Seburo

Seburo is a fictional small arms manufacturer commonly found in many of the works of manga artist Masamune Shirow. He frequently attributes the Seburo name to advanced, high-velocity, small-caliber weapons. Recent documents seem to suggest that Seburo is the small arms branch of Poseidon Global Industrial Technologies, another fictional Shirow company.

Seburo was established in October 2024, and some of its weapon models include the year that model was introduced in the name; for example the C-27A debuted in 2027. The company supplies cutting-edge weaponry to the Japanese military and government services, including Public Security Section 9 and Public Security Section 4.

In Ghost in the Shell[]

C-25A[]

The Seburo C-25A is a 6mm x 25mm bullpup submachine gun. It has a 50-round magazine, forward ejection, and a top-mounted brass catcher. It is comparable to the FN P90. (Ghost in the Shell (manga))

C-26A[]

The Seburo C-26A is a 6mm x 25mm bullpup submachine gun like the C-25A. It also has a 50-round magazine, forward ejection, and a top-mounted brass catcher. There have been some discrepancies in its depiction. The C-26A in Ghost in the Shell (1995) is shown to be smaller than the C-25A and could be more correctly said to be a machine pistol than a submachine gun. In Stand Alone Complex, the C-26A retains its basic shape, but is shown as a larger PDW/assault rifle chambered in 5.45 x 45mm rifle round, with a built-in laser sight and optional, specially-designed sound suppressor. In Ghost in the Shell: First Assault - Stand Alone Complex Online, the C-25A is classified as a submachine gun, and described as the standard weapon in Section 9 combat ops.

C-27A[]

The Seburo C-27A is a 6mm x 25mm bullpup submachine gun described as a "compact 50m suppression firearm". The magazine holds six 25mm HESH shells. One variant has a top-mounted brass catcher and cheek rest; a front sight can be mounted on the brass catcher, but is sold separately. A second variant features an underbarrel mini-grenade launcher. The C-27A debuted in 2027, hence its model number, and it is considered a direct successor to the C-25A. In Drive Slave, Togusa keeps a C-27A in a hidden weapons cache, and lends it to Azuma; later, Chief Aramaki sends Section 9 a crate of C-27As with grenade launchers, which Batou notes are quality weapons. (Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor)

C-30[]

Ghost in the Shell First Assault Seburo C-30 — Seburo C-30 in *First Assault*

The Seburo C-30 is a more militarized version of the C-26A fitted with a grenade launcher and a longer, jacketed barrel ending with a large muzzle brake with the same magazine capacity as the C-26A. Appears to be based on the FN F2000 assault rifle. In Ghost in the Shell: First Assault - Stand Alone Complex Online, the C-30 is classified as an assault rifle, and is reserved for Section 9's heavy assaults. (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

M-5[]

Ghost in the Shell SAC Seburo M-5 — Seburo M-5 in *Stand Alone Complex*

The Seburo M-5 is a medium-sized SA/DA handgun that fires 5.45 x 18mm 7N7 cartridge used in the Russian PSM and OTs-23 pistols. M-5 has an ambidextrous safety, and its magazine holds 20 rounds. It is Section 9's standard-issue sidearm in the Stand Alone Complex continuity, and throughout the series it is seen in the hands of Section 9 members Motoko, Saito, Boma, Togusa, and possibly Pazu. It has become one of the most iconic weapons of Ghost in the Shell, and a highly sought after replica was released by private prop maker Dai-Nihon Giken Poseidon in 2006. (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

M-10[]

Ghost in the Shell Arise Seburo M10 — Seburo M-10 in *Arise*

The Seburo M-10 is a redesign of the M-5 with the same functionality. It features a longer barrel, the removal of the M-5's spur on the trigger guard, and a five-dot pattern engraved on the slide instead the three dots seen on the M-5. (S.A.C. Solid State Society, Ghost in the Shell: Arise)

MG[]

Ghost in the Shell First Assault Seburo MG — Seburo MG in *First Assault*

The Seburo MG is a bullpup light machine gun. It is described as a weapon that is rarely used by Section 9 since it is more suited for front-line work. It was specially created for Ghost in the Shell: First Assault - Stand Alone Complex Online.

