GITS SAC 2nd Gig: Ep 26

Warning, huge spoilers!!!!!!





I haven't been watching much anime as I had in the past. The funny thing is I'm not sure whether its because of lack of quality anime or its because I'm getting old. I blame it on the fact that famous anime like One Piece and Naruto are really very SLOW.

The other issue is lack of anime with good, mature stories. Mature not as in blood, sex and violence but stories with more depth. The GITS SAC series has been a godsend. The series expands on the cyberpunk world that we glimpsed in the animated movie and mangas and adds even more personality, intrigue and my favourite of all, politics.

Yay, Gouda's finally gets his brains blown off.

The most interesting thing about this series is that it has a lot to do with what is going on in the world today. Refugees. Suicide bombings. Governments eager for war. The manipulation of the media.

The world in GITS SAC is out of control and Section 9 is given enourmous power and autonomy to 'fix' things. Its a good thing that as viewers we know that Section 9 are the good guys but even the worst crimes can start with good intentions.

As Alan Moore once wrote: who watches the Watchmen? Perhaps this would be a good theme to address if they ever do a 3rd season (which I doubt). Politics in SAC is so factionalisedand self serving and politicians so unaccountable that it is impossible to right the wrongs by the book. (hhhmm.. sounds like the real world)

Last song of the Tachikomas........ sniff......

Another interesting part of the series is the philosophical discussion on AI, net and what it means to be human or part of society. None embody such discussions more than the Tachikomas, the AI 'tanks' used to assist Section 9.

One of my favourite discussions from season 1 was that since the Tachikomas shared their memories, do u actually have to inhabit a body doing something to be able to claim to have done it? What if another mind that exists in the next body clearly remembers the act?

To me, the Tachikomas were the star of the show. They were the comedians, philosophers and heroes. And the scene where the Tachikomas knew they could save everyone by sacrificing themselves was heart wrenching. And to the credit of the writers, they didn't milk it.

And they didn't show the sorrow of Section 9 for the Tachikomas' sacrifice. The Tachikomas embody the lyrics of theme song. '..... we are soldiers, stand or die.' fast and free, follow me, time to make the sacrifice... we rise or fall.' The only hint of sadness on the part of Section 9 is that the replacements, the Uchikomas are less 'human'and more 'robotic' than the Tachikomas.