Batou

Batou is one of the main characters from the Ghost in the Shell series.
== Charactah Account ==
Batou (also Batto, Bato) is nominally the second-in-command of Section 9. Little is known about the strange, large foreigner who has been with Motoko Kusanagi for years. He was once American and served in the Special Forces in South America. His amount of cyborg-ization is variable according to the storyline, from his limbs only up to most of his body, second only to the Major herself. Despite the availability of superior eyes, he grew superstitious about his old-style eye replacements, popular with many high-level military operatives. He also retains some residual body-image issues, causing him to continually purchase workout equipment despite the obvious anachronism.
At times, he is also shown to be a voice of reason and concern for the Major, to the point that she admits she can confide in him. Both seasons of the anime, like the movies, hint at some romantic tension between the two, particularly near the end of each Gig. This tension is touched upon, briefly, in the Solid State Society movie, where Batou admits that he's been covering up any of the Major's appearances in cases prior to the Puppet Master case.
Batou had served in a military special forces team before entering Section 9. Most of his body is comprised of cybernetic prosthetics. Despite the fact that exercise will do his cybernetic body parts no benefits, Batou lifts weights as a hobby. Based on several of the Stand Alone Complex episodes, Batou seems to have served in the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force at some point before he joined Section 9. It is suggested several times that he held a JGSDF Ranger qualification. His unit was involved in World War IV and was deployed to South America alongside Motoko Kusanagi, where they accidentally stumbled across an American Imperial Navy unit conducting a covert operation codenamed "Project Sunset," which consisted of soldiers earning the trust of communities and then carrying out war crimes, spreading terror and chaos in the enemy ranks. Batou's eyes are grey and clearly prosthetic. They are standard cybernetic equipment issued to Ranger Special Forces operatives.
== Appearance ==
=== Anime ===
* Ghost in the Shell
* Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
* Ghost in the Shell 2.0
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Alternative Architecture
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Another Mission
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 1: Ghost Pain
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 2: Ghost Whispers
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 3: Ghost Tears
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 4: Ghost Stands Alone
* Ghost in the Shell: Nyuumon Arise
* Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
* Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 - Sustainable War
* Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 - The Last Human
* Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Season 2
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG - Individual Eleven
* Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie
* Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie Virtual Reality Diver
=== Manga ===
* Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence - After the Long Goodbye
* Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface
* Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Sleepless Eye
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
* The Ghost in the Shell
* The Ghost in the Shell 1.5
* The Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm
=== Video Games ===
* Ghost in the Shell
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2)
* Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PSP)
* Ghost in the Shell: First Assault - Stand Alone Complex Online
== Trivia ==
* Batou was the second member recruited by the Major to Section 9, preceded by Ishikawa and followed by Saito.
* Batou's limbs are all cybernetic prosthetics. Despite the fact that exercise provides him little benefit, Batou enjoys jogging and weightlifting as a hobby.
* It is unknown to what degree Batou's body has been cyberized. Evidence suggests that, at the very least, his head is natural. Full cyberization would have likely replaced his is old-model cybernetic eyes. He is also depicted with differing hairstyles throughout the franchise, suggesting that his hair grows and can be cut. In the manga, after he makes a snide remark to the Major, she strikes Batou on the forehead with a coffee mug; as he staggers away, he contemplates if he should go full cyborg.
* In S.A.C., Batou is often seen driving a modified Lancia Stratos coupe, one of his most cherished possessions. Togusa uses Batou's love of the car as a comeback after being criticized for his use of a revolver instead of modern handgun. In Solid State Society, Batou is shown driving a Ford GT.
* Batou's standard sidearm is a FN Browning BDA9 customized to fire .45 ACP (called FN Hi-Power M7), not the 5.45 mm Seburo M5, the standard Section 9 sidearm. In episode 15 of season one, he is shown evaluating the "GLOCK 33 Advanced", a reference to the "GLOCK 26 Advanced" airsoft gun manufactured in Japan by Tokyo Marui. The Glock 33 does exist, chambered for .357 SIG, but not in the customized "advanced" form depicted.
* In episode 16 of season one, "Ag2O", it is revealed that Batou is married and has a 6 year old son. He is shown to possess a photograph of his family, depicting he and his wife, who resembles the Major, with their child, who resembles Togusa's son. It is also revealed that his surname is "Buttetsu". This is assumed to be part of a cover story, however, as he was on a mission to spy on Zaitsev.
* In episode 13 of 2nd GiG, his rank badge says he may have been a Sergeant in the Army Rangers. In the final episode of 2nd GIG, Batou confronts a group of Rangers from Public Security Section 4, all of whom have artificial eyes identical to his own.
* Batou's original incarnation in the manga is considerably more comical than his anime counterpart. His eyes, though prosthetic, often bulge comically when he is alarmed. After Major Kusanagi is targeted by an assassin and ends up in the hospital, Batou becomes paranoid and suspects that a bomb has been planted in his car. He proceeds to dismantle the vehicle in the middle of the road outside the hospital, leading him to have an amusing argument with an ambulance driver.
* According to the comical Tachikomatic Days segment in episode 21 of S.A.C. season one, Batou enjoys a beer after his bath and takes out his cybernetic eye balls before going to sleep. In the following episode, it is similarly joked that Ishikawa drinks a glass of milk after his bath and takes off his beard before going to sleep.
== Gallery ==
File:Batou Render 01.png
File:Batou 01.png
File:Batou 02.png
File:Batou 03.png
File:Batou 04.png
File:Batou 05.png
File:Batou Fan Art 01.png
== External Links ==
* Batou at Ghost in the Shell Wiki
* Batou at Heroes Wiki
Category:Characters
Category:Males
Category:Ghost in the Shell