Saito (Ghost In The Shell)
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This is a list of fictional characters in the ''
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
'' media franchise created by
Masamune Shirow , better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. Shirow is best known for the manga ''Ghost in the Shell'', which has since been turned into three theatrical anime films, two anime television series, an anime television film, an ani ...
.


Public Security Section 9 members


Section Chief Directors


Chief Daisuke Aramaki

:Voiced by: Tamio Oki (Japanese, films),
Osamu Saka is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is affiliated with Aoni Production. Filmography Anime series ;1960s *'' Gigantor'' (1963) – Gavan *'' Kamui the Ninja'' (1969) – Sukumi ;1970s *'' Andersen Stories'' – King Neptune *''Space Battle ...
(Japanese, ''
Stand Alone Complex ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese 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 ch ...
''), Ikkyu Juku (Japanese; '' ARISE'');
William Frederick Knight William Frederick Knight (December 6, 1933 – November 8, 2022), sometimes credited as William Knight, William Frederick, or Frederick Knight, was an American actor who lent his voice to the English dubs of anime and video games. He was often ...
(English; films, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV series,
Bandai Visual was a Japanese anime, film production, and distribution company, established by Bandai and a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings. They focused mainly in international distribution of anime properties in North America. Most of the anime and ...
dub; 1997 game, 2004 game, 2005 game), Russell Roberts (English; ''Stand Alone Complex''
OVAs , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and special episodes of a series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the ...
,
Ocean The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as ''oceans'' (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Indian, Southern Ocean ...
dub), Rik Thomas (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'',
Animax Asia Animax is an Asian pay television channel owned by KC Global Media Asia. The channel was originally owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and took its name from the Japanese satellite TV network; which was then-majority owned by subsidiary Sony ...
dub),
John Swasey John Allan Swasey is an American voice actor, ADR director, and screenwriter. He has provided voices for English-language versions of Japanese anime series and video games. His most notable roles include Gendo Ikari in the '' Rebuild of Evan ...
(English; ''ARISE'',
Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...
dub) :Portrayed by: "Beat" Takeshi Kitano ( 2017 film) is the ''Chief Executive Director'' of
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
. In ''
Stand Alone Complex ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese 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 ch ...
'', Lt. Col. Aramaki is a strict chief, and is informally referred to by Section 9 agents as the "old ape" (most likely because in the original
manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
he was drawn with a face that appeared to be half
monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...
, half
man A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the f ...
). Even so, he is fiercely loyal to the members of Section 9, and often puts his own career on the line to ensure the survival of the rest of his team. In '' 2nd GIG'', Aramaki uses his political connections and no small amount of bargaining with the new
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
to get Section 9 reinstated. He is shown to have a disconnected brother of similar age in the
Dejima or Deshima, in the 17th century also called , was an artificial island off Nagasaki, Japan, that served as a trading post for the Portuguese (1570–1639) and subsequently the Dutch (1641–1858). For 220 years, it was the central con ...
with the refugees, and in '' Solid State Society'' it is implied that he is the student of a once-feared military general, as well as that he was once married. It is revealed in Mamoru Oshii's ''Ghost in the Shell'' that Aramaki, together with Togusa, are the only fully human members of Section 9 (aside from a cyberbrain). * In the Stand Alone Complex Visual Book released by
Hobby Japan is a Japanese publishing company known for publishing and releasing books, magazines, light novels, games, and collectibles. Founded in 1969, the company owns and distributes such publications as the eponymous ''Hobby Japan EX'' magazine, as w ...
, Aramaki's hair was poked at for fun in one comic strip when Batou makes some comments about it. Aramaki lifts his hair to reveal metallic parts, possibly for his cyberbrain. This incident freaked Batou out. * Near the end of '' Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG'', Aramaki's missing brother, , appears to Kuze and asks him what he intends to do with the refugees. He was last seen in the last episode helping the refugees evacuate to the Dejima bridge via small boats. * The ''Solid State Society'' film reveals that he was estranged from his mentor Colonel Tonoda whom he helped to put in prison (like his character does in the course of the original G.I.T.S manga) sometime before the SAC series began, and that he was actually married at one point. * Aramaki's physical appearance looks almost exactly like that of the character "Dusty the coffin maker" in the 1968
Spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
:''
If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death ''If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death'' () is a 1968 Spaghetti Western film directed by Gianfranco Parolini. The film stars Gianni Garko, William Berger, Fernando Sancho and Klaus Kinski, and features a musical score by Piero Piccioni. ''If ...
''.


Lead Investigators


Major Motoko Kusanagi

:Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''),
Maaya Sakamoto is a Japanese actress and singer. She made her debut as a Voice acting in Japan, voice actress in 1992 as the voice of Chifuru in the anime ''Little Twins'', and became known as the voice of Hitomi Kanzaki in ''The Vision of Escaflowne''. Other ...
(Japanese, ''ARISE''); Mimi Woods (English; first film, 1997 game),
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (born October 16, 1966)Birthday references: * * is an American voice actress, ADR director, and singer, best known for her role as Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell series. She is also known for her involvement ...
(English; second film, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV series, Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game, '' First Assault Online''),
Alison Matthews Alison Matthews is a Canadian actor, voice artist, and coach. A founding faculty member at the Arts Club Actor's Intensive Training Program, she was also a faculty member for five years with the Citadel Banff Professional Theatre Program at the B ...
(English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub), Andrea Kwan (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'', Animax Asia dub),
Elizabeth Maxwell Elizabeth Maxwell (born October 13, 1983) is an American voice actress. She is best known for her roles as Ymir in ''Attack on Titan'', Winter Schnee in ''RWBY'', Nikki in ''Camp Camp'', Motoko Kusanagi in ''Ghost in the Shell Arise'', Cordelia ...
(English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by:
Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress and singer. The List of highest-paid film actors, world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has been featured multiple times on the Forbes Celebrity 100, ''F ...
( 2017 film) is a
cyborg A cyborg (, a portmanteau of ''cybernetics, cybernetic'' and ''organism'') is a being with both Organic matter, organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.employ Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other ...
of "
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
", a fictional division of the real
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
ese National Public Safety Commission, as the
squad leader ''Squad Leader'' is a tactical level board war game originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by John Hill and simulates on infantry combat in Europe during World War II. One of the most complex war games of its time, ''Squ ...
and lead investigator.


