Discussion Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG

Episodes: 26 | Source: Manga | Genres: Award Winning, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Adult Cast, Detective, Mecha, Military, Seinen
Synopsis
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Following the closure of the "Laughing Man" case, Section 9 is re-established by Japan's newly elected Prime Minister, Youko Kayabuki, to combat the persistent threat of cyber-terrorism.

A group calling themselves "The Individual Eleven" has begun committing acts of terror across Japan. While Motoko Kusanagi, Daisuke Aramaki, Batou, and the other members of Section 9 investigate this new menace, the Japanese government faces a separate crisis, as foreign refugees displaced by the Third World War seek asylum in Japan. But as the members of the special-ops team continually encounter Gouda Kazundo—a leading member of the Cabinet Intelligence Service—in their hunt, they begin to suspect that he may be involved, and that the events of the refugee crisis and The Individual Eleven may be more connected than they realize...

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

 

Episode 1 was good. Straight into some action with this one with some people being held hostage in the Chinese embassy building while the terrorists calling themselves The Individual 11 are waiting on their demands to be fulfilled, being the halt of Asian immigrants. Section 9 are stuck waiting for Aramaki to confirm if they act though.

Ironically, the new political power was already intending to reform refugee acts, but now are stalling on it so it appears they aren't caving to the terrorists. On one hand, the new Prime Minister Youko Kayabuki was prepared to accept Aramaki's help, but then the Minister of Home Affairs halted it citing going through official channels to push through a security bill.

In the end, section 9 were pushed through ahead of the other official groups like the police and cleared out all of the terrorists except the final one holding a hostage. Motoko took him out though after he was already surrounded, so they did some good work. Motoko doesn't seem to like Youko.

The Tachikoma also have returned as new members of section 9!

 

Episode 2 was alright. Gino seemed almost black pilled, but also going a little psychotic. He viewed that he fought in the war basically for a senseless fake reason. He also believes a lot of people are just living lies and eating up whatever the media says, which may not be entirely wrong. Gino also had frequent delusions of completing his assassination plot against Katakura and was content with exposing "truth" even if it cost his life. Motoko even seemed to pretend to be an escort with Batou acting as her handler, which drew him in, only for him to be shoed out, go to another place and end up robbed of his money.

At the end, with his piloting job for Katakura, it was arranged for Motoko also board the flight. This is where things came to an end, as Gino once more had a fantasy of carrying out his assassination plot against Katakura, but it was just that, a fantasy and he wasn't involved with terrorists. It was also revealed Gino lost his power body due to contracting an STD/STI in the war.