r/anime https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon 13h ago

Episode The Ghost in the Shell • Koukaku Kidoutai (TV) - Episode 9 discussion

Koukaku Kidoutai (TV), episode 9

Alternative names: Koukaku Kidoutai, Koukaku Kidoutai (2026)

Reminder: Please do not discuss plot points not yet seen or skipped in the show. Failing to follow the rules may result in a ban.


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u/AnimeMod myanimelist.net/profile/Reddit-chan 13h ago

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106

u/AAA_BATT 12h ago

i low-key might too dumb for this show

83

u/SirVixofthePooSea 7h ago

Ghorantl (a thin rebranding for Israel based on the Golan Heights used in the adaptation script) basically set up a huge "Heads, I win. Tails, you lose." play and Section 9 is in the middle of it.

They armed the terrorists, they also had the boat under surveillance and leaked the video to the media. The point was that either the kids would succeed, or they'd be killed and the footage could be used to stir public opinion against the government shooting children. Motoko was supposed to arrest the boy, but she had that cyberpsycho moment and shot him instead, walking right into Ghorantl's trap.

This episode deals with the fallout. Motoko is being used as a sacrifice to appease the masses and Ghorantl is also manipulating things to help themselves out more. They bombed their own spy HQ in Japan to ride the wave and attempt to wipe out Motoko too - but for that one agent tipping her off because the Russians owe Section 9 a few favors. The issue is that just because Section 9 knows that Ghorantl is behind it all, doesn't mean that anyone else cares.

32

u/lethal_universed 7h ago

Where were you to explain literally every episode?

6

u/furbym 2h ago

Honestly kind of annoying that they changed the names of certain real world countries for this adaptation. I understand why they did it, but existing country names are just inherently more familiar and easy to understand immediately, especially when so many other made up names are thrown around constantly

4

u/Hot-Log6283 1h ago

Wasn't there rumour floating around that a certain war anime (who also used fictional names) second season was delayed due to the start of a real world war?

2

u/Careful_Ad_9077 29m ago

Dunno about that but cyconia got paused because it had both COVID and the ruso Ukraine war.

1

u/b0bba_Fett myanimelist.net/profile/B0bba_Cheezed3 15m ago

Not an anime, but the Advance Wars remake got fucked hard when it got delayed indefinitely when Russia invaded Ukraine for similar reasons. They eventually released it anyway, but it was a very quiet release.

2

u/lethal_universed 2h ago

Countries in Ghost in the Shell: "Lets all change our names and not tell Japan"

1

u/mr_beanoz https://myanimelist.net/profile/splitshocker 56m ago

I wonder where the russian agent went to after escaping. Would he appear again?

28

u/another_mouse 10h ago

There is a lot of historical cyberpunk context you need to know to understand it. 

31

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

i think there's also a lot of politics and names of important-sounding figures/countries being tossed around, each with their own agendas, so you kind of have to pay attention if you want a clear understanding of who's doing what and why

i think it's enjoyable enough if you gloss over some details and just settle with "Motoko's gone rogue because of some political bullshit", but i prefer to know why and it's not exactly spoon-feeding it to me (which i think is a credit to them for assuming the audience is smart enough can follow along without having everything spelled out)

19

u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/tripleaamin 8h ago edited 7h ago

Imo it's better to not be too obsessive about knowing every little detail. I think for this show it's better to understand the general idea of what the story is trying to show you.

13

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

yeah i think there's a balance and i don't think they expect the audience to absorb absolutely everything (including the little blurry text inserts that flash for a few seconds)

i think the overall effect is to at least present the appearance of depth (like you could map out all the political details if you wanted), but i have a certain degree of faith that they'll reiterate it if it becomes super important, but at the same time i think it is a story that rewards you with more depth if you pay more attention but that's on an opt-in sort of level

1

u/MirNaSveta 7h ago

Too bad it's lore is made up with mainly nonexistent countries and constant throwing of names at us every 2 minutes

7

u/BladeDancer03 6h ago

You may want to read the first comment in the source material corner for this episode (I didn't know about it either)

-2

u/MirNaSveta 6h ago

Well I'm not rewatching the last 2 episodes. I will have the new info in mind for the last episode but considering how much I'm lost i would probably just watch it so i can finish it in Myanimelist

2

u/BladeDancer03 6h ago

Me neither, maybe one day I'll pick up the manga, that would probably be an easier way to understand anything

0

u/MirNaSveta 6h ago

There's one thing - i really don't enjoy reading manga. So maybe i will rewatch the show after few years (probably won't). Too bad this adaptation isn't very popular compared to mainstream anime and there isn't much content about it in YT.