Batou

:Voiced by:
Akio Otsuka is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is attached to Mausu Promotion. The astringent and calm quality of his deep voice has landed him many roles in films, dubbing, animation, and video games. He i ...
(Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''),
Kenichirou Matsuda is a Japanese voice actor from Saitama Prefecture, affiliated with Arts Vision. He is known for starring as Batou in '' Ghost in the Shell: Arise'', Vainney Halter in ''Clockwork Planet'', Jacques Yvain in '' RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through ...
(Japanese; ''ARISE'');
Richard Epcar Richard Epcar is an American voice actor, voice director, and writer who has voiced over 1,200 characters in animation, video games and anime. Some of his major roles include Raiden in the ''Mortal Kombat'' franchise, The Joker in several proje ...
(English; films, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV Series, Bandai Visual dub; 1997 game, 2004 game, 2005 game, ''First Assault Online''), David Kaye (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub), Russell Wait (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'', Animax Asia dub),
Christopher Sabat Christopher Robin Sabat is an American voice actor. Some of his prominent roles in animations and anime include Vegeta, Piccolo, Yamcha, Shenron, and various characters in ''Dragon Ball'', Roronoa Zoro in ''One Piece'', Giroro in ''Sgt. Frog ...
(English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by:
Pilou Asbæk Johan Philip "Pilou" Asbæk (; born 2 March 1982) is a Danish actor, best known for his role as troubled spin doctor Kasper Juul in the Danish television political drama '' Borgen'', and as Euron Greyjoy in the television series ''Game of Thron ...
( 2017 film) is the lead investigator and main male character in the ''
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
'' series. Recruited from the Rangers, Batou is the second best melee fighter in
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
and is the second-in-command under
Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
Motoko Kusanagi Major , or just "The Major", is the main protagonist in Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' Ghost in the Shell (manga), manga and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, anime series. She is a Cyborg, cybernetic human, augmented with a synt ...
. In the movie adaptations of Shirow's manga, Batou is a direct representation of
Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of acclaimed anime films, including ''Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer'' (1984), ''Angel's Egg'' (1985), '' ...
's opinions, views, and feelings that are presented throughout the story. Although not officially stated, he seems to jointly hold the position of 3rd in command with Ishikawa. He served in the military with Motoko and Ishikawa (under both of them), and has cybernetic eyes that are used by Rangers, improved strength from cybernetic arms, legs, and also contains other unlisted parts (these parts are not stated, but rather implied). He primarily does field work with Togusa, and takes point for the Major on serious occasions. Batou keeps his private life away from work and his background is mostly unknown. He also gave his favorite Tachikoma an unapproved, non-synthetic oil until the Major caught him. In the first ''Stand Alone Complex'' series, the Laughing Man hacked into his eyes so that Batou could not see him. According with Tachikomatic Days of episode 21 (Season 1), he has a can of beer after his bath and he takes out his eyes before going to sleep. Batou is also a chain smoker. He also cares for a cloned basset hound named Gabriel, and Oshii himself possesses a female basset hound named Gabriel. ''Stand Alone Complex'' character designer Hajime Shimomura said that Batou's image was based on the
Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (, ''Mīnṓtauros''), also known as Asterion, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "par ...
. Batou often uses up his paycheck buying muscle training equipment for the upper body, which others find useless, considering his extensive number of cyborg parts (mainly torso and arms). In the first season of ''Stand Alone Complex'', it is inferred that he uses it to remind himself of who he is, despite his cyberization, much like the watch the Major wears. In an interview on the DVD releases of Stand Alone Complex, Batou's Japanese voice actor theorized that Batou's use of exercise equipment was more for the purpose of exercising his mind and self-discipline rather than enhancing his body.


Togusa

:Voiced by:
Kōichi Yamadera is a Japanese actor, narrator and singer from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Acto ...
(Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''),
Tarusuke Shingaki , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor. He is affiliated with Mausu Promotion. Shingaki's roles include Kariya Matou in '' Fate/Zero'', Eishirō Kite in '' The Prince of Tennis II'', Togusa in '' Ghost in the Shell: Arise' ...
(Japanese, ''ARISE''); Christopher Joyce (English; first film; 1997 game),
Crispin Freeman Crispin Freeman is an American voice actor, voice director, and screenwriter who is best known for voicing characters in English-language dubs of Japanese anime, animation, and video games. Some of his prominent anime roles include Zelgadis Grayw ...
(English; second film, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV series, Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game),
Trevor Devall Trevor Devall (born November 10, 1972) is a Canadian voice actor. He worked for various other studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for years, before he relocated to Los Angeles, California in 2013. Early life Trevor Devall was born ...
(English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub), Darren Pleavin (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'', Animax Asia dub), Alex Organ (English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by: Chin Han ( 2017 film) is the lead investigator and second most prominently featured male character in the ''
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
''
manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
and
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
series. In ''
Stand Alone Complex ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese 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 ch ...
'' it is stated that he is the only "entirely human" member of
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
who has not undergone
cybernetic Cybernetics is the transdisciplinary study of circular causal processes such as feedback and recursion, where the effects of a system's actions (its outputs) return as inputs to that system, influencing subsequent action. It is concerned with ...
replacement in some manner as he had been referred to as "natural". Togusa is openly suspicious and has reservations regarding technology; while Section 9 agents may respect Togusa's rejection of cybernetic enhancements, the rest of society views people like him as a
Luddite The Luddites were members of a 19th-century movement of English textile workers who opposed the use of certain types of automated machinery due to concerns relating to worker pay and output quality. They often destroyed the machines in organ ...
. In the 1995 film it is claimed that this is precisely because of his lack of cybernetic enhancements that he was chosen for Kusanagi's team. In the manga, it is unclear as to what extent he has undergone cybernization, although in both anime films and television series he only has cybernetic memory upgrades and other small communication brain implants like all other members. Togusa is also the only member of Section 9 to not have military experience, having only served as a civilian police officer in the past. To Section 9, Togusa is a reminder to them all of true humanity, because he is a normal person compared to the rest of Section 9. He has a family, and strong moral beliefs that visibly get in his way. He primarily does work with Batou, but also investigates on his own at times. Togusa often plays the role of the idealist in ''Ghost in the Shell'', and could easily be said to be the least likely to win in an even fight against anyone else in Section 9. Togusa is 27 years old and is in height. In '' Solid State Society'', he is squad leader of the now expanded Section 9, after Kusanagi's departure and Batou's refusal of the position. It is also stated in ''Solid State Society'' that Togusa had finally undergone cyberization, the extent of which, however, is unknown. According to character designer Hajime Shimomura, he did the designs of Togusa based on him being the ''gentle lion''.Official Log, page 85. In addition, Shimomura mentions that he was hard to do since his appearance in the manga looks deformed.


