Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears review: moving to tears and profound themes

A look into the depths of "Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears": the darkness of the future society and the growth of the heroine

"Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears" is the third chapter of the anime series "Ghost in the Shell ARISE" based on the original work by Masamune Shirow, and was released in theaters from June 28 to July 12, 2014. This work depicts profound themes such as cyber terrorism in a future society and the meaning of human existence, while also depicting in detail the growth of the main character, Kusanagi Motoko, and the relationships surrounding her. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the story, characters, production background, and appeal of this work.

story

"Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears" is set in Japan in AD 2027. In an era when Public Security Section 9 has not yet functioned as an offensive unit, Lieutenant Colonel Kusanagi Motoko of the Army 501st Organization appears before Daisuke Aramaki, who feels the limitations of public security investigations. While she has the highest level of physical strength and cyber warfare skills, she also has immaturity. As he works with Aramaki to deal with crimes that occur one after another, Kusanagi begins to reexamine his relationship with the 501st Organization.

The story begins with Kusanagi Motoko spending time with her boyfriend, the prosthetic engineer Jose. At that moment, she receives an emergency report from Batou about a terrorist bomb attack at a building in Nishinouchi, and Kusanagi rushes to the scene. It turns out that the terrorists had been implanted with false memories by a super-wizard-class hacker rumored to be Fire Starter. Furthermore, the ringleader, a Caldian, has a teardrop dagger tattoo on his chest, the symbol of Sclasus, a hero of the Caldian War of Independence that took place in the Kuzan Republic. Seeing this, Kusanagi asserts that Sclasus must have died during the war.

At the same time, a detective was killed in an explosion at a dam in the mountains. Among his belongings was a business card for a shop called "MERMAID'S LEGS" and a prosthetic leg tagged "Aerial." Detective Togusa of the Niihama Prefectural Police, who was investigating the case, tracked down Said, the representative of a water company in the Kuzan Republic.

As the two events intertwine, the true identity of the explosives in the conference room and the fire starter, and Scrathus's intentions become clear. This story is about the eve of Motoko Kusanagi being called Major, and it depicts her growth and the bond with her comrades.

character

In "Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears", the background and growth of the main characters are depicted in detail. The main characters are introduced below.

Motoko Kusanagi

Motoko Kusanagi is a fully prosthetic cyborg formerly affiliated with the Army's 501st Organization. She has never had a living body since birth, and her control techniques surpass those of other cyborgs. Her hacking skills are also considered to be of super-wizard class, and it is said that she rewrote military data at the age of 14. With a letter of recommendation from her benefactor, Lieutenant Colonel Mamuro, she left the 501st Organization and began working as a freelance consultant for the military. She turned down Aramaki's invitation to transfer to Public Security Section 9, and instead established her own unit, hoping to make a name for herself as a hired force in order to gain official recognition.

Daisuke Aramaki

Aramaki Daisuke, commonly known as "Chief", is the head of Public Security Section 9. He is from the former Investigation Department and is highly regarded in the military and political circles for his initiative and careful preparation. In order to prevent heinous crimes such as terrorism that threaten national security, he is planning to establish an offensive investigative agency directly under the Prime Minister. He has a business relationship with Kusanagi and is trying to bring him under his command.

Batou

Batou is a large man who was formerly a member of the Army Airborne Special Forces First Brigade and has a prosthetic eye known as the "Sleepless Eye." He reached the rank of major and has almost all of his body made of prosthetics. He has a wealth of combat experience across many battlefields, and is particularly skilled in electronic warfare. He has apparently met Kusanagi Motoko on the battlefield several times. Despite his tough appearance, he is also emotional, has a witty side and always has something to say about anything. He is currently active in Kusanagi's unit.

Togusa

Togusa is a special detective in the Criminal Investigation Division of the Niihama Prefectural Police. He has military experience, and although his brain is cyberized, his body is mostly still flesh and blood. He is also the head of a family with a wife and children. As a detective, he excels at deductive analysis based on the accumulation of circumstances, and prefers to use a revolver, which has few accidents such as jamming. He was recruited by Kusanagi and joined the unit as a rookie.

Ishikawa

Ishikawa is a former captain in the Army Intelligence Department and the most experienced veteran in Section 9. He mainly performs missions and support such as hacking and internet information analysis, and is a behind-the-scenes figure who handles everything from barriers to creating viruses and vaccines. He is currently active in Kusanagi's unit.

Site

Saito is a former Marine Corps ace sniper, with the final rank of captain. He has a prosthetic body specialized for sniping, and a sniping support system in his left eye called "Hawk Eye" that links with a satellite and instantly provides feedback on weather conditions, enabling long-range ballistic sniping. He has operational experience with the Army Intelligence Department and the Airborne Artillery Corps, and he also likes gambling. He is currently active in Kusanagi's unit.

Puzzle

Paz is an undercover investigator with the military police, with the rank of lieutenant. He is skilled in close combat with knives and other weapons, and is adept at deceiving people thanks to his experience in undercover investigations. He was looking for a place to utilize his skills while still in an old-fashioned organization, but when he found out that Kusanagi was trying to create a unit, he joined it.

