Masamune Shirow. Kodansha, 1989–1997

The social ambiguities of artificial intelligence are explored through the cases of Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetic human and member of the counter-terrorist division of Japan’s intelligence department. Larger philosophical themes of politics and technology are prodded as Kusanagi and her team track down hackers and other rogue elements, such as a renegade AI known as the Puppetmaster. Kusanagi's adventures continued in Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface and Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor. An animated feature (adapted from portions of the original manga) was released in 1995, and has since become an influential anime classic. A sequel, Innocence, followed in 2004, as well as Stand Alone Complex, a TV series with its own movies and OVAs. A new take on the franchise, known as Arise - Alternative Architecture, began in 2013 with a manga, OVA, and subsequent TV series. A live action Hollywood adaptation is slated for 2017.