Ishikawa

:Voiced by:
Yutaka Nakano is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Filmography Television drama *''Kamen Rider Black RX'' (1989) – Doctor Television animation *''Cowboy Bebop'' (1998) – Bob *'' Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG'' (2002) ...
(Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''),
Shunsuke Sakuya , occasionally miscredited as Shusuke Sakino, is a Japanese actor and voice actor. Filmography Television animation ;1990s *''Virtua Fighter'' (1996) (A Watchman) *''Detective Conan'' (1997) (Mokunen) ;2000s *'' Zoids: New Century'' (2001) (Ca ...
(Japanese, ''ARISE'');
Michael Sorich Michael John Sorich ( , born March 23, 1958) is an American actor, writer and director. Biography Sorich has been a voice actor for many different characters in the ''Power Rangers'' franchise (until the end of the '' Wild Force'' series), as we ...
(English, films), Michael McCarty (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'', Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game), John Payne (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub),
Brandon Potter Charles Brandon Potter (born July 28, 1982) is an American voice and television actor. He is known for his voice work, directing, and screenplay writing for anime as well as for playing the role of Quintus in the streaming series, ''The Chosen ...
(English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by: Lasarus Ratuere ( 2017 film) is the lead investigator,
covert Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controver ...
intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...
,
information warfare Information warfare (IW) is the battlespace use and management of information and communication technology (ICT) in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent. It is different from ''cyberwarfare'' that attacks computers, software, and ...
and technology specialist in
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
.From Bandai Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Limited Edition DVD Pamphlet. Ishikawa is a master at recognizing data manipulation, along with being highly skilled at hacking in general. He has a low prosthetic percentage; his character dialogue (and his long recovery time from an injury) suggests that he is one of the least augmented members of Section 9. His appearance is characterized by a large beard and perpetually unkempt hair, and he is the oldest of Section 9's field operatives. Ishikawa is especially well known for his frequent, long-winded and often rather complicated expository speeches to the other characters, in order to inform them (and the show's audience) of new story developments. He formerly served with Kusanagi and Batou in South America when they were with the Ground Self-Defense Forces in the Japanese UN contingent. He was one of the earliest members recruited to be in Section 9 and seems to know the Major and her dislikes quite well. He is shown as being in charge of a
pachinko is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Gambling in Japan, Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of l ...
parlor called Parlor Ishikawa, and on occasion uses the cyberbrains of the old men who play there to complete particularly heavy data gathering (though it seems the men suffer no ill effects or are even aware of their situation, and are in fact 'paid' with wins at pachinko for use of their 'processor' time). Ishikawa is the most seemingly laid-back member of the unit. Despite being a member of Section 9, Ishikawa appears to be relatively physically weak in comparison to the other members. He is almost never shown in combat (though in one episode he fires a shoulder-mounted cannon to disable a heavily armored vehicle) and takes a support role during most missions in which he is dispatched. When he is captured late in the first season, he is shown as being easily taken into custody by Umibozu commandos sent to arrest him. This is possibly due to the fact that he is one of the least cybernetically enhanced members (along with
Togusa is the second most prominently featured male character in Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In ''Stand Alone Complex'', as well as the original ''Ghost in the Shell'' film, it is stated that he is the youngest memb ...
and Saito) and thus, would have been at a disadvantage had he physically resisted. Late into the second series, Ishikawa is wounded in a suicide bomb attack on Section 9's tilt wing aircraft. Following this he is seen hospitalized and wearing a bandage on his left arm, this lends credit to the theory that he has little external cyberization, especially when in contrast to Batou's quick recovery from wounds in the same episode. * As a point of humor, a bottle of what appears to be
Chivas Regal Chivas Regal () is a blended Scotch whisky produced by the Chivas Brothers subsidiary of Pernod Ricard in Scotland. History Chivas Regal was created in 1909 by Chivas Brothers Master Blender Charles Stewart Howard as a 25-year-old luxury wh ...
is seen in his office in the closing animation of season 1, as well as a similar bottle appearing in the first ''
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
'' movie, though no indications are given that he is
alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
. It is known that he smokes
cigarettes A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the oppo ...
and
cigars A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct components: the filler, the binde ...
on occasion, particularly in stressful circumstances. **In the 2017 film, he jokes that he got a prosthetic liver so he could drink without worry. * As stated in 2nd GiG episode 12, Ishikawa is a fan of American super hero comics. * Ishikawa also makes an appearance in '' Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence'' to deliver important information to Batou. *According with Tachikomatic Days of episode 22 (Season 1), he has a glass of milk after his bath and he takes off his beard before going to sleep. This was meant to contrast with the previous episode (21), that stated that Batou has a beer after his bath and takes out his cybernetic eyeballs before going to sleep. Tachikomatic Days are not meant to be taken seriously .


Specialists


Saito

:Voiced by:
Tōru Ōkawa is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. While he went to a College of Art, Nihon University, he started his career as a stage actor, but after he moved to Mausu Promotion, his current agency, he came to focus on voice acting. Filmograph ...
(Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''), Takuro Nakakuni (Japanese, ''ARISE'');
Dave Wittenberg Dave Wittenberg is a South African-born American voice actor and scriptwriter. Early life Wittenberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was raised in the Boston area. Career Wittenberg voices Kakashi Hatake, the 6th Hokage in ''Naruto ...
(English; films, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV Series, Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game),
Brian Drummond Brian Drummond (born August 10, 1969) is a Canadian voice actor. He formerly served on the board of directors for the New Westminster-based Urban Academy along with his wife, Laura Drummond, also a voice artist. Usually working in Vancouver, h ...
(English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub), Marcus Stimac (English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by: Yutaka Izumihara ( 2017 film) is Section 9's tactical
sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...
specialist. Known to have been a mercenary in the South American campaign, Saito was recruited by the Major while they were on opposing sides. He can handle any
automatic firearm An automatic firearm or fully automatic firearm (to avoid confusion with semi-automatic firearms) is a self-loading firearm that continuously Chamber (firearms), chambers and fires Cartridge (firearms), rounds when the trigger (firearms), trigger ...
with deadly
accuracy and precision Accuracy and precision are two measures of ''observational error''. ''Accuracy'' is how close a given set of measurements (observations or readings) are to their ''true value''. ''Precision'' is how close the measurements are to each other. The ...
. Regarded as one of the least cyberized, Saito's left arm is cybernetic, allowing him to support and steady extremely large
Anti-materiel rifle An anti-materiel rifle (AMR) is a rifle designed for use against military equipment, structures, and other hardware (materiel) targets. Anti-materiel rifles are chambered in significantly larger calibers than conventional rifles and are employed ...
s with superhuman skill. His left eye was replaced with the "Hawkeye", a prosthetic eye that interfaces with satellites to allow for shots of incredible accuracy. The Hawkeye, however, can be hacked, as it is in Episode 2 of SAC. It is impossible for Saito to escape hacking by going into autistic mode because he needs to maintain his Hawkeye's satellite uplink. Saito is also valued for his ability to think like enemy snipers; on two separate occasions his ability at determining sniping locations impacted Section 9's actions. Character designer Hajime Shimomura had commented that Saito was not difficult to do, although he said he had drawing ideas based on someone who would wear "a bleached cotton cloth wrapped around his chest and wears a loincloth." ''Anime Vision.com'' has said that Saito's presence in the episode "Poker Face" is intriguing since he did not confirm if he really encountered Motoko Kusanagi during his mercenary days, keeping his past hidden from his fellow officers.


