transitory, it just comes and goes at the viewers whim. It's the way it should be, but a film with no beginning or end that hooks an audience and won't let go of them is harmful no matter how wonderful you may have believed it was.
Kanazuki: Ohh, you're a tough critic. Are you saying that we members of the audience have a reality to which we should return?
Major: Yes I am.
Kanazuki: For some who sit and watch the film, misery will be waiting for them the instant they go back to reality. You're willing to accept responsibility for depriving these people of their dreams?
Major: No, I'm not. But dreams are meaningful when you work toward them in the real world. If you merely live within the dreams of other people it's no different from being dead.
Kanazuki: You're a realist.
Major: If a romantic escapes from reality, then yes.
Kanazuki: A strong girl you are. If the reality you believe in ever comes about, you give me a call. When it happens, that's the time we'll leave this theatre.
Tachikoma 1: I've got a better idea of the internal design, but it looks like this thing's not equipped with any autonomous functions to output its condition to the outside.
Tachikoma 2: You mean it can't even talk?
(The Tachikomas circle behind the Operator)
Operator: Huh?
Tachikoma 1: Keep up the good work.
Tachikoma 2: It's nice to see a robot enthusiastic about her duties.
Operator: Ah, what are you up to? I'm responsible for this prototype until the debriefing is over. Don't you Tachikomas even come near it.
Tachikoma 3: We won't do anything.
Operator: Please stop wasting my time with your blatant lies.
Tachikoma 2: You're right. I only tell lies. I never, ever say anything that's true.
Operator: Eh?
Tachikoma 1: A curious dilemma. Because if what it said is true, that means it wasn't lying. And if what it said is false, that would mean that it does tell the truth. How do you resolve this perplexing contradicton?
Operator: Uh. Um, well.
All Three Tachikomas: Well, come on, don't you know, figure it out.
(The Operator malfunctions. Tachikoma 1 takes the prototype, and all the Tachikomas leave the Operator behind.)
Tachikoma 1: Folks who can't handle a self-reference paradox are real suckers.
Pavlo Zaitsev: Now I understand it, it was the same as back then, I'm the one with the blind spot, In my heart.
Tsujisaki: It's been a long time, Aramaki.
Aramaki: It can't be! What's the meaning of this?
Tsujisaki: At first I had no intention of doing anything, I only wanted to tell me the truth. A truth I thought posterity should know. The thing I needed to tell me, was that I overwrote my memories into my cyberbrain. I never suspected the potential danger of it. That it would turn me into an assassin.
Aramaki: What have you hidden in there? What's in your data library?
Tsujisaki: The truth about Okinawa. I only wanted to hand it down to future generations, but when I learned this truth, I discovered the truth behind mom's death. All I wanted after that was revenge. It was a miscalculation on my part. I had no intention of carrying out an assassination, but I am unable to stop the thirst for revenge that festers in my heart.
The Laughing Man: A basic rule of thumb about hackers is that we live to peek at things that others have hidden, it's our nature. But, the depth of darkness in the hotbed of corruption that I had tried to challenge defeated me, and all I could do was become a deaf-mute, and avert my eyes from it all. Just as you've done these past six years. The Laughing Man, hmm, that was a catchy name they came up with. And here I've been thinking that if I was unsuccessful in persuading you, I'd simply follow Holden's quote and disappear. They went with the Salinger angle, too, good grief.
Togusa: We've been through this, like I've told you over and over, that's not true.
Questioner: Then why was a member of Section 9 in contact with Mr. Cerano while impersonating the Laughing Man
Togusa: Look, that was only to...
Questioner: To what?
Togusa: Hey! Section 9 didn't even exist six years ago, did it? How the hell could it be involved with the Laughing Man incident?! Huh?!
Questioner: Word has it that data falsification is a specialty with you guys, that true?
Togusa: Huh? Ah... gimme a break, would ya? Six years ago a was a police investigator, same as you.
Questioner: All right, let's take this again... from the top.
Batou: Hell, this is my own life. How I decide to waste it is my own damn business.
Yellow tachikoma: Once a problem child always a problem child, know what I'm sayin'?
Soldier: Finally done putting up a fight? damn... I killed him!
Batou: Whats wrong? I forgot I look dead to you don't I? well don't believe it.
Soldier: uh??!
Batou: I'm sorry, but I had to hack your eyes pal.
