Can anyone suggest a good alternative or similar series to Ghost In The Shell?
Something with hackers and/or robotics - anything with references to AI, but not mecha.
I've seen all the GITS stuff and the only decent thing with similar elements i've seen is Ergo Proxy.
Cheers.
look into Texhnolyze
havent actually seen it yet but it's on my list
Real Drive, which is going to start in April, should be right up your alley, it seems.
Other than that, you should probably try watching Dennou Coil.
Serial Experiments Lain. Second on Texhnolyze.
There's hardly any tech or AI in Texhnolyze.
Texhnolyze has no AI or tech stuff. It's a very bleak, steampunk anime set in quite a primitive world. Hard to understand as well.
The same goes for Lain.
Neither are anything like GiTS.
It has some tech stuff, it just isn't the focus of the story.