Batou
Encyclopedia
is a main male character in the Ghost in the Shell
series, the second best melee fighter in Section 9, and is the second in command under Major
Motoko Kusanagi
.
While his name is officially romanized
as "Batou", in some copies of the first film's subtitles and credits, it is spelled "Bateau
" (the French
word for "boat").
's films of the same name. He frequently jokes with Motoko, Togusa
, the Tachikomas, and practically everyone else who crosses his path. His serious side becomes much more pronounced in a chapter of the manga where Yano, a trainee of Batou's, is murdered by a cyber-criminal named Koil Krasnov. Batou loses his temper and impulsively calls up Section 9 Chief Aramaki, demanding an explanation for Yano's death, then storms off announcing (in the English translation), "That…Koil is dead meat!"
Batou had seemingly hated anyone who tried to make Section 9 fix the mess of another organization, such as the AI hijacking of the Jigabachi choppers in the SAC series. However in the Ghost in the Shell movie he appears more stoic and silent than his TV and Manga counterpart. Particularly in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Batou also appears moderately distant and possibly bitter. In addition, he jokes around with a hint of irony being mentioned.
, serialized in Kodansha
's "Young Magazine Pirate Edition" from 1989 to 1991. Unlike S.A.C., where in a similar situation Batou spares the life of an ex-C.I.A. operative, Batou makes good on his threat and personally terminates Koil. His appearance and style of dress varies considerably over the series' run.
In Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
, Batou makes only a token cameo appearance, and is hardly recognizable. His head is shaved, and he is dressed in a simple black outfit. His sense of humor remains intact though. During a psychic monitoring of the virtual contact between the main character of the manga and another entity on the net, the psychic states, "Something of substance, something fruitful has passed between them," to which Batou remarks, "A persimmon
maybe?" This prompts Chief Aramaki to issue an ultimatum
: "If you can't be serious you can leave the room." He also asks to link with the psychic when she suffers a similar experience to Motoko's contact with the Puppet Master
, but is vetoed.
and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
. In the Ghost in the Shell
film and its sequel Batou is much more subdued, even to the point of brusqueness. In the first movie, Batou is depicted having a white crew-cut similar to the manga, while in the second movie Batou has a short ponytail. In the films and both anime seasons, Batou's original voice has always been provided by Akio Ōtsuka. The English dubbed voice is provided by voice actor Richard Epcar
.
Batou is the central character of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
, which centers around his reaction to the disappearance of Major Motoko Kusanagi at the end of the first movie. Director Mamoru Oshii comments that the investigation is really secondary to the plot. What is most notable about Batou's emotion in Innocence is his lack thereof; for the most part he expresses nothing whatsoever. In fact, the commentary on the Innocence DVD touches on the fact that it is Batou's lone companion, a Basset Hound
named Gabriel, that express almost all of the emotion in the entire movie. When Batou is required to leave in order to continue his investigation, Gabriel is taken to Togusa
's family to be taken care of, much to the delight of Togusa's young daughter and dread of his wife. Ishikawa, Batou's senior, chides him for keeping such a high-maintenance dog since he is a single man in a dangerous line of work. It is left up to the viewer to decide exactly what feelings Batou has or had for the Major, but there is rampant speculation that the movie is, at least in part, a love story. After he shot his own right arm as a result of brain-hacking, it was replaced with a new DNA-matched prosthetic with a two-shot shotgun hidden inside. Batou is depicted as being tougher than in other Ghost In The Shell incarnations, as seen in his ability to shoot two live grenades and survive and his gigantic leap down the shaft of the Locus Solus factory ship. In both theatrical films, Batou carries a gun dubbed a Jericho 942, based on the real Jericho 941
made by IMI
but chambered for .50AE. In Innocence, he is also seen with a compact S&W pistol and a small semiautomatic shotgun. Other sources, including the Innocence prequel novel "After the Long Goodbye" note that Batou's S&W pistol is chambered for the .40 S&W
cartridge.
series, Batou's personality resembles his manga counterpart as he is an outgoing joker, but with a quick temper. Being emotional and not as calm as the Major, Batou shows anger at injustice and cruelty. He sometimes shows impatience with Section 9's rookies, such as Togusa
and jokes with him constantly.
