Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven review: Deepening the series and new challenges

Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven: Profound themes and intricate storytelling

"Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven" is a special edition of the "Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX" series based on the original work by Masamune Shirow, and was broadcast on November 5, 2005. This work reconstructs episodes from the 26-episode TV series "Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG" and adds new scenes and dubbing, and succeeds in condensing the appeal of the series while depicting the story from a new perspective. Below, we will explain in detail the details of the work, its production background, characters, themes, and its evaluation.

■ Story

In 2030, there are about 3 million refugees in Japan who were invited from abroad to make up for the labor shortage. As their presence grows day by day, the conflict with the Individualists who advocate the isolation of the nation deepens, and terrorist attacks become more frequent. Meanwhile, terrorists calling themselves the "Individual Eleven" carry out terrorist attacks and suicides. However, there is a trick behind their actions, and the "Individual Eleven" were just being manipulated by that trick. Public Security Section 9 closes in on the mastermind behind the incident. Meanwhile, Kuze, the surviving "Individual Eleven" who committed suicide, becomes a charismatic leader of the refugees and deepens his conflict with the government. And Kusanagi Motoko feels a strange connection with Kuze. In "Individual Eleven," the relationship between Kuze and Motoko is more clearly defined than in the TV series.

■Explanation

This compilation, which reconstructs all 26 episodes of "Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG" with a focus on the "Individual Eleven Incident," was released as a specially edited DVD. While "The Laughing Man" respected the flow of the TV series, "Individual Eleven" depicts a new and reborn "2nd GIG" with bolder editing. By adding new scenes and new voiceovers, it has succeeded in adding even more depth to the story.

■Cast

The cast of this production is as follows:

• Motoko Kusanagi: Atsuko Tanaka
• Daisuke Aramaki: Osamu Saka
• Batou: Akio Otsuka
• Togusa: Koichi Yamadera
• Ishikawa: Hiroshi Nakano
• Site: Toru Okawa
• Puzzle: Takashi Onozuka
• Boma: Taro Yamaguchi
• Tachikoma: Sakiko Tamagawa

■ Main staff

The following staff members were involved in the production of "Individual Eleven":

• Original story and cooperation: Masamune Shirow
• Planning: Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Shigeru Watanabe
• Director, Series Composition: Kenji Kamiyama
• Story concept: Mamoru Oshii
• Character design: Takayuki Goto, Tetsuya Nishio
• Original character design: Shimomura Hajime
• Mechanical design: Kenji Teraoka, Yoshinobu Tsuneki
• Art director: Yusuke Takeda
• Art setting: Hiroshi Kato
• Color setting: Yumiko Katayama
• Special effects: Masahiro Murakami
• Edited by: Junichi Uematsu
• Director of photography: Hiroji Tanaka
• 3D Director: Makoto Endo
• Sound Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi
• Music: Yoko Kanno
• Music producer: Toshiaki Ota
• Music Director: Yoshimoto Ishikawa
• Music Production: Victor Entertainment
• Producers: Yuichiro Matsuie, Hisanori Kunizaki
• Production: Production IG
• Produced by: Ghost in the Shell Production Committee (Production IG, Bandai Visual, Bandai Entertainment, Dentsu, Nippon Television, Tokuma Shoten, Victor Entertainment, Manga Entertainment)

■ Main Characters

The following main characters appear in Individual Eleven:

Motoko Kusanagi

Height: 168cm

She is the de facto leader of Public Security Section 9, and aims to find and eliminate the seeds of crime. She is a cyborg, with almost all of her body prosthetic, except for her brain and part of her spinal cord. Since she was cybernetic and prosthetic from a young age, she is one of the world's best cybernetic and prosthetic users, and her skills are said to be "a rare talent, rarer than espers." She is also an excellent commander, with a clear distinction between when to attack and when to retreat, and her instructions to her team members are precise. She has a past membership in the military, and the other members call her "Major."

