Summary[]
Marco Amereti, a former American Imperial Navy Petty Officer turned serial killer, has arrived in Japan and for the last two months has murdered several women by slicing the skin off their torsos in the form of a T-shirt. American CIA officers have been dispatched to Japan, ostensibly to assist Section 9 in their effort to track down and apprehend Marco before he can strike again. When the CIA officers show no surprise at the developments in the case Ishikawa hacks into the CIA database to find out why, and learns that Marco was part of an American Empire commando team sent into the jungles of South America to conduct a covert operation aimed at breaking an enemy’s will to fight, by using terror-tactics (like flaying civilians alive). Elsewhere, Batou — an ex-JGSDF Ranger who has seen first hand the horrors of the CIA operation — resolves to stop Marco by any means necessary, but his behaviour during the case has led to suspicion that Batou may attempt to kill Marco, rather than arrest him.
However, this is exactly what the CIA wants, since Marco is the only loose end that can tie them to the jungle op. Marco's hideout in the sewers is discovered, and Batou gives chase in a running gun battle. Batou experiences vivid flashbacks during the chase, with the dank sewers intercutting with the steaming jungle where he first battled Marco years ago. Batou finally manages to corner Marco, who begs Batou to kill him. However, Batou remembers that he is a law enforcement officer first, and arrests Marco instead. The CIA agents, unhappy that things didn't go as planned, are forced to return home with Marco in tow.
Noteworthy Dialogue[]
- Tachikoma 1: Wow, it sure is damp. Our optical camouflage visibility index is definitely going to shoot up.
- Tachikoma 2: Our gaskets won't corrode, will they?
- Boma: Quit your whining. Just be thankful you don't have a sense of smell.
- Tachikoma 1: Is there an unpleasant odor? We can analyze it with our sensors.
- Tachikoma 2: Bouma's discomfort index is at 68%.
- Boma: Ah, shut up.
Note[]
- This episode was initially skipped in the YTV broadcast in Canada because of the graphic content. It was later aired uncut on December 30, 2005 at 1:30 AM and ran at the regular 12AM time slot during the series' second run. The Adult Swim broadcast in the US included a disclaimer before the episode aired warning viewers about the content.
| Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Episodes |
|
1: Public Security Section 9 |
2: Runaway Evidence |
3: A Modest Rebellion | |