Borma

:Voiced by:
Taro Yamaguchi is a Japanese voice actor. Filmography Television animation * ''Argevollen'' (xxxx) as Bernard Gaap * ''Bakugan Battle Brawlers'' (xxxx) as Clayf/Glaive * '' Bakugan Battle Brawlers New Vestroia (xxxx)'' as Clayf/Glaive * ''Bleach'' (2004) as Ch ...
(Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''),
Kazuya Nakai is a Japanese voice actor and narrator who was born in Kobe, Japan. He plays Roronoa Zoro in ''One Piece'', Toshiro Hijikata from '' Gintama'', Date Masamune from ''Sengoku Basara'', Xiahou Dun and Dian Wei from ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''Warr ...
(Japanese, ''ARISE''); Dean Wein (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV Series, Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game), Mark Gibbon (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub),
Phil Parsons Phillip Gregory Parsons (born June 21, 1957) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and analyst for FOX NASCAR since 2003. After years racing in NASCAR Winston Cup, he returned to the Busch Series where he enj ...
(English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) :Portrayed by: Tawanda Manyimo ( 2017 film) is Section 9's
explosive weapon An explosive weapon is a weapon that uses an explosive to project blast and/or fragmentation from a point of detonation. In the common practice of states, explosive weapons are generally the preserve of the military, for use in situations of ar ...
s and
bomb disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are disabled or otherwise rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated fun ...
specialist, providing rear support for the rest of the unit and handles heavy weaponry during assignments, as shown several times during 2nd GIG. He also works as the team's resident cyberviral warfare expert, often developing vaccines for viruses within minutes of their creation. Like many of the members of Section 9, Borma is part cyborg. Though he's "kind of the silent type," he also packs some of the most explosive weapons of the Section 9 team. Borma is the
jack of all trades "Jack of all trades, master of none" is a figure of speech used in reference to a person who has dabbled in many skills, rather than gaining expertise by focusing on only one. The original version, "a jack of all trades", is often used as a com ...
who often handles the task of rear support. "He originally was basically "the backup", and meant to be carrying the large caliber heavy assault weapons. He carries a shotgun. It's a bigger gun, just like Batou", stated Tawanda Manyimo. In most assignments, he's the only member to carry heavy weaponry. He is usually teamed with either Saito for
sniper team A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...
duties, Paz for general operations and Ishikawa for cyberweb research and viral warfare. Due to his various jobs behind the scenes, Borma's character receives the least attention of any member of Section 9. Borma was in the
JSDF The are the military forces of Japan. Established in 1954, the JSDF comprises the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. They are controlled by the Ministry of Defense wi ...
as a demolitions expert, possibly hinting that he was either a combat engineer or a special forces operative. This character's name is often pronounced as its Japanese counterpart as ''Boma''. Borma is the only Section 9 operative with similar height and enhanced strength to
Batou is a main male character in Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' series. He is the second-best melee fighter in Section 9,Official Log 1, page 23. and is the second in command under Major (rank), Major Motoko Kusanagi. He is a battle-harde ...
. He also has optical implant eyes of a similar general design to Batou's, though his optics are a different color, indicating another model with different capabilities. Both his eyes and his
baldness Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarring ...
are his trademark features.


Ladriya

:Portrayed by: Danusia Samal ( 2017 film) Ladriya is an original character appearing exclusively in the 2017 film, and is the only member of the team not drawn specifically from any ''Ghost in the Shell'' source material. She is
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
's advanced weapons specialist and is skilled in close quarters knife combat. Samal regards Ladriya as "one of the more intuitive of the gang." "She's a bit feisty, she's a bit cheeky as well. But when it comes down to it I'm quite proud of the fact that she's quite ruthless when it's necessary", said Samal. Though Samal had to build the character from scratch, she said she drew some inspiration from one of the male Section 9 characters who didn't make it to the big screen (such as Paz) who is "a bit of a lady killer" in the manga. She used that to color in her version of the character, saying, "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if Ladriya is a bit like the female equivalent of that? Like a tiny bit into blokes.'"


Field agents


Paz

:Voiced by: Takashi Onozuka (Japanese; films, ''Stand Alone Complex''), Yoji Ueda (Japanese, ''ARISE''); Bob Buchholz (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV series, Bandai Visual dub; 2004 game, 2005 game), John Murphy (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs; Ocean dub),
Jason Douglas Jason Douglas (born February 14, 1973) is an American film, television and voice actor, known for portraying Tobin on AMC's '' The Walking Dead'', voicing Beerus in the anime film '' Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods ''and the series '' Dragon B ...
(English; ''ARISE'', Funimation dub) is an investigator and "deep-cover" infiltration specialist in Section 9. Before joining Public Security
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
, Paz was rumored by various
police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
circles to have been a
gangster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''Organized crime, mob'' and the suffix ''wikt:-ster, -st ...
in several
yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media (by request of the police) call them , while the yakuza call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ''yak ...
groups in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. Paz is the backup " jack-of-all-trades" for the field agents and is also a known
chain smoker Chain smoking is the practice of smoking several cigarettes in succession, sometimes using the ember of a finishing cigarette to light the next. The term chain smoker often also refers to a person who smokes relatively constantly, though not nec ...
within the unit. Upon his first encounter with the Major, he remarked, "I never sleep with the same woman twice." His basis for such is later found to be that he does not want to pull others into the world he lives in. He uses a folding knife in combat. In ''SAC 2nd GIG'' episode 13, Paz encounters an ex-lover scorned (Kaori Kawashima) who had adopted a body that was identical to his own down to the smallest detail. A knife fight ensues, and one "Paz" is stabbed through the eye and killed. It isn't made clear whether or not the victim was the real Paz or the impostor (Kaori), as they both have cuts across their torsos, and the surviving "Paz" says nothing. However, the torso wound of the deceased Paz appeared to be deeper, suggesting that the original survived. His name is often pronounced as its Japanese counterpart, ''Pazu'' in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series.


