Original subtitles

"If our gods and our hopes are nothing but scientific phenomena, then it must be said that our love is scientific as well" - "L'Eve Future"

Report 202 to Control.

Arrived at target airspace.

Commencing data relay.

Fill me in.

The perp killed the owner 52 minutes ago at crime scene number one, then took off.

Ambushed and murdered two cops at crime scene number two, an unmapped alley.

All access points are blocked. We storm the place in two minutes.

That's the cyborg cop from Section 9.

Keep your distance. I hear his bad luck catches like the plague.

E-police wants to get involved. They're asking for a data link.

First it's Public Safety, now the E-police...

Decline their request... respectfully.

Help me...

Help me...

So far there have been eight cases of gynoids murdering their masters.

In each case, after killing their owners, the robots format their electronic brains and self-destruct.

The body in question is made by Locus Solus Company. Type 2052 Hadaly.

note: "locus solus" means "place of solitude" in Latin.

It's a prototype model developed for testing.

They were provided free of charge to beta testers.

Now they've recalled all the prototypes.

According to the most recent report,

they've identifed no defects in either software or hardware.

You get all that?

Manufacturer's latest gynoids go berserk and attack their owners...

company panics and recalls them all. They can expect lawsuits from bereaved families,

inevitable liability trials, and mammoth damage awards...

I get it all except why Section 9 is involved.

What does it mean, "to understand"...

No one can ever know that they understand something... They can only hope that they understand.

Now, there are two reasons for Section 9's involvement.

First, none of the victims' families have taken any legal action so far.

They have all chosen to settle out of court.

Second, one of the victims is a politician,

and one a retired police officer.

As long as there's a possibility that this may be a terrorist act,

it's our job to determine whether Section 9 should get involved.

Ishikawa and Azuma are investigating the victims.

You two investigate the gynoids.

No questions, just go.

I want to tell you, I didn't volunteer for this job.

I know I'm not as good as the Major.

It's not like that.

She's still listed as MIA.

All she ever had were her brain and her ghost anyway.

Even if she doubted that either one even existed.

Her body and brain belonged to the government.

Even the classified information in her memory belonged to the government.

All they want is to reclaim her memory, they don't care if she's dead or not.

So, where shall we start?

Locus Solus is in the far north, but let's start our investigation at the precinct, since it's nearby.

POLICE

3014, we have a code 208. 3014, we have a code 208. Please provide backup for 2033.

It's you...

About the doll this guy destroyed yesterday...

Two of our young men got killed...

... don't tell me you're taking over this case.

We're here to decide whether or not Section 9 will take over.

Forensics is on the right, at the end of the hallway on the 19th floor.

Need me to show you?

No thanks. It's not like I'm a tourist here.

An unripe fruit attracts no birds...

... they only come when it becomes sweet.

When you were a cop, didn't you also talk back to guys who came out of nowhere and tried to take over?

That's why I lost it. It was like looking back at a younger me.

"What's the point of blaming the mirror if you don't like what you see?"

note: he's quoting Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol.

"The mirror is not a tool for realizing the truth, but for obscuring it."

note: he's quoting Ryokuu Saitou.

Both of our faces aren't meant for mirrors.

Why do you keep coming back? I'm not going to cooperate.

I'll have you detained if you persist.

I am Togusa from Section 9. This scary-looking guy here is -

The guy who blasted this girl with a double-0 buck.

If only you had used a .50 caliber hollow point, we could have easily recovered the robot.

Two of the three victims were police officers.

She tried to commit suicide before getting shot...

... didn't she?

What was that about a suicide, ah...

Hallaway.

Miss Hallaway, what was that about a suicide?

The gynoids somehow obtained permission to hurt people.

Therefore, they must end their lives as a result of breaking the third law.

"Protect your own existence as long as you do not harm humans."

note: the third of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.

Technically I think you should call it self-destruction.

If you wish to underline the difference between human and machines.

Is the self-destruction phenomena specific to a certain model?

I can't say that's completely correct.

Over the last few years, the number of robot-related incidents has been rising sharply.

Most noticeably in petbot models.

What's the cause?

I don't know... Viral or micro-organism infection in the nervous system, human error during production, aging parts...

It could be many reasons, but...

But?

People throw robots away when they don't need them anymore.

They keep buying new ones every time a new model comes out.

Some of the discarded ones become vagrant and they deteriorate without maintenance.

The only thing a robot desires is not to be disposed of.

