Think tank (mecha)

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Think tank is a slang term used to describe a robotic weapons platform that makes use of artificial intelligence to enhance its abilities. The term is used throughout the Ghost in the Shell series by Masamune Shirow. Most of the think tanks portrayed in Ghost in the Shell (manga, films, and series), along with other machinery, (e.g. attack helicopters such as Jigabachi AV Digger Wasp) are developed and manufactured by a fictional company Kenbishi Industries.

Think tank is often used to refer to the different walking tanks throughout the Ghost in the Shell world. Typically they are spider-like in appearance, having four to six walking legs, usually a pair of front-mounted manipulators, and a segmented body. Models include the Tachikoma, shown throughout the Stand Alone Complex Series, and the Fuchikoma, found in the original manga and at the end of SAC: 2nd Gig. The various -koma can also be found in video games based on the series.

The Fuchikoma at end of the 2nd Gig are often mislabelled as "Uchikoma" due to the way "fu" is pronounced in Japanese. The Japanese "fu" is pronounced like one would blow out a candle, compared to the sharper "fu" in English where one's upper teeth touches one's lower lip. Carefully listening to the Major addressing the Fuchikoma will show that she actually pronounced "Fuchikoma", not "Uchikoma". Referring to the subtitles from the official R1 DVD release by Bandai will also show that the tanks at the end of 2nd Gig as Fuchikoma. The original instance of "Uchikoma" almost certainly originated within the fansubbing community.

There are other prominent models as well, such as the large walking tank found at the end of the original Ghost in the Shell movie or the similar-sized model in episode two of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

[edit] Benefits of Artificial Intelligence

• Ability to perform complex movement (i.e. that of a walker) that would not be possible with a regular human operator.
• Automated computation of firing times and trajectories for effective weapon use.
• Operation without direct human intervention, thus being capable of support and even front-line functions.

Ghost in the Shell view • talk • edit
Manga:	Ghost in the Shell • Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface • Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor
Film series:	Ghost in the Shell • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence• Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society
Stand Alone Complex series:	S.A.C. (Season 1) • S.A.C. 2nd GiG (Season 2) • S.A.C. Solid State Society (Movie) • Tachikomatic Days (Omake) • List of episodes
Novels:	After the Long Goodbye • The Lost Memory • Revenge of the Cold Machines • White Maze
Video Games:	Ghost in the Shell • Stand Alone Complex
Music:	Megatech Body Co. • Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. • be Human • Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. 2 • Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. 3 • S.A.C. Solid State Society O.S.T.
Characters:	Daisuke Aramaki • Azuma • Batou • Borma • Kazundo Gouda • Ishikawa • Yoko Kayabuki • Motoko Kusanagi • Hideo Kuze • Laughing Man • Pazu • Project 2501 • Proto • Saito • Togusa • Yano • Kugutsu Mawashi
Technology:	Armed suit • Cyberbrain • Fuchikoma • Operator • Tachikoma • Think tank
Other:	Public Security Section 9 • List of organizations • Philosophy of Ghost in the Shell • Seburo • New Port City • American Empire • Masamune Shirow