SR-50[]

The Seburo SR-50 is a bolt-action .50 calibre rifle used by snipers. It is a lighter, personal version of the Anti-Tank Rifle, and is favored by Saito. (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ghost in the Shell: Arise)

Anti-Tank Rifle[]

The Seburo Anti-Tank Rifle is a 20mm anti-materiel rifle of such immense size and power that it is affixed to a bipod that must be riveted in place for stability. The operator can control it remotely via a satellite downlink. (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

In other Shirow Masamune works[]

BoBsonS - A small-framed, high-velocity handgun chambered in 4.2mm, 5mm, or 6mm calibers. Also produced in the "Centennial" edition. (Appleseed)
Gover - A 10 mm semiautomatic handgun primarily based on a Browning M1911 frame. It features a ported compensator for recoil reduction and quick recovery time. Despite its centuries-old mechanism and its chambering in pistol ammunition, it is quite capable of neutralizing [cyborg|cyborgs] and [Landmates]. (Appleseed)
MN-23 - A 5.56mm bullpup assault rifle. Shirow designed this as an airsoft gun, a fusion of the FN P90 and FAMAS assault rifle, but would later incorporate the gun as a fictional weapon in his manga. A number of cast resin parts were attached to the mechanism of the Tokyo Marui's FAMAS airsoft rifle -- the first Tokyo Marui AEG in Japan. The original producer, Moon-Net, cast a thousand copies before ceasing production. Poseidon, another garage kit circle named after Shirow's other signature Poseidon, produced at least two versions, with the latest being reportedly of higher quality than the Moon-Net version. Any optical sight can be placed on its picatinny rails and a silencer can be attached to the muzzle. (Dominon: Conflict 1)
C-X (Compact eXploder) - A small bullpup handgun that uses an ammo feed similar to the P90. Cartridges are loaded sideways in a magazine behind the users thumb. They are spun 90 degrees as the exit the top. The bullpup design allows the weapon to take advantage of a longer barrel. A limited edition garage kit version exists both in a black numbered resin from Poseidon and various counterfeiters usually in white resin, based on the frame of a Walther PPK/S replica airsoft pistol. (Appleseed)

In other works and real life[]

Seburo products -- especially the C-X and MN-23 -- have been adopted by the cyberpunk community. A C-X modeled by Francis Chung has become an icon of the Second Life community and economy.[1] Seburo weapons are often cloned for use in Mods (computer gaming) and deathmatches.

One of the most prominent examples of the latter is in the popular computer game Deus Ex, in which at least two of the weapons (the Stealth pistol and the Assault rifle) are clearly influenced by Seburo designs.

Seburo products also appear in the MMORPG Anarchy Online. Seburo Bobsons, as well as fictional models C-99a, C-19a, and M35 appear. However, they only borrow the name and the actual design of the gun is different.

The MN-23 makes an appearance in the Battlestar Galactica Mini Series in the hands of Colonial Security Personnel. The CQB Type-0 "Raisen" a weapon produced by Posidon also appears in the Mini Series in many of the same scenes.[2]

Gallery[]

References[]

Masamune Shirow; Appleseed Databook (1993, Seishinsha, ISBN 4-915333-69-8)
Masamune Shirow; Appleseed Databook (1995, Dark Horse Comics/Studio Proteus, ISBN 1-56971-103-8)
Masamune Shirow; Appleseed Hypernotes (1996, Seishinsha, ISBN 4-87892-085-8), where the author presents detailed information on the real world creation of the MN-23 design.
Masamune Shirow; Ghost In The Shell (1991, Kodansha, ISBN 4-06-313248-X)
Ghost in the Shell 2nd GIG Visual Book (2006, Hobby Japan, ISBN 4-89425-414-X)
Masamune Shirow; Intron Depot 3: Ballistics (2003, Dark Horse Comics/Studio Proteus, ISBN 1-59307-007-1)
Masamune Shirow; Intron Depot 4: Bullets (2004, Dark Horse Comics/Studio Proteus, ISBN 1-59307-282-1)

External links[]

Dai-Nihon Giken Poseidon, a circle that produces and sells garage kits of Seburo products and other fictional items in Japan.