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Sep 19, 2008 6:09 AM
#1

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Jan 2008
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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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I loved this episode. Full on back story on Motoko :O
Sep 25, 2008 6:53 PM
#2

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May 2008
176
I too loved it.

This episode tugged a sensitive vein in me. It really depends on how one would interpret the shopkeeper's story. It was such a tragic story and using the song "I Do", though in Italian conveyed a real sense of sadness, regret and longing. It very well matched the episode's mood.
"We practice selective annihilation of mayors and government officials, for example, to create a vacuum, then we fill that vacuum. As popular war advances, peace is closer"
Dec 18, 2008 7:59 AM
#3

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May 2007
1081
Great episode. I grew bored in the middle of the episode, but at that very moment I understood the girl was Motoko, and my boredom immediately disappeared. And also, did they say WWIII or WWII? If it's WWII, then it'd make Motoko OVER 9000 over a hundred years old.
Dec 21, 2008 4:36 PM
#4

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May 2008
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DaBigD said:
Great episode. I grew bored in the middle of the episode, but at that very moment I understood the girl was Motoko, and my boredom immediately disappeared. And also, did they say WWIII or WWII? If it's WWII, then it'd make Motoko OVER 9000 over a hundred years old.


In my copy, the subtitles quoted the old lady saying "last war". So I probably think that was the last non-nuclear World War or World War 4 per GitS universe timeline.

Hope this helps. =)
"We practice selective annihilation of mayors and government officials, for example, to create a vacuum, then we fill that vacuum. As popular war advances, peace is closer"
Jun 10, 2009 10:40 AM
#5

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Jan 2009
171
ohh i just watched it and guess im gonna cry now.. very touching:(

thanx for the answer 'Leibstandarte' it helped me too^^
Aug 26, 2009 5:11 AM
#6

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Jan 2008
30
oh wow that's a damn touching tragic story. So Motoko loved the boy?

if i come across a dvd of this, i'll certainly buy it. It's rare for me to buy dvds unless its Good stuff.
Aug 30, 2009 6:01 PM
#7

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Oct 2007
2328
Beautiful episode. That was really nicely done, I'm impressed.




Sep 8, 2009 12:55 PM
#8

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May 2008
1420
This episode almost made me cry.
Kyomu9Oct 27, 2009 1:23 PM
Oct 3, 2009 10:06 AM
#9

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Jun 2009
51
Kamiyama's attention to detail and excellent use of subtlety really showed in this episode. Fucking brilliant.
Nov 3, 2009 10:00 AM

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Jan 2008
4016
This episode I found terrible. First thing set in the GITS universe I found such.

Horribly told, soapimental and irrelevant. What, Motoko's backstory? We didn't really learn anything new about her at all. Except that she was damn cute as a kid, too. The episode focused on the boy, which might have been a smart choice if only, uh, it had been actually used as the good device it is for characterizing and telling plot. Or at least if the boy was interesting. Or at the very, very least, if the episode hadn't been thoroughly predictable.


tl;dr raeg 0/10
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Nov 3, 2009 10:11 AM

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Jan 2008
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Kaiserpingvin said:
This episode I found terrible. First thing set in the GITS universe I found such.

Horribly told, soapimental and irrelevant. What, Motoko's backstory? We didn't really learn anything new about her at all. Except that she was damn cute as a kid, too. The episode focused on the boy, which might have been a smart choice if only, uh, it had been actually used as the good device it is for characterizing and telling plot. Or at least if the boy was interesting. Or at the very, very least, if the episode hadn't been thoroughly predictable.

tl;dr raeg 0/10


I'm going off very dodgy memory here because it's been years since I saw this, but I think this episode is a set-up for something important later in the series, so it's not pointless at all. Besides, it's nice to see a different side of Motoko, it fleshes out her character. Pun intended!
"I'm starting to think mal is run by Xinil generating electricity on a bicycle." - idklol
Nov 13, 2009 2:26 PM