Blue tachikoma: Goodbye.... Mr Batou! (Before both tachikomas sacrifice themselves for Batou)
Batou: By the way, I have something that almost didn't make it here. (Batou pulls out a wrist watch)
Mokoto: I knew it.
Batou: No matter how many prosthetic bodies you've went through this was the one thing that was always ticking away, keeping the same time as you. Now a days thats far to fleeting, people entrust their memories to external devices because they want to set down solid psyical proof that can distinguish them as unique individuals. That watch is all you have though, isn't it? your only external mnemonic device that identifies the person you've been up to this minute.
Mokoto: Those are pretty serious words, where'd you get them from I'd like to know. A Watch and weight training gear, both of us have clung to useless scraps of memory haven't we?
Togusa: It's not like I had aspirations to be a hero or anything. However, I'm positive we followed a code of justice that all of believed in without condition or compromise. Laughing Man, you were the one who first tried to shed some light on the black abyss of this case and bring it to the world's attention. Is it possible that at this moment, you're feeling the same as I am? Nah, you wouldn't. Your not the type to go in for that stuff. You must've had a revelation of something and you're watching this with eyes that see the big picture. Isn't that right? I could tell. Major...
Laughing Man: Welcome. You took longer than I expected.
Motoko: Don't give me that. You didn't even send me an invitation.
Laughing Man: "If you stay right where you are, then people will eventually come to you"
Motoko: I believe it was Doisneau who said that?
Laughing Man: Yes.
Laughing Man: I'll tell you. It was a simple piece of mail I stumbled across on the net that began the whole thing. What I'd found was a blackmail document that had probably been sent to Cerano Genomics. It was armed with a thesis that was a comparative of the inadequacy of Cerano micromachines versus the effectiveness of the Murai vaccine.
Motoko: Then the original Laughing Man was the person who authored it?
Laughing Man: You could put it like that, I suppose. "I am the machine that reveals the world to you as only I alone am able to see it"
Motoko: Dziga Vertov. He was a Russian film maker, wasn't he?
Laughing Man: Yes. I was kidding myself by thinking it was my personal mission to prove and circulate that information, vital data I alone had happened upon.
Motoko: Failing spectacularly. The pure innocent mediator grew dejected at the base nature of the social system and he turned mute.
The Original Laughing Man:You have to adapt in order to survive, bend your morals ,or you'll break eventually.
Tachikoma 1: Are these the people they refer to
as perverts?
Tachikoma 2: Yeah, but maybe we should refer to
them as eccentric.
Tachikoma 1: If I understand it correctly, zen is not so much a
religion, but rather it is a means of freeing human karma from
worldly thoughts, right?
Tachikoma 2: For us, maybe it correlates to deleting data from our
cache when it's full.
Tachikoma 1: Yeah, maybe it's similar to that, and having our data
synchronized, too.
Tachikoma 2: Wow, if that's true, maybe we could link up with
someone who's meditating , and download enlightenment!
Tachikoma (all): Yeah!
Bato: Hey, what do you think you are? Gouda: What do 'you' think you are? A small elite special force? If the refugees were armed, you all would get killed.
Kid: (When Motoko gets into bed that night) I have a question. When you're full prosthetic, can you have sex?
Major: care to find out?
Kuze: We didn't buy them for the purposes of fighting a war. These oughta give us enough power so we won't have to fight.
Daisuke: Hmm
Batou: You figure Kuzes behind it?
Daisuke: So far there's been no evidence of Kuze
himself but it's a safe bet it's him. He's cleverly making affected
use of the net to devose the refugee's intentions to the
media.
Togusa: He's the Che Guevara of the refugee
residental district. At least that's what the Nonial Press is
calling him.
Batou: Great another intangible hero. The thing I
don't get though is, Kuze started it as one of the individual 11
correct? Why did the refugees welcome the guy with open arms. Does
he really have some kind of special ability like investigations of
The Major in Ishikawa suggested?
Motoko: To get the answer we'll just have to
capture him and ask him in person. You also have to realize it's
only due to his involvement that we can even step in here like
this.
Daisuke: That's right. The first order of business
is to put the bricks on this situation by apprehending Kuze, the
suspected leader of the refugees. We'll worry about getting the
authority to challenge the C.I.S. afterwards.
Togusa: It's a mass trend toward individualism. No it's more like a peace at any price movement growing within the population. Even though this is basically a declaration of war from the refugees.