Azuma

:Voiced by: Masahiro Ogata (Japanese); Erik Davies (English, Bandai Visual dub) is one of
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
's new recruits in '' S.A.C 2nd GIG''. Azuma was recruited as one of the field operatives in Section 9 from JGSDF Intelligence. He was present at the shipyard battle in which fellow rookie
Yano Yano is a Filipino folk/punk rock band formed in 1993. The band members were originally composed of Dong Abay on vocals and Eric Gancio on guitar. Onie Badiang later joined them to play bass. Nowie Favila was the usual drummer but declined to ...
died and was pulled out of field duty prior to the Dejima confrontation. At the end of 2nd Gig it is implied that Azuma is now a full-fledged member of Section 9. Azuma is featured prominently at the beginning of '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society'', supporting
Togusa is the second most prominently featured male character in Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In ''Stand Alone Complex'', as well as the original ''Ghost in the Shell'' film, it is stated that he is the youngest memb ...
in an incident at the airport, as well as in '' Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence''. Azuma also shows up in the manga ''Ghost in the Shell: Human-Error Processor 1.5'' by Masamune Shirow as a source of comedy.


Yano

is one of
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
's new recruits in '' 2nd GIG''. Yano was recruited by Section 9 as a
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
and field operative. Yano was killed in the raid on Kuze's false location in the 2nd GIG episode "
Chain Reaction A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that sys ...
", making him Section 9's first officer to be killed in the line of duty from hostile
gunfire A gunshot is a single discharge of a gun, typically a man-portable firearm, producing a visible flash, a powerful and loud shockwave and often chemical gunshot residue. The term can also refer to a ballistic wound caused by such a discharg ...
. Yano also appears briefly in the manga as a new recruit. In the manga he was killed by a Russian named Koil Krasnov, whom he was tailing as his first assignment.


Proto

:Voiced by: Oki Sugiyama (Japanese); Richard Miro (English, Bandai Visual dub) is one of
Public Security Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and Intelligence agency, intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Af ...
's new recruits in 2nd GIG. Proto is Section 9's only (prototype) bioroid member and was also the
Tachikoma are fictional Walking vehicle, walker robots endowed with artificial intelligence (Artificial intelligence, AI) that are featured in the ''Ghost in the Shell'' universe. They appear in Ghost in the Shell (manga), the manga created by Masamune Sh ...
's maintenance
technician A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skill and technique, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Specialisation The term technician covers many different special ...
(before becoming one of the new recruits). During the Dejima crisis Proto played a key role in helping Aramaki rescue the Prime Minister
Yoko Kayabuki This is a list of fictional characters in the ''Ghost in the Shell'' media franchise created by Masamune Shirow. Public Security Section 9 members Section Chief Directors Chief Daisuke Aramaki :Voiced by: Tamio Oki (Japanese, films), Os ...
, who had been relieved of her duty and arrested under charges of
treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...
. Proto managed to gain access to the net, where he communicated with Section 9's Tachikoma units. Through them Proto was able to gain building
blueprint A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842. The process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number ...
s and up-to-date information on Section 9's Dejima operation, as well as the location of the Prime Minister, before an attack barrier disabled him. Proto appears again in the '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society'' movie, wearing the black uniform of Section 9 along with a sidearm, which suggests that he is now a field officer.


Maven

:Voiced by: Cristina Valenzuela (English, ''First Assault Online'') Maven is an original character appearing only in '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online''. She is Section 9's resident expert on guerilla warfare and topography, stemming from her time in the jungles of South America. She first came to Chief Aramaki's attention during an operation in which she single-handedly held off an insurgent attack after her entire squad was killed. Since then, she has been working for Section 9, where she has proven both resourceful and deadly. R&D combat specialist who proved herself to be a lethal operative during the conflicts in South America. She has a fiery temper and the skills to match. Maven worked with the Kodansu Corporation during WWIV where she served in R&D and field testing of technologies. She spearheaded the development of the therm-optic barrier to aid in the evacuation of refugees during the Bolivia Crisis. With the passing of Bill 196J, the Kodansu Corporation was effectively shut down and all its research and equipment was appropriated by the Japanese government. Following this, Maven found work with police forces in Fukuoka. She was later acquired by Section 9 to aid in the deployment of her past research projects. Though it is not known just how much of her body is cybernetic, it is suspected that she has experimental prosthetics from her time working for Kodansu.


