Back

Embraced by a Disguised Net

EpisodeEp. 19

Embraced by a Disguised Net is the nineteenth episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. A high-profile abduction forces a politician to abandon his cover-up and drags a hidden trafficking ring into the glare of national media.

Japanese Air Date: February 4, 2003
English Air Date: March 20, 2005
Director: Minoru Ohara
Writer: Shotaro Suga
Text Size

Summary

Section 9 takes the case after the daughter of former Prime Minister Kanzaki vanishes. Suspicion lands on the figure nicknamed Blindfold Ivan, a cover identity for the North Territories branch of the Russian mob. The pattern is grimly consistent: across roughly three days a string of young women are seized, hauled to butchery workshops, and killed so their organs and cybernetic parts can feed the black market.

Kanzaki had spent months burying reports of the mass disappearances and denying that Blindfold Ivan even existed, hoping to keep relations with Russia warm. With his own daughter now among the missing, Aramaki presses him to go public, and the confession detonates. What had been a quiet investigation becomes a nationwide scandal, and a former Foreign Intelligence Service officer running the operation suddenly finds herself and her captives at the center of a media storm.

Cornered, the officer tries to reach the Russian Embassy for asylum, but the diplomats refuse to shelter her amid the uproar. Her attempt collapses, ending in her arrest and the recovery of the abducted women.

Text Size

Key Events

Section 9 links the disappearance of Kanzaki's daughter to the trafficking operation fronted as Blindfold Ivan.

At Aramaki's urging, Kanzaki publicly admits the kidnappings he had long suppressed, reversing his diplomatic cover-up.

The ex-Foreign Intelligence Service officer behind the ring is denied embassy asylum, then captured, freeing the hostages.

Text Size

Notes

The episode is a stand-alone entry in the first Stand Alone Complex season and carries the subtitle CAPTIVATED. Minoru Ohara directed it from a script by Shotaro Suga.

Its Japanese broadcast was February 4, 2003, and the English airing came on March 20, 2005. It follows Assassination Duet and leads into Vanished Medication.

Share this resource

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Embraced by a Disguised Net about in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex?

Embraced by a Disguised Net follows Section 9 as they investigate the abduction of former Prime Minister Kanzaki's daughter, tracing it to a trafficking ring hidden behind the identity Blindfold Ivan.

Who is Blindfold Ivan in Embraced by a Disguised Net?

Blindfold Ivan is a cover identity for the North Territories branch of the Russian mob in Embraced by a Disguised Net, actually run by a former Foreign Intelligence Service officer who abducts young women for their organs and cybernetic parts.

Why does Kanzaki finally admit the kidnappings in Embraced by a Disguised Net?

Kanzaki had spent months denying the disappearances to protect relations with Russia, but once his own daughter is abducted in Embraced by a Disguised Net, Aramaki presses him to go public, and his confession triggers a national scandal.

How does the trafficking ring get stopped in Embraced by a Disguised Net?

In Embraced by a Disguised Net, the former Foreign Intelligence Service officer running the ring tries to seek asylum at the Russian Embassy but is refused amid the media uproar, leading to her arrest and the recovery of the abducted women.

When did Embraced by a Disguised Net air, and where does it fall in Stand Alone Complex?

Embraced by a Disguised Net is the nineteenth episode of the first Stand Alone Complex season, airing in Japan on February 4, 2003, between Assassination Duet and Vanished Medication.

Sources & Information

Looking for more on Embraced by a Disguised Net? The Ghost in the Shell Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.

View on Fandom

This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Ghost in the Shell anime series, manga, and official materials. Ghost in the Shell was created by Masamune Shirow, published by Kodansha, and animated by Production I.G. All rights to Ghost in the Shell and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.

Rights holders

All rights belong to their respective owners.

Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Anime, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:

  • Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Production I.G and Kodansha.
  • Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
  • Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Kodansha and Masamune Shirow.
  • Licensed imagery: Photographs of real people, including creators, voice actors and production staff, are used under licence from the rights holder or the applicable stock provider, or under the terms of a public licence permitting editorial use. Each such image is reproduced in its licensed form and remains the property of its owner.
  • Exceptions: Limited exceptions to the practices described above may apply to individual entries. Where an exception applies, it is noted on the entry itself alongside the applicable attribution. Rights holders may contact us regarding any attribution and it will be reviewed promptly.

Help Us Keep This Wiki Accurate

Daddy Jim Anime maintains this encyclopedia. If you spot an error, a translation issue, or something that doesn't look right, let us know.