Appleseed (アップルシード Appurushīdo?) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The series follows the adventures of ESWAT members Deunan Knute and Briareos Hecatonchires in Olympus. Like much of Masamune's work, Appleseed merges elements of the cyberpunk and mecha genres with a heavy dosage of politics, philosophy, and sociology. The series spans four volumes, released between 1985 and 1989.[2] It has been adapted into an OVA, two feature films, a 13 episode TV series, and two video games.