AI Personnel


Think tanks

In the various editions of ''Ghost in the Shell'', Section 9 utilizes different kinds of , or . All seem to act like children. In the original manga, the think tanks used by Section 9 are the . Unable to get the rights to use the original spider-tank design from the manga, Masamune Shirow created a new design for television, which he named the "Tachikoma". There are distinct differences between the two, most significantly in the 'eyes' and the vertically oriented abdomen. Still, the tanks are easily recognizable as descendants of the original Fuchikoma. :Voiced by:
Sakiko Tamagawa is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She is affiliated with Sigma Seven. She voices Rei Kuki in '' Genji Tsuushin Agedama'', Princess Kakyuu Natsumi Tsujimoto in '' You're Under Arrest'' season 1, You're Under Arrest the ...
(Japanese);
Melissa Fahn Melissa Fahn is an American actress and singer, best known as the voice of Gaz Membrane in the Nickelodeon animated series ''Invader Zim'', Dendy in the Cartoon Network animated series '' OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'', Hello Kitty in '' Hello Kit ...
,
Rebecca Forstadt Rebecca Forstadt is an American voice actress, best known for playing young female roles in various animated series. After studying theater at Orange Coast College, in Costa Mesa, California, Forstadt began her acting career by working at Knot ...
,
Lara Jill Miller Lara Jill Miller (born April 20, 1967) is an American actress and lawyer. She has played Samantha "Sam" Kanisky in the 1980s sitcom '' Gimme a Break!'' and Kathy on '' The Amanda Show''. She voices the title characters in '' Clifford's Puppy Da ...
,
Sandy Fox Sandra Marie Fox (née Kessler; born July 13, 1963) is an American voice actress who has had numerous roles in various animated cartoon, anime, and video games. She portrayed the live-action Betty Boop and has provided her voice for Universal Stu ...
,
Sherry Lynn Sherry Lynn is an American voice actress who has played roles in anime, animated television series and video games. She portrayed Sasami Jurai in the ''Tenchi Muyo!'' franchise. In January 2010, in terms of total film gross, she was the Highest ...
,
Julie Maddalena Julia Maddalena is an American voice actress who has worked on dubs of Japanese anime, cartoons, and video games. Some of her major voice roles are Silvia Maruyama from '' Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan'', Arusu from ''Tweeny Witches'', Hikaru Sh ...
, Peggy O'Neal,
Lia Sargent Lia Sargent is an American voice actress. She is known for extensive anime and video game voice work and has also done ADR directing and script writing for Animaze.. iNC. She is the daughter of movie and TV director Joseph Sargent and actr ...
, and
Michelle Ruff Michelle Ruff is an American voice actress known for her work in anime and video games. In her early voice acting career, she used her mother's name, Georgette Rose, as a pseudonym. Some of her roles include Rukia Kuchiki in ''Bleach'', Yuki Nag ...
(English) The are the think tanks utilized by Section 9 in the ''Stand Alone Complex'' series. In both the manga and television series, one spider-tank is preferred by Batou who uses a natural oil to lubricate its parts, and this usage of natural oil and its experiences with Batou begin to disseminate through the others, slowly causing the whole group of them to develop their AIs into separate identities, which Kusanagi begins to suspect are unique Ghosts. This leads to their decommissioning, although they all react to the Umibouzu assault on Section 9 and try to help, but their new hardware for civilian work prevents them from doing so. In the premiere of ''2nd GIG'', Batou is pleased to see that the Tachikoma have been recommissioned, but when one speaks with the original robotic voice he is disheartened until the Tachikoma breaks into laughter, revealing that they have retained their ghosts. At the end of ''2nd GIG'', when the American Empire is attempting to bomb Dejima, the Tachikoma finish saving the refugees' ghosts before uploading their own ghosts into the satellite that contains their AI to stop the final missile, resulting in their apparent death. In the final scene of ''2nd GIG'', Section 9 is seen using new think tanks known as , devoid of the individuality of their Tachikoma predecessors as well as an inferior AI. With the return of Kusanagi during ''Solid State Society'', it is revealed that the Tachikoma's AIs were spared from destruction, with Kusanagi accompanied by the "ghosts" of two of them, now calling themselves and . Musashi, who has modified its digital self to be yellow in color, is Batou's preferred Tachikoma. In the novelization of the film, the other Tachikoma AIs have also given themselves names: , , , , , , and . :Voiced by:
Miyuki Sawashiro is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. She has played voice roles in a number of Japanese anime/games including ''Beelzebub'', Bishamon in '' Noragami'', Petit Charat/Puchiko in '' Di Gi Charat'', Mint in '' Galaxy Angel'', Sinon in ...
In the events of '' Ghost in the Shell: Arise'', the burgeoning Section 9 uses a think tank known as the , short for .


Recurring characters


Activists and criminals


Project 2501

Voiced by: Kayumi Iemasa (Japanese, original voice),
Yoshiko Sakakibara is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. Career In 1981, Yoshiko made her voice acting debut as Flore in '' Six God Combination Godmars''. In addition to her voice acting roles, she has worked as a narrator for various news program ...
(Japanese, re-release); Tom Wyner (English; as "Abe Lasser") The is the main antagonist of the original ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga as well as in the first film. Although it is first suspected of being a super hacker, capable of "ghost hacking", or taking control of a cyberized person's body without their knowledge, Section 9 later discovers that it is actually an advanced artificial intelligence program, known as Project 2501, created by Section 6, the Treaty Bureau of Japan's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
. When Project 2501 went rogue, Section 6 was able to trap it in a firewalled system, but it escaped after using a factory to produce a robot body that gets hit by a truck and taken in by Section 9. When the truth is revealed to Section 9, the "Puppet Master" demands asylum as a sentient creature, arguing that its self-preserving programming is no different from DNA. After a battle between Section 6 and Section 9, Major Motoko Kusanagi manages to link with the "Puppet Master" and converses with it, learning that it wishes to preserve itself and pass on its ideas as any biological creature would, but rather than make copies of itself with the same weaknesses and flaws, it wishes to merge with Kusanagi. Although she fears that she will lose her individuality, Project 2501 reminds her about identity and change and
impermanence Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhism, Buddhist three marks of existe ...
. Motoko finally agrees and the "Puppet Master" is merged with her ghost, just as Section 6 snipers destroy the robot shell and severely damage the Major's own prosthetic body.


Laughing Man

Voiced by: Koichi Yamadera (Japanese);
Steve Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series ''Cowboy Bebop''; Amon from ''The Legend of Korra''; Heatblast, Ghostfreak, and ...
(English, ''Stand Alone Complex'' TV series; Bandai Visual dub),
Michael Adamthwaite Michael David Adamthwaite (born September 1, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He is credited with providing the voice for many characters in various anime series. He is also known for portraying the Jaffa (Stargate), Jaffa List of recurring alien charac ...
(English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVAs, Ocean dub) The , , is an anti-corporate terrorist hacker, who ultimately reveals to the Major that he had discovered that several micromachine manufacturing corporations, in association with the Japanese government, suppressed information on an inexpensive cure to a debilitating cyberization disease in order to profit from the more expensive micromachine treatment. He also had a fascination with
J. D. Salinger Jerome David Salinger ( ; January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010) was an American author best known for his 1951 novel '' The Catcher in the Rye''. Salinger published several short stories in '' Story'' magazine in 1940, before serving in World Wa ...
's ''
The Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is the only novel by American author J. D. Salinger. It was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its theme ...
'', his own alias coming from Salinger's short story, " The Laughing Man". He is an expert hacker, able to hide his physical presence by editing himself out of video feeds and cybernetic eyes, concealing his identity by superimposing an animated logo over his face, and hijacking cybernetic brains altogether, all in real-time. The ''Complex''
story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of a plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing narrative, storyline in episode, episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strip ...
of ''
Stand Alone Complex ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese 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 ch ...
'' focuses on the Laughing Man case, and on a medical/governmental conspiracy tied into the fate of the Laughing Man. The Laughing Man logo was designed by Paul Nicholson, a London-based designer for graphics and clothing company, Terratag. Nicholson was asked to read a short story by
J.D. Salinger Jerome David Salinger ( ; January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010) was an American author best known for his 1951 novel ''The Catcher in the Rye''. Salinger published several short stories in '' Story'' magazine in 1940, before serving in World War ...
, " The Laughing Man," and to base the logo on that. The story centers around a boys' after school organization called the Commanche Club. The Commanche Club's Chief often brings the boys to Central Park for baseball games, and these games are the source of the baseball cap featured in the logo. The text given to Nicholson by Production I.G. read: "I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes." The phrase is an excerpt from ''
The Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is the only novel by American author J. D. Salinger. It was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its theme ...
,'' also by Salinger. Nicholson said of the latter, "At first this text made no sense but now, having seen the whole series, I can understand the relevance to the character." Another reference taken directly from
J. D. Salinger Jerome David Salinger ( ; January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010) was an American author best known for his 1951 novel '' The Catcher in the Rye''. Salinger published several short stories in '' Story'' magazine in 1940, before serving in World Wa ...
's short story " The Laughing Man" occurs in episode 11, titled "Portraits/In The Forest of the
Imago In biology, the imago (Latin for "image") is the last stage an insect attains during its metamorphosis, its process of growth and development; it is also called the ''imaginal'' stage ("imaginal" being "imago" in adjective form), the stage in wh ...
es". In this episode a child at a vocational aid center refers to a character named Chief who is going to visit, Chief is the name given by the children to The Laughing Man as well as the main character's childhood idol in the short story. The Laughing Man logo has been co-opted by pop culture in advocacy for the
Electronic Frontier Foundation The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is an American international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1990 to promote Internet civil liberties. It provides funds for legal defense in court, ...
and the loose hacktivist collective
Anonymous Anonymous may refer to: * Anonymity, the state of an individual's identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown ** Anonymous work, a work of art or literature that has an unnamed or unknown creator or author * Anonym ...
(using the latter's motto "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.").


