Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 Season 1 Episode 8 Recap – Assemble

Meeting

Aramaki and Togusa arrive to meet PM Tate. He congratulates Togusa on his work as they proceed to his office.

The PSS9 members are running late. Aramaki apologizes saying they all lack manners. Moments later, Major Kusanagi speaks and they appear one by one through stealth. They’ve been there all along, making Tate doubt his security.

Tate praises Kusanagi’s charms, but she keeps herself distant. He tells them that America has requested for them to hunt the remaining post-humans. He wants to shake on it but the major still hasn’t officially agreed.

She thinks the job is impossible with the state of her current team, and that there will be complications working for the government and America. The major wants to lay down the terms of the budget first.

He tells them the figure is ten times larger than budget and the job is unavoidably tied to America. John Smith enters the room he’s still in charge of Post-human countermeasures and is here to advise.

Smith gives them all a list of post-humans that are in Japan. They are not certain of how they arrived but Smith surmises they are a new type of human who emerged in a cyber brain society. The symptoms include high fever, abnormal appetite, and change in personality.

From scanning medical records, they find there are 14 more out there with two already killed from before. Three still remain in Japan. Smith wants to capture all of them for study. He wants them alive this time.

Tate thinks America is being to rash with the situation but Smith tells them the sustainable war has come about with their existence. Kusanagi isn’t convinced that this is enough reason to hunt them.

Doubt

Before they leave, Aramaki tells them they’ll work on the budget while they decide if they’re willing to rejoin PSS9.

Inside, they find a huge facility with more Tachikoma units. We learn that Purin is an avid Batou fan and a competent engineer.

Outside, Togusa asks the Major if he’s suited for the team. She tells him to show up to the office once he decides, she herself isn’t sure. Togusa tells her he wants to join her but the major tells him to not rush and decide carefully. To relieve Togusa’s doubt, she gives him a test to find out the spy in the PM’s residence is. Someone had been snooping on Smith earlier.

That night, Togusa goes stealth in the PMs residence and picks up a robot bug. He takes it to a bar where he’s confronted by two other men. Togusa tells them he wants to work for them. The men threaten Togusa’s family and ask him to follow them.

They take Togusa into a secluded pier where they attempt to kill him. Togusa manages to escape and a chase ensues with both enemies armed.

Death

Togusa loses them as he climbs above a giant crane. He gets shot and killed, his body thrown into the ocean. As the men leave, two robots leave their cyberbrain. What happened to Togusa was actually a fabricated memory implanted into their minds.

Togusa tells the major that the bug was implanted by the Japan-America Security Treaty Department. He tells them that PSS9 will work to accomplish big tasks, and not just as a subcontractor for America. Their task is something greater than themselves. That’s why they need to get back together.

The next morning, Aramaki and Togusa arrive to the office first with their budget approved. The rest of PSS9 arrive and praise Togusa for his work that night. The Major appears in the room and accepts the offer from Tate.

Our Thoughts:

I’m a little torn by this episode, it feels like it should have been act 1 of the season instead of being towards the end of act 2. Looks like we’re headed for a cliffhanger ending, I just hope its worth it in the end.