The Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell TV anime from Science SARU is airing weekly on Kansai TV and Fuji TV and streaming on Prime Video, with episodes 4 and 5 released. The series is a direct adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga, directed by Mokochan, with Maaya Sakamoto voicing Motoko Kusanagi.
The new Ghost in the Shell television anime, produced by Science SARU, premiered on July 7, 2026, on Kansai TV and Fuji TV's Hi Anime!! block and began streaming on Prime Video the same day. It is the first TV anime in the franchise in over a decade and the first direct adaptation of Shirow's original manga, a point repeated across reviews and promotional materials. The series follows an episodic case-of-the-week structure, with a hand-drawn pipeline that uses CG only for elements impossible in 2D, such as first-person-shooter camera movements.
Maaya Sakamoto takes over the role of Motoko Kusanagi from the late Atsuko Tanaka, with Suzie Yeung voicing the character in the English dub. The cast also includes Kazuhiro Yamaji as Daisuke Aramaki, Hiroki Yasumoto as Batou, and Yuichi Nakamura as Togusa. The production team includes director Mokochan, series composer and scriptwriter Tow Ubukata, character designer Shuhei Handa, and music director Taisei Iwasaki, who composes with Ryo Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka. King Gnu performs the opening theme "GO GHOST," and MILLENNIUM PARADE feat. Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar perform the ending theme "Blue."
Episodes 4 and 5 introduced new characters and crossover figures. Episode 4, which adapts the Robot Rondo chapter, added Kenichi Ogata as Colonel Tonda and Masashi Ebara as the president of Hanka Precision Instruments. Episode 5, titled PHANTOM FUND, brought in Aya Hisakawa and Nina Kumagaya as the Puma sisters from Dominion Tank Police, expanding the show's connection to Shirow's other work. The original soundtrack, The Ghost in the Shell O.S.T., is set for release on September 9, 2026, in CD and vinyl formats.
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King Gnu activated YouTube's new Station feature on their official channel on August 7, allowing 24-hour real-time video streaming with chat. The page includes the music video for "GO GHOST," the opening theme for the anime "Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL." The song was digitally released on July 29 and surpassed one million domestic streams on its first day.
Anime News Network's This Week in Anime column examines director Kenji Kamiyama's filmography in light of his new Gundam series, XARX-ZERO, revealed at San Diego Comic-Con. The column traces his path from late-80s background artist on Akira and Kiki's Delivery Service to director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and projects tied to Star Wars, Ultraman, and Blade Runner.
At Anime Expo, The Ghost in the Shell director Mokochan and character designer Shūhei Handa discussed the new Science SARU series. Mokochan said it is based on the original 1989 manga and aims for a retro future feel, not modernization. Handa called AI the most relevant theme, presented as neither positive nor negative.
Bandai Namco Filmworks released the advance cuts, synopsis, and episode visual for episode 6 of the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL on August 10. Titled DUMB BARTER, the episode is scheduled to first broadcast on August 11 at 23:00 on Kansai TV and the Fuji TV national network in the Hi Anime Bar!! slot, with fastest streaming on Prime Video starting at 23:30 the same day. In the episode, Motoko and her lover are suddenly attacked and taken to the hospital. The suspected culprit is terrorist Soma Toru, who has a connection to Motoko. After leaving the hospital, Motoko and Togusa end up in a fierce battle with an armed group at an abandoned factory. The episode visual was designed by Mizuho Hayashi (maxilla). A special collaboration illustration with the TV anime The Tents of Jardugal, also animated by Science SARU, was released. The illustration, drawn by Jardugal director Abel Gongora, depicts Tachikoma offering Shitara a red flower. Both series began airing in July.
PREMICO released an official Ghost in the Shell watch inspired by Motoko Kusanagi on August 10, 2026. The limited edition of 1,989 mechanical watches features a skeleton dial and case back, a blue dial ring, bullet casing indices, and a Tachikoma-inspired display case. It costs 54,780 yen.
Bandai Spirits is releasing two Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex figures. The S.H.Figuarts Motoko Kusanagi and ROBOT魂 Tachikoma open for preorder at general retailers on August 3, 2026. Both figures ship in January 2027. The Tachikoma's rear cockpit hatch opens to seat the separately sold Motoko figure.
Anime Tokyo Station in Tokyo is hosting the Takayuki Goto Exhibition, Animator 45th Anniversary, from August 8 to October 12. The free event displays original drawings, chief animation director corrections, and panel exhibits covering Goto's career, including work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Zillion, and Please Save My Earth.
The official website for the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell released cast comments and an end card for episode 5, PHANTOM FUND. Aya Hisakawa, voicing Annapurna, and Nina Kumagaya, voicing Unipuma, shared their thoughts. Mahiro Maeda provided the illustration.
The cast and end card for Episode 4 of the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL have been revealed. Kenichi Ogata voices Colonel Tonda, and Masashi Ebara voices the president of Banka Seiki. Tetsuya Nishio drew the episode's end card.