Individual Eleven

The is a fictional
terrorist group Several national governments and two international organizations have created lists of organizations that they designate as terrorist. The following list of designated terrorist groups lists groups designated as terrorist by current and former ...
that Public Security Section 9 deal with in '' Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG''. Their motives are to suppress the refugees into despair and show Japan that they do not belong. The Individual Eleven bases their name and motive from the essay, "The Individual Eleven", which is actually a fake essay implanted with a
computer virus A computer virus is a type of malware that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and Code injection, inserting its own Computer language, code into those programs. If this replication succeeds, the affected areas ...
that infects all who read it, and even infects Borma of Section 9, although through quick action, he shows no further signs of symptoms as a result. The virus remains dormant up until the user downloads all of the other ten essays by Patrick Sylvestre (a fictional political theorist), when it programs the person infected by it to commit
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
.GITS Mythology.
Retrieved on September 5, 2008.
However, the virus itself does not cause the members of the Individual Eleven to commit the acts of terror; it is their own political views which cause them to do so. Kuze is the only member to be unaffected by the Individual Eleven virus. The eleventh essay supposedly refers to the events surrounding the May 15 Incident, which was one of several incidents that led to the rise of
Japanese militarism was the ideology in the Empire of Japan which advocated the belief that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and the belief that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation. It was most ...
. The virus only affects those who possess cyberbrains, and, in addition, it is suggested by Kazundo Goda that the virus affects only those individuals who were virgins prior to undergoing full cyberization. The Individual Eleven logo was designed by TERRATAG. The logo shows three characters. From top to bottom, they stand for three different numbers (9, 10 and 11). At the same time, in as Kanji they mean , , and . The logo is used as the mysterious mark of the terrorists in much the same way as a traditional Japanese family mark (kamon) or a samurai logo on their flag.


Hideo Kuze

:Voiced by:
Rikiya Koyama is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator currently affiliated with Haiyuza Theatre Company. He has done popular voicing roles in '' Hajime no Ippo'', ''Utawarerumono'', '' Kamen no Maid Guy'' and ''Yakuza'', and has become well known for vo ...
(Japanese);
Kirk Thornton Kirk Thornton is an American voice actor, director and script writer working mainly with English-language versions of Japanese animated series. Career His major roles include Brandon Heat in '' Gungrave'', Hotohori in '' Fushigi Yūgi'', Klei ...
(English, Bandai Visual dub), John Murphy (English; ''Stand Alone Complex'' OVA; Ocean dub) :Portrayed by: Michael Carmen Pitt (2017 film) is an architect, a former SDF member, and a member of the Individual Eleven terrorist group whose formation was brought about by Kazundo Goda. He is the second primary adversary of Section 9, along with Goda, in 2nd GIG. Unlike the rest of the Individual Eleven members, Kuze does not commit suicide. Instead, he identifies with the grievances of the sizable refugee population in Japan, assuming leadership of a refugee resistance movement. It is later revealed Kuze and Motoko had known each other since childhood, and were involved in the same plane crash that forced them to transfer into prosthetic bodies to survive. They both became separated afterwards and Kuze joined the JSDF, where he became disillusioned with Japan's foreign and domestic policies and deserted, eventually resurfacing as the leader of the refugees. When the JSDF attack Dejima, Kuze leads the defense of the city while at the same time ensuring the noncombatant refugees are evacuated. He assists Section 9 in averting the nuclear strike aimed at Dejima and is subsequently arrested. However, he is assassinated by American Empire agents in order to prevent him from becoming a new symbol for the refugees. According to the interview with Takayuki Goto, Kuze is modeled after the half-Japanese and half-Taiwanese actor
Takeshi Kaneshiro is a Japanese actor and singer based in Taiwan. Beginning his career as a pop idol, he has since moved his focus from music to film. Kaneshiro has worked with renowned directors throughout East Asia, including Wong Kar-wai ('' Chungking Expres ...
. Kuze appears in the live action adaptation, portrayed by
Michael Pitt Michael Carmen Pitt (born April 10, 1981) is an American actor, model, and musician. In film, he has appeared in ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film), Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (2001), ''Bully (2001 film), Bully'' (2001), ''Murder by Numbers'' ...
, though this Kuze takes on aspects of the Puppet Master's characterization, including having a proficiency for hacking and a desire to fuse his psyche with that of the Major.


The Puppeteer (Solid State Society)

is the name of an entity responsible for controlling the remote body of Civil Servant . According to dialogue in ''Solid State Society'', Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society Tateaki Koshiki died mysteriously at home from illness, but that his remote was subsequently involved in the conspiracy that was uncovered during the course of the film. The existence of a hidden ''Puppeteer'' was therefore theorized to have been responsible for Tateaki Koshiki's actions following his demise. After distinguishing himself, Tateaki Koshiki got reassigned to the Health-Welfare joint project headed by Ito Munei. He secretly built his own infrastructure into the project sometime during its development. This infrastructure abducted children at risk from their families and sheltered them with the , who would bequeath them their wealth upon death, before the children were finally brought to Munei's secret education facilities at the . The Puppeteer's role was also in using his hub-cyberbrain to crystallize the rhizome of the Noble Rot Senior Citizens that utilized the Healthcare network to become the "Solid State Society". Alternatively, it is suggested by Batou that The Puppeteer may have been the personification of the collective consciousness of the Noble Rot Senior Citizens. However, it is also heavily implied that the Puppeteer was a part of Motoko's subconscious, which began acting independently during her time diving the Net.


