Upon its US release in the mid-1990s, Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell quickly became one of the most popular Japanese animation films in the West. Despite this, Oshii is known as a stray dog' in the world of anime, avoiding the limelight in favour of his own personal cinematic vision. Working in both live-action film and animation, directing everything from absurdist comedy to thrillers to meditations on the nature of reality, Oshii refuses to be pigeon-holed. This is a first-time, in-depth look at the style and development of this extraordinary director.'