Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. – The Laughing Man

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex complete collection cover
攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX (Kōkaku Kidōtai Sutando Arōn Conpurekkusu)
Genre	Action, science fiction
Anime television series
Directed by	Kenji Kamiyama
Produced by	Charles McCarter Kaoru Mfaume Yuichiro Matsuka Atsushi Sugita
Written by	Kenji Kamiyama
Music by	Yoko Kanno
Studio	Production I.G
Licensed by	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Bandai Entertainment NA/UK Manga Entertainment
Original network	NTV
English network	AU SBS One, Sci Fi Channel (Animax) AUS Adult Swim BI AnimeCentral CA YTV (Bionix) SA Animax SEA Animax Asia US Adult Swim (Toonami) ZA Animax South Africa, SABC
Original run	October 1, 2002 – January 8, 2005
Episodes	52 (List of episodes)
Novel series
Written by	Junichi Fujisaku
Published by	Tokuma Shoten
English publisher	US Dark Horse Comics
Original run	January 2004 – February 2005
Volumes	3
Original video animation
The Laughing Man Individual Eleven
Directed by	Kenji Kamiyama
Music by	Yoko Kanno
Studio	Production I.G
Licensed by	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Bandai Entertainment NA/UK Manga Entertainment
Released	September 23, 2005 – January 27, 2006
Runtime	160 minutes each
Episodes	2
Manga
Written by	Yu Kinutani
Published by	Kodansha
English publisher	US Kodansha Comics
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Young Magazine
Original run	December 2009 – present
Volumes	5
Manga
Tachikomatic Days
Written by	Yoshiki Sakurai Mayasuki Yamamoto
Published by	Kodansha
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Young Magazine
Original run	December 2009 – present
Volumes	5
Anime film
Solid State Society
Video games
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PlayStation 2 game) Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PlayStation Portable game) First Assault Online

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, known in Japan as Mobile Armored Riot Police: Stand Alone Complex (攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex（スタンド・アローン・コンプレックス）,, Kōkaku Kidōtai Sutando Arōn Conpurekkusu), is a Japanese anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. The first season aired from October 2002 to October 2003 and was positively received by critics. A second season titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, known in Japan as Mobile Armored Riot Police: S.A.C. 2nd GIG (攻殻機動隊 S.A.C. 2nd GIG（エス・エー・シー セカンド ギグ）,, Kōkaku Kidōtai Esu Ē Shī Sekando Gigu), aired from January 2004 to January 2005.

The series centers on the members of an elite law enforcement unit known as Public Security Section 9 as they investigate cybercrime and terrorism cases; these cases often are connected to their pursuit of an elite "Super Class A" hacker and corporate terrorist known as "The Laughing Man". A series of associated short comic animations, titled Tachikomatic Days, aired after each episode. These shorts star the Tachikoma "think-tanks" from the main series, and they typically relate directly to the story of the preceding Stand Alone Complex episode.

The first season was adapted into a feature-length OVA titled The Laughing Man, which was released in 2005. The series had also received video game spin-offs for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones. 2nd GIG was also later adapted into a feature-length OVA entitled Individual Eleven, which was released in 2006.Solid State Society, a TV-film sequel to the Stand Alone Complex series, was also released in that year.