No way...

When people think "Humans are different from robots", it is no more profound than thinking "white is not black".

While this may not be the case for industry robots,

the androids and gynoids as petbots, at least,

were built free from utilitarianism and pragmatism.

Why are they are human-shaped?

Why did they need to be made in the image of the ideal human body?

I wonder why humans devote so much effort into making something similar to themselves.

Have you got any kids?

One daughter.

Children stray from the human norms.

That is, if you call "human" the thing that has an established self and acts according to its mind.

What is a child... an initial phase of a human being who lives without any concept of norms?

Obviously the content of a child is different from that of a human, and yet children are human shaped.

The doll a girl uses to play house with is not a substitute for an actual baby, nor is it a tool for practicing parenting.

The girl is definitely not practicing parenting.

Rather, playing with dolls and parenting might just be similar.

What are you talking about?

In other words, parenting is a quick method to realize the ancient human dream: to create an android.

Mind you, that's just my opinion.

Kids... are not dolls!

Descartes didn't distinguish between humans and machines or organic world and inorganic world.

When his daughter died at the age of five, he found a doll that looked just like her.

He named her Francine and doted on her.

There was a story like that.

Why don't we talk about something more concrete?

What can you tell me about that robot from Locus Solus, the Type 2052 "Hadaly"?

Well...

It's a high-quality product.

I hear that the body is a mass-produced beta version, but it seems to have a special configuration.

Special configuration?

It's equipped with some organs that are not necessary for the maid functions.

What do you mean?

It's a sexaroid.

It's not something that they want to be widely known, but it's not illegal.

I see... no wonder the families settled out of court.

The memory is reformatted when the robot stops functioning.

This is a normal procedure by the manufacturer to protect the technical information of the software.

But...

But what?

A file was left in the sound buffer. Do you want me to play it?

Help me...

Thanks for your help.

Hey...

I hesitate to ask such a thing, but...

I have never given birth to a child, nor raised one...

... and I'm not registered with an ovum bank.

Thank you very much, Miss...

Hallaway. "Miss" or "Mrs" aren't needed.

That woman didn't seem like the technical type.

She's the type who would add her opinions in the extra info fields.

I used to do that often too.

That's why you didn't get promoted?

Anyways we'll get that gynoid's brain at Section 9's lab.

We're not gonna see her again, huh?

Is she your type?

To tell you the truth, I happen to like older women. What's next?

Let's just stick to the routine.

Starting with the shipping inspector?

09 calling 907. We have a 602 at the boathouse in area 201.

Victim is the Locus Solus shipment inspector.

Site was secured two minutes after the precinct's arrival.

907 roger.

What good timing.

"Spring day. Taking the carriage back and forth between this world and hereafter."

note: he's quoting a haiku by Sonoko Nakamura.

What? Just you?

Koga brought the stiff to the coroner's after "re-encountering" his tuna sandwich dinner.

Weakling.

That's the situation 22 minutes ago.

You made the new guys clean this up?

They gotta learn some day.

Let's review the situation.

We've identified the victim's brain.

Head shipping inspector at Locus Solus Corporation. Jack Walkerson. 54 years old.

He disappeared after applying for a leave five days ago.

Three days ago, he rented this boathouse for one week.

The weapons were kitchen equipment.

We investigated the vehicles around the site and there was a parking record for a car whose owner has a criminal record.

We are looking into the possibility of mafia involvement.

From a jacket which we think belonged to the victim, we found seven different cards.

We're trying to pull up the records for each one.

Well, well...

A .38 calibre SW, model 2602.

Seems like he didn't have the chance to use it.

If it's that kind of gun, it probably wouldn't have made much difference.

Looks like a "cyborg with illegally high output"... Perhaps a professional trying to seem crazy.

969 calling 906. We will arrive in 20 seconds. Hey! What are you doing with th-

I'm not messing it up.

Let's leave the rest to forensics.

907 calling 09. We're leaving the site to 969.

09 roger.

Today is my daughter's birthday.

You got family, huh?

I'll drive you back.

I'm going in the opposite direction. Ishikawa?

Me too.

A daughter's birthday is more important, eh?

Seems fun here.

It's rare for you to come in person.

I came because parts of the stiff are missing.

I'll leave it up to you then. Have fun.

Why don't you leave it up to the local precinct?

The old man is really into this case.

We found them. They're in separate containers in the fridge.

Heart, liver, kidney and pancreas.