Boma

Boma is a former special forces member of the Army Airborne Special Forces First Division, a skinhead with a prosthetic eye. He reached the rank of lieutenant and carried out special operations involving explosives. He is also highly skilled in electronic warfare and internet investigative skills. Contrary to his appearance, he has a sensitive personality and is currently active in Kusanagi's unit.

Logicoma

Logicoma is an infantry logistics transport support vehicle manufactured in 2022 and equipped with thermo-optical camouflage to store weapons and ammunition inside the container. It is also an abbreviation for Logistics Conveyor Machine, and its model number is LCM22. It has an advanced artificial intelligence that can identify the commander and provide autonomous support. It has been assigned to Public Security Section 9 for testing, and although it does not have a boarding space, equipment expansion has been permitted and arm parts have been installed.

Jose

Jose is said to be Motoko Kusanagi's current lover. He is a custom-made prosthetic engineer who runs a private brand called Mermaid Legs. He is known for applying innovative processing to mass-produced models according to customer orders, and currently works as a freelance consultant, maintaining Motoko's prosthetic body. He has longed for a world where prosthetics and flesh-and-blood humans can live together without distinction, and he became a prosthetic on the battlefield, believing that what cyborgs need is equipment, not life, which is what he has continued to do to this day.

Said

Said is the representative of the state-run water company of the Kuzan Republic, where a civil war caused by the Kardis independence movement continues. He owns a dam in Japan, invited by the Ministry of Industry. Although he is a Kardis, he graduated from Kuzan's national university and is willing to cooperate with the government, claiming that he wants a peaceful resolution to the civil war. Following a series of incidents, including a cyberterrorism attack on Harimadara Heavy Industries four months ago, he has submitted to the domestic faction, and is about to announce a partnership with the domestic faction of Harimadara Heavy Industries.

Emma

Emma is a 17-year-old war orphan who used to be a hit maker in cybernetic games under the name "Tinman." Kurtz, the head of the 501st Organization, saw her talent and scouted her to be Motoko Kusanagi's successor. She uses a girl-type full-body prosthetic body, but for some reason she suddenly disappeared from the 501st Organization. She was taken into custody by Motoko and her friends during a shooting incident that occurred during a demonstration against the price agreement for water sales.

Background

Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears was produced as the third chapter of the anime series Ghost in the Shell ARISE, based on the original work by Masamune Shirow. The director, character designer, and animation director were Kazuya Kise, and the series composition and script were written by Tou Ubukata. The music was by Cornelius, and the direction was by Takayuki Hamana. The mechanic design was by Takayuki Yanase, the 3DCGI was by Orange, the 3DCG director was Eiji Inomoto, the art was by Bamboo, the art directors were Yusuke Takeda and Takamasa Mashiki, the props and art setting were by Naoki Arakawa, the animation inspection was by Tomoko Suda, the color design was by Kazu Doi, the color design was by Yoshiko Noda, the finishing inspection was by Mariko Shimokawa, the director of photography was Hiroji Tanaka, the motion graphics were by Hirofumi Araki, the special effects were by Masahiro Murakami, the sound director was Yoshikazu Iwanami, the sound effects were by Yasumasa Koyama, and the editing was by Junichi Uematsu. Animation was produced by Production IG, produced by the Ghost in the Shell ARISE Production Committee, and distributed by Toho's Visual Business Division.

Theme songs and music

The ending theme "Heart Grenade" was written by Sean Lennon and composed and arranged by Keigo Oyamada. Sean Lennon also sang the song. This song is deeply connected to the theme of the story, and the melody and lyrics are memorable as they symbolize the inner thoughts of Motoko Kusanagi.

Evaluation and Appeal

"Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears" is a work that depicts the profound theme of cyber terrorism in a future society and the meaning of human existence, while also depicting in detail the growth of the main character, Kusanagi Motoko, and the relationships surrounding her. In particular, the character of Kusanagi Motoko is deeply explored, and her immaturity and growth are depicted realistically. In addition, the backgrounds and personalities of each character are depicted in detail, giving viewers a deep sense of empathy.

In terms of production, the high skills and creativity of each staff member shines through, including character design and animation director Kazuya Kise, series composition and scriptwriter Tou Ubukata, and music by Cornelius. In particular, the use of 3D CGI and special effects realizes a realistic depiction of a future society, making it visually appealing.

The ending theme "Heart Grenade" is deeply connected to the theme of the story, and the melody and lyrics are impressive, symbolizing the inner thoughts of Motoko Kusanagi. Sean Lennon's singing also enhances the atmosphere of the work.

Recommendation

"Ghost in the Shell ARISE border3 Ghost Tears" is recommended for those who like cyberpunk and science fiction, those who enjoy profound themes, and those who are interested in character growth and human relationships. It is also a work that can be enjoyed by those who are interested in animation techniques and music. In particular, it is a must-see work for those who empathize with the character of Kusanagi Motoko and want to watch her grow.

This work is a profound story that depicts the darkness of a future society and the growth of the heroine, and is a masterpiece that also combines visual appeal and beautiful music. Please watch it at the theater and experience the charm of the world view and characters.