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Oct 2008
86
I haven't finished 2nd Gig yet, but this is my favorite episode of the Ghost in the Shell saga (that I have seen so far). It was really touching to see Motoko's backstory, and the episode was so well executed... I'm sure this will remain my favorite Ghost in the Shell episode. :3
Nov 27, 2009 8:58 AM

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Jan 2008
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Beatnik said:
I'm going off very dodgy memory here because it's been years since I saw this, but I think this episode is a set-up for something important later in the series, so it's not pointless at all. Besides, it's nice to see a different side of Motoko, it fleshes out her character. Pun intended!

Yeah, it was. Normally that kind of tie-in would only make me rage even more, but it was handled all so very subtly and elegantly. Pretty impressive, really, to make such a torn contrivance work so well.

On the other hand, they didn't really do anything with that extra plotline either, so...
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Jan 8, 2010 2:10 PM

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May 2009
3818
I loved this episode! It was very nice to see Motoko's backstory and it was really touching too..
Jan 30, 2010 10:03 AM

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Apr 2009
1418
Finally an episode about the major... and what an episode too...
Mar 31, 2010 2:49 PM

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Nov 2008
499
This episode is one of the best subtle anime episodes I have ever seen. This episode would have been nothing without the music. Motoko's back story is very different from the manga version.


Here's the song:
Apr 16, 2010 3:18 AM

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Nov 2007
3017
That seemed to come out of nowhere O_O a back-story on the Major just like that but a beautiful episode nevertheless.
Apr 16, 2010 9:59 AM

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Nov 2008
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Crimsonwill said:
That seemed to come out of nowhere O_O a back-story on the Major just like that but a beautiful episode nevertheless.


Therein lies the problem of 2nd GIG. There are several inconsistencies in character development, which sometimes clash. Do make note that Motoko was always a wandering soul not the typical female protagonist who's headstrong 24/7.
Aug 4, 2010 8:57 AM

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Jul 2010
1
yeah this episode was awesome!!!
loved it ...
Dec 3, 2010 1:09 AM

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Oct 2009
3293
Loved this episode even thought it was very predictable it was very touching and nice to see some back info of Motoko...
I see the animation has improved from the last 3 eps or so...Motoko was much more sexier in this :3
Dec 25, 2010 2:36 PM

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May 2010
8126
I was waiting an episode for Motoko...
Even when I was in crowd, I was always alone
Jan 12, 2011 1:00 PM

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Aug 2009
1010
Finally! The beans are spilled on Motoko!
Mar 10, 2011 7:03 PM

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May 2009
203
Great episode! It took me a while to realize the little girl was the major.
Mar 19, 2011 9:14 PM
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Jul 2018
564074
good character development past few episodes.
Apr 11, 2011 7:12 PM

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Nov 2009
1567
Monkey_D_Luffy said:
Beautiful episode. That was really nicely done, I'm impressed.


Very well done, I would have to say that this is my favourite episode of 2nd GIG so far, and one of the my favourite GiTS episodes.
May 3, 2011 5:51 AM
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Mar 2010
66
I have a question....

Why couldn't she tell the boy who she was? What was her reason?

Now I have seen the entire show, but never felt like I got an answer on that one. I would very much like to know, so I hope some of you guys might be able to ease my mind.

In advance thanks for any replies
May 31, 2011 1:20 PM

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Dec 2009
1641
What an episode, I loved this really, it was very touching
Sep 13, 2011 3:56 PM

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Jul 2009
211
KumaAyr23 said:
Why couldn't she tell the boy who she was? What was her reason?
Maybe she doesn't know the reason herself. There are many things, especially like these, that people do without even understanding their actions themselves. Maybe she just didn't feel like it would do him or her any good if he knew.


