Ghost in the Shell (Kōkaku Kidōtai, literally "Mobile Armored Riot Police") is a Japanese multimedia science fiction and cyberpunk franchise created in 1989 by Shirow Masamune.
The series focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist police organization Public Security Section 9 (公安9課), set in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan.
The series is comprised of Shirow's original manga (1989/1991, 2002 and 2003); two animated films (1995 and 2004) directed by Mamoru Oshii; two anime series (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex in 2002-2003 and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig in 2004-2005), and their sequel OVA (Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society in 2006); as well as several video games and novels. An American live action adaptation starring Scarlett Johannson was released in 2017.
