That why upgrading the barrel to add 3-4 damage basically make it a 1 shot kill snipe rifle easily. Basically on the stats page if the damage is 98 or higher. Will most likely 1shot 90% of the time and there is nothing in the world more annoying than getting one shotted by a sniper rifle in a game like this.

Batou (Japanese: バトー, Hepburn: Batō) is a main male character in Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell series. He is the second-best melee fighter in Section 9,^[2] and is the second in command under MajorMotoko Kusanagi.^[3] He is a battle-hardened cyborg special operative with a long distinguished military career and a no-nonsense attitude. Though he looks imposing, he has a tsundere personality, being known for his warm heart, sense of humor, and love for animals.

Conception and creation[edit]

Batou's serves as pointman whose combat specialty is 'near combat.' Batou often acts as the Section 9 team's comedic relief.

Background[edit]

Batou's limbs are all prosthetic; despite the fact that exercise provides negligible benefit, Batou enjoys jogging and weightlifting as a hobby. 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 Oshii's films of the same name. His eyes, though prosthetic, often bulge comically when he is alarmed. 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 cybercriminal 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.^[4] In addition, he jokes around with a hint of irony being mentioned.^[2]

Design[edit]

Stand Alone Complex character designer Hajime Shimomura said that Batou's image was based on the Minotaur.^[5]

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').

The name 'Batou' means 'horse' in Japanese and may refer to Japanese Buddhism's Batou Kannon (Horse-Headed Kannon)^[6] with his small robotic implant eyes and long face as visual references. It 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 mountain dragon in Japanese mythology.

Relationships[edit]

Of all Section 9 characters, Batou is closest with the Major professionally and in civilian life. Even on missions, he is known to disregard her rank or authority to 'speak freely' without permission.

Appearances in media[edit]

In literature[edit]

Batou originally appeared in the manga authored by Masamune Shirow, 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 vary considerably over the series' run.

In Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface, Botou's head is shaved, and he is dressed in a simple black outfit, though his sense of humor remains intact. 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 his request is denied.

In films[edit]

Animated film[edit]

The portrayal of Batou in Mamoru Oshii's films is very different from the depiction in the anime series. Ghost in the Shell and Innocence depict a Batou who is much more subdued, even to the point of brusqueness. His appearance consists of a white crew-cut (similar to the manga) in the first film, while in the second film he has a short ponytail. Batou is voiced by Akio Ōtsuka in Japanese and Richard Epcar in English in all Ghost in the Shell media with the exception of The Laughing Man and Individual Eleven OVAs where he is voiced by David Kaye in English, and Arise, where he is voiced by Kenichirou Matsuda and Christopher Sabat respectively.

Batou is the central character of Innocence, which centers around his personal life after the disappearance of Major Motoko Kusanagi at the end of the first film. Oshii has commented 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. 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 film. When Batou is required to leave in order to continue his investigation, Gabriel is left in the care of Togusa and his family. 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. The film strongly suggests that Batou harbors romantic feelings for the Major; however, no definitive statement of his feelings is ever made.

After shooting his own right arm as a result of brain-hacking, Batou is fitted with a new DNA-matched prosthetic arm with a shotgun hidden inside. He is depicted as being tougher than in the other Ghost in the Shell incarnations, when he is seen to shoot two live grenades and survive the blast, and withstand a substantial leap down the shaft of the Locus Solus factory ship. In both 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. The Innocence prequel novel, 'After the Long Goodbye,' notes that Batou's S&W pistol is chambered for the .40 S&W cartridge.

Live action film[edit]

Pilou Asbæk portrays Batou in the 2017 live action film.^[7] 'The manga is very philosophical, very weird, very spiritual,' said Asbæk. 'So I knew that my job with Batou was to bring in a little bit of heart and soul into this futuristic sci-fi world.' Asbæk had a hard time understanding his character until he looked back at the Ghost in the Shell source material. 'I didn’t have any idea what to do with the character and then I looked at the manga again, and I saw two things. I saw he likes beer, and he likes pizza. And if you know me for five minutes, that’s 80 percent of my personality!' he said.^[8] The novelization of the film describes Batou as a Scandinavian.

In television[edit]

Stand Alone Complex series[edit]

In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Batou's personality closely resembles his manga counterpart. He is depicted as an outgoing jokester, but with a quick temper. Unlike the Major, Batou often expresses his anger at injustice and cruelty quite openly. He is sometimes shown to be impatient with Section 9's rookies, such as Togusa. At times, Batou acts as a voice of reason and displays great concern for the Major, and she in turn admits that she can confide in him. Like Oshii's films, the series suggests romantic tension between the Major and Batou. The film Solid State Society more openly addresses this tension, when Batou admits that he'd been covering up the Major's involvement in any cases prior to the Puppeteer case. The movie closes with Batou putting his arm around the Major, although whether or not this is foretelling of any relationship between the two is left ambiguous.

