fuchikoma

A Fuchikoma is a 1-man tank (walker/roller) utilized by members of Section 9 of the National Public Safety Commission. They also appear in a slightly altered form as Tachikomas in the anime series. These units are equipped with basic artificial intelligence, enabling them to act independently and support their user in combat scenarios. When not engaged in missions, they display a childlike personality, providing much of the humor in the series, while also serving as vehicles to explore Shirow's philosophical ideas. Their AI lacks typical safeguards since they are military hardware, but due to their emotional capabilities, they are closely monitored for signs of instability. The Fuchikomas within Section 9 undergo nightly synchronization or after missions to share experiences, allowing the entire group to learn collectively. Mechanically, Fuchikomas have four legs and two simple hands with three fingers on extensible arms that double as machine guns. The "face" features a large main lens and two smaller sensors with a "mouth" below, which is typically a grenade launcher but sometimes a heavier machine gun. The pilot sits in a hunched position inside a large posterior pod, interfacing through cables connected to standard ports in the user's neck for direct control. However, Fuchikomas can also be ordered to act without a pilot. They are versatile, handling various terrains, walking up walls, rappelling, walking, or extending wheels from their feet to drive. They are also submersible. Fuchikomas were omitted from Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell movie, though a larger relative known as a "think tank" appears near the end. In the TV series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, they are replaced by Tachikomas, which function similarly but look different, standing taller, and featuring four independent rotating sensor pods with three sensors each instead of a single large "eye" lens. The AI of Tachikomas is more advanced. At the end of the TV series Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, the Tachikomas sacrifice their AI to prevent a nuclear detonation. They are later replaced by Fuchikoma/Tachikoma hybrids, referred to as Uchikomas.