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It is the near future, and the line between man and machine has been blurred beyond recognition. Nearly all people are now cybernetically enhanced in some way, and dealing with crime has become a job for a special elite task force called Public Peace Section Nine. Charged with preventing technologically related terrorism, this group of ex-military and police investigate everything from cyber-crimes to murder. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex takes place in the same universe and follows the same characters as the film Ghost in the Shell and depicts the same gritty, realistic view of Earth's grim urban future. The story takes place after the events of the movie, however, and has a broader focus on the effect of technology on society as a whole, rather than on the individual. The subtitle "Stand Alone Complex" derives from the two distinct kids of episodes that the series includes. Some episodes, clearly marked "Stand Alone" at the beginning, are conclusive within their own plotlines and can be watched independently of each other. Other episodes marked "Complex" are serial in nature and all follow a single story arc revolving around a mysterious figure called The Laughing Man.