What a fussy bastard.

The fresh type by Inumaru Foods, huh? If you get the dry stuff, it'll last for at least half a year.

You call this food?

I hear you're partners with Togusa.

I think it's better than teaming up with a rookie fresh out of training.

For a former cop, he's good. It's not like I have any complaints about him.

Well, only the Major could compare to you.

Hey, - Ishikawa, you talk too much these days.

See you.

Batou.

What?

Just get the dry.

It's a wise choice, considering the nutrition balance.

The cause of death was the rupture of the cervical vertebrae.

The kitchen equipment was not the murder weapon, but the suspect used it to dissect the body.

You mean the suspect deliberately cut him up after killing him?

Seems like it.

The organs stored in the fridge are confirmed to be the victim's.

There are early symptoms of gastritis and cirrhosis. He was probably an alcoholic.

Why did the suspect dissect the body?

Could be a sadistic killer, or someone trying to impersonate one.

He was emphasizing the intent to punish or extract revenge.

In that case, it's highly unlikely that the suspect is a professional impersonating a sadistic killer.

What about the twisted doorknob?

According to the analysis, the suspect probably has an artificial limb similar to the NR26 model made in China.

Also known as "Crab Pincers."

That's military grade, isn't it?

You can find knockoffs on the black market.

It matched the lacerations on the neck, by the way.

What about the owner of the vehicle with the police record?

It was hard to investigate, 'cause it seems that the owner had it modified at several different shops, so -

Just give us the bottom line.

After cross-referencing with the nearby parking record,

the vehicle in question is owned by "Koujinkai."

note: Koujinkai is a kind of Bouryokudan, or Japanese mafia/gangster organization.

Bulletproof... Chassis and rear dampener were reinforced...

It was seen at the scene of the crime several times earlier.

This model is popular among cyborgs.

In other words, among thugs with illegal output ratings. Maybe Yakuza's revenge?

The question is the motive. What do we know about this "Koujinkai"?

They're a longstanding faction of the Japanese Bouryokudan.

They deal in drugs, prostitution, gambling, slave trafficking, real estate extortion, and just about everything else.

The boss, Inoue, got his head ripped off by the Hadaly three days ago, and now this Wakabayashi guy is taking over.

It's obvious, then.

The successor always avenges the death of the previous leader.

There's just one problem...

If the victim was expecting the revenge, then why did he hide precisely where the Koujinkai lurk?

The data in the brain was erased, so I guess we have no choice but to investigate the victim further.

Either way, this is the precinct's job.

Could it be terrorists impersonating out-of-control robots?

At this point, there's no political connection between the victims.

The possibility of terrorism is low.

We will transfer full jurisdiction of the "Hadaly" case to Batou and Togusa.

The rest of you, return to your regular duties. Dismissed.

Togusa.

Come see me before you leave.

What do you think?

For the time being, we can just investigate the connection between Koujinkai and Locus Solus.

I mean about Batou.

It's a standard procedure for one to check up on the psychological tendencies of his partner.

But I am neither a cyborg, nor a computer neurologist.

"One need not have been Caesar in order to understand Caesar."

note: he's quoting Max Weber.

You have a family, right? Do you consider yourself happy these days?

Yes... I guess...

"Most people are neither as happy nor as unhappy as they imagine. "

"What's important is not to get fed up with living and lose hope," apparently.

What do you mean?

Looking at him these days reminds me of the Major before she disappeared.

"Let one live alone doing no evil, care-free, like an elephant in the elephant forest."

note: he's quoting Buddha.

Director, why did you choose me?

Because it was the Major who had recommended you from the precinct.

What was that about?

"One need not have been Caesar in order to understand Caesar," he said.

That's true.

The world can't afford to live up to the standard of heroes.

Are you trying to start a war or something?!

You don't have to become Yakuza to enter Yakuza's den, but...

... you have to carry a weapon.

Hey, I want to make sure, before leaving...

Make sure what?

We're just gonna listen to their story, right?

You don't like Yakuza?

I hate them.

Me too.

Listen to them, that's it, right?

I told you, to enter Yakuza's den...

... you don't have to become Yakuza. But you also said you need a weapon.

I have a family!

I could go alone.

I'm going with you. I'm your partner. Just promise me.

We will just listen to them. We will try our best not to do any shooting. You satisfied?

Fine.

Then let's go, partner.

What the fuck do you want?

I want to talk to that Wakabayashi guy. Bring him here.