The Ghost in the Shell television anime from Science SARU has added Aya Hisakawa and Niina Kumagaya as the Puma sisters, crossover characters from the New Dominion Tank Police anime. The characters appeared in the fifth episode, which aired Tuesday. The staff also shared an end card by Mahiro Maeda.
Anime News Network reviews episode 4 of the Ghost in the Shell adaptation, which adapts the Robot Rondo chapter from Masamune Shirow's manga. The review praises Science SARU's handling of the disturbing content, noting the episode explores themes of dehumanization through discarded sex bots and a child trafficking storyline involving Hanka Precision Instruments.
The TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell has released preview stills, a synopsis, and an episode visual for its fifth episode, titled PHANTOM FUND. The episode is scheduled to air on August 4 at 23:00 in the Hi Anime Bar!! slot on Kansai TV and Fuji TV's national network, with a same-day streaming release on Prime Video at 23:30. In PHANTOM FUND, Motoko and her team head north to monitor the combat cyborg Coil Krasnov. To expose Coil's objectives and the corruption hidden behind Sagawa Electronics' underground factory expansion, Motoko goes to Sagawa Electronics headquarters while Batou and the others head to the underground factory. The episode visual is part of a special initiative that produces alternative-design posters for each episode, with the fifth episode's design by Daiya Tanabe of maxilla. The anime, based on Masamune Shirow's original manga, is directed by Moko-chan, with series composition and scripts by SF novelist Tow Ubukata, character design by Shuhei Handa, and animation production by Science SARU.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced two new cast members for The Ghost in the Shell television anime from Science SARU on Thursday. Kenichi Ogata voices Col. Tonoda, and Masashi Ebara voices the president of Hanka Precision Instruments company. Both characters appeared in the anime's fourth episode, which aired on Tuesday. The staff also shared an end card for the episode, illustrated by animator Tetsuya Nishio, known for his work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. The anime premiered on July 7 on the Ka-Anival!! programming block on Kansai TV and Fuji TV, airing Tuesday nights at 11:00 p.m. JST. It began streaming on Amazon Prime Video Japan the same day, and is available simultaneously on Prime Video in over 240 countries and regions, excluding mainland China, Russia, and Vietnam. The first two episodes screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June and at Anime Expo on July 4. The series marks Mokochan's directorial debut, with Toh Enjoe writing and overseeing scripts, and Shuhei Handa designing characters and serving as chief animation director.
Science SARU's new Ghost in the Shell anime adaptation, directed by Mokochan, covers the first three episodes with a faithful but frenetic approach. The series bursts with light, color, and an eclectic jazz soundtrack, offering a stark contrast to Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film. New viewers may find the dense information overwhelming, but the result is a kinetic and entertaining experience.
The latest TV anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga, Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell, has released cast details and an end card for its third episode. Akio Otsuka voices Colonel Mares in Episode 3, titled JUNK JUNGLE ii + MEGATECH MACHINE i + ii, which began airing and streaming on July 21. Otsuka commented that the series was created under the concept of keeping the original flavor intact, and he expressed his love for the Ghost in the Shell franchise. The episode also features an end card illustrated by Kunio Okawara. The series is produced by Science SARU, with direction by Mocochin and series composition and script by Tow Ubukata. Maaya Sakamoto stars as Motoko Kusanagi, with Hiroki Yasumoto as Batou and Yuichi Nakamura as Togusa. The anime airs on Kantele and Fuji TV's Hi Anime!! slot on Tuesdays at 11:00 PM, and streams on Prime Video and other services. The story is set in 2029 and follows Public Security Section 9 as they confront cyber crimes and the mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master.
JINS has released a collaboration eyewear line with the TV anime Ghost in the Shell, including a limited edition of 1,000 electronic light-adjusting sunglasses. The collection also includes two models of optical glasses inspired by goggles from the series. The eyewear launched on July 16, 2026, at select JINS stores and online.
The 2026 TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell, produced by Science SARU, began streaming on July 7 via Amazon Prime Video, with other services following on July 8. The series is a new interpretation of Shirow Masamune's manga. Streaming options include DMM TV, U-NEXT, dAnime Store, Netflix, and others, with various free trial periods and pricing.
An op-ed on Anime News Network examines Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell and its technological predictions, particularly the cyberbrain, comparing them to current brain-computer interface developments like Neuralink. The piece argues that Shirow's cyberpunk vision remains prescient in 2026 as society faces AI and digital interconnectivity.
The new Ghost in the Shell TV anime by Science SARU is being praised as the most faithful adaptation of Masamune Shirow's original manga. The series depicts character expressions and storylines directly from the source, including the Tachikoma and old-fashioned wired hacking. It contrasts with previous adaptations by Mamoru Oshii and others, finally delivering the manga's vision 37 years after its release.
