Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 Season 1 Episode 11 Recap – Edgelord

Airborne Trooper

Takashi Shimamura looks like your average fourteen-year-old student. Ishikawa traces him to the school where a teacher got his brain fried from Think Pol. The major wonders why he made the program only to abandon it after one use. Togusa thinks it might simply be the whims of a middle schooler. Batou insists they should be ready regardless, his next act could cause an uproar.

Major Kusanagi divides the squad between questioning leads and dissecting Think Pol’s code.

Back in class, Takashi plays a game while his teacher gives a sermon about adolescent life. His classmate Kanami speaks up and calls him out for his inappropriate lecture, saying this is a math class. The teacher apologizes and moves on but the tension in the classroom is palpable.

     
The teacher asks Kanami to meet with him after class. Takashi wants to help. He fantasizes that air troopers will come to save them, just like in his game.

On the way, Togusa and Kusanagi worry about the effect of post-humans. They think about the boy’s mother and what she must be going through.

Days later, Kanami is not at her desk. Takashi’s younger sister worries and wonders why a courageous Kanami doesn’t have the support of her peers.

A teacher comes in and tells the class to turn off their cyber brains. An enemy is attacking them. Takashi sees the air troopers falling from the sky. It’s a world war.

Tragedy

In the ensuing commotion, Takashi catches the math teacher abusing Kanami. The air troopers arrive as Takashi tries to save her. They shoot him instead. Kanami breaks free to check in on him as he bleeds from his wounds.

Togusa and Kusanagi ask Takashi’s mother what happened the day he fainted. Soon after, he had a high fever and was hospitalized for a week. That was six months ago, perfectly matching their data from other post-humans.

The mother asks them what happened to her child. Takashi’s physical attributes improved and he became more of a recluse. He returned to school once he got better, but an incident happened at school while Takashi was absent.

The teacher tells them that Kanami had died from suicide, supposedly for stealing school funds. Takashi can’t accept it. Her sister tells him he’s the airborne trooper. He can do something about it.

“War is peace. Freedom is slavery”, he says.

Togusa thinks the suicide may have a connection to his disappearance. His mother says he didn’t eat for three days at that time and only played computer.

Back in school, a mob of faceless students attacks the math teacher. Takashi’s sister congratulates him on Think Pols’ success, but he isn’t sure about it.

Tachikoma alerts the major that Takashi is nearby. Others from PSS9 rush in to help. The apartment door opens but there is no one there, then the signal disappears.

Memories

Takashi’s mother is worried. The major tells him his son is not the same anymore. As a post-human, he’s highly susceptible to committing a terrorist attack or massacre of some sort. She can’t accept it, but the major goes on to warn her, and report to her if he ever makes contact.

Togusa tells her they’ll do their best as the mother weeps in her apartment. Takashi is still a minor, so they’ll try their best to save him.

That night Takashi’s mother prays at his husband’s memorial. She pours on her regrets about his upbringing and wishes he’ll come back soon.

There’s a noise in Takashi’s room. She checks it out and finds his beloved blanket with a note from Takashi, telling her he loves her.

Our Thoughts

This episode is mostly set up so I guess it’s better to judge it with the season finale to see if it pays off. Nevertheless, the Edgelord progression feels realistic and could mirror events that are happening among our peers today. I rate this a 3/5.