You said... you'd try your best...

I did...

... "try my best."

Point man, go. New ones are coming.

An image?

He hacked our eyes?

Blame your second-grade brains.

What's up?

Narrow and dark stairs. How should we do this?

Wait for my signal. I'll go first.

I'll go. You're too big to back up quickly.

Your little gift exploded right above my head.

Even if they had exploded with the maximum effect,

there's no way you can kill an armored cyborg with only two grenades.

Are you trying to mock me?

Talk to me. Not just about the murder of the head shipping inspector, but also the connection with Locus Solus.

I was hoping for a good fight.

Come on, crab shit. You don't look that tasty, but I'll give you a shot.

There's no way you could have hit me with a power move like that, idiot.

They said they would tell where the head shipping inspector was so we made a deal.

I just got out of prison after three years!

I have no idea what they were doing with that company!

Still alive, partner?

I had a vision of my wife and daughter's face filling my mind...

That's not your wife or daughter.

That's death.

I said you two have full jurisdiction,

not that you could enforce the law without following proper procedure,

let alone raid the Yakuza's den.

This is not a jungle.

And you guys are not Special Force hit men either.

Are you still angry?

I'm not angry.

It's just... I hesitate to say this after you saved my life...

... but when I team up with you...

... no matter how many lives I have, I'm sure it won't be enough.

The full responsibility of the investigation lies on just the two of us.

We'll get nowhere unless we take the initiative.

If there's any evidence against Locus Solus, it's up to us to find it.

But did you have to do it guns blazing?

If the old man were really angry, we would have been fired by now.

Right here, stop please.

See you.

note: the kanji on the door is "happy" written upside down. It's traditional for Chinese stores to have their kanji written upside down on the entrances.

You've entered the kill zone.

That right arm... don't perform any modifications to it by yourself, or anything.

There have been reports of newer versions of the control software

conflicting with your version of the shooting operation software and causing it to malfunction.

In that case, I'll reformat it.

Hey, where's the rest of my original?

Don't do it.

The organic material of that arm is matched with your DNA.

If I break it in, it'll be just like my original, huh?

Ouch! Hold on a sec!

Since you got my dog, that means...

We broke into your love nest.

When I imagine it crying, or hungry, covered with shit, waiting for the master who never returns,

I feel bad for the little fella.

I might not look it, but I like dogs.

I'm the one who kept it in my home for the night, though.

My daughter was so happy and my wife was pissed 'cause the carpet got dirty.

How long were you watching me?

That doesn't really matter.

It does matter! You used me as a screen!

You're the sucker who didn't realize it.

If you blame it on someone, blame it on the old man.

Is it a clone?

Buying an original is expensive, right?

This clone comes from the first dog to be hybridized by artificial insemination.

It's not like you to be ghosthacked so easily.

You let your guard down because your life became routine.

That's why I told you to get the dry.

That's her favorite.

In this neighborhood, I can get it only in that store.

You were like a puppet, completely under control.

After shooting yourself in the arm five times,

You were about to kill the old man at the counter.

Even with your guard down,

There aren't many guys out there who can hack a brain like yours.

Other than the Major, that is...

Why didn't he just blow my head off right away?

Because his purpose is not to eliminate you, but to cause a scandal.

You made a raid upon the Bouryokudan's den and you ended up sending ten guys to either heaven or the hospital.

In the same day you started shooting up a grocery store.

People can't help but think that either you went nuts or your AI went mad.

Hey, hold on! You mean this attack was not just an accident?

If we get out of this now - - The meaning of Section 9's existence will be in question.

If she was here, she would have said that.

A message from the old man: "Keep investigating."

"However, from now on, unless we find concrete evidence,"

"there's not gonna be any official support from the team. "

We have no choice but to hit Locus Solus.

"There's no better way to keep the plan top secret than to act swiftly. "

"Fly to the far north immediately," he says.

Just the two of us?

You two aren't enough?

Not that, but... What about the dog?

Precisely! In this profession, it's out of the question to have a dog. Even worse, you are single.

Who's gonna take care of her if you die?

You guys take care of that damn mutt!

This used to be the biggest information processing in the east.

It was in full flourish. That's Etorofu Economic Special Division.

This huge group of towers is all that remains of the ruins.

They took advantage of weak national supremacy

and now it's a nest of multinational corporations and the criminal organizations they employ.

It has become lawless zone, outside of UN netpolice and ASEAN telecom jurisdiction.

