REVIEW: ‘The Ghost In The Shell’ Episode 4 — “Robot Rondo”

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4, “Robot Rondo,” sees androids going haywire and turning on their human owners. When a VIP gets attacked, Section 9 is called in to investigate. However, their methods and attitudes towards the case and those involved leave the group looking little better than the crooks they eventually apprehend.

At the center of this week’s narrative is Batou (Hiroki Yasumoto, Metallic Rouge). The Section 9 strong man steps into the limelight as the outfit is tasked with investigating what is going on with the rogue units. Kept mostly as a comic relief element in previous episodes, the chance to see this version of the character fleshed out was one I had hoped would yield good results. Sadly, it only took him from being a joke to being loathsome. 

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 turns Batou into a loathsome character.

At first, Batou is merely disinterested in the violence they have been called in to investigate, seeing it as a job beneath him. However, as he and Togusa (Yûichi Nakamura, Clevatess) dive deeper into the case, far worse attitudes come out that should have someone concerned about the man’s mental state.

After apprehending a murderer, The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 has Batou torture the assailant on the spot for information. The ex-Ranger’s methods of extracting information are terrible. That no issue is raised about his methods makes the moment feel worse, as it lends it a sense of tacit approval. 

Introducing that Batou is a loose cannon who can go off is fine; forcing Section 9 to address whether the man’s skills are worth keeping an eye on him could create a compelling moral dilemma for the group. But having Batou show no hesitation or concern over using inhuman tactics, and having no repercussions come from it, simply makes the entire organization look bad. 

Batou’s response to the revelation about the trafficked children is ridiculous.

On top of this act of wanton cruelty, The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 continues to showcase Batou’s many personal failings. Once he is finished gathering information, the forced confession leads to a massive crime involving child trafficking, murder, and illegal Ghost Dubbing. Ghost dubbing is when a copy of a person’s ghost is made, to the direct detriment and eventual death of the original. 

Batou learns that some of the trafficked children were behind the malfunctioning androids. They hoped it would lead people back to them before they got used up in the ghost dubbing machine. Batou’s response to this revelation is to chastise the children for causing the androids to malfunction, resulting in crimes being committed. 

The response from Batou in this moment is ridiculous. The kids were scarred to death and were desperate not to be murdered. Chastising them for breaking laws to escape such a predicament is cold-hearted at best. But what makes Batou’s lecture even more galling is the fact that, for the entire episode, he hasn’t given a single care about any of the problems caused by the situation, beyond their ability to inconvenience him. This makes him look both uncaring and hypocritical. Not the response you want from law enforcement when confronted with a trafficked child. 

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 is not good.

Making The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 even worse is the decision to amp up its fan service. You never need to establish scenes with shots that focus on scantily-clad female butts; however, opting to start doing so in an episode centered on human trafficking and child torture feels like bad taste. 

The only good thing that can be said about the entry is the animation. The malfunctioning androids are brought to life with unsettling movements, giving them an instantly threatening aura. The inhuman ways a synthetic fights are also delivered with similar skillful effect, making it an interesting visual moment, elevating an otherwise brief scuffle. 

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 4 is not good. The events that play out color not only Batou, but those who would work with him. Establishing that Section 9 seems to have no worries about torture and no sympathy for the victims of wanton cruelty does nothing for the group, and leaves me actively wondering why anyone should root for them, as they only seem better than their targets when being forced to be by orders. 

The Ghost in the Shell Episode 4 is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

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