Spoiler-ish discussion of issues raised in the anime. Recommended to have seen the first season and up to episode thirteen of the second season.
Ever since I saw the last few episodes of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex I’ve been thinking about something Batou said to Matoko. It was along the lines of, “Why do you always choose a female cybernetic body?” Since then I actually picked up a copy of the Ghost in the Shell manga, and in the manga he is continually referring to Matoko as a “gorilla.” The art style of the original manga is significantly different from what we see in the anime series as well — In the years since the Ghost in the Shell movie Matoko’s form has gone from a muscular but still attractive woman to a much more lithe, sexy look.
Does Batou know something we don’t? Although I find it unlikely that the character we know as Matoko Kusanagi was born a man — As the viewer we really have no way of knowing. She’s a character who ostensibly has gone through a number of artificial bodies. The body she uses is no more integral to her than a favorite pair of jeans may be to us. Comfortable and familiar, but just trappings.
I’ve been mulling over these issues of late because I wonder what sort of societal implications might arise due to the availability of body-swapping and/or the proliferation of lifelike body replicas. I’m forced to ask myself whether there’s anything intrinsic about female personalities that I like… And while there are a number of items I could list, if I’m realistic I don’t think the absence of those qualities would dissuade me from being attracted to an artificially-perfect female body.
I recently watched an episode (Episode #3) where a rich government official held an after-hours party where he and other government officials all came accompanied by cybernetic dolls. Although the dolls as depicted hold no interest for me — What’s the attraction of a completely mindless and subservient being with no personality to speak of? — I can’t be certain that other people would think the same way. And if the doll had a sophisticated AI (similar to, but less annoying than, the Tachikomas)? That would be difficult to resist, I think. Ultimately, I think, this world would end up being populated primarily by men. Sure, walking along the street you would likely see many females, maybe even more than before, but their brains … Given that a significant portion of the female evolutionary strategy is dedicated towards attracting mates with physical attractiveness I can’t see a reason why in an age where physicality was fungible that would continue to be successful.
And isn’t that a scary thought? [Un]Fortunately, ahem, we’re at least a few years away from being able to transport brains into artificial bodies. But hopefully it’s not too far off, even if it will cause a little havok.
Part of the reason Motoko has shifted from a more stronger look to a lean sexy look in the manga is due to Masamune Shirow’s focusing in his style. He has said in interviews that he generally likes the stylized look of the women he draws, which is why he draws almost all of them in that style (not just Ghost, but Dominion and others).
I’m fairly certain Motoko has always been female. In the manga it never really goes into her past, but in 2nd gig (anime) there is a decent amount of assumed history. It is also a good point because it creates a nice division between the members of Section 9. The team is so varied as far as talent goes, so why not make one of the most capable members female? It’s just her gender, and has no effect on her abilities – although the physical side does present benefits in some missions.
As far as the name calling, I’m pretty sure they refer to Aramaki as the ape – or at least that’s how I remember it. I may be wrong, however, but in the manga at least he is drawn fairly stylized as well.
The movies are a whole different matter, because Oshii put so much detail and meaning into them. Motoko is very important in both movies, and she is barely in Innocence.
Hope that makes a little sense.