"What the individual creates is an expression of the individual, just as the individual is an expression of its genes." I remember those words.

note: paraphrasing Richard Dawkins.

You mean like a beaver's dam or spider's nest?

More like a coral reef that zoanthariae creates.

Well, it's not that beautiful, I guess.

If the essence of life is the information that spreads through genes, society and culture are also nothing but huge memory systems.

The city is a huge external memory device after all.

"How great is the sum of them!"

"If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."

Old Testament, "Psalms," chapter 139, huh?

If you can recall words like that in an instant,

The expression form of your memory device is probably a bit biased.

You're one to talk.

Sorry for interrupting, but we're approaching the Locus Solus headquarters.

We are detouring just for you guys, so take a good look at it.

The sightseeing tour is over. Preparing to land.

"Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks"

"In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shades High over-arch'd imbower."

Now it's Milton, huh? But we are not Satan.

Ba... Batou!

You talk big now, huh? Where did you learn to talk big enough to address me without -san or -sama?

I haven't forgotten the favor you did for me!

"I don't have to remember because I never forget," huh?

note: he's quoting Takao Dayuu.

Forgive me, Batou... -san!

I'm too good for you to address me with just "san."

Please forgive me! I beg you... ! I promise I'll remember this favor forever!

You know this Kim guy, right?

I don't know anyone like that.

No, that name is everywhere in this city.

There's only one Kim I'm looking for.

Trust is necessary in this line of business.

"There's two kinds of trust: Keeping secrets, and keeping promises."

You can't do both. Which kind is your trust?

They also say "without secrets, there is no promise!"

I'll ask it again. You know the Kim guy, right?

No, I don't know anyone with such a name...

"Life and death come and go like marionettes dancing on a table. Once their strings are cut, they easily crumble."

note: he's quoting Zeami.

Well?

He used to be a long distance scout in the Army.

"If you can't go over people, or under people, you deserve to fall by the roadside." That's him in a nutshell.

He drifted from special forces to electronic forces and so on.

Smuggled weapons and contraband, so he gained a bad reputation.

In the end, he settled down as hacker, as is often the case with these types.

"Amazing background," isn't it?

"If an ass goes a-traveling, he'll not come back a horse."

He ruined himself, like I expected from his personality. He's just an idiot.

Let's go.

note: "aemaeth" means "truth" in Hebrew.

Batou, he's in the study on the top floor.

We're too late.

He probably tried to hide underground somewhere.

He got his brain burnt out by an offensive firewall.

In any case, he wouldn't have been much help like this.

"As my testament, I firmly request that you not donate any live flowers, artificial flowers, or 'White Dove Releases'," it says.

Hey!

"When you sleep alone, you never look miserable like dead body."

note: he's quoting Confucius.

Confucius-sama says you should not sleep like a corpse.

note: the "-sama" is sarcasm.

I don't have time to deal with your trashy joke.

Long time no see. Last time we met was the landing operation in Nemuro.

I'm here on business.

Locus Solus, huh?

They entered the market as a robot manufacturer late, but

they expanded the business rapidly after they concentrated on developing and producing high-class gynoids.

Rumour is, they have close ties with politicians, high-level government official, and even criminal organizations.

They placed their production line on their plant ship,

registered as multinational and anchored offshore, because they were fearful of the involvement of the authorities,

Their dolls are supposed to be pretty good.

note: he's supposed to sound sarcastic.

Good enough to murder and commit suicide in the end, huh?

If that's true, it's a crude story.

I can't understand people trying to put a soul into a doll and imitate a human.

If there were such a thing as a truly beautiful doll,

it would be flesh and blood without a soul.

A corpse at the edges of collapsing, yet standing precariously at the precipice.

Is that why you transformed yourself into a pure AI?

Humans are inferior to dolls in the beauty of their appearance and movement.

No, even in their existence.

The imperfect nature of human perception causes the incompleteness of reality...

How complete this species is... Either they don't have consciousness,

or they acquire the infinite consciousness.

In other words, it can be realized only in dolls and Gods.

Why don't we talk business now?

No...

There's one other existence that can compare to dolls and Gods.

Animals?

Shelley's lark is full of deep, unconscious joy.

Joy that creatures with strong selfconsciousness like us can never feel.

For the offsprings of those who devour the fruit of perception,

It's more difficult than becoming God.

They have no choice but to pretend to be dead by becoming dolls.