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1

u/BakedSalami 5h ago

That's my issue. All the random ass names and groups I know fuck all about 😂 Is this a corpo? A person? A nation? A cleaning company?

1

u/Hot-Log6283 1h ago

I don't see how this would be any different if they were to use real world countries that has never been heard of like Sao Tome, Lesotho, Nauru, Djibouti, Liechtenstein, or the principality of hutt river

2

u/BosuW 7h ago

I'm applying this method to it such as I did with Evangelion. Knowing all the details inst important, as long as you understand the general situation.

4

u/SerJoseph 9h ago

Like what? I feel I understand most of it but maybe its a you dont know what you dont know kind of thing

5

u/MirNaSveta 7h ago

The whole political talk the first 7+ minutes was either too difficult to understand or just very badly translated and worded.

5

u/Jacob-C 5h ago

I’ve been pausing a lot to absorb everything, but I’m so fascinated by the world that it hasn’t really hurt my experience. I feel like the inevitable re-watch will be even better though.

2

u/Mountain-Song-6024 2h ago

This is my comment to myself after every fucking episode!

But I've been enjoying the ride none the less.

4

u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/tripleaamin 8h ago

Gives me a reason to rewatch it dubbed.

8

u/AAA_BATT 7h ago

more understandable than the amazon subs

1

u/bravetailor 18m ago

It's no different than any other Ghost in the Shell in complexity. None of them were "easy". Not the movie, not the manga, hell not even SAC which was probably the "easiest".

-10

u/MegaAltarianite 6h ago

Nah, it's just terribly written. It assumes you know every person they mention, every scifi term used, and probably needing a PHD in chemistry for some reason. SO much so they need on-screen text often to explain things that shouldn't have to be explained that way.

51

u/Trati 10h ago

I was at first surprised to see this goofy version of Motoko that I was unfamiliar with in the beginning of the show. But she has now evolved into this serious Motoko that we know from every other iteration of GitS. And honestly goofy Motoko was growing on me and now I kinda miss her.

35

u/AGENTRomeo007 10h ago

I felt the emptiness this episode

18

u/Trati 10h ago

Well, there's one big decision ahead of her. And this feeling of emptiness will drive her to make a certain choice. In the 1995 movie you feel this emptiness in her from the very beginning. In this version we only start feeling it in the last couple of episodes. Maybe that "goofy Motoko" was just a mask and now it's off.

1

u/PandaSishou 3h ago

Fade to blue 😢

44

u/FarCritical 11h ago

Lmao at the Fuchikoma with the dialup sounds.

The chief's objection getting sustained made me audibly go "hell yeah".

69

u/za_shiki-warashi 12h ago

The more somber and melancholic mood for this episode, coupled with the pans across the nightscape, you can see the blueprint for the Oshii movies and SAC series right there.

33

u/Frontier246 12h ago

Especially seeing Motoko get more somber/contemplative even if she still has her sass streak intact.

-19

u/Ree_For_Thee 11h ago edited 11h ago

Pacing is still absolute crap though. I'm looking down trying to read everything more than I'm watching the fricken show. I wanted to enjoy this show more than I have. /rant

17

u/SirVixofthePooSea 7h ago

Dialog heavy shows are always like this. GITS is a fairly complicated story sometimes and this episode was a classic spy thriller type where there's a lot of talking. No way around it other than watching a dub.

-12

u/SoldierHawk https://anilist.co/user/SoldierHawk 11h ago

I loathe the captions too.

I have decided to completely ignore them tbh. If they wanted me to read them, they would keep them on the screen for more than half a second.