Daisuke Aramaki

Height: 153cm

He is the chief of Public Security Section 9, which has direct ties to the Prime Minister, and is originally from the military intelligence department. As such, he has many acquaintances in that field and is well-connected in government circles. He is a man of justice who makes quick and unwavering decisions, has an iron will, ruthless decisiveness, and is calm and collected. He is active and often goes out into the field. In order to maximize Section 9's execution power, he often finds ways to circumvent national procedures and interpret clauses in his own way, but he always and always organizes these activities as legal (whether they are official or unofficial is another matter). It is no exaggeration to say that the uniqueness of Public Security Section 9 is a manifestation of the unique personalities of Kusanagi and Aramaki.

Batou

Height: 187cm

He is a large man with prosthetic eyes, and is a cyborg with most of his body made artificial. He is a good supporter, and his abilities are similar to Kusanagi's, but while Kusanagi and Aramaki have police-like behavior, he acts more like a soldier (shooting to death rather than arresting, and minimizing casualties rather than zero). Although he is rough and vulgar, he seems to have feelings for Kusanagi that go beyond just being close friends, as he treats him with a certain distance, sincerity, and affection. He has an extraordinary affection for machines in general, such as guns and cars, and even though the Tachikoma is supposed to be characterized by the lack of individual differences, he only pilots one Tachikoma.

Togusa

Height: 178.5cm

He was recruited from the main office by Kusanagi, and is an unusual presence in Section 9, where no one has prosthetic bodies except for his cyberbrain. He is the only member of the section who is married, and has two children, a daughter and a son. Although he is an excellent detective, he is still an amateur when it comes to combat, and sometimes rebels when Kusanagi and others act like soldiers. He seems to have a preference when it comes to guns, and prefers to use a Mateba revolver.

Ishikawa

Height: 180cm

He is skilled in cyber warfare and information gathering, and provides support for Section 9 on various matters, including looking after the entire organization. Although he has a wealth of experience as a veteran, he never interferes with Aramaki or Kusanagi, even if they make a wrong decision. He has known Kusanagi for the longest time out of all the members.

Site

Height: 172cm

He is second only to Togusa in terms of physical fitness, is an excellent sniper, and has a typical military temperament. Although he is not well suited to group activities, he works with Kusanagi and Batou because he believes them to be the few excellent commanders who can effectively utilize his talents.

Puzzle

Height: 177cm

A quiet, cool smoker, he looks like the most police-related person in the world. He is the type who gathers information on his own two feet and is good at undercover investigations, but sometimes he joins the front line and fights hand-to-hand with Kusanagi.

Boma

Height: 200cm

Like Batou, he is a large man with a prosthetic eye. He takes advantage of his large size and is sometimes in charge of large-caliber firearms, but contrary to his appearance, he excels at cyber warfare. He often acts as a backup alongside Ishikawa, so he is mostly active in the Dive Room at Section 9 HQ.

Tachikoma

Specs unknown

A small thinking tank, nine of which are deployed to Public Security Section 9. It is equipped with a chain gun in its right arm and a grenade launcher in its mouth, and can also use thermo-optical camouflage. There is a cockpit in the back where a person can sit, but the advanced AI control of the neurochip allows it to act independently without a pilot. After completing one unit of work, the computers of all the machines are parallelized and adjusted to eliminate individual differences between machines.

■ Main robot items

The following robots and items appear in the Ghost in the Shell series.

Cyborg - Prosthetic Body

An extension of prosthetic limbs, prosthetic bodies are artificial bodies made to replace lost physical bodies. People who have undergone prosthetic body transformation are collectively called "cyborgs." Although they are both prosthetic bodies, the meaning is different: partial cyborgs, where only part of the body is prosthetic, "replenish human abilities," while full-body cyborgs like Kusanagi "create something more than human." Unlike androids, even non-human prosthetic bodies are called cyborgs if they were originally human. As of 2030, it is said that there will be 1.86 million people with more than 10% of their bodies made into cyborgs, and thanks to the Paralympics, public awareness of the phenomenon is high.