Is that why?

"While you do not know life, how can you know about death?" So says Confucius.

Humans that understand death are rare.

"We usually do not suffer death by choice, but rather by stupidity and custom."

note: he's quoting La Rochefoucauld.

In other words, humans die because they can't help dying...

... but dolls in flesh and blood live knowing death is a given.

That's the reason Kim chose to completely turn himself into a robot.

And?

After that, he drifted from special forces to electronic forces and so on.

Smuggled weapons and contraband, so he gained a bad reputation.

In the end, he settled down as hacker, as is often the case with these types.

"Amazing background," I see.

"If an ass goes a-traveling, he'll not come back a..."

What's wrong? Let's go.

note: "maeth" means "death" in Hebrew.

Batou!

"In this month, today, I have happily passed away."

"Please announce this publicly."

Hey!

You feel really disgusted, don't you?

It's understandable.

The doubt over whether that which looks alive is actually alive...

On the contrary,

the doubt that things without life might be alive...

The reason why dolls are creepy is...

... that dolls are models of humans,

and it means they are nothing but humans themselves.

The fear that humans might merely be the sum of simple clockwork tricks and components...

In other words the fear of the phenomena called "human"...

... is essentially vanity.

Come on, let's talk business.

The science that attempted to explain the phenomenon called life played a role in producing this fear.

The belief that nature could be calculated leads to

the conclusion that humans can be broken down into simple machinery.

"The human body is a machine which winds its own springs. It is the living image of perpetual movement."

note: he's quoting Julien Offray de La Mettrie.

The human-machinery theory of the 18th century

has been revived by the technology of artificial brain implanting and cyborgs.

Since the time when computers made it possible to store memories externally,

in order to extend the limits of their functions as creatures,

humans continued to actively mechanize themselves.

It's a sign of the intent to transcend Darwin and win the fight of evolutionary theory on their own.

And it is also the intent to conquer the nature that created them.

The illusion that life is equipped with complete hardware is the source of this nightmare itself.

"God ever geometrizes."

note: he's quoting Plato.

Let's go.

Batou!

How do you feel?

What happened to me?

That was a virtual experience maze. You got hacked by the AI.

Just like good luck happens three times, bad luck also gives three signs.

You don't see because you don't want to. Even if you realize, you won't admit it. If someone tells you, you won't listen.

And you end up with catastrophe.

However, in our world, you don't even get three signs.

If you overlook the first sign, that's the end.

I told you, I don't have time for your nonsense.

When did you figure it out?

The one who is trying to deceive becomes deceived easily.

You might have been a professional ghosthacker,

but unfortunately for you, I'm also a professional in counterespionage.

I also have a guardian angel.

Search for the record of the hall in that massive store of data in the external memory device.

In Jacob Grimm's stories,

The golem was imbued with life from the word "aemaeth" written on its forehead;

In other words, "truth."

but it then had its prefix "ae" removed, so it now said "meath."

Specifically, it had "death" written on it, and the golem returned to lifeless clay.

That was the angel's voice saying there is no truth in this mansion.

You're saying you hacked through the firewall I created?

No way! No one can do such thing!

I told you, it's my guardian angel.

Game over, Kim. You've got a lot of explaining to do.

That's just a doll.

You've become a bad loser, Kim. You think you can deceive me like that?

Batou, how do you know that this isn't the continuation of the virtual reality signal I created?

I hear a whisper... in my ghost.

Humans are merely the material from which the dream called "life" is weaved;

"Dreams"... "cognition"... and even "ghosts"...

If they were cracks or distortions in the uniform matrix of reality...

Then I'd also be a useless empty shell like you,

but the shoes I'm wearing are different from yours.

For a bastard who doesn't believe in ghosts,

there's no such thing as insanity or nervous breakdowns.

Your so-called shell will continue to function physically until the unworthy death comes to you.

Are you sure we are back to the physical reality?

There's nothing that distinguishes artificial memories from experienced memories.

Whichever one this is,

you'll only ever realize later on.

It's impossible to know you're in a dream when you're dreaming. Unfortunate, eh?

As long as you have AI and allow external input to write to your memory,

that's the price you have to pay.

How can you be sure that your wife and daughter, waiting for you at home, actually exist?

Maybe you're just a single guy in some room, dreaming of having a family.

Would you want to wake up from that dream?

If you knew, why didn't you stop it?!

I needed to make sure Locus had hired Kim.