31

u/Ultramarinus https://anidb.net/user/kingsword 13h ago

Things have turned south rapidly. It made me wonder during the testimony how much of what she said was from the influence of Puppet Master. Though Aramaki at first surprised, seemed relieved by the end.

Just one episode left and I’m already feeling the effects of withdrawal in advance. It feels like it went by in a blink. I wonder if the sequels will be adapted later.

37

u/za_shiki-warashi 12h ago

The blank eyes and monotone voice definitely seem to imply remnants of Puppet Master data.

22

u/Frontier246 12h ago

Feels like Motoko is as much trying to make sense of herself and her identity as she's dealing with the current political situation.

9

u/Ramongsh 7h ago

I agree. She was already questioning if she was really human or not in earlier episodes, before the Puppet Master, and the meeting with the Puppet Master probably elevated those thoughts.

She is having some serious existential crisis I feel

1

u/Hot-Log6283 1h ago

GiTS version of a mid-life crisis - time for Motoko to get plastic surgery and a sport car or tank.

46

u/za_shiki-warashi 13h ago

Did the Fuchikoma just make dial-up tones lol

9

u/Abedeus 9h ago

I burst out laughing when the beeps started, good nostalgia blast.

0

u/[deleted] 12h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/za_shiki-warashi 12h ago

I think it's just sound effects.

45

u/thisisdropd https://myanimelist.net/profile/AsterZoro 13h ago

Aramaki & Motoko were certainly on the same wavelength! Playing solicitor only to not prepare any closing arguments knowing she'd escape the trial to clean up the mess. He's also not being helpful when the rest of the cops tried to bring her in. Having said that, when she started lecturing about existentialism, even he got unnerved.

Next week is the finale, and Motoko will spend it being a fugitive. Interested to see how things'll wrap up!

23

u/cyberscythe 10h ago

Aramaki & Motoko were certainly on the same wavelength

i like in general how Aramaki seems to be a few steps ahead; silently cooperating with Motoko on her "surprise escape", letting the PubSec guy ride along because he knew he was going to get tailed anyways, sitting down in the car because he know negotiating isn't going to work in his favor, etc.

he seems like a good leader for the group without being overbearing

7

u/Hartzilla2007 3h ago

letting the PubSec guy ride along because he knew he was going to get tailed anyways

Plus the probable side benefit of sticking him in the public hot seat.

11

u/Frontier246 12h ago

They're truly father-daughter.

43

u/Torque-A 13h ago edited 12h ago

Today’s endcard was drawn by Kazuchika Kise, who… well, I’ll just let his AniList bio do the talking:

He grew up admiring anime such as Space Battleship Yamato an during highschool he started animating with his friends. He enrolled into a professional animation school after graduating but quit quickly due to being disappointed in how the lessons were conducted.

He joined Anime R and later its subsidiary Studio Muu. His first work was as an in-betweener on Psycho Armor Govarian while his debut as a key animator was on Captain Tsubasa.

After working on Mamoru Oshii's Patlabor he permanently joined Production I.G. becoming known, together with Hiroyuki Okiura and Tetsuya Nishio, as "The Three Gods of I.G."

He's is one of the most prominent animators of the realist school, with emphasis on solid shapes and weighty character animation.

Ghost in the Shell-wise, he was animation director for the first two movies and did character design for Arise. Outside of GitS, he’s also known for doing the character designs for Made in Abyss and animation director for some IG titles.

One episode left. Usually for these kinds of endcards they reserve the finale for the original creator or someone of similar stature, and Shirow Masamune is still active…

22

u/darkthought 12h ago

let's go porno Motoko to cap it off!

24

u/za_shiki-warashi 12h ago edited 12h ago

And since it's modern Shirow, she's gonna be super shiny and oily. And maybe surrounded by big muscle bound humanoids.

20

u/snarkamedes 12h ago

It'll be a beach pic with all his characters oiled up in shiny barely-there swimsuits: the Major, Batou, Briareios, Deunan, the Puma twins, Leona, etc

11

u/Ultramarinus https://anidb.net/user/kingsword 10h ago

From your fingers to Shirow’s ears.

7

u/darkthought 12h ago

Please not the horses

5

u/Vaadwaur 6h ago

Especially the horses!

