“I want to make an anime guitar,” the president would always blurt out out of the blue. Whether it was a spur-of-the-moment idea or something he’d been mulling over, anime fans were summoned to discuss which anime to bring to life and how. From Sazae-san to Evangelion, tastes varied across generations.From the start, our concept was to avoid simply making guitars with a print on the top, so the meeting was a struggle. Suddenly, one (relatively) young employee asked, “What about Tachikoma?” We all watched the footage together, and I felt like we’d found the direction we were looking for in that rounded design and adorable character.

We immediately had the staff create a rough design and began navigating the complicated procedures by trial and error. Meanwhile, the president—who had initially asked, “What’s a Tachikoma?”—apparently watched the entire anime TV series from the first episode to the last in secret, and before we knew it, figures were lined up in the office.

　And so, the “TACHIKOMA GT” project began.

　If we were going to do this, we wanted to create something truly exceptional as a musical instrument. Since it was a guitar made by a guitar shop, we wanted it to be worthy of that reputation. The specs included a through-neck design, a headless body, and an illuminated fingerboard. As we packed more and more of our dreams into it, the costs rose accordingly. We struggled with this decision many times, but we realized that if we had to compromise on cost, it wouldn’t be the model of our dreams. We wanted to create a model that we were thoroughly committed to—one that we could truly say was the guitar we wanted—and that’s how the specifications were finalized.

　And if we were going to make it, it had to be here in Japan. If we were collaborating with an anime series that represents Japan, it had to be a handmade guitar crafted with Japanese technology and soul. I wanted to stay true to “Made in Japan.” As a guitar that showcases Japanese culture to the world, TCGAKKI was finally born.

Based on the design, we tweaked it—making this part a little rounder, or making it look more like a Tachikoma—and with everyone’s love poured into it, the miniature sample was complete!

We were relieved to see that everyone at Production I.G was pleased with it. After going through various procedures, it was finally time to start production

Off to one of Tokyo’s top guitar workshops! We’ll refine the details through numerous production meetings.
From choosing the wood to deciding on the weight, our dream has finally entered the real-world stage.

We held meticulous discussions day and night regarding the body shape, taking into account playability at the neck heel and the ease of tuning from the body end—a feature unique to headless designs.

After countless revisions, the full-scale Bass blueprint was finally completed.

Even after the blueprints are finalized, the playability may not turn out as expected when we actually build the wooden mold. With that in mind, we prepare various templates.

Here we are making the wooden mold.
We combine various patterns to determine the final shape.

After trying out numerous combinations, we finally settled on this block!

Carefully selected wood. Since it’s a through-neck design, we use flamed maple generously. After much trial and error, basswood was chosen for the body sides due to its weight balance and natural acoustic properties.

It’s exciting to see the guitar’s shape taking form!
Compact, lightweight, and responsive—yet with a solid core. We’ve selected materials that truly capture the essence of a Tachikoma.

I’m determining the placement of the parts based on a test assembly. At this stage, the volume knob is still just a sample.Since this is a crucial part that defines the Tachikoma’s character, I had it remade countless times without compromise.

Which one actually looks like a Tachikoma when installed? The atmosphere changes significantly depending on the size and spacing of the dots. We repeated prototyping until we were satisfied. Thank you to everyone at the factory who made so many of them for us.

Now it’s finally time to start machining the lines on the glowing fingerboard
.

We carved the same line over and over, gradually widening the groove.

Once the groove is ready, it’s time to embed the neon. We finish it with great care.

We install the fingerboard with the neon embedded and apply the final finish.

Now it’s time to start painting. We’ve mixed a shade of blue that’s characteristic of the Tachikoma. To achieve the Tachikoma’s texture, we’re paying close attention to the blend of blue and silver.

The guitar in its pristine state before painting. The spray application is both delicate and bold.

It’s gradually being dyed in Tachikoma blue. The most thrilling moment!

Now it’s time for the drying process. Once the masking tape is removed, the beautiful through-neck design is revealed.

After drying, we apply a clear coat.

Part of the "Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG" logo has been added.
Blue anodized parts made by B,W&R specifically for this project.

I put a lot of effort into making this knob, but simply mounting it on the body didn’t quite capture the look of a Tachikoma’s eyes. So I created a custom aluminum plate for it. This really makes it look like a Tachikoma.

Once the painting is complete, it’s finally time to assemble it.By sandwiching white between the blue, the escutcheon creates a two-tone effect that enhances the Tachikoma vibe. Even though people might joke, “No one’s going to notice that much detail!” I’m going to do it anyway.

Here it is! The red light.This is exactly what I wanted to do.

The engraved backplate looks absolutely gorgeous!

I assembled all the custom parts and ran the wiring.

I’m also being particular about the output jack—I placed it right where the Tachikoma’s mouth would be.

It might seem like a blink of an eye when told as a story, but it was a long journey—two years from the initial idea and one year from the design phase. The emotions I felt when the first unit was completed were beyond words. It was like meeting a real Tachikoma; I felt like I wanted to say something to it.
So, here is the TACHIKOMA GT, born from this process. I truly hope you’ll pick one up and experience its true value for yourselves. The TACHIKOMA GT is waiting for you.