They expected me to come and ask Kim for a favor, so they set up a trap.

Tried to turn me away by putting me through a nightmarish virtual experience. Probably something like that.

When they screwed me over and got me to shoot my right arm off,

they might have put a branch in my AI.

Like Ishikawa said,

there aren't many guys out there who can do this kind of stuff.

Locus Solus knows that.

So you expected this from the beginning.

I was going to pretend to be trapped and try to get to Kim's AI,

but that Kim bastard, he's got some skills.

If there was no sign, I certainly couldn't have escaped.

What about the "guardian angel" you were talking about?

She's gone.

Over the crack of the uniform matrix.

Somewhere in the vast net, growing together with its whole domain.

If you want to search for evidence that you exist, there are as many ways as there are ghosts.

For example, you have a daughter.

When we were in the jungle,

Kim would have known this too.

There's only one thing I figured out.

What?

I'm not good enough to be your partner.

So you want to give up now.

I know I say this many times,

but I want to stay alive and go back to my daughter.

You have to earn that paycheck, though.

What more is there to do?

With the data in Kim's AI, we can prove that Locus Solus is connected to that crime...

All we have evidence of is obstructing police investigation,

and violation of AI ethics.

Even worse, our investigation is unofficial.

We need material evidence to hold them liable for the gynoid serial murder case.

You say that, but you've broken the line from Kim's head!

It's not broken. His ghost-packed AI is still connected to Locus Solus.

We have to act quickly before they dispose of all the evidence.

People in the old days said a good thing like this:

"He is my disciple no more. Beat the drum, my little ones, and attack him; you have my permission."

note: he's quoting Confucius.

It's time to ditch the negotiation and start the violence.

Hey, this is different from our raid on the Yakuza.

I'm not expecting too much from your Mateba.

note: the Mateba is the revolver that Togusa uses, despite recommendations to switch to a fully automatic weapon.

"Birds hide high up in the sky, and fish hide deep in the water."

note: he's quoting Ryokuu Saitou.

I've made contact with the escort.

Roger.

I'm surprised you decided to dive with that body.

It's very deep around here, so if you sink, we won't be able to find you.

I used to know this cyborg who dived for fun.

And?

I didn't understand her.

I'm doing this for you only because Lin introduced you.

I hear nobody has come out alive after entering that ship.

So I don't understand you either.

I know. Keep going.

Hang on tight.

In twelve seconds, I'll be in range of the picket radius of the sensor.

I'll run the virtual signal on the line for only two seconds.

Roger.

This guy is directly connected to the security chief's Al.

Starting synchronization.

I'm in. Give me the ship schematics.

Loading finished. Are you on my eyes?

Of course! My great mentor is going in. I've started recording.

Watch and learn, little boy.

note: these lines are spoken in Chinese.

Intrusion!

Security system restarted on level two.

Probing entire facility for Al activity.

Searching for terminal with memory activity matching virus size.

Also searching for incubating viruses.

Link to security chief failed.

Performing system reboot.

System reboot completed. Security level two initialized.

Setting up detour for invader.

Rebuilding firewall.

Loading antivirus definitions.

Virus scan in progress.

Tracing. Equipping decoys.

Incubating virus pattern found in the firewall. They have all activated.

Firewall 014 breached.

Firewall 032 error number 280 occurred.

Quarantining infected areas.

Surrounding firewall. Rebuilding at level one.

Enemy attacking firewall. Movement pattern identified.

Starting virus transfer.

Evacuate! It's too dangerous from here! You'll get your brain burnt out!

Not yet. I can do a little bit more.

Idiot! Don't be unreasonable.

note: this is the "Puppet" poem by Zeami.

note: these lines are spoken in Chinese.

Gynoid's production line.

Irregular input at last process of type Hadaly.

Presumed to be unidentified incubating pattern virus.

Deploy all antiviral tools and restrain.

Impossible. The whole fuselage operation unable to link to system.

Combat mode body control program currently loading.

Warning. Body of THO7 line malfunctioning.

Security team, arm yourself and proceed to line in question. Repeat...

The holy spirit has arrived.

Long time no see, Major.

Or how should I call you now?

Technically, only part of me was loaded through the satellite.

This gynoid Al's memory capacity is a little cramped.

It's already full with just my combat mode body control system.

So forgive the quality of my facial expression and voice.

Pass this corridor, about 50 meters ahead,

there should be an emergency terminal.

I'll connect from there and overwhelm the system all at once.

