Tachikoma are fictional walker robots endowed with artificial intelligence (AI) that are featured in the Ghost in the Shell universe. They appear in the manga created by Masamune Shirow and in the Stand Alone Complex sub-universe. Nine of them are initially deployed to Section 9. They are spider-like, multi-legged combat vehicles, and are equipped with adaptive artificial intelligence. The spider design appears in other places in Shirow's work such as the Appleseed manga. Shirow is noted to keep numerous spiders as pets.
Tachikoma model for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
A 3D model of a Tachikoma unit. Throughout the Stand Alone Complex animated series, Tachikoma characters were rendered by 3D software using a shader that mimics hand-drawn art. This method simplified the task of animating detailed robotic characters. The right-most image is a wire frame of the 3D model; the middle image is the Tachikoma model rendered with generic materials and lighting; the left-most image is the character as it appears in the series.
Ghost in the Shell: 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 character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. The first season aired from October 2002 to October 2003 and was positively received by critics. A second season, titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, aired from January 2004 to January 2005. Critical response to the series was generally positive.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex complete collection cover
The members of Section 9 (from bottom left to top right): Paz, Borma, Saito, Batou, Motoko, Togusa, Aramaki, and Ishikawa
Director Kenji Kamiyama
Yoko Kanno composed the music for the Stand Alone Complex series.
