Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 Season 1 Episode 9 Recap – Identity Theft

The Boxer

GHOST tracks one of the three post-humans in Japan named Sanji Yaguchi. He was sighted the day before after murdering a man in cold blood. Post-humans have a way of evading surveillance cameras, but the man was caught in film this time.

Yaguchi smashed the man’s face so hard that his head exploded. The victim was Koichi Tadokoro, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Residential Control. They have no idea why he was killed. Yaguchi was a known boxer with a prosthetic arm. They consider themselves lucky for catching the man red-handed and proceed to find him.

Purin asks Batou if the post-humans were caused by the human brain’s constant connection to a network. She’s learned about them through the loud-mouthed Tachikoma. The mission was supposed to be a secret, but she finds the topic interesting. Batou scolds her for gossiping with the robots on sensitive information.

Ishikawa looks for leads on Tadokoro, but the man appears to be clean in his work. Batou and Togusa check in on a boxing gym to learn about Yaguchi. The coach says he contracted a fever before the title match and his cyber brain fried from AR sparring.

The Major calls for Batou to return. Purin was able to trace Yaguchi’s other possible victims by hacking into the police database. There are ninety-two cases that match the previous incidents and there is a commonality in the victim’s data. They are all refugees and immigrants who illegally gained their Japanese nationality. His first victim was a man who created a scheme of handing out illegal documents and welfare. A fraud that can be linked to Tadokoro. The major thinks it’s a way to get cheap labor for the Tokyo Reconstruction project.

Next Target

Aramaki tells Tate of their suspicions. Yaguchi may not agree with signing refugees to the reconstruction project. The PM’s father-in-law could be a possible target as they have contracts with Otomo Industries.

Yaguchi patrols a dark alleyway, evading the cameras.

Back in Section 9, the men discuss Tate’s connection with Otomo through his wife. His father-in-law is a giant in the industry, which gave Tate a solid backing in the election.

The Major asks Batou to take Tachikoma and guard Congressman Otomo immediately as there’s an arrangement being carried out right now. But they’re too late. As Otomo steps inside the mansion, he finds Yaguchi already waiting. The post-human smashes his skull before making a quick escape.

Tate hears the news and gets angry. Smith barges in and tells them to obscure the presence of post-humans in the media. He scolds them for letting a post-human slip by.

Outside, the Tachikoma are patrolling the streets to find Yaguchi.

Bait

PM Tate asks Aramaki to cover up his father-in-laws death as a sudden illness while they device a plan to lure out the post-human. Tate steps in as bait by becoming the chairman of the reconstruction project.

GHOST follows him in full force while shrouded in stealth and they praise him for his boldness. The cameras find Yaguchi, alerting everyone. He smashes through the security force and faces Tate.

Yaguchi asks him what his plans are. Tate tells him he’ll do anything to reconstruct the country. Motoko appears between them to fight Yaguchi. They go on a boxing match with the major having a clear disadvantage.

Batou comes in and tells her its not gonna work as he moves in to help. The major baits Yaguchi before changing tactics and catches him with an armbar.

She asks Tate why Yaguchi hesitated to kill him. Tate thinks the man wanted to know his clear intentions of rebuilding the city.
Smith and Delta Force come in to take the post-human as GHOST helplessly concedes.

Our Thoughts

This episode gives us a good look on the PM’s character and also their dynamic with Smith. The post-human’s motivation doesn’t seem clear to me but the web of politics feels realistic. I rate this a 3.5/5.