Batou

Batou is one of the members of Public Security Section 9 doing work out in the field. He is cool-headed and a thinker, but doesn't look the part. In his free time he likes to read up on philosophy and ponders what it means to be human in a world where every body part can easily be replaced.

Timeline

2027	Arise
2029	Koukaku Kidoutai (1995)
2030	Stand Alone Complex
2032	2nd GIG & Innocence
2034	Solid State Society

Alternate Universes
The anime are spread across three distinct universes.

1. Koukaku Kidoutai and Innocence
2. Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG and Solid State Society [Batou]
3. Arise

The differences between the first and the other two universes should be obvious with the example of Aramaki from the timeline alone. While he just started his career in Arise, only two years later he would be an old man looking at retirement. Even older than he is depicted in S.A.C. which according to the timeline comes later.

While the Batou from this universe is more of an intellectual, the Batou from S.A.C. enjoys to train his body for recreation.

That Arise and S.A.C. take place in two different universes isn't obvious at first, but becomes clear when examining the timeline in detail. In Arise, Section 9 is formed in 2027, while in S.A.C. it is stated that the unit was established in 2029. It is also shown in S.A.C. that Motoko had the same personality (and perhaps more important the same body) during the Second Vietnam War (2015-2024) and S.A.C. (2030) conflicting with what is seen in Arise (2027).

Source: www.anisearch.com/character/50389