At times, he is also shown to be a voice of reason and concern for the Major, to the point that she admits she can confide in him. Like the films, the series hints some romantic tension between the Major and Batou. This tension is touched upon in the Solid State Society
film, when Batou admits that he's been covering up any of the Major's appearances in cases prior to the Puppeteer case. The movie closes with Batou's arm around the Major, although it's doubtful that the gesture is foretelling of any relationship between the two.
Batou had served in a military special forces
and often suggested that he was a JGSDF Ranger before entering Section 9. Despite the fact that his cybernetic body has nothing to gain from exercise, Batou lifts weights as a hobby. Based on several of the Stand Alone Complex episodes, Batou seems to have served in the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force at some point before he joined Section 9.
In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Batou is the favorite of the Tachikoma
s because he showers them with care and affection (in episode 2.15 it is also extremely apparent that he shares a physical similarity with their chief programmer). He has even dubbed one his "personal" Tachikoma, refusing to operate any other on an assignment and treating it with organic oil
, both habits which culminate in problems. Later in the series the Tachikoma
's AI
starts to develop rapidly, which is attributed to a mutation in a protein chip caused by Batou's natural oil. Also, as Batou treats them as individuals as opposed to interchangeable units, they begin to view themselves as such, which contributes to the development of their AI.
Near the end of Ghost in The Shell Second Gig Batou engages Hideo Kuze in combat but he is defeated when Kuze immobilizes Batou's right leg and subsequently impales Batou with a pole. Kuze tells Batou that the only reason that Batou lost was because of "minor differences in motivation".
Batou is sometimes seen driving a yellow Lancia Stratos
coupe, an Italian high performance car from the late 1970s, a rare car of which only 492 were ever made. Togusa uses Batous' love of his old car as a comeback after Batou chides him for using a revolver instead of a more modern weapon.
.
The name "Batou" also means "eight-headed" in Mandarin Chinese, which is significant since "Kusanagi" was the name of a sword that was taken from Orochi, an eight-headed and eight-tailed sea dragon in Japanese mythology.
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
series, the second best melee fighter in Section 9, and is the second in command under Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Motoko Kusanagi
Motoko Kusanagi
is a fictional Japanese character in the Ghost in the Shell anime and manga series. She is a cyborg employed as the squad leader of Public Security Section 9, a fictional division of the real Japanese National Public Safety Commission. She is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in the movies and the Ghost in...
.
While his name is officially romanized
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
as "Batou", in some copies of the first film's subtitles and credits, it is spelled "Bateau
Bateau
A bateau or batteau is a shallow-draft, flat-bottomed boat which was used extensively across North America, especially in the colonial period and in the fur trade. It was traditionally pointed at both ends but came in a wide variety of sizes...
" (the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word for "boat").
Personality
Shirow's characterization of Batou in the manga, and indeed the other members of Section 9, is notably more light-hearted than the characterization used in Mamoru OshiiMamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, Ghost in the Shell, and Patlabor 2...
's films of the same name. He frequently jokes with Motoko, Togusa
Togusa
is the second most prominently featured male character in the Ghost in the Shell manga and anime series. In Stand Alone Complex, as well as the original Ghost in the Shell movie, it is stated that he is the only member of Section 9 who has not undergone cybernetic replacement in some manner as he...
, the Tachikomas, and practically everyone else who crosses his path. His serious side becomes much more pronounced in a chapter of the manga where Yano, a trainee of Batou's, is murdered by a cyber-criminal named Koil Krasnov. Batou loses his temper and impulsively calls up Section 9 Chief Aramaki, demanding an explanation for Yano's death, then storms off announcing (in the English translation), "That…Koil is dead meat!"
Batou had seemingly hated anyone who tried to make Section 9 fix the mess of another organization, such as the AI hijacking of the Jigabachi choppers in the SAC series. However in the Ghost in the Shell movie he appears more stoic and silent than his TV and Manga counterpart. Particularly in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Batou also appears moderately distant and possibly bitter. In addition, he jokes around with a hint of irony being mentioned.