Government personnel


Yoko Kayabuki

:Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara (Japanese);
Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson is an American voice actress who has done voice-over work in cartoons and shows. Her best-known role was providing the English dub voice of the main villain Empress Rita Repulsa in the ''Power Rangers'' television series, starti ...
(English, Bandai Visual dub) is
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
's newly elected
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
in '' Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG''. Kayabuki first appears in '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG'' and is elected as
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
's first
female An organism's sex is female ( symbol: ♀) if it produces the ovum (egg cell), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete (sperm cell) during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females and ...
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
. She reinstates
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
after a deal was made with Aramaki in the ''
Stand Alone Complex ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese 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 ch ...
'', 2 years after the raid by Umibozu commandos on
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
's headquarters. Politically, she was selected by the ruling party as an internal political movement to conservatism in the wake of the Laughing Man scandal that brought down the previous government. However, she was perceived as being politically weak - the Cabinet at this time was increasing in political power and becoming led by personality rather than by electoral responsibility. The undercurrent of secret manipulation by the Cabinet Intelligence Agency through the Individual Eleven / Refugee Crisis sought to make the Prime Minister a rubber stamping figurehead. Kayabuki becomes a victim of the
Individual Eleven ''Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'' is a Japanese anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga ''Ghost in the Shell (manga), Ghost in the Shell''. It was written and directed by Kenji ...
and is involved with
Section 9 is a fictional gendarmerie-style information security and intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's ''Ghost in the Shell'' manga and anime series. In the franchise, its jurisdiction exists under the Ministry of Home Affairs (内務省, '' ...
's investigation into the case. During the refugee crisis, she is arrested under charges of
treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...
for requesting
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
intervention in the crisis, though this action on the part of the Ruling Party chairman was not sanctioned by either party, or electorate - her escape from custody and the aid of Section 9 prevented this secret coup d'état from becoming a reality, and also then sent a clear signal to the American Empire that Japan prefers a Stand-alone status within the international community. This demonstration of capability, and the calling in of favours owed at the height of the crisis increased her ability to control Japan in the wake thereof. She also demonstrated that she held clout from a military stand-point: The
JASDF The , , also referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the Aerial warfare, air and space warfare, space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and ...
was her tool of choice for reminding the contending land and sea force commanders where Japan's true military prowess was to be found, from both a domestic and military stand-point. Kayabuki displayed great wisdom by selecting Daisuke Aramaki and Major Kusanagi as personal advisors that prevented potentially cataclysmic events during the beginning of her premiership. She appears briefly in '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society'', where she remains Prime Minister, and Daisuke Aramaki's immediate superior. In the 1st episode of the series '' Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045'', Kayabuki appears in portrait form on the wall of the Public Security Bureau, while Aramaki makes a telephone call to Togusa. She immediately precedes the new Prime Minister featuring in the series.


Kazundo Gōda

:Voiced by:
Ken Nishida is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is noted for his roles in ''Return of Ultraman'',西田健
at JMDB (Retrieved on May ...
(Japanese); John Snyder (English, Bandai Visual dub) is head of a data manipulation division within the Cabinet Intelligence Service and is one of the primary adversaries of Section 9 during the second anime series ''2nd GIG''. His face was badly disfigured in an accident during his youth, but he chose not to have it reconstructed, reasoning that his scars would leave a greater impression on people. During the series, Motoko Kusanagi hacks into the Cabinet Intelligence Agency database to try to determine what Gōda's motives are. She learns that Gōda has given up dreams of power and instead works to facilitate the emergence of a hero for the masses in order to produce a conflict situation that will force a change in direction for Japan, a change that Gōda believes will return it to its glory days. To that end, Gōda masterminds the formation of the Individual Eleven terrorist group and the emergence of Hideo Kuze as the leader of alienated refugees. It is later revealed that Gōda's true intentions are to instigate a conflict between the refugees and the Japanese government, which would convince Japan to sign a landmark security treaty with the American Empire. After his plans are foiled by Section 9, he attempts to seek asylum in the American Empire but is assassinated by Motoko under Kayabuki's orders.


Kubota

:Voiced by: Taimei Suzuki (Japanese);
Michael Forest Gerald Michael Charlebois (born April 17, 1929), better known as Michael Forest, is an American actor who provides the voices for many animated titles, and played the god Apollo on Star Trek. Early life Forest was born in Harvey, North Dakota ...
(English, Bandai Visual dub) is an army Intelligence Officer and former colleague of Aramaki. He often provides Aramaki with inside information. He appears to be of the same
JGSDF The , , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service branches. New military guidelines, announced in December 2010, direct t ...
Academy Class as Chief Aramaki, and appears to have equivalent rank (Colonel), though he is also interested in advancing his career politically, often handing unpleasant tasks over to Section 9 in order to prevent blame for 'dirty business' being officially attached to his record of conduct.


Takakura

:Voiced by: Yoshinori Muto (Japanese); Eddie Jones (English, Bandai Visual dub; first voice), William Bassett (English, Bandai Visual dub; second voice) As the Chief Cabinet Secretary, is the main powerbroker within the Kayabuki government. He is in league with Kazundo Goda and helps to further the CIS's aims. During the Dejima conflict, Takakura attempts to stage a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
to oust Kayabuki from power. With the help of Section 9, Kayabuki is able to thwart Takakura's plans and has him arrested.


Civilians


Ran and Kurutan

Kurutan voiced by: Yuko Sumitomo (Japanese);
Amanda Winn-Lee Amanda Winn-Lee (née Winn) is an American semi-retired voice actress, ADR director and script writer who works mainly on anime dubs. She was the voice of Mimiru in '' .hack//SIGN'', Rally Vincent in '' Gunsmith Cats'', Yohko Mano in ''Devil Hu ...
(English, Bandai Visual dub) Both Kurutan and Ran first appeared in ''Ghost in the Shell'' during a virtual threesome with Kusanagi. Kurutan is a bright-haired nurse featured in ''Stand Alone Complex'', episode 8, where an organ trafficking case involved two of her patients. She calls in Kusanagi and Section 9 after the police investigation flounders. In episode 22, Kurutan acts a "witness" during Kusanagi's body-swapping procedure. Ran is dark-haired; during episode 5, Kusanagi was in Kurutan's apartment, borrowing her virtual reality equipment to review the "Laughing Man" case.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost In The Shell Characters
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...
Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...