Android

Cyborgs are human, but there are also androids, humanoid robots, that are created using the same technology. Their bodies are the same as those of cyborgs, but instead of a cyborg's brain, they are equipped with AI. Their appearance is the same as that of a fully prosthetic cyborg, and they can move autonomously, but the crucial difference between them and humans is that they do not have a ghost, which is also the limit of AI.

robot

There are a wide variety of robots, from box-shaped to humanoid and non-humanoid, but in this world, most are equipped with AI and operate on the premise of being connected to the Internet. Interaction with humans varies from basic keyboard input to conversation, and even wired connection. The distinction between androids and robots is vague and has no definition, but as a general convention, anything that is humanoid is called an android. In a broad sense, Tachikoma is also classified as a robot.

ghost

Even if it becomes possible to create an identical body to the original in the form of a prosthetic body, ghosts cannot reside in it - paradoxically, the existence of the factor that defines an "individual" has been proven, and so it is called a "ghost." Words currently in use that have a similar meaning include "soul" and "spirit." It is something that defines the self rather than distinguishing it from others, and is evidence that proves that one is oneself.

Cyber

A cyber brain is a brain that can directly exchange thoughts with the outside world by injecting micromachines into the brain and implanting an input/output interface in the neck. It may be easier to understand if you think of it as a system where the functions of a modern cell phone are embedded in the body. Not only can a cyber brain control machines without using a keyboard or mouse, but it also allows learning by sending information directly to the brain, and this technology is only possible because the structural analysis of the brain has been completed. Technically, it was developed later than prosthetic bodies, and there are some cyborgs who are not cyberized, but in Japan in 2030, almost everyone is cyberized. In a broad sense, cyberization is also a type of prosthetic body, but since cyber brains are more common than prosthetic bodies, the two are distinguished.

Cyber ​​Communication ~ Ghost Hack

Cyber ​​communication is the use of a network formed by cyber users to communicate. However, connecting to a cyber network is synonymous with exposing your ghost to others, and if a malicious person breaks through the ghost barrier, your individuality will be taken over. Breaking through the ghost barrier is called ghost hacking, and is a serious crime because it puts another person under your complete control.

Offensive Barrier, Barrier Maze

To counter ghost hacks, technology was also developed to strengthen ghost barriers, collectively known as "barriers." An "offensive barrier" is one that searches for the enemy ghost when it is ghost hacked and attacks it in return, while a "barrier maze" is one that creates an impenetrable maze inside the barrier and traps the enemy ghost.

Shinhama

Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, is an offshore city off the coast of Kobe. It is also called Newport City. Government buildings are scattered around the city, a vestige of the time when Niihama City was the capital (the current capital is Fukuoka). Although it is a completely artificial city, it has a complex layout of office districts and residential areas, and is flexible in many ways, so it tends to be the stage for advanced information warfare such as that handled by Section 9. Section 9's headquarters is also in Niihama City.

The Laughing Man Incident

On February 1, 2024, Ernest Serano, president of Serano Genomics, was kidnapped. At the same time, the criminal demanded 10 billion yen in cash and 100 kg of gold bars, but communication with him was cut off. On February 3, under press blackout, Serano and the criminal with a gun suddenly appeared on the other side of a TV monitor. Serano was threatened by the criminal in the middle of a live broadcast. As he fled the scene, the criminal overwrote the Laughing Man mark in real time on the camera's AI, passersby, and TV station staff. This was the beginning of the theatrical crime commonly known as the Laughing Man incident. After his shocking first appearance, he continued to threaten the company by injecting a deadly virus program into the MM (micromachine) manufacturing line. The threats stopped when Serano's stock price crashed, and six other MM manufacturers were subsequently threatened using the same method. When the government introduced public funds to the victimized companies, the Laughing Man declared its end and disappeared into the darkness of the Internet.

