Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Episode Guide (Episode 2)
Episode 2 – Runaway Evidence: TESTATION
Original Air Date: October 17th, 2002 (Japan)
Spoiler Free Summary:
The Section 9 team gets more than they bargained for when they try to stop a rogue tachikoma tank from wreaking havoc.
Synopsis:
In a plot-device similar to Mamoru Oshii’s Patlabor 1: The Movie, a heavy-assault Tachikoma tank goes AWOL under the control of an unknown hijacker. After going on a destructive spree at a Kenbishi Industries testing facility, the Tachikoma takes off towards a remote village. Kusanagi briefs her squad at Section 9 HQ, explaining that the Tachikoma’s designer, Kamo Takeshi, died a week before, and that no terrorist organization has claimed credit for the heist. Since the military refuses to get involved (for whatever reason) unless terrorism is involved, Section 9 is called in to stop the tank.
Kusanagi, Batou, and a squad of smaller Tachikomas are dispatched to shadow the tank while Borma and Saito wait in ambush. Meanwhile, Aramaki tries to pressure Kenbichi’s CEO to reveal any technical weaknesses in the tank’s design which will allow them to stop it with a minimum of fuss and Togusa interrogates a man named Ohuba who last had contact with the tank, and was co-incidentially a colleague of Takeshi’s. All goes well until Saito tries to snipe the tank (using a really, REALLY big rifle); while Saito has the advantage of being able to patch into satellite data to co-ordinate his fire, the tank takes advantage of this by intercepting his firing data, allowing it to dodge his shot. After three shots, the tank escapes with minor damage, and heads towards a nearby city.
Before long, Togusa finds out that Ohuba was persuaded to transplant Takeshi’s brain into the Tachikoma just after his death. It turns out that Takeshi’s death was the result of a birth-defect, and that he blamed his parents for cursing him with a defective body. Takeshi is now heading towards his parents’ home to exact revenge. Upon hearing this, Kenbichi’s CEO is finally convinced to cough up the tank’s specs, allowing Ishikawa to slow it down using super-adhesive missiles. The tank shudders to a halt on Takeshi’s parents’ doorstep, and Kusanagi attempts to remove the brain core. Takeshi’s parents step outside, provoking a reaction from the tank, which forces Kusangi to jack into Takeshi’s brain core and burn it out.
Notes:
Not that the first episode was bad, but this is a marked improvement over the debut in many ways. Where the ending of episode 1 was a pretty big letdown, Episode 2 ends with a real clincher, and even leaves us feeling a little sad for Takeshi. The episode is essentially a 25-minute chase scene, which makes for some very exciting sequences…especially Saito’s sniper action, which reveals some pretty cool cybernetic enhancements. The tachikomas add a bit of levity to the proceedings as well, as their behaviour takes on the effect of a pack of teenage girls. Heck, there’s even a smidgen of fan-service; the animators give us a gratuitous shot of Kusanagi’s derriere as she climbs out of her tachikoma towards the end of the epsiode. This one has it all.
In Detail:
- The rippling puddle at the beginning of the episode echoes a similar scene heralding the arrival of the T-Rex in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park.
- Batou’s gifting of the natural oil – bestowed upon one of the Tachikomas – is a seemingly innocent act which creates ripples throughout the remainder of Stand Alone Complex. The natural oil is a plot element that originates in the original Ghost in the Shell manga (in the story 07: Phantom Fund). The conversation between Batou and the Section 9 tech also echoes one of the major themes of the series; individuality vs. social cohesion. Togusa is, as usual, correct.
- The name of the corporation that builds the rampaging multiped tank is Kenbishi Heavy Industries. The tank model number is HAW206, as displayed on the monitor during Kusanagi’s briefing. A model kit of said tank is available here. As the tachikomas board the Section 9 Osprey, they mention that their neurochips were built at the same facility.
- The tank incident occured in Harima, a province in southwestern Japan. The famous 47 Ronin hailed from Akō, which lies in Harima. It is a coastal province which also includes a large shipping port.
- The intercept helicopter called in by the SDF is a ATH-29 Jigabachi.
- Takeshi Kago, the engineer who had his brain implanted in the runaway tank, should not be confused with Takeshi Kaga, the Japanese actor who portrayed Chairman Kaga on Iron Chef.
- For those of you keeping track, the clock in the interrogation room where Togusa interrogates Ohba reads 10:40 am. Later in the episode it reads 11:10 am, meaning Ohba’s been sitting around confessing nothing for 40 minutes.
- The fork in the road reads: <-Ookura Valley 5km / <- Exit / ->Niihama Bridge 6km. Kago takes the right turn, towards Niihama. A few minutes later the multiped crosses Niihama Bridge.
- While trying to convince the Kenbishi official to fess up, she mentions something called the SPring-8 particle accelerator. This is a real device, and although it might sound like a weapon, it is in fact a scientific research tool, much like the large hadron collider. The name means ‘Super Photon ring’. You can learn about it more at the SPring-8 website.
- Aramaki makes a call to the Awaji Police Bureau, presumably because this is where Takeshi Kago’s parents live. If so, the bridge that is crossed during the episode may in fact be the Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge which links the port city of Kobe to Iwaya, Awaji Island.
Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge
- Kusanagi’s CQB assault of the multiped at the end of the episode is more than a little reminiscent of her toe-to-toe battle with the fuchikoma tank that closes out the Ghost in the Shell theatrical film.
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