Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface

This story may have been too smart for its own good.  Read this and see a cranky man complain about something he doesn't quite understand.  But he does complement it for having all dem purty pictures.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Possibly the best format for this material is having it be on television, giving it the opportunity to breathe across 26 episodes rather than compress it down to a two hour flick.

Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor

The third and final manga in the series.  Well, as of 2017 it is.  If Man-Machine Interface wasn't your idea for a good GitS story, then this should balance things out.

Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG

Director Kenji Kamiyama and team outdid themselves with the second season of Stand Alone Complex.  This might be my pick for the best the franchise has to offer.