Batou had served in a military special forces unit and often states that he was a Ranger-trained soldier with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) before entering Section 9. Despite the fact that his prosthetic body has little to gain from exercise, Batou often lifts weights and jogs. He is shown to have an affinity for martial arts and is widely regarded as nearly the best hand-to-hand combatant in Section 9, second only to the Major. He once idolized a famous boxer, Zaitsev, with whom he later spars while on an undercover mission.

Batou is the favorite superior of the Tachikomas because he regularly showers them with care and affection; in episode 2.15, it also is apparent that he shares a physical resemblance with their chief programmer. He has even dubbed one unit as his 'personal' Tachikoma, refusing to operate any other and treating it with organicoil, both habits which culminate in problems. Later in the series, the Tachikomas' AI starts to develop rapidly, which is attributed to a mutation in a protein chip caused by Batou's oil. Also, since 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.

Batou is often seen driving a yellow Lancia Stratos coupe, a rare Italian car from the 1970s. He is shown to be very protective of the car and is hesitant to allow others to drive it. Togusa refers to Batou's love of the car as a comeback after Batou chides him for using a revolver instead of a more modern weapon. In Solid State Society, Batou drives a yellow Ford GT with black racing stripes. When the Major notices the new vehicle, she comments to Batou that 'his tastes had changed.'

References[edit]

1. ^'Ghost in the Shell Arise Stage Play's Motoko Previewed in Costume'. Anime News Network. August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
2. ^ ^abOfficial Log 1, page 23.
3. ^Midnight Animation's Batou Page. Retrieved on September 13, 2008.
4. ^Batou: 'So what are you saying? Having Saito do the dirty work for them makes it fine? You're not bothered at all?'
   Saito: 'Batou! It's okay. I'm used to it.' (Bandai, English) - 'DU: Natural Enemy – NATURAL ENEMY'. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Season 2. Episode 4. February 7, 2004. Animax.
5. ^Official Log 1, page 84.
6. ^http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kannon.shtml#batou
7. ^Kroll, Justin (November 10, 2015). 'Pilou Asbæk to Co-Star with Scarlett Johansson in 'Ghost in the Shell' (Exclusive)'. Variety. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
8. ^http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/01/ghost-in-the-shell-meet-the-section-9-team

Further reading[edit]

• Shirow, Masamume & Kodansha (2003). Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log 1. Kodansha. ISBN1-59409-571-X.

Togusa (Japanese: トグサ) is the second most prominently featured male character in Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shellmanga 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 member of Section 9 and the only family man. His voice is provided by Kōichi Yamadera in most of his appearances, while Hirotaka Suzuoki provides his voice in the Ghost in the Shell PlayStation game. Chin Han portrayed Togusa in the 2017 film.

Togusa has not undergone cybernetic replacement in some manner as he had been referred to as a natural (though he does have a cyberbrain). Brought to the team by Daisuke Aramaki from the Keishichō, Togusa is an asset for 'his new perspective, human intuition and analytical skills for their investigation of cyborg crimes.'

Conception and creation[edit]

Section 9 recruited Togusa for his excellent detective work, incorruptible idealism, and his lack of cyberization. The Major's reasoning for his inclusion was that he would add an element of variety and unpredictability to the group. He has a strong love for vintage items, preferring a Mateba revolver over more modern sidearms. In the manga, he is cybernetic like all other members.

Design[edit]

According to character designer Hajime Shimomura, he did the designs of Togusa based on him being the gentle lion.^[2] In addition, Shimomura mentions that he was hard to do since his appearance in the manga looks deformed.^[2]

Togusa is one of the few humans in Section 9 who hasn't gotten any cybernetic upgrades, and one of the few who doesn't have any military background. This makes him an interesting counterpoint to some of the other characters on the force, and offer a unique outlook. Chin Han, who played Togusa in the live action film, describes him: 'Togusa is very interesting in the sense that he is the only member of the team that is wholly human and is proud of it, I think he's the last bastion of the old world. It’s reflected in his choice of weaponry, which is the Mateba revolver and of course his choice in the mullet for a hairstyle.'^[3]

Background[edit]

Tube increaser 2 1 cracked download. Togusa is 27 years old,^[4] married, and the father of a young daughter. In the S.A.C. universe, he also has a son.^[5] Togusa's personality varies somewhat between the manga, movies, and series. In the manga he tends to be very emotional and plagued with feelings of failure; in the films he is savvier but still aware of his inexperience, and in the Stand Alone Complex his personality is a combination of the two. He also tends to be the most emotional and temperamental, getting so outraged at one criminal committing murder right under his nose in an episode of Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG he seriously wounded the man and ends up on trial. He seems very friendly with Batou and he was arguably the one who cracked the Laughing Man case.

His history as an uncorrupted detective is one of the reasons he was recruited (as well as his being a family man), to add an element of variety and unpredictability to the team.^[6] Togusa is also the only member of Section 9 to have not come from the military as he was from Section 1,^[6] which makes him feel somewhat insecure in his abilities at times. He is very fond of his archaic Mateba Autorevolver, opting to use it over the standard-issue Seburo M5 even in the field, citing that it cannot jam and that 'six bullets is enough to get the job done', a decision which everyone inquires about occasionally.