Motoko: Bateau, you and the others go on ahead
and gather information on how extensively the refugees are armed.
Ishikawa and I will dive the refugees' net and rendezvous with you
after we've pinpointed Kuze's location.
Batou, Ishikawa and Togusa: Roger!
Police: The top brass don't seem to think so. I
admit we're always hard up here on the field. More than a few of
them are itchin' to pass operation command over on to the self
defense army. I'm guessing you guys are here as part of them
right?
Batou: We just came as part on an independent
op.
Police: Huh, must be nice to pick your jobs with
no strings attached.
Bateau: You'd think but we gotten haul our own
ass' out of the fire.
Ishikawa: Understood
Batou: The refugees have been building up this high rise slum for over twenty years. That's why I don't find it strange they refer to the place as their castle.
Motoko: Now then, what would be the shortest
route to Kuze?
Tachikoma: Major! I found a duty roster for a
Dejima police station showing that a female officer no else is of
full percent is on duty right now!
Motoko: Alright good work. Give me a visual.
Tachikoma: Here you go!
Motoko: Hmm they sure seem bored.
Tachikoma: Maybe they're on alert for terrorist
attacks.
Motoko: Ok we're going to borrow this woman's
cyberbrain.
Tachikoma: Roger!
Ishikawa: I'm on it.
Kusanagi Motoko: Tachikoma, inject maskarae I'll
cross his ghost line using my corma file.
Refugee: That you Kuze? Something
happened?
Kuze: I'm sorry, but theres a good chance that
you'll be raided by the police or a militry special ops soon.
There's no need for you to fight them and um hide the weapons and
avoid combat as much as possible. Don't throw your lives away.
Batou: What's up?
Motoko: We have Kuze's location. It's a
camouflaged harbor on the north east edge of Dijima. There's a
retro fitted fishing troller anchored there. He's probably aboard
it.
Saito: That's not like you Major are you
sure?
Motoko: He spotted me at the last minute. We're
currently circling above the harbor. He hasn't gone anywhere yet.
We'll grab him before he escapes. Meet up with us at the harbor
ASAP.
Everyone: Roger!
Motoko: What the hell.
Refugee: You're idiots. Kuze will never be caught
by the likes of you. He's the real thing, he's a legend.
Motoko: I know, sorry because he was never even
here to begin with.
Batou: Huh?
Motoko: Kuze is securing a deal with the Russian
mafia for plutonium. He's in Etorofu.
Man in Car: Ishikawa of Section 9 I take it. I came here to take that off your hands.
Ishikawa: Oh you mean this?
[Ishikawa motions to the plutonium hanging from his shoulder.]
Man in Car: That's right.
[Ishikawa punches him in the face through the car window]
Ishikawa: Don't screw with us punk, Section 9 practically invented dirty tricks and information warfare.
Motoko: Kuze?
Kuze: Yes?
Motoko: Do you know how to fold origami cranes?
Kuze: Cranes?
Motoko: That's right, and only using your left hand.
Kuze: With the correct control software, anyone can do that.
Motoko: No, that's not what I mean.
Kuze: Can you do that, fold left handed?
Motoko: Now I can.
Kuze: It sounds like you've endured your fair share of loneliness too. I never asked, but who are you? What's your name?
Motoko: Don't recall, I do have a pseudonym though. It's the same thing with you, isn't it?
Kuze: I see, you're right. The refugees have given me countless names. I joined forces with them with the intent to save them. But maybe the real reason I united with them was to keep the loneliness at bay.
Motoko: Yet in the end you couldn't make it go away, because others could rely on you, but you couldn't rely on them.
Kuze: Do you have someone you can open yourself up to?
Motoko: I suppose I do.
[A scene flashes with Batou trying to save her.]
Kuze: I see, I've been looking for mine, for a long long time.
   | Official Site (United States) - Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone Complex |
| | Production IG's SAC page (English) - Production I.G [WORK LIST[Details]] |
| | Official Site (Australia) - GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX |
| | Into the Network: The Ghost in the Shell Universe - Production I.G [WORK LIST[Details]] |
| | YTV ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' page - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Anime on YTV - episodes and more |
| | IMDb entry - "Kôkaku kidôtai: Stand Alone Complex" (2002) |
| | ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (TV) - Anime News Network |
|
|
Search
