Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex aired in 2002 on SKY Perfect Choice network for two seasons, with a total of 52 episodes. The popular series directed by Kenji Kamiyama, produced by Production I.G with music by Yoko Kanno was not only a huge hit in Japan, but saw great success overseas, topping the ratings on cable television across the United States.

The fusion of “starkness and lyricism” that characterizes Yoko Kanno’s music paints a picture of a cyberpunk world in the not-so-far off future. It blends digital electronica with echoes of eastern European folk songs, jazz, and rock. The vocals feature a blend of languages such as Russian, English and Italian that depicts a stateless and complex future society. The soundtrack has been previously released on five CD albums.

With the newest installment in the series The Ghost in the Shell, scheduled to air this July, all five CD albums from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex will be released on vinyl.