Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex E08 Missing Hearts

Episode 8

Major Kusanagi is called to a hospital by a friend who has suspicions about the origin of a young girls donor heart. The heart was taken without the parents permission from a young boy undergoing a prosthetic heart operation 

Police had been called in to investigate but the investigating officer fell ill suddenly. Aramaki is also suspicious and is concerned that the Yakuza may be involved. 

Kusanagi and Togusa decide to interview the police officer in hospital, but upon arrival finds young men fleeing the scene. A chase ensues and it is revealed that the young men are med students, using their knowledge of the hospital system to trade in black market organs.  

Kusanagi has taken a keener interest in this case than normal, and decide to scare the young men senseless by making them think she is a Yakuza agent sent to kill them for stepping in their market.

 

What I liked

This was a fairly straight forward episode meant only to provide a little more depth to the world of Ghost in the Shell.

The most stand out aspect was watching Kusanagi go full beast mode on the med students. She was clearly unhappy about them taking advantage of families in need. Which leads me on to...

What we learned

Major Kusanagi continues to surprise from episode to episode, revealing more emotional depth each time. It's clear now she has problems with the way she become the cyber super-soldier she is today, which seems to stem back to when she was a young girl. 

We also get a better view of some of the class divides in the Ghost in the Shell universe. Prosthetics and donor replacement are relatively easy and widespread for all those with the means. Are we starting to see a social divide between cybernetic trans-humans and ordinary people?