Masamune Shirow

"Deep into the twenty-first century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants and robots are upgraded with human tissue. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg superagent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including "ghost hackers" who are capable of exploiting the human/machine interface and...

"Ghost in the Shell 2 follows the mysterious Motoko Aramaki as she runs an investigation into an incident at an organ factory and its consequences. She's on the run to clean up the mess and save herself in the process. Meanwhile the former members of Section 9 investigate Motoko to find out who she really is" -- Animenewsnetwork.com.

"The planet is in a constant state of tumult. As rival countries vie for power and resources, while racing to create the latest technological breakthroughs, robots and cyborgs have become commonplace. What hope is left for a jaded humanity in an age of advances in cybernetics and artificial intelligence? Enter two cyborgs girls outfitted with insurmountable combat capabilities" --

"Ever since the massive multi-legged boring machine, Buer, rocked the island of Cenancle, many have sought its destructive power. Although Buer is now dep underground, Colonel Kurtz is determined to retrieved the robot--even if it means calling in the entire Cenancle army to do it! Meanwhile, Nene and Clarion are continuing to help people with the Pandora Device and its seemingly endless variety of temporary abilities. But the Pandora Device is only...

Today, the planet Venus is a literal hell of furnace-like temperatures and dense, poisonous atmosphere. But millions of years in its past, Venus teemed with life and with a civilization far advanced to our own. The Nemisis supercomputer controls government functions, with bioroid "executors" created to carry out the system's utopian edicts. But trouble brews even in paradise, as different executors vie for control of Nemesis, forcing the governing...

In the mighty Yamata Empire, magic and technology are one and the same. Now, the Empire is preparing its ultimate feat of psycho-science: the destruction of all the negative karma in the galaxy! But will this mystical purification be the salvation of humanity--or the trigger of its ultimate destruction? Only one being can save the Empire from its folly: Susano, the God of Destruction. Wild, arrogant, and homicidal, Susano has come to teach the world...

A collection of sketches, studies and schematics, Appleseed ID is a must-have companion book for fans of the cyberpunk saga Appleseed and its legendary creator, Shirow Masamune, the manga mastermind behind such classics as Appleseed, Dominion and Ghost in the Shell. Sit back and relax as Shirow takes you on a guided tour of one of his most beloved worlds, exploring the people, places, organizations and, of course, technology that makes the universe...