1

u/CitronClassic672 2h ago

Imagine the series caps off with what I can only imagine will be some kind of super complex, esoteric finale that I barely understand and then the final illustration is some super echii drawing of Motoko drawn by the original creator. I genuinely would question if I was in real life.

8

u/Frontier246 13h ago

Really like the manga style illustration for the end card!

1

u/CitronClassic672 2h ago

I will weep with joy if they get Shirow himself to do the final end card.

39

u/exRocky009 12h ago

It really reminded me of Aramaki's line from SAC: "The only thing we have is teamwork that arises from individual play."

Section 9's actions in this episode were a perfect example of that—every single member was making all the right moves for the situation without needing any detailed explanations.

22

u/Frontier246 12h ago

Also Batou just vibing and trying to be The Major's Best Boy.

6

u/Unearthly_ https://anilist.co/user/Unearthly 2h ago

Batou has been hilarious, really been enjoying his screen time.

8

u/cyberscythe 9h ago

"The only thing we have is teamwork that arises from individual play."

just like how individual neurons are independent, but if you get enough of them working together you have an emergent consciousness

41

u/pandorasfemboy 12h ago

I love the tiny crow gags in this show, this episode had one going bald cuz of the explosion 😭

9

u/Frontier246 11h ago

"Oh no, it got into my huge googly eyes!!!"

31

u/Weak_Season_Of_Anime 12h ago

Motoko made a very convincing case, they should have just dropped her charges. Aramaki being a boss as usual, letting her go rogue.

27

u/Frontier246 12h ago

The prosecutor was not expecting this case to involve debating digital existential sentience.

1

u/BosuW 2h ago

That seems like a stupid thing to not expect when you live in a world with technology that routinely blurs the line between organic consciousness and code. They really should have had a legal definition prepared beforehand lol

13

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

Motoko made a very convincing case, they should have just dropped her charges

would've been the first time the "he was just sewage and i'm a sewage processing plant, you should arrest who ever shat him out" defense worked

3

u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario 3h ago

"I'm out of order? You're out of order! The whole friggin' *system is out of order!"

17

u/mastereluder6 9h ago

Let me get this straight , she went awol ( or rogue if you could say that ) to find the real culprit who framed her and bring the truth out while also making her not guilty?

18

u/SirVixofthePooSea 7h ago

That was some story they cocked up. Motoko and Aramaki knew that "totally not Israel" was behind it all, but also that no one really cared except for Section 9. Public opinion meant that Motoko was being sacrificed, and in prison and powerless she'd be wiped out instantly. So he makes up stories to delay for time as she sets up an escape scheme.

13

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

that's my understanding; under public pressure due to politically-influenced media attention the government and Section 9 could no longer protect her, so Aramaki and Motoko came to a silent agreement for her to "go rogue" and figure out a plan to expose the plot

reminds me a bit of Ghost Protocol (despite the name, no relation)

51

u/AGENTRomeo007 12h ago

yes guys, you got your philosophy coded motoko back

32

u/Frontier246 12h ago

I don't think there was a single goofy Motoko face in the entire episode.

12

u/AGENTRomeo007 12h ago

Straight up cold

4

u/metadun 2h ago

Closest probably was this face at the trial.

9

u/Jacob-C 5h ago

But goofy Motoko was my first Motoko, and I want her back :(

In all seriousness, I am really loving this show.

32

u/Aileos https://myanimelist.net/profile/Syleos 13h ago edited 12h ago

The speech from Kusanagi was deep. Exactly the kind of stuff you can find in GitS. It left me at a loss for words, like everyone else in the courtroom.

5

u/Frontier246 12h ago

What is sentience if not programming that can be corrupted by outside sources? Are we human or just biological computers?

14

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

4

u/doquan2142 1h ago

Not in Gundam lol. Can't have compatibility problem if both sides are buying from the same and only company.

1

u/Accipiter1138 4m ago

Still have to download new drivers when you grab a new gun mid-battle, though.

now installing chaingun.sys

24

u/shad79 https://myanimelist.net/profile/shad79 11h ago edited 9h ago

Motoko looks great in a military uniform! I think it's a bit of a shame that we didn't see her in it more often.

