My work on Ghost in the Shell was to develop a tool for the impact of the bullet that the turret tank was firing. It needed to have multiple elements, like particles, smoke and bigger pieces of destruction. I scripted this tool in python. it was a Maya UI calling particles, fluids and rigid bodies.
I also had the chance to work on the opening sequence of the movie. I did some smoke and bubbles when her body is being assembled. This effect was made in maya.