Manga
Batou originally appeared in the manga authored by Masamune ShirowMasamune Shirow
is an internationally renowned manga artist, born on November 23, 1961.Masamune Shirow is a pen name, based on a famous swordsmith, Masamune. He is best known for the manga Ghost in the Shell, which has since been turned into two theatrical anime movies, two anime TV series, an anime TV movie, and...
, serialized in Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's "Young Magazine Pirate Edition" from 1989 to 1991. Unlike S.A.C., where in a similar situation Batou spares the life of an ex-C.I.A. operative, Batou makes good on his threat and personally terminates Koil. His appearance and style of dress varies considerably over the series' run.
In Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface
is a six chapter manga that was originally released in 11 separate issues, written and drawn by Masamune Shirow. It was first released in Japan in a serialized format in Young Magazine by Kodansha. The same publisher later collected these works with significant changes into the limited SOLID BOX...
, Batou makes only a token cameo appearance, and is hardly recognizable. His head is shaved, and he is dressed in a simple black outfit. His sense of humor remains intact though. During a psychic monitoring of the virtual contact between the main character of the manga and another entity on the net, the psychic states, "Something of substance, something fruitful has passed between them," to which Batou remarks, "A persimmon
Persimmon
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family . The word Diospyros means "the fire of Zeus" in ancient Greek. As a tree, it is a perennial plant...
maybe?" This prompts Chief Aramaki to issue an ultimatum
Ultimatum
An ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series of requests...
: "If you can't be serious you can leave the room." He also asks to link with the psychic when she suffers a similar experience to Motoko's contact with the Puppet Master
Project 2501
is an original character from the manga Ghost in the Shell. It is an artificial intelligence program secretly developed by Section 6 of Public Security that develops sentience...
, but is vetoed.
Films
The Batou of Mamoru Oshii's films is very different from the one in the two series, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
is the second season of the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
. In the Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
film and its sequel Batou is much more subdued, even to the point of brusqueness. In the first movie, Batou is depicted having a white crew-cut similar to the manga, while in the second movie Batou has a short ponytail. In the films and both anime seasons, Batou's original voice has always been provided by Akio Ōtsuka. The English dubbed voice is provided by voice actor Richard Epcar
Richard Epcar
Richard Epcar is an American actor voice actor / director, mostly specializing in the field of voice acting in games, animation and anime. He is the husband of voice actress Ellyn Stern, with whom he owns and operates Epcar Entertainment, Inc., a voiceover production service company based in Los...
.
Batou is the central character of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, known simply as in japan, is a 2004 science fiction film and sequel to the anime film, Ghost in the Shell. Released in Japan on March 6, 2004, with an U.S. release on September 17, 2004, Innocence had a production budget of approximately $20 million...
, which centers around his reaction to the disappearance of Major Motoko Kusanagi at the end of the first movie. Director Mamoru Oshii comments that the investigation is really secondary to the plot. What is most notable about Batou's emotion in Innocence is his lack thereof; for the most part he expresses nothing whatsoever. In fact, the commentary on the Innocence DVD touches on the fact that it is Batou's lone companion, a Basset Hound
Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt rabbits and hare by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound....
named Gabriel, that express almost all of the emotion in the entire movie. When Batou is required to leave in order to continue his investigation, Gabriel is taken to Togusa
Togusa
is the second most prominently featured male character in the Ghost in the Shell manga and anime series. In Stand Alone Complex, as well as the original Ghost in the Shell movie, it is stated that he is the only member of Section 9 who has not undergone cybernetic replacement in some manner as he...
's family to be taken care of, much to the delight of Togusa's young daughter and dread of his wife. Ishikawa, Batou's senior, chides him for keeping such a high-maintenance dog since he is a single man in a dangerous line of work. It is left up to the viewer to decide exactly what feelings Batou has or had for the Major, but there is rampant speculation that the movie is, at least in part, a love story. After he shot his own right arm as a result of brain-hacking, it was replaced with a new DNA-matched prosthetic with a two-shot shotgun hidden inside. Batou is depicted as being tougher than in other Ghost In The Shell incarnations, as seen in his ability to shoot two live grenades and survive and his gigantic leap down the shaft of the Locus Solus factory ship. In both theatrical films, Batou carries a gun dubbed a Jericho 942, based on the real Jericho 941
Jericho 941
The Jericho 941 is a double action/single action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Weapon Industries and introduced to the market in 1990 as the Jericho 941. It was first imported into the US in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, PA. It was later imported by O.F. Mossberg & Sons and named...
made by IMI
Israel Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
but chambered for .50AE. In Innocence, he is also seen with a compact S&W pistol and a small semiautomatic shotgun. Other sources, including the Innocence prequel novel "After the Long Goodbye" note that Batou's S&W pistol is chambered for the .40 S&W
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
cartridge.