Appearances[edit]

Ghost in the Shell[edit]

Togusa is introduced in the 1995 film by Mamoru Oshii right at the beginning in a short scene in a surveillance van with Batou, but he is not identified. We get to know him later when he is driving an armored van while Major Motoko Kusanagi dons her police armor in the back. He establishes his newness to the group by asking the Major why she requested he be transferred from the police to Section 9, and the Major answers him by stating that different skills and ideas are necessary in the unit, because homogenization equals death in their line of work. Togusa's police instincts come into play later, when he suspects something untoward involving Section 6, leading up to the theft of The Puppet Master.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence[edit]

GITS2 takes place in the years after the events of the first film, featuring a cold, emotionless Batou as the lead. Togusa knows he is upset at the disappearance of Major Kusanagi and is very meek in this film.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex[edit]

In Stand Alone Complex, several episodes involving an illegally used wiretap called an Interceptor refer to his background as a detective in the police force and his subsequent recruitment into Section 9. He is pretty much the only character other than Batou whose history is shown in the first season since the other members of Section 9 appear in certain episodes. Despite this background revelation, his first name has not yet been mentioned.

He is the least-augmented member of Section 9, although he can still fare well in melee combat against cyborgs. All he has is the implanted cyber-brain, just like Chief Aramaki. He is somewhat skeptical of the blurring of the lines between man and machine, but he also suffers the worst injuries due to being human. In the manga, he is injured and hospitalized after being caught near a bomb blast. In Stand Alone Complex, he's shot while doing an investigation and wonders aloud if he shouldn't be a full cyborg. When Aramaki is taken away for questioning, Togusa is arrested and detained for some time before being released; it is stated that Aramaki did this intentionally in order to keep Togusa out of immediate danger, due to his having a family and his earlier brush with death. He is later shown working at the security company that was his official cover while working for the government and is unaware of the fate of the other members for several months, effectively leaving him out of the loop because he was being monitored heavily; though such behavior from the rest of Section 9 is rather odd. Since they can hack into government records without being discovered, it is safe to presume that they would have no problem working around surveillance, and therefore should have been able to alert Togusa to the section's survival. Their failure to do so resulted in Togusa suffering a minor psychological break, attempting to assassinate one of the perpetrators in the Laughing Man case, which would have been detrimental to the protection given to him.

He expresses some disdain for the Tachikoma tanks, not to mention Batou's penchant for favoring one of the blue tanks. He dismissively refers to one of them as 'just a machine', prompting outrage from the Tachikomas in the Section 9 hangar, with one calling him a bigot and another demanding a retraction of the statement. The contentious relationship continues in Second Gig, when Togusa and a Tachikoma go on a mission to abandoned Tokyo and the goofy little tank serves to mostly get under his skin (before saving it). But despite his dislike for the sentient machines, he is not above spending leisure time with them; he is seen playing Othello with one (although the Tachikoma thought they were playing 'Go' and attempts a critical stone capture, exclaiming 'Checkmate', to which an exasperated Togusa replies 'That's a completely different game!') near the end of an episode.

Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society[edit]

In the Solid State Society feature film set in the S.A.C. universe, Major Kusanagi has left Section 9 and Togusa is now the head of field operations.^[4] Section 9 has grown considerably in this film, with a staff of more than 20. He has replaced his revolver for a Seburo M-10 pistol, although he carries his revolver on a back holster and his pistol on a shoulder holster.^[4] He has also undergone some form of cyberization (though what was cyberized was not mentioned), and he has informed his family of his work in Section 9. His cyberbrain was hacked while he was trying to get his daughter to safety. To stop his body from taking his daughter to the S.S.S., he was forced to attempt suicide with his revolver, but was stopped by the Major. He later on took part in the raid of the Solid State Society in their headquarters. He took out one exoskeleton and then acted as the bodyguard for Aramaki. It is shown that because he is now the field leader of Section 9, he is unable to spend time with his family as much as he used to, reflecting the common problem in Japan of disconnection between a salaryman and their families. Togusa has discussed undergoing full cyberization with his family, in order to enhance his abilities for Section 9.

Critical reception[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Ghost in the Shell Arise Stage Play's Motoko Previewed in Costume'. Anime News Network. August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
2. ^ ^abOfficial Log, page 85.
3. ^http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/01/ghost-in-the-shell-meet-the-section-9-team
4. ^ ^abcOtaku Central's Togusa Page.Archived 2009-01-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on September 13, 2008.
5. ^Marvelously Mental Mavericks, Togusa Section. Retrieved on September 13, 2008.
6. ^ ^abFrom Bandai Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Limited Edition Pamphlet.

Further reading[edit]

• Shirow, Masamume & Kodansha (2003). Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log 1. Kodansha. ISBN1-59409-571-X.