When I watched the first Stand Alone Complex I felt that it was made really well but I never liked it as much as I had expected when everybody always said how great the series was.
After that I started watching the Second GIG without expecting much of it. Up till now it was okay but not really 'enjoyable', so I rarely get up the motivation to see an episode.
This one however really got to me. It is by far my favorite episode of both seasons till now and it definitely is among the best anime episodes I have seen the past weeks.

I liked everything, from the setting (the recruitment test) to the story of the young boy. It may be a common theme, the girl taken away, thought to be dead and so on, but it was nicely told and very well used the context of the Ghost in the Shell universe. Also of course I like to see the more sentimental side of the Major.

The episode impressed me so much I even went through the trouble of writing insignificant comments here instead of watching anime. xD
Dec 2, 2011 3:43 PM

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Feb 2009
3436
Spectacular in-depth look into Motoko's past. Beautful episode.
Jan 14, 2012 10:29 PM

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Jul 2009
3344
very touching indeed :D

it was really a sad story about the Major's past.

her parents dying in the plane crash. with her and the boy left, it's sad things had turned out like this. they were probably the only hope for each other.

the boy probably didn't probably had the will to live without her. i wonder why major didn't tell the boy that she had lived??

so major did had a full prosthetic change. it was pure luck the boy had found her little girl body. it also makes sense since back in season 1 we see motoko changing her body due to the fight with the mecha(though she revert back to her original adult body)

also didn't batou said in the first season that major bought a wrist watch for her new adult body??? i was hoping they would make a connection to that.

i think that store she encountered was the same one as the boy visited back then. im guessing the boy had taken the motoko's original little girl body from the college he went to and left it with the store(whether or not this store is real or his virtual world if you will) to preserve his memory of her since the lady has said he visited the store.

though the reason the store owner can't find any memories of the girl is because motoko had switch to her adult body thus leaving only her physical body and not her memories.

i think they did an unique and great job of potraying motoko's past. though there are some things left unexplained(who was the doctor that had rebuild motoko, her wrist watch and why is it important to her other than her first new adult body, the boy's name and not once they knew each other's name only motoko was able to recognize the boy)

soo many questions left unanswered, but overall i think the episode was able to give us some insight about Motoko's past. plus seeing her in a cap was awesome and cute :)

i wonder if Major will be able to see the boy ever again???? he apprently left overseas to fought in the war and never came back to the shop.

i was actually hoping that boy would be Batou since he had lived the war and has feelings towards the major.

amazing episode, love the animation plus the music when the boy was folding the origami is touching and sad.

all in all we want more Motoko backstory :D
Mar 12, 2012 7:57 PM

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Aug 2010
3232
Beautiful episode for Motoko. Now we know how she turned out to be a master at using her full prosthetic body, by practicing origami.
Jun 9, 2012 3:54 PM

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Jul 2011
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arimakenshin said:
Crimsonwill said:
That seemed to come out of nowhere O_O a back-story on the Major just like that but a beautiful episode nevertheless.


Therein lies the problem of 2nd GIG. There are several inconsistencies in character development, which sometimes clash. Do make note that Motoko was always a wandering soul not the typical female protagonist who's headstrong 24/7.


This. It's one of the reasons why I think the Major is awesome. :)
Yeah, a bit of a random episode, I'll say.

The moment I saw the girl I thought she resembled the Major. Now I know why.

I loled @ Batou near the end.

And the music was so good!! Very sad and beautiful.

And I like Major's pants. :D
MirorinJun 9, 2012 4:01 PM
Jul 23, 2012 11:25 PM
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Dec 2009
169
Personally, I loved this episode. I would have thought that her watch had something to do with the boy, guess not. Hope to learn more about Motoko. I found the boy more or so interesting as well, wonder who he is, hope it will be revealed.
tag©.androgynous
Oct 13, 2012 3:25 PM

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Nov 2011
1980
Interesting to see Makoto's past.