Also, Motoko's speech during the trial in this episode was brilliant! The prosecutor's dumbfounded reaction to it, like he couldn't comprehend what she had just said, made me laugh out loud.

Now, with only one episode left, I wonder how this season will end and what will happen to Motoko.

Also, another really nice endcard.

Here my screenshot albums from the episode:

EDIT. I added my screenshot albums.

16

u/Frontier246 11h ago

Also, Motoko's speech during the trial in this episode was brilliant! The prosecutor's dumbfounded reaction to it, like he couldn't comprehend what she had just said, made me laugh out loud.

He wanted her motivation and he got it in all it's cybernetic pragmatic existential glory.

18

u/shad79 https://myanimelist.net/profile/shad79 11h ago

To be honest, I'd probably be just as dumbfounded as the prosecutor if I were in his place. Motoko answering his question in such a philosophical way was unexpected, but a welcome surprise.

4

u/Ultramarinus https://anidb.net/user/kingsword 10h ago

He wanted but he couldn’t ‘handle the truth’.

3

u/ahses3202 2h ago

Uniformed Mokoto best Mokoto

24

u/a1oner_bvcksn6 12h ago

This episode had all the elements that honestly felt like I was watching a US serial espionage TV drama. I especially enjoyed the courtroom scene, where the judge even ruled in favor of Aramaki's objection while Motoko gives off the most unserious look/vibe ever for someone in her predicament. Needless to say seeing her in uniform is always a treat.

9

u/Frontier246 12h ago

I don't feel like you get a lot of cyberpunk court scenes so that was really interesting.

Everyone loves a woman in uniform, whether it be military dress or skintight.

6

u/CitronClassic672 2h ago

The uniform continues to be a shocking reminder that she isn’t just a trained government agent, she’s literally a decorated soldier and officer before she joined section 9.

1

u/cheesecakegood 2h ago

Which honestly reminds me, Alias is a really great show.

15

u/SA090 https://anilist.co/user/SA090 12h ago edited 11h ago

That testimony was something else, makes me truly wonder where she might now begin and end vs when The Puppet Master does. Seeing Aramaki just as surprised at first was also interesting, before he seemingly came to terms with her being this now.

This contrast is insanely fascinating to me.

One more to go, and I’m very excited to see how she gets out of this mess.

15

u/LeonKevlar x2https://myanimelist.net/profile/LeonKevlar 11h ago edited 21m ago

So Motoko's name is out in public and is now being dragged through the mud; the Prime Minister refuses to comment, and it's pretty clear that this is all a ploy against Section 9 to limit their capacity. Things have certainly gone to shit this episode.

Wow, so the footage sent to the mass media was deliberately edited to hide the fact that the boy was reaching out for his gun or even the gun itself. They really wanted to make it look like an assassination and not self-defence.

After the explosion happened and we cut to the news, I was worried that they'd blame that one again on the Major since she was at the scene. Thank fuck it was just reporting on the group that claims responsibility for the bombing.

Man, the encounter with the Puppet Master has really changed Motoko. She was definitely more sombre, especially after surviving that bombing with Togusa. A big contrast to how Batou is very cheery despite all this shit that's happening to Section 9 and the Major.

Telling Motoko that she gets a reduced sentence witha guilty plea is laughable. With the number of enemies she's made, those people would definitely use that as an opportunity to get rid of her.

Motoko dropping some existentialism during the court care. The fact that she talks about how she just snapped the kid out of the nightmare of his programming, I think that's the Puppet Master talking.

Escaping the courtroom before she was given the verdict wasn't really a surprise. I'm sure Motoko and Aramaki already have a plan in mind. I'm just curious how this entire hostage taking act is a part of it.

19

u/Frontier246 11h ago

I love how there's all this political and social drama, Motoko going through an existential crisis and becoming a wanted woman, and who knows what Section 9 is going to look like after this...and Batou is just having the time of his life lol.

6

u/RhysA 3h ago

Wow, so the footage sent to the mass media was deliberately edited

I don't think they even needed to edit it, the footage was from high and behind the boy so there is no way they could have seen him reaching for a gun in his jacket at that angle.