Public Security Section 9

In the midst of social turmoil where information networks are rapidly developing and crimes are becoming more complex, an offensive organization was established to find the seeds of crime in advance and eliminate them. It is an independent unit directly under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Public Security Section 9, commonly known as "Ghost in the Shell". It is responsible for protecting VIPs, uncovering corruption, indiscriminate murder, cybercrime, terrorism, and all other crimes, but its main mission is national security, secrets, and information, and unlike ordinary police organizations, it performs intelligence-like missions. It is a functional government organization established in line with the times, but it is an extremely special entity, and it places the utmost importance on taking action before an incident occurs in order to prevent criminals from doing something wrong, and responding offensively to crime. It is composed of a small number of elite specialists who are skilled in information and cyber warfare, which are characteristic of crimes in this era, and who also demonstrate remarkable abilities in physical combat using high-performance prosthetic bodies, and they will not hesitate to fight with violence to achieve their own justice. In order to always be offensive against crime, the members are all recruited, there is a meritocracy without ranks, and the head of the organization is only the Prime Minister.

■ Related works

Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven is part of the Ghost in the Shell series and is related to the following works:

• GHOST IN THE SHELL
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
• Innocence
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex The Laughing Man
• Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society
• Ghost in the Shell SAC SOLID STATE SOCIETY 3D
• Ghost in the Shell ARISE
• Ghost in the Shell ARISE PYROPHORIC CULT
• Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs and music for "Individual Eleven" are as follows:

OP1

• Song name: rise
• Lyricist: Tim Jensen, Origa
• Composer: Yoko Kanno
• Arrangement: Yoko Kanno
• Sung by: Origa

ED1

• Song title: living inside the shell
• Lyricist: Shanti Snyder
• Composer: Yoko Kanno
• Arrangement: Yoko Kanno
• Sung by: Steve Conte

■Production background and evaluation

The background to the production of "Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven" was to deepen the series and provide a new perspective. Director Kenji Kamiyama aimed to delve deeper into the "Individual Eleven Incident," the core of the story, by reconstructing episodes from the TV series, and to provide viewers with a new perspective. This work has been praised for being able to convey its appeal not only to fans of the TV series, but also to new viewers.

Yoko Kanno's music also contributed greatly to the film's popularity. Her music enhances the atmosphere of the story and has the power to stir the emotions of the viewer. In particular, the opening theme "Rise" and the ending theme "Living Inside the Shell" are highly praised as songs that symbolize the theme of the film.

■ Theme and message

"Individual Eleven" offers viewers deep insight into modern social issues such as the refugee problem, national isolation, and terrorism. In particular, the conflict between the refugees and the individualists reflects real-world social issues and provides viewers with an opportunity to think. In addition, through the relationship between Kuze and Kusanagi Motoko, the show delves deeply into the identity and meaning of an individual's existence.

Through the cyberpunk genre, this work questions the relationship between humans and technology, and the dignity and freedom of humans living within it. Through concepts such as ghosts and cyberspace, it explores the meaning of one's existence and relationships with others, conveying a profound message to the viewer.

■ Recommendations to viewers

Ghost in the Shell SAC 2nd GIG Individual Eleven is a work that is appealing for its profound themes and detailed storytelling. I would especially recommend it to people who like cyberpunk and science fiction, people who are interested in social issues, and people who want to enjoy deep stories. It has been edited so that it can be enjoyed even if you have not seen the TV series, so it is a work that can be recommended to new viewers. I would also recommend it to people who want to enjoy Yoko Kanno's music.

This work has the power to make the viewer think, and no matter how many times you watch it, you will find something new. It is a must-see for fans of the Ghost in the Shell series, and you will be able to feel the depth of the series. Please watch it and experience its charm.