You haven't changed at all.

Go ahead, point man. I'll back you up.

Just like old times.

"Some look into a mirror and don't see evil."

"It doesn't reflect evil, but creates it."

Hey, this is no time to get all emotional.

Not much ammo left.

"Namely, you should look down on mirrors; not into them."

note: she's continuing the quote from Ryokuu Saitou.

Hey, are you okay?

I just have to hold this ship's control system.

Connect this to the side terminal on the floor.

I'm going to have to shut down physical control over this body until I finish hacking.

It's entirely up to your .30 caliber.

I can handle the shooting, but there's only one extra clip left.

If this turns into hand-to-hand combat, I can't guarantee I'll be able to hold them off.

I'm going in.

Irregular connection to main system from within ship.

note: these lines are spoken in Chinese.

Within ship?

Searching for connection point. Deploying offensive firewall.

There are multiple virtual signals from multiple terminals.

No indication of any AI activity increasing at any of the terminals.

Searching for all external connection points.

Shutting down all external connection including our corporate line.

Input device outside ship physically separated.

No response from emergency control system.

Remote initialization impossible.

Virus integration and spreading mode in progress in each section.

Core system firewall breached.

Preparing for system reboot.

Data quarantine started at level one.

Many irregular connections found in core system.

Response speed is not keeping up.

I've overwhelmed them. I closed down all the external connections.

This ship is in stand-alone mode.

It's moving?

This ship is heading towards the nearest country where we have jurisdiction to prosecute.

This ship itself is the evidence we need to prove Locus Solus' crime.

What if Locus Solus tries to recapture the ship?

A convoy will show up to escort it.

I have already contacted naval support.

Meanwhile, why don't we go take a look at the secret behind Locus Solus' ability to imbue their dolls with soul?

You already know the secret, don't you?

You have some idea too, right?

There's no noise. Are they shielded from electromagnetic radiation?

Ghost dubbing.

By experimenting on animals, they've discovered that they can make a poor quality mass copy,

but the original brain gets destroyed in the process, so this technology was banned.

They brainwash the children smuggled by the Koujinkai,

and dub their ghosts into the gynoids' bodies.

No wonder Locus Solus' gynoids were so lifelike.

Help me...

Help me...

You came to help me. Walkerson-san said so.

He said that people from the police will come. That they would help me.

I am at my fourth dubbing, but Sowana who came with me is at her fifth.

She doesn't hear anything and she doesn't answer anymore.

The head shipping inspector who got killed changed the ethics code programming for these kids.

When Locus Solus found out, they had him killed, under the pretense of predecessor's revenge. That's my theory.

He said if the robots create some accidents, then somebody will notice.

That someone will come help us.

Don't you realize what kind of chaos you have caused?

I'm not talking about just about the humans...

Didn't you think about the dolls who were forced to have malicious ghosts dubbed into them?!

But... but... but...

I didn't want to become a doll!

"You cry for bird's blood, but not for fish blood."

"Fortunate for ones with voice."

If the dolls also had voices,

they would have screamed, "I didn't want to become human!"

Let me ask you something. Do you think you're happy now?

Well... I'm feeling nostalgic...

At least I am at peace at this point.

"Let one live alone doing no evil, care-free..."

note: quoting Buddha.

"... like an elephant in the elephant forest."

Batou, don't forget...

When you access the net,

I will always be beside you.

I'm going now.

She showed up in that ship, right?

Your guardian angel...

Silence again, huh? Do you think I'm gonna write that down in the report?

I'll come pick you up tomorrow at 08 20 hours.

I also thank you for taking care of her.

If you'd like, why don't you come in?

I have no interest in intruding in on other people's family gatherings.

Papa!

Hey, a present! A present?

I didn't forget.

Follow me

to a land across the shining sea

Waiting beyond the world that we have known

Beyond the world that dream could be

And the joy we have tasted

Follow me

along the road that only love can see

Rising above the fun years of the night

Into the light beyond the tears

And all the years we have wasted

Follow me

to a distant land this mountain high

Where all the music that we always kept inside will fill the sky

Singing in the silent swerve a heart is free

While the world goes on turning and turning

Turning and falling

Follow me

to a distant land this mountain high

Where all the music that we always kept inside will fill the sky

Singing in the silent swerve a heart is free

While the world goes on turning and turning

Turning and falling

Follow me

Follow me

Follow me

Follow me

Follow me

Follow me