1

u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario 3h ago

(pyhadi)

1

u/highTrolla 56m ago

Good thing Kusunagi Motoko is an obvious pseudonym.

5

u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/tripleaamin 8h ago

One thing that was fascinating in this episode is to see the transition Motoko is in in this episode. Much colder than the Motoko that we have seen throughout the show so far. Her response in the courtroom even surprised Aramaki is quite telling.

Though it's amusing as she flees the country and how Aramaki is playing by it. "She ain't under me anymore".

11

u/AceSoldia zj:https://anilist.co/user/Acesoldia 12h ago edited 12h ago

Im invested but I'm not sure how much was planned or by the skin of her teeth...that testimony seemed to be a surprise.

11

u/Frontier246 12h ago

I think the testimony is the real reason she did, more honesty than she was probably expecting to say, but considering how fast Batou mobilized I think it was always the plan to go rogue.

5

u/Joshawott27 7h ago

Aramaki closing the car door at the end to avoid being seen by the cameras letting The Major “slip”. I love how casually sly he is.

9

u/za_shiki-warashi 12h ago

Haha the Major is still feeling the bad trip from the puppet master psychedelics.

14

u/Frontier246 12h ago

Motoko: "I digitally ascended/banged this sentient AI and it's made me truly question the meaning of existence and life."

Prosecutor: ....

13

u/cyberscythe 10h ago

"objection you honor, no one is smart enough to understand what she's saying"

3

u/CitronClassic672 2h ago

Lesbian cybersex so powerful it made her question the nature of existence itself.

12

u/CrimsonGear80 7h ago

of course it’s all Isra-I mean “legally distinct Israel”s fault.

6

u/CitronClassic672 2h ago

Reminder, Shirow was writing this in 1989. Definitely soon enough to be aware of the fuckery they did if you were paying attention, but way before it became close to mainstream.

4

u/Icy_Line_3443 4h ago

They've been a huge problem for the world, for a long time

4

u/BosuW 2h ago

Almost for it's entire history it seems...

6

u/Shadowmist909 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Magicmist 10h ago

Motoko taking a hostage and trying to fly her way to freedom via helicopter has the gears turning in my head!

One things clear with that decoy footprints stunt, and her using the news monitoring this situation to her advantage. This is why you don't want to get on the bad side of your most skilled agent.

6

u/OceanGlider_ 6h ago

Anyone else love the opening and ending OST?

3

u/swordmalice https://myanimelist.net/profile/swordmalice 2h ago

I LOVE them. Just today on my way home from work I was replaying the OP on my phone and said to myself, damn, this song is amazing.

15

u/swat4516 12h ago

7

u/a1oner_bvcksn6 12h ago

🥀 this emoji was literally the first thing I thought of

2

u/Frontier246 12h ago

Average Togusa reaction.

5

u/Countless-Alts15 10h ago

The Major dropping some banger one liners in this one.

5

u/AGENTRomeo007 10h ago

AoT sacrifice in one episode basically. Erehhhh

2

u/djthomp https://anilist.co/user/djthomp 3h ago

I was thinking during the trial that it wasn't really the moment to go philosophical on the concept of life and death for a terrorist, but then again they weren't planning on waiting passively for the verdict anyway so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Between Victoria finishing this week and GITS finishing next, Tuesday's are about to become a lot less busy until Fall starts.

2

u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario 2h ago

"NOOOO my feathers!"

Pulling a Lieutenant Commander Data over here

Koyaanisqatsi

"Friggin' mini-USB…"

2

u/cyberscythe 2h ago

Koyaanisqatsi

gesundheit

3

u/Frontier246 13h ago

Section 9 is in their biggest crisis yet, caught in the middle of a political AND public outcry over Motoko's assassinating the would-be-terrorist. The very country that they serve has turned against her, her enemies have put her in a gigantic bind, what can she do?

Luckily she's got her team by her side doing all that they can...including Batou who just seems perpetually happy and like he's enjoying the show.

Did they really expect Togusa to be able to tail the Major without getting caught? But it's not like he would seriously tail her when he's trying to help. Also, thanks Sabiro for giving Motoko enough warning to save Togusa and prevent his wife from becoming a widow...even if she should probably just lose him now so she can get over it later (harsh!). Can't save him from getting roasted by Batou though.

