Major Kusanagi
Context
The Major is the lead character in the landmark cyberpunk manga Ghost in the Shell.
The series, by Masamune Shirow, started in 1989 and the anime and movie adaptations started in 1995.
The story is about an elite security unit working for the Japanese government in a complex future where technology is everywhere.
Though it’s full of action, technical specs and politics, the core theme remain the soul and human identity. Hence the title.
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Background
- Real Name: “Kusanagi Motoko” (草薙 素子) is presumably a pseudonym, since it translates roughly as “Elemental Girl Excalibur” (草薙 being the abbreviated name for the Grasscutter sword ).
- Marital Status: Single
- Known Relatives: None
- Group Affiliation: Section 9
- Base Of Operations: Tōkyō
- Height: 5’10” Weight: 260 lbs
- Eyes: Variable Hair: Blue
Powers and Abilities
Motoko Kusanagi is the best agent of the Section 9. Her entire body is cybernetic. Her brain is also cybernetically enhanced. She is implanted with SOTA in human-machine interface, enabling her to control various vehicles and equipments through the use of a fiber optic connection.
The cyber brains can be linked through sophisticated means, enabling the linked characters to communicate, feel through others senses, and allows limited forms of body control.
But her best asset would be high intelligence, tactical experience and coolness under fire.
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Video
A neural-network-upscaled — up to 8k resolution — version of a GitS trailer, showing all the key parts.
History
In this, time, medicine has done much progress, particularly in the understanding of the human brain. Not only can it give people whatever body they desire through cybernetic replacements, but they can also give the patient powerful brain enhancements (Cyber Brains).
The part of the brain that hosts the individual’s identity in referred as “the Ghost”. They prefer to use this term to the more religious concept of soul, which as not yet been scientifically pinpointed.
The Japanese government has assembled a special team of agents to conduct its black operations. They paid huge sums to gives them the edge in their field of duty. She particularly received an entire new synthetic body, where her brain and spinal system has been put.
Before that, her brain has been cybernetically enhanced. The trouble, for her and her teammates, is that, their body is still the Japanese government property. If ever they choose to leave the section, they have to return it.
Section 9
How she entered the Section 9 is not revealed, but she showed excellency. She has been given various black ops mission, ranging from spying, investigation, protection up to commanded assassination.
At one time, they were confronted with a formidable hacker named the Puppet Master. Able to hack in the very Cyber brain of a victim, he could force her to do his bidding. They discovered they were in competition with another section of the Japanese secret service, who wanted to corner the Puppet Master for their own use. They manage to force him to incarnate in a cyborg body and abducted him.
In the ensuing pursuit, the body was severely damaged and Kusanagi decided to connect his brain to try to salvage his information (a Ghost Dive). She found out that the Puppet Master was no man. It was a intelligent life form created from the chaos of information present on the world wide computer network.
Not what it seemed
As such, it decided to take human form in a cyborg body and claimed the political asylum in Japan (indeed, the Americans wanted to get him, and they worked with the other secret service section).
Ensues a very high spiritual/philosophical discussion between Motoko and the Puppet Master about the meaning of life. Afterward, he convinces her to merge her spirit with his. She gained his unlimited source of information and he gained a physical manifestation. But this bargain was unapproved by her superior and she was declared traitor.
In her flight, her team mate and friend Bateau provided under cover support, and the succeeded a plan to kill her body and incarnate her brain in another one.
Video
Major Kusanagi has a small fuchikoma problem (720p).
Available for download on Amazon .
Description
Though it’s far from sure that her cybernetic body looks like her original body, she’s a striking woman in her mid 30s, with blue half-long hair. She can change her eyes color at will. Her body is a heavily customized domestic/pleasure body of a common brand, so as to look quite ordinary.
She usually wears casual clothing, both for ease of movement and to look inconspicuous. But as a military officer, she also wears military dress uniforms on formal occasions. But as she spends 90% of her time in operation, she’s usually seen in tac gear.
In assault operations, she and her team ride Fuchikomas. These arachnid shaped mini tanks are sapient , self-aware machines.
