REVIEW: ‘The Ghost In The Shell’ Episode 5 — “Phantom Fund”

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5, “Phantom Fund” sees Section 9 investigate Sagawa Electronics Corporation due to concerns about their recent activities. Information about the corporation has prompted Aramaki (Kazuhiro Yamaji, One Punch Man) to send his team to find out what is going on. But when one of their recruits, previously assigned to tail a company employee, turns up dead, the case becomes personal for Batou (Hiroki Yasumoto, Megalo Box). 

The most striking elements of this episode for long-time fans of the franchise will be numerous familiar elements from other entries that show up here. Characters who appeared in different stories in other outings show up, and even the location feels like the location used in Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, which largely expanded on the investigation from the last episode. We also get the first introduction of this series’ take on the long-running debate over Batou giving his Fuchikoma (Tomoko Kaneda, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War) natural oil as the think tanks play a larger role in the narrative for the first time. 

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5’s animation engagingly presents the group’s field operation.

Beyond the connections to the larger franchise, The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5 delivers a solid action story in its own right. With the entire team deployed for the first time, we get to see the group functioning in the field to their full potential. A wide range of tactics is used in the group’s infiltration of the company. From stealth and muscle to calling in connections and hacking, every talent the agency can wield is brought to bear, highlighting the team’s versatility. 

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5’s animation engagingly presents the group’s field operation. The action delivers the speed and power of its moments with ample skill, making these moments pop. The more emotional scenes also hit well, thanks to the visual presentation’s willingness to put equal effort into that side of the narrative, keeping the story feeling balanced. Batou’s anger at Section 9’s loss helps flesh out his character more, showing a genuine side to his personality for the first time.

One surprising space for the visuals is with its restraint. When The Major visits a hacker contact to set up false access for her, the individual is shown in the company of a couple of scantily clad android ‘dolls’; I expected the camera to display an unhealthy fixation on certain elements of the dolls’ design. However, the camera work does a great job of not shying away from the clear purpose of the dolls, while not feeling it necessary to set any shots with butts or busts needlessly placed in the foreground. A reasonable handling of a fan-service element of the scene.

The Fuchikoma bring a much-needed childish energy to the narrative.

The animation also does a great job of selling the humor visually, although this element of the series still often feels out of place in its implementation. Kusanagi (Maaya Sakamoto, Fire Force) accidentally pulling a gun on a security bot when she hot-faked clearance into an area struggles conceptually, no matter how well her goof is visually presented. 

Providing a more successful vehicle for the series’ comedy are the Fuchikomas. The childish energy the AI brings to the narrative functions as a far better humor mechanism. Their goofy nature doesn’t feel contradictory to their skills. This is due to their nature as programmed entities whose personalities and functions are not so intrinsically linked as a person’s are. 

The climactic confrontation does a lot to reestablish the show’s perception.

While Kusanagi’s part in the humor doesn’t help shore up her presence as a competent agent, The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5’s climactic confrontation does a lot to reestablish that perception. The unique conflict The Major faces forces her to showcase both combat prowess and quick thinking as she deals with a powerful foe. This sequence also showcases Kusanagi’s hacking skills through a moment that delivers an excellently crafted retro-futuristic look for the world’s cyber-net.

The Ghost In The Shell Episode 5 is a strong entry in the series. While it still mishandles some of its humor, the rest of the series’ presentation does a great job of showcasing why Section 9 is viewed as elite agents through their versatility and potent skill sets.

The Ghost in the Shell Episode 5 is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

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