Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex. Episode 3, Android and I.

Hello, and welcome to my review of Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex. I will say episode three had me scratching my head at first, but in a good way, and I’m already finding myself humming the theme tune to this series in obscure moments. Safe to say, I’m enjoying watching this show. Let’s get started.

Early morning and androids across the city mysteriously begin to commit suicide. Aramaki and the Major visit the Genesis plant to try and find out if the creators of these androids are involved in their gruesome acts of self-destruction. While Aramaki questions the plant manager, the Major uses her thermoptic camouflage to access the company’s database. The plant manager informs Aramaki that the androids involved are all the same model, GA07-JL also known as Jeri. That model is nearly obsolete, and Genesis only sells parts to end users who like the android, because they are easy to modify to their own specifications. Inside the database, the Major discovers that a virus has been downloaded to the mainframe, more than likely by an end-user who has sent a Jeri in for a refurbishment. Section 9 soon has a suspect, Marshall McLachlan, the son of a Canadian diplomat. Togusa and Batou visit the suspect’s apartment and after checking his home computer, realise they have their man. While Aramaki tries to revoke Marshall’s diplomatic immunity, the remaining team programs a virtual roadblock that leads Marshall and his Jeri into a dead-end road. The couple head into the forest and are soon surrounded by the Major, Togusa and Batou. Marshall pulls out a weapon, and before he can do anything else, Jeri overpowers him, leaving the team to arrest him.

Now is the time to discuss the moments I enjoyed from the episode and try to understand what is happening. What a unique and fantastic way to start an episode. First of all, it’s beautiful, in a strange kind of way. You have that wonderful moment at sunrise, and the promise of a new day, while these androids self-terminate themselves in the most brutal way. The colour tones, the sounds of the birds and the silence make it work. I have watched this episode quite a few times now, and the opening sequence is only a few seconds long, but it stayed with me for a while. That is powerful storytelling. I guess I will jump into my interpretation of the story. 

I think it starts with Marshall and his problems with love, relationships and his detachment from reality. It’s not surprising that Marshall, who feels awkward around females, could form an attachment to an android he can control, to suit his insecurities. Another way to escape life is to absorb himself in his movies, and when you put the android and those together, he creates his perfect fantasy. It’s not the right path for a person to go down, but similar situations happen today, and even though this is fictional, this demonstrates some real understanding of humanity. Does he love the android, probably not, it’s just his little version of happiness, and he is in control of it, or is he?  

The GA07-JL androids are fascinating in this episode. I’m guessing androids are not cheap, and you could believe that a Jeri, which is becoming obsolete, would be ideal for all sorts of murky goings-on. The fact Genesis made these androids programmable by end-users and then supplied aftermarket parts makes them cheap and favourable to any undesirables. Marshall’s Jeri is living a better life than most of her counterparts, but it’s still someone else’s fantasy she is living through. However, I think it’s his love of movies that helps her identify some state of consciousness. Movies, along with any form of art, can help people understand their way of life. Especially the good ones. The episode pays homage to a French New Wave film called Breathless. 

Someone, somewhere was affected by that film and would like to share it with the viewer. I believe Jeri and Marshall wrote the virus and shut the other androids down to end their suffering. At one point, Jeri asks Marshall, “Do you believe in the existence of a soul?” And yet, he still talks about love and is lost inside his feelings. The main moment that led me to this conclusion is at the end, as actions speak louder than words. In the final scene, as the Section 9 team surrounds Marshall and Jeri, she still acts out his fantasy, but she takes control of the situation and overpowers Marshall so the team can arrest him. But then again, all my thoughts could be completely wrong as the discussions between the Section 9 team make me believe this could be part of something bigger. Batou asks the Major about her thoughts on the case, she says it’s pretty clear, but there is no evidence to connect it to a previous case. A case that Togusa and Batou discussed in an earlier scene. Speaking of Togusa and Batou, I’m enjoying the chemistry between these two characters. Talking about having nostalgic feelings for old things, why Togusa looks at his gun, and Batou drives his sports car. This show looks deep into the human condition.

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