OVA
Description
Paz, also written as Pazu in some materials, is a supporting member of Public Security Section 9 in the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex continuity, including the Individual Eleven story arc of the second season. He is an investigator for the unit and is often characterized as its dirty cop, a reputation that reflects both his criminal connections and his willingness to work through unofficial channels to get results.
His background sets him apart from most of his colleagues. Before joining Section 9 under Chief Daisuke Aramaki, police circles widely rumored that Paz had been involved with several yakuza groups in Japan. While most Section 9 operatives come from military or police careers, Paz is one of the few believed to have originated in the underworld. This past gives him a distinctive set of assets: deep contacts among gangsters, bookmakers, and other shady figures, a natural ease with street-level intelligence work, and a practical understanding of how criminal networks operate. He is also a heavy smoker and carries a folding knife for close-quarters combat.
In terms of personality, Paz is cool, taciturn, and professional. He rarely reveals much about himself and maintains a detached, stoic demeanor even in tense situations. He is a pragmatic and adaptable operative, comfortable shifting between the front line and behind-the-scenes work, and he is known within the unit as a jack-of-all-trades backup for field agents. His personal style is understated but occasionally marked by a casual, somewhat cynical wit; upon first meeting Major Motoko Kusanagi, he remarked that he never slept with the same woman twice. His motivations are not deeply explored in the story, but he consistently operates out of professional duty and loyalty to Section 9, favoring the most practical solution to any problem rather than grand ideals.
Within the Individual Eleven arc, Paz functions as a reliable supporting investigator whose underworld knowledge helps the team navigate the murky environment surrounding the refugee crisis and the terrorist conspiracy. His most personal moment comes during the investigation of the mysterious cyborg fugitive Hideo Kuze. Through a prosthetic face sculptor, Paz coincidentally crosses paths with a vengeful ex-lover named Kaori Kawashima, who had obtained a prosthetic body that was identical to his own down to the smallest detail. The encounter draws him into a murder case, and the local police come to suspect him as the killer. Section 9 works to clear his name while ordering Paz to keep a low profile, and when a detective working the face sculptor case is found dead, Paz requests access to the sculptor's client list, where he discovers the name and face of his former lover. This subplot briefly places him at the center of the story and reveals a personal history beneath his otherwise closed-off exterior.
His key relationships within the unit are defined by professional trust rather than close friendship. He works especially well with the Major, who brings him along for VIP protection duty, and he coordinates with colleagues such as Togusa and Ishikawa on investigations, complementing their strengths with his own fieldwork and infiltration skills. In later appearances, his role evolves into that of a seasoned veteran who continues to serve the rebuilt Section 9 as an undercover and close-combat specialist.
Notably, Paz is depicted as being extensively cyberized, comparable to the Major and Batou, which grants him considerable physical capability in addition to his investigative talents. His abilities include undercover and infiltration work, interview-based intelligence gathering, network research, deception, and skilled use of a knife in close-quarters fighting, along with the versatility to handle both the preparation and the dirty work that keep Section 9's operations running smoothly.
His background sets him apart from most of his colleagues. Before joining Section 9 under Chief Daisuke Aramaki, police circles widely rumored that Paz had been involved with several yakuza groups in Japan. While most Section 9 operatives come from military or police careers, Paz is one of the few believed to have originated in the underworld. This past gives him a distinctive set of assets: deep contacts among gangsters, bookmakers, and other shady figures, a natural ease with street-level intelligence work, and a practical understanding of how criminal networks operate. He is also a heavy smoker and carries a folding knife for close-quarters combat.
In terms of personality, Paz is cool, taciturn, and professional. He rarely reveals much about himself and maintains a detached, stoic demeanor even in tense situations. He is a pragmatic and adaptable operative, comfortable shifting between the front line and behind-the-scenes work, and he is known within the unit as a jack-of-all-trades backup for field agents. His personal style is understated but occasionally marked by a casual, somewhat cynical wit; upon first meeting Major Motoko Kusanagi, he remarked that he never slept with the same woman twice. His motivations are not deeply explored in the story, but he consistently operates out of professional duty and loyalty to Section 9, favoring the most practical solution to any problem rather than grand ideals.
Within the Individual Eleven arc, Paz functions as a reliable supporting investigator whose underworld knowledge helps the team navigate the murky environment surrounding the refugee crisis and the terrorist conspiracy. His most personal moment comes during the investigation of the mysterious cyborg fugitive Hideo Kuze. Through a prosthetic face sculptor, Paz coincidentally crosses paths with a vengeful ex-lover named Kaori Kawashima, who had obtained a prosthetic body that was identical to his own down to the smallest detail. The encounter draws him into a murder case, and the local police come to suspect him as the killer. Section 9 works to clear his name while ordering Paz to keep a low profile, and when a detective working the face sculptor case is found dead, Paz requests access to the sculptor's client list, where he discovers the name and face of his former lover. This subplot briefly places him at the center of the story and reveals a personal history beneath his otherwise closed-off exterior.
His key relationships within the unit are defined by professional trust rather than close friendship. He works especially well with the Major, who brings him along for VIP protection duty, and he coordinates with colleagues such as Togusa and Ishikawa on investigations, complementing their strengths with his own fieldwork and infiltration skills. In later appearances, his role evolves into that of a seasoned veteran who continues to serve the rebuilt Section 9 as an undercover and close-combat specialist.
Notably, Paz is depicted as being extensively cyberized, comparable to the Major and Batou, which grants him considerable physical capability in addition to his investigative talents. His abilities include undercover and infiltration work, interview-based intelligence gathering, network research, deception, and skilled use of a knife in close-quarters fighting, along with the versatility to handle both the preparation and the dirty work that keep Section 9's operations running smoothly.