Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Pyrophoric Cult (2015)

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Pyrophoric Cult (2015)

Dirs. Kazuchika Kise / Masaki Tachibana | Length: 46 mins (approx)

Pyrophoric Cult serves a dual purpose: it's a continuation of the Arise version of GitS that picks up a few of the loose ends that were left after Border 4, and it leads into GitS: The New Movie. That means it's a bridge narrative, a situation that's very apparent, given that it has no proper ending. It's an enjoyable adventure for the most part, but it feels like half a story.

The 'Fire-Starter' virus that was mentioned a few times in the previous one-hour features but never fully explored is the central threat. It gets pushed to the fore when a group of cyber-brain engineers are murdered. The question of why the killings happened, and more specifically why it was those individuals that were targeted, starts a chain of events that the team must solve. But the operation is to be a joint venture with a foreign power.

There are things that Pyrophoric Cult does well, but there are just as many things that it does badly. In its favour, the relationship between Aramaki and Motoko is strengthened (cleverly, by both their differing views and their singular commitment to the same goal), and there's a feeling that even when he takes a step back he's testing the capabilities of the team, particularly the Major, and/or occasionally guiding their motivations. In that way, he's a father figure, but one who isn't afraid to let his children make their own mistakes - because therein lies wisdom.

There's a short reactionary scene, when a familiar face appears unexpectedly, that may be interpreted as contributing to Motoko's need to customise/personalise/tweak her prosthetic body parts. It's a situation that's highlighted, but I admit that perhaps I read too much into it.

The shorter running time means that the twists and turns of the plot happen quickly, but they generally don't feel too forced. And the sense of teamwork is well-integrated into the story.

The flaws exist both in tandem with and, to a greater degree, outside of those concerns. Rather than list them, I'll mention just the most devastating one: it still feels unfinished - even more so than Border 4 did. The dual purpose of Pyrophoric Cult defines it, completely, which means its success or failure can be measured in two ways: by what it achieves independently, or by its being partly reliant on the weight of what bookends it. In both cases, it could've been better.

Note: The release pictured is the Japanese single-disc standalone version. The story also exists as episodes 9 + 10 of the GitS: Arise: Alternative Architecture TV series.