Stand Alone Complex series
In Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
series, Batou's personality resembles his manga counterpart as he is an outgoing joker, but with a quick temper. Being emotional and not as calm as the Major, Batou shows anger at injustice and cruelty. He sometimes shows impatience with Section 9's rookies, such as Togusa
Togusa
is the second most prominently featured male character in the Ghost in the Shell manga and anime series. In Stand Alone Complex, as well as the original Ghost in the Shell movie, it is stated that he is the only member of Section 9 who has not undergone cybernetic replacement in some manner as he...
and jokes with him constantly.
At times, he is also shown to be a voice of reason and concern for the Major, to the point that she admits she can confide in him. Like the films, the series hints some romantic tension between the Major and Batou. This tension is touched upon in the Solid State Society
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society
is an OVA and part of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was produced by Production I.G and directed by Kenji Kamiyama....
film, when Batou admits that he's been covering up any of the Major's appearances in cases prior to the Puppeteer case. The movie closes with Batou's arm around the Major, although it's doubtful that the gesture is foretelling of any relationship between the two.
Batou had served in a military special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
and often suggested that he was a JGSDF Ranger before entering Section 9. Despite the fact that his cybernetic body has nothing to gain from exercise, Batou lifts weights as a hobby. Based on several of the Stand Alone Complex episodes, Batou seems to have served in the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force at some point before he joined Section 9.
In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
Batou is the favorite of the Tachikoma
Tachikoma
A is a fictional artificial intelligence, walker/roller in the Ghost in the Shell universe; appearing in the manga, created by Masamune Shirow, and the Stand Alone Complex sub-universe. Nine of them are assigned to Section 9's use originally. They are spider like multi-legged combat vehicles,...
s because he showers them with care and affection (in episode 2.15 it is also extremely apparent that he shares a physical similarity with their chief programmer). He has even dubbed one his "personal" Tachikoma, refusing to operate any other on an assignment and treating it with organic oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
, both habits which culminate in problems. Later in the series the Tachikoma
Tachikoma
A is a fictional artificial intelligence, walker/roller in the Ghost in the Shell universe; appearing in the manga, created by Masamune Shirow, and the Stand Alone Complex sub-universe. Nine of them are assigned to Section 9's use originally. They are spider like multi-legged combat vehicles,...
's AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
starts to develop rapidly, which is attributed to a mutation in a protein chip caused by Batou's natural oil. Also, as Batou treats them as individuals as opposed to interchangeable units, they begin to view themselves as such, which contributes to the development of their AI.
Near the end of Ghost in The Shell Second Gig Batou engages Hideo Kuze in combat but he is defeated when Kuze immobilizes Batou's right leg and subsequently impales Batou with a pole. Kuze tells Batou that the only reason that Batou lost was because of "minor differences in motivation".
Batou is sometimes seen driving a yellow Lancia Stratos
Lancia Stratos
The Lancia Stratos HF, widely and more simply known as Lancia Stratos, is a car made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. The HF stands for High Fidelity...
coupe, an Italian high performance car from the late 1970s, a rare car of which only 492 were ever made. Togusa uses Batous' love of his old car as a comeback after Batou chides him for using a revolver instead of a more modern weapon.
Design
"Stand Alone Complex" character designer Hajime Shimomura said that Batou's image was based on the MinotaurMinotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
.
The name "Batou" also means "eight-headed" in Mandarin Chinese, which is significant since "Kusanagi" was the name of a sword that was taken from Orochi, an eight-headed and eight-tailed sea dragon in Japanese mythology.