Exciting New Series Announcement of Ghost in the Shell
Fans of the legendary manga “Ghost in the Shell” have something to look forward to. A new TV anime series is set to air in 2026. The animation studio Science SARU, known for popular titles like “INU-OH” and “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!”, will bring this new adaptation to life. Along with the announcement, a teaser video and visual have been released, adding to the anticipation.
A Legacy of Innovation
Originally created by Masamune Shirow, “Ghost in the Shell” first appeared in 1989 in “Young Magazine Kaizokuban”. The series follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg with unparalleled skills in cyber warfare and combat. She leads an elite unit called Public Security Section 9, which combats increasingly complex and severe crimes. The manga is celebrated for its intricate and realistic artwork, as well as its deep exploration of cyberpunk themes and philosophical questions about the fusion of humanity and technology. These elements have profoundly influenced many creators and have been compiled into three volumes published by Kodansha: “The Ghost in the Shell”, “Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface”, and “Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor”.
A Global Phenomenon
“Ghost in the Shell” has been adapted into various media formats, including the critically acclaimed 1995 anime film directed by Mamoru Oshii and a Hollywood live-action movie. The series continues to captivate audiences around the world with its thought-provoking content and stunning visuals. The new anime series announcement was made during the “DEEP DIVE in sync with Ghost in the Shell” event held in Tokyo, where the teaser video highlighted iconic scenes from the original comic, promising an exciting new chapter in the franchise.
Lists of Manga, Comic, Animated and Live-Action Films, and TV Anime of Ghost in the Shell Series
Original Manga
| Title | Description | Released year |
| Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL | Depicts the series of events involving the Puppet Master. | October 1991 |
| Ghost in the Shell 1.5 HUMAN-ERROR PROCESSOR | Depicts Public Security Section 9 after Motoko leaves. | July 2003 |
| Ghost in the Shell 2 MANMACHINE INTERFACE | Depicts the story of Motoko and her doppelgangers after leaving Public Security Section 9. | June 2001 |
| Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL Bilingual Edition | The English translation version has English in the speech bubbles with Japanese written beside them, making it readable even for those who only understand Japanese. | September 2002 |
| PIECES Gem〈01〉 Ghost in the Shell Data+α | Compiles unpublished illustrations, setting materials, and production notes. | November 2014 |
Comic Adaptations
| Title | Description | Original run |
| Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX (5 volumes) | Written by Yu Kinutani. Manga adaptation of “S.A.C.”. While the content is similar to the anime, it includes additional diagrams and explanations of incidents. Characters like Batou and Daisuke Aramaki call Motoko “Major Kusanagi”, adding unique touches. | October 2002 |
| Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX The Laughing Man (4 volumes) | Comic adaptation by Yu Kinutani. Based on the “Complex Episodes” = “Laughing Man Incident” from the original anime series. | September 2005 |
| Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Tachikoma na Hibi (8 volumes) | Manga by Masayuki Yamamoto, plot by Yoshiki Sakurai. A parody work with an original story. | January 2010 |
| Ghost in the Shell ARISE Sleepless Eye (7 volumes) | Script by Junichi Fujisaku, manga by Takumi Oyama. A comic adaptation. The early part depicts the meeting between Batou and Motoko, and the later part shows events from Batou’s perspective. | March 2013 |
Animated Films
| Title | Description | Released year |
| GHOST IN THE SHELL / Ghost in the Shell | Directed by Mamoru Oshii. Based on the first volume of the manga, it highlights themes like whether memories and personalities remain the same when transferred to external storage media. While it attracted 120,000 viewers in Japan, it received high acclaim overseas, leading to greater appreciation within Japan. | November 18, 1995 |
| Innocence | Released on March 6, 2004. A sequel to the first movie, but not based on the second volume of the manga “MANMACHINE INTERFACE”. Instead, it is an original story based on the sixth chapter of the first manga, “ROBOT RONDO”, focusing on Batou with minimal appearance of Motoko. | March 6, 2004 |
| GHOST IN THE SHELL / Ghost in the Shell 2.0 | Directed by Mamoru Oshii. A complete renewal of all scenes, essentially a 21st-century version of “Ghost in the Shell”. Featuring Yoshiko Sakakibara as the new voice for the Puppet Master. | July 12, 2008 |
| Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. SOLID STATE SOCIETY 3D | Directed by Kenji Kamiyama. The third installment of the “Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX” (S.A.C.) TV series, released in 3D as “Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. SOLID STATE SOCIETY 3D”. It features full regrading and a completely new opening animation, with title design following the first S.A.C. series. | March 26, 2011 |
| Ghost in the Shell ARISE | Released in four parts. Focuses on the establishment of Public Security Section 9 and the assembly of its members, as well as Motoko’s involvement with the army secret unit “501 Organization”. General director and character design by Kazuchika Kise, series composition and script by Tow Ubukata. The cast from previous works was entirely replaced, with Maaya Sakamoto, who previously played young Motoko, voicing the character in this series. | January 16, 2013 |
| Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie | Directed by Kazuchika Kise. Depicts events following “Ghost in the Shell ARISE”, revealing the origins of Motoko Kusanagi and the Ghost in the Shell. | June 20, 2015 |
Live-Action Film
| Title | Description | Released year |
| Ghost in the Shell | Directed by Rupert Sanders, the live-action “Ghost in the Shell” faced “whitewashing” accusations for casting Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi. Despite international criticism, some in Japan supported the casting. The film’s prosthetic body design for Kusanagi aimed to appear mass-produced to avoid attention. Original creator Masamune Shirow anticipated the use of a Johansson-like prosthetic for the protagonist and emphasized that cyborg bodies should fit their physiological and social contexts, cautioning against mismatched body and brain ages. | March 31, 2017, in the USA and April 7, 2017, in Japan |
TV Anime
The “Ghost in the Shell” series was adapted into TV anime in 2002, 2004, 2006, and is set for 2026. Character designs and settings blend elements from both the films and original manga, with the story set in a parallel world. Themes include “drug damage” in “S.A.C.”, “refugee issues” in “2nd GIG”, and “aging issues” in “Solid State Society”. Some episodes were not aired on terrestrial broadcasts due to graphic content. The opening and ending themes differ between the original and terrestrial broadcasts. DVD releases of “S.A.C.” and “2nd GIG” include “Tachikoma Days” extras, while the “SSS” DVD features “Uchikoma Days”.
| Title | Description | Broadcast period |
| Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX (S.A.C.) | The first series, aired on Perfect Choice (pay-per-view) from October 2002 and later on several Nippon TV affiliates in 2004. Mainly deals with the “Laughing Man Incident”. Additionally, from the early 2010s, Family Theater broadcasted the series in a 16:9 format with upscaled HD visuals. | Aired from October 1, 2002, to November 30, 2003 (26 episodes). |
| Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. 2nd GIG | The second series, produced with Mamoru Oshii as story concept. Aired on Perfect Choice from January 2004 and later on several Nippon TV affiliates in 2005. Mainly deals with the “Individual Eleven Incident” and the subsequent “Dejima Incident”. | Aired from January 2004 to January 2005 (26 episodes). |
| Ghost in the Shell STAND ALONE COMPLEX Solid State Society (S.A.C. SSS) | Set two years after “2nd GIG”, with Motoko Kusanagi having left Public Security Section 9 and Togusa now leading the expanded team. Introduces a new ghost hacker, “Puppeteer”, reminiscent of the Puppet Master. | Aired on Perfect Choice in September 2006. |
| Ghost in the Shell ARISE ALTERNATIVE ARCHITECTURE | The “fourth Ghost in the Shell”, a TV anime adaptation of “Ghost in the Shell ARISE”, re-edited based on Tow Ubukata’s initial series structure with two new episodes added, linking to “Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie”. | Aired from April 5, 2015 to June 14, 2015 (10 episodes). |
| Ghost in the Shell (tentative) | Animation production by Science SARU. | Scheduled for broadcast in 2026. |
Celebrating the Legacy
The teaser visual released features an illustration from the original comic, showcasing Major Kusanagi and the AI-equipped think tank, Tachikoma, capturing the essence of “Ghost in the Shell”. In addition to the anime series, there will be a grand original art exhibition by Masamune Shirow, tentatively titled “The World of Masamune Shirow”. This exhibition will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Setagaya Literary Museum and is scheduled for spring 2025, making it the largest-ever exhibition of Shirow’s work.
This announcement is a testament to the enduring popularity and influence of “Ghost in the Shell”. Fans eagerly await the new series, which promises to continue the legacy of innovation and thought-provoking storytelling that the franchise is known for. The collaboration with Science SARU is particularly exciting, as the studio has a reputation for producing visually stunning and highly acclaimed anime. This new series is sure to be a major event in the anime world, drawing both longtime fans and new viewers into the cyberpunk universe of “Ghost in the Shell”.