Personality
Kusanagi is a very, very strongly driven and disciplined individual. There are steel-hard bulkheads between her private and professional life. Her private life is centered around pleasure, as if she was trying to cram as much relaxation as possible in her very sparse private time. She is known for being bisexual.
In her professional time (about 90%), she’s all about toughness, intelligence and leadership ability. She expects the highest performance of herself and every man on her team, on every level – intellectually, tactically and physically. She won’t take any excuse for less than optimal performance or choices.
One of Kusanagi’s more interesting traits is that she’s both lightning fast (due to her enhancements, personality and experience) and able to be rather profound, notably when it comes to her nature as a full conversion borg and, thus, the very nature of humanity – the Ghost.
Like many manga characters, she also can go from perfectly level-headed to super-deformed temper tantrums, but this is mainly as comic relief when she leads her team.
Quotes
“First we’re moving away from the civilians.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Major Kusanagi
| Dex: 09 | Str: 07 | Bod: 06 | Motivation: Responsibility of Power |
| Int: 08 | Wil: 10 | Min: 09 | Occupation : Black Ops Agent |
| Inf: 08 | Aur: 07 | Spi: 08 | Resources {or Wealth} : 10 |
| Init: 029 | HP: 080 |
Powers:
Control: 10, Damage Capacity (Physical)*: 06, Density Increase: 01, Eye Of The Cat: 10, Interface: 10, Jumping: 04, Personality Transfer*: 10, Radio Communication: 10
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Density Increase in Always On and already factored (-1).
- Control, Interface, Radio Communication and Eye Of The Cat are elementally linked (-1 each).
- Eyes Of The Cat works only on compatible cameras and cybereyes (-0), and uses a Radio Communication medium (-1).
- Interface only works on machinery equipped with the proper options (very common in this universe).
- Control uses a Radio Communication medium (-1), and works on individuals equipped with a Cyber Brain (quite common in this universe) (-1) in which Kusanagi has a user account (-1).
- Personality Transfer only works when her brain and spinal system is physically transferred in a new host previously deprived of such (-5).
Skills:
Acrobatics*: 09, Detective*: 08, Martial Artist*: 09, Military Sciences*: 08, Thief (Stealth, Security Systems)*: 09, Weaponry (Firearms): 11, Weaponry (Other)*: 09
Advantages:
Attractive, Expansive Headquarters (various spare bodies, bought on the black market and dispatched throughout the town, plus all the safehouses, government bases…), High Military Security Clearance, Intensive Training, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Omni-Scholar, Scholar (Cyber brains, Artificial Intelligence, Guns and Ammo).
Connections:
Japanese Government (Low), Section 9 (High).
Drawbacks:
Misc: Her body is not her property.
Equipment:
- 2902 Thermo Optic suit [BODY 02, Invisibility: 09].
- FUCHIKOMA [DEX 04 STR 08 BODY 06 Hardened INT 04 WIL 02 INF 03 AUR 03 SPI 03, EV 09, Range: 08, Cling: 05, Invisibility: 09, Jumping: 04, Running: 07, Radio Communication: 05, Skin Armor: 03, Thief (Stealth)*: 04, Acrobatics*: 04, Weaponry*: 04].
- PARTIAL BODY ARMOR [/BODY/ 08, requires a +1 CS trick shot to bypass].
- Any Gun, Ammo and Technical gear a high tech covert government agency can get. Here are the more common examples :
- Seburo 5mm [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 05, Ammo: 20. A very compact yet very powerful handgun ; this is the weapon she uses most of the time.]
- Seburo C25 [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 06, Ammo: 08, Advantage : Autofire. A small, one-handed bullpup SMG where the magazine is curved, from the chamber to the bottom of the handle; this is a weapon used for close assault detail, such as within buildings].
- Assault rifle [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 07, Ammo: 10, Advantage : Autofire. A compact, bullpup weapon with the trigger block within an inch of the barrel’s business end, and a tough hand protector; this a weapon used for heavy assault or anti-vehicle fire].
Source of Character: Masamune Shirow’s Ghost In The Shell manga.
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet, Adam Fuqua.