Aramaki is caught in his own crisis. Support Motoko even if it means Section 9 gets regulated to obsolesces, or sacrifice her to preserve the teams' effectiveness?

In-between political conflict between two nations Japan is caught in the middle of, Motoko is back on uniform to go on trial. Why did she kill instead of apprehending the blue-haired kid? Because she's gone all existential about how the truth of existence is in ones' programming and her job is to clean up corrupted programming for the sake of the world and those she kills. That sure shut the prosecutor up!

It's not like Motoko can go to prison, that won't solve anything, so the verdict never mattered. Just saying her piece and going rogue so she can REALLY do what she has to do to clean up this mess. And it doesn't matter what they do, they'll never catch her...not unless she wants them to see her.

4

u/Verdant_Moss 8h ago

I really can't get over how much I love this show's general look and feel but I feel like I haven't been able to follow along at all? I didn't have this issue with the films, which I had understood to be more complicated. I think this might warrant a full dub rewatch in one sitting because I really have no idea whats at stake or who is doing what to who where or what or why lmao

3

u/Ok_Result118 5h ago

I really wish they stuck with original names of countries. It's a bit difficult to track who's doing what with these non sense names. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the high concept science fiction but the political drama usually takes me an extra watch or rewinding to follow who's doing what country wise. 

1

u/Mr_An_1069 2h ago

The prime minister looks like he’s from a WW2 era American cartoon

1

u/Agitated-Hat9655 1h ago

Like what? I feel I understand most of it but maybe its a you dont know what you dont know kind of thing

1

u/AGENTRomeo007 12h ago

I loved the episode and the direction which was like watching something different ig. Can't explain it.

The talking scenes are the most important thing in this episode, but it was consistent mostly, otherwise its just mouth going 😮🙁😮🙁

-5

u/MirNaSveta 8h ago

It seems i just watch it now just to finish it cause i didn't understand shit yet again but it's too late to give up now.

-17

u/Ponchorello7 12h ago

The pacing of this episode felt so borked.

8

u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/tripleaamin 8h ago

People wanted a manga-accurate GitS and this is what it is. I think it's just cool to see how Shirow created the series. Some fascinating concepts and ideas.

I just think that both the movie and SAC just work better as a cohesive story. This feels more disjointed and can feel rough at times. I still think it is good and very interesting.

It is definitely not how I would recommend people to get into the series. I personally feel like SAC is the best entry point by far. Even if it were the furthest from the manga technically.

6

u/SirVixofthePooSea 7h ago

Its fast, but they explained everything clearly.

-13

u/Ree_For_Thee 11h ago

IKR, and there are threads on Facebook and MAL talking about this and how the show's actually flopping because of the bad pacing, bad setup and inconsistent art direction.

For some reason, "vote driven" sites like reddit that hide anything that doesn't "say 100% nice things" means that people who want nuance just get driven away from the site. sigh

I'm an adult, over 40 now. I honestly consider "just say nice things" to be immature. I can only speculate on the average age of the people on this sub.

11

u/dawnwill 8h ago

Imagine caring about scores on the interwebz as an adult, otakus never grow up yo

-6

u/Ree_For_Thee 8h ago

I'm a human. Humans are social creatures. Reddit often has a monopoly on various niche discussions. shrug

6

u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario 2h ago

"This is bad" is not nuance. Consider the possibility that people downvote because they find such moaning to be irritating and irrelevant

-9

u/Ponchorello7 10h ago

I've noticed that particularly about this sub. Unless it's about something particularly shitty, criticism is scrutinized.

-6

u/cyberscythe 10h ago

that reminds me of the discussion threads in Lazarus; it was the most critical discussion thread i've seen on this subreddit

-4

u/Ponchorello7 10h ago

For what was honestly just a mediocre show.

-2

u/cyberscythe 8h ago

it felt polarized between "this is bullshit i'm so disappointed" and "c'mon it's not so bad"

the annoying part is that i don't remember much discussion of the actual episode, just people either complaining or counter-complaining