Ghost in the Shell, Stand Alone Complex. Episode 17, The True Reason for the Unfinished Love Affair.

Hello, and welcome to my review of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Episode seventeen was pleasurable, but I found myself wanting to move on to the next episode as soon as possible. However, the end of this project is creeping closer to completion, and it is a great way for me to get writing again, because life has well and truly gotten in the way. 

I have been thinking about the recent adaptations of Ghost in the Shell,  and despite some of the negative reviews, I’m curious to see how the story of Kusanagi fits into modern society. Plus, I am pretty excited about the new series by Japanese Science SARU, also titled Ghost in the Shell. There are some familiar names involved in the series, but Toh EnJoe has captured my imagination the most, especially the book Harlequin Butterfly, which I plan to read very soon. 

I believe I will review the next series I watch as a whole season, but one episode at a time has definitely absorbed me into this world, and was the right place for me to start with the SAC. What are your thoughts on Ghost in the Shell 2026? Please let me know in the comments. 

Anyway, I wanted to keep the introduction short and sweet. It’s time to begin.

Aramaki and the Major are both overseas on business, and maybe a fleeting moment of pleasure. London, to be precise, to attend an anti-terrorism conference, and a chance for Aramaki to meet up with an old friend. Among the Victorian architecture, the chief arrives at a wine bank and informs Kusanagi that she will have a couple of hours to enjoy the sights of The Square Mile. Enjoyment may have to wait for Aramaki, as his friend has other plans for his visit.  Aramaki’s friend asks for his help in breaking up what she believes is a money laundering scheme that involves the wine bank and an unknown third party. It is out of his jurisdiction, but he will do what he can. Meanwhile, the Major is also buying the chief a gift that may come in handy later, and a couple of amateur thieves are robbing the bank. However, things start to go wrong for the half-witted crooks, and Aramaki and his friend soon find themselves as hostages in a life-or-death situation.

The authorities are alerted about the robbery by the bank’s security system, and police officers arrive at the scene. Surprisingly, they refuse the help of Kusanagi, who now watches the scene unfold from the street. However, Aramaki is aware that no one will make it out alive unless they act fast. The thieves don’t agree with this theory until a sniper’s bullet nearly makes contact with one of their heads. The Major also decides to make her own plan to help her friend, using charm over brutality to secure herself a face shield and riot gear to get access to the now surrounded wine bank. Time is ticking away, and Aramaki needs to be critical in his decision-making if they are to make it out alive.

The police storm the building, but Aramaki and the group are nowhere to be seen. Time is now slipping away for the officers as they try to assess the situation.

“Tick… Tick… Tick…”

can be heard from the officers as they scan the area. A  security guard who was injured earlier in the robbery lies motionless above an escape hatch, and he has a bomb attached to his body. The police commissioner demands that the occupants be found immediately at any cost, so moving the security guard is the only option left. The officers quickly realise the bomb is a decoy and it is nothing but a simple clock attached to the guard’s body. Aramaki has successfully saved his friend, but where are they now? The Major later returns to the bank and finds that the truth is in the wine cellar, as Aramaki is hidden in a secret vault beneath the building.

Later, at the police headquarters, Aramaki confronts the commissioner with the evidence needed for his arrest and any other individuals involved in this laundering scam. Time to get back to Japan. Finally, Aramaki visits his friend one last time. She thanks him for his help and gives him an expensive bottle of wine. Aramaki thanks her and wishes her and her husband well. However, the wedding band Aramaki noticed earlier is just a deterrent for any would-be pursuers. Duty calls, and Aramaki says goodbye. In the car, Aramaki insists that Kusanagi share the wine with him, as they won’t make it past airport customs with it. The Major finally gives Aramaki his gift, a bottle opener. The Major suggests that Aramaki should stay a while, but now is not the time, and the chief enjoys this moment why it lasts.

It was good to be in England, given that it is my place of birth. The first place to start is by admitting that I had never heard about a wine bank before, and I love how the writers choose some fantastic locations for their storytelling. I suppose it makes sense, with the price of expensive wine, but it is only a reflection of the divide in our society. It is not hard to imagine that a dusty bottle of wine sitting in a cellar somewhere could change someone’s life. Maybe that is the point of the location. To show the gulf between the riches of our world. 

It was good to see Aramaki in a different light for this episode. Gone are the wrinkles, and I could see a young man with a need for love like the rest of us. However, the quick-witted intelligence and response are also signs of a well-written and developed character. It is ironic that this is a stand-alone episode, as many of us know, love and relationships are complex. 

I love the visual style of the SAC, and even though this is set in London, those Japanese background cells are beautiful to see, with marble posts and elegance throughout. I could add more to this episode, but keeping it simple feels more efficient this time. I love this world and adore these characters, and I am becoming hungry for more. 

Episode eighteen, I’m coming for you.

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