I picked the above scene from Ghost in the Shell to analyze, because I thought it was one of the most interesting in the entire movie. This scene takes place towards the end of the movie (I am not sure of the official time stamp relative to the entire movie; however I would particularly like to focus on 5:10-end in the clip above). I think that this portion of the movie does an excellent job of demonstrating the duality of the “ghost” and “shell” aspects of Major Kusanagi’s existence. As Kusanagi attempts to rip the latch off of the tank, we see the uncaniness of her own existence. Her fit and elegant body contorts into a monstrous ball of muscles and tendons; and we see theses muscles and tendons tear underneath her skin as she strains with the tank. Quickly, Kusanagi’s body explodes under this great pressure into a mess of blood, muscle, skin, and cybernetic materials. She flops to the ground having lost one of her arms—an excruciating experience, which would have most definitely rendered a normal human unconscious. However, Kusanagi’s body—her shell—is only part of her existence. In fact I would argue that her ghost, and her shell are two mutually exclusive entities, because Kusanagi’s shell can be replaced, thanks to the technological advances of the movie’s futuristic society. Kusanagi is able to survive, even though her body is ripped to pieces. Throughout the whole movie, Kusanagi questions her own existence and being, and we get the sense both from her own musings and the cybernetic connection in the back of her neck, that she is not entirely “human.” However, this scene is the first time when we truly understand the make–up of Kusanagi’s being. Her body is not “human,” but a combination of “human” biological parts, technology, and a human “essence” or ghost. Thus I believe this scene is critical to Masamune Shirow’s commentary on technological development, as well as what it means to be “human.”