"I like to expose what people hide. I'm an intellectual rapist." - Furudo Erika
Oct 29, 2012 9:52 AM

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May 2012
2364
Nice backstory of Major...
Dec 25, 2012 9:01 AM

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Jan 2012
2608
I absolutely loved it. It's always nice to know more about the Major.

Jan 2, 2013 3:58 PM

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Nov 2011
129047
Nice back stories tbh



Such an emotional episode.
Stark700Jan 2, 2013 5:13 PM
Jan 13, 2013 3:43 AM

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Apr 2012
4896
Loved this episode: was quite moving. Development about the major is so parsimonious throughout the series it makes it all the better when carefully done like here.
Feb 16, 2013 2:20 PM

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May 2012
25828
First episode I actually loved, great thing to see they're recruiting new people and even better is the amazingly touching backstory on Motoko! Those origami cranes where really an extra symbol for the touching story!
Apr 16, 2013 12:48 PM

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Sep 2012
142
Ah this episode was amazing. Loved seeing the Majors back story! Also some emotional stuff
Also, I think
hypochondriacApr 16, 2013 1:26 PM
May 7, 2013 8:41 AM

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Dec 2010
48
Yeah, I would be really happy if the little boy was Batou, but I have a feeling I know who the boy was. Especially that I'm a few episodes further in.
Jun 5, 2013 7:44 PM

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Apr 2013
607
hypochondriac said:
Ah this episode was amazing. Loved seeing the Majors back story! Also some emotional stuff
Also, I think



:MINDBLOWN:

You might be right! What a beautiful episode, almost made me shed a tear :)
Powerful eyebrows.
Jun 13, 2013 5:25 PM

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Apr 2013
2282
Great episode. Finally we got to see Motoko's past. So that ball was some type of device. This was the best SA episode imo. Can't wait to see more of back story on the other characters.
Jun 27, 2013 9:50 AM
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Apr 2012
68
This is one of the best episodes I have see so far in this series. Very beautiful. I hope to see some follow up to this. I wonder who the boy is...
Jul 14, 2013 7:00 AM

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May 2012
1842
Wow. This was one of the most touching episodes i've ever seen in anime. I even shed a tear, it was so good. I guessed early on that the Motoko-looking girl was Motoko but i didn't care, i loved every minute of it. The animation, the music, the voice acting, it was just great! Not at all what i expected from 2nd Gig. (which is usually about mind games, terrorism and manipulation) I wanna make origami cranes now...

Mysterious how she ended up in that exact shop with her exact previous body without knowing how she got there and without means of contact to the outside world other than the mysterious woman. Was it a dream or was she mind hacked? I bet it will come into play later.

To the 2 people who hated this episode - YOU HAVE NO HEART
Aug 24, 2013 11:39 AM
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Jun 2007
4
As far as who the boy might be, who remembers this from episode 5?
AkihikoAug 24, 2013 11:50 AM
Nov 22, 2013 8:19 AM
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Sep 2013
97
Looks like I just found my favorite episode of the two seasons...so far anyway. Motoko's backstory was surprisingly touching, and we finally got to see her in normal plain clothes. Honestly, before I wasn't a huge fan of her; she was just too straight-laced. But seeing her open up a little definitely made a good impression.
Dec 14, 2013 6:08 AM
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Oct 2012
25
Strange though in the new Arise movies she says that she has never had a non prosthetic body and that she was placed in one from the moment she was born, which completely contradicts this series, unless i'm missing something
Dec 14, 2013 10:27 AM

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squiggleblorg said:
Strange though in the new Arise movies she says that she has never had a non prosthetic body and that she was placed in one from the moment she was born, which completely contradicts this series, unless i'm missing something


They are not the same continuity.

Just like the Oshii movies and Manga are different continuities.

Think of them as separate universes.
Dec 15, 2013 7:06 AM

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May 2011
534
Loved this alot. Nothing much.
"If you reject me, I'll blast a hole in you!" Kanzaki H. Aria
Just kidding.

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