The new Ghost in the Shell television anime has started airing in Japan and streaming worldwide, marking the franchise's return to TV. Alongside the premiere, label FlyingDog announced the original soundtrack, The Ghost in the Shell O.S.T., as a two-disc CD album set for release on September 9, 2026, priced at 3,960 yen. A two-disc vinyl edition will follow on September 30, 2026, at 7,700 yen. The score is composed by Taisei Iwasaki, who is also the music director, along with Ryo Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka. Iwasaki won the Japan Academy Award for Best Music for Belle. The soundtrack jacket features a new illustration by tarou2 from Science SARU. First-press CD copies come in special packaging. The soundtrack will also be available on streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music starting September 9. The global streaming launch and the detailed music release schedule together indicate the franchise's continued international reach.
JINS will release collaboration eyewear with Ghost in the Shell on July 16, including JINS' first electronic dimming sunglasses limited to 1,000 units worldwide and four models of glasses with cyberpunk design. Prices are 29,900 yen for sunglasses and 19,900 yen each for glasses. The collaboration commemorates the latest TV anime.
Otakon announced it will host background art director Kazuki Higashiji at its 2026 event. Higashiji has worked on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Maquia, Angel Beats!, Hanasaku Iroha, and Charlotte. The convention also announced a policy change banning fan art sales in the dealers room, directing dealers to the artist alley instead.
Ueni Trading, through its character collaboration brand GARRACK, announced a Japanese-made mechanical watch inspired by the Fuchikoma from Ghost in the Shell. The watch uses raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), a traditional lacquerware technique, to depict the AI-equipped thinking tank on the dial. The design incorporates Fuchikoma details into each component: indices resemble its wheels, hands represent its arm parts, and a see-through back case bears the Ghost in the Shell logo. The dial is hand-finished by craftsmen, with no two pieces identical due to the natural shell material. The watch features an automatic winding MIYOTA movement, a leather strap, and 5 ATM water resistance in a 42 mm case. Pre-orders open July 17, 2026, and the watch releases July 31, 2026, priced at 79,200 yen (tax included). The raden work was handled by Takeyuki Musashikawa, fourth-generation head of the Musashikawa Workshop in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, a bearer of Takaoka lacquerware tradition. The project required high-level techniques due to the many small shell parts needed to reproduce the character's details.
King Gnu's opening theme "GO GHOST" for the TV anime "Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL" will be released digitally on July 29, 2026. The jacket photo featuring Motoko Kusanagi has been unveiled, and a non-credit opening video is now on YouTube. The anime airs Tuesdays on Fuji TV's "Hi Anime!!" slot.
A new Ghost in the Shell anime by Science Saru adapts the original manga closely for the first time. The first episode preserves the comic sensibility and political density of the source material, presenting Major Kusanagi as an ambivalent hero within a corrupt state. The review praises the adaptation's faithfulness and its cutting geopolitical commentary on imperialism and the slave trade.
The new Ghost in the Shell TV anime, produced by Science SARU, has revealed its main cast. Maaya Sakamoto voices Motoko Kusanagi, succeeding Atsuko Tanaka. Kazuhiro Yamaji, Hiroki Yasumoto, and Yuichi Nakamura also star. The series began airing on July 7 on the Fire Anime!! block on Kantele and Fuji TV.
The new Ghost in the Shell television anime from Science SARU premiered on July 7, 2026, on Japanese television and began streaming on Prime Video in over 240 countries and regions. The series, directed by Mokochan in his directorial debut, features Maaya Sakamoto as the voice of Motoko Kusanagi, taking over the role after the death of original voice actress Atsuko Tanaka in August 2024. The cast also includes Kazuhiro Yamaji as Daisuke Aramaki, Hiroki Yasumoto as Batou, and Yuichi Nakamura as Togusa. Toh Enjoe writes and oversees the series scripts, while Shuhei Handa handles character design and chief animation direction. Taisei Iwasaki composes the music with Ryō Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka. King Gnu performs the opening theme "Go Ghost," and MILLENNIUM PARADE feat. Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar perform the ending theme "Blue." The anime had its global premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June with its first two episodes, and also screened at Anime Expo on July 4. Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, Science SARU, and Production I.G are on the production committee.
The new Ghost in the Shell anime, which began airing July 7, has released non-credit opening and ending videos. The opening theme is King Gnu's "GO GHOST" and the ending theme is "Blue" by MILLENNIUM PARADE feat. Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar. The original soundtrack will release on September 9.
The new TV anime 'Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell' begins streaming on Amazon Prime Video on July 7. To mark the launch, poster ads will run at Shibuya Station from July 6 to July 12, and an Amazon special store page has opened with official merchandise, including limited items and a pre-order illustration panel set.
The upcoming television anime "Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell" has revealed its opening and ending theme songs. King Gnu performs the opening theme "Go Ghost," while Millennium Parade performs the ending theme "Blue." This marks the first time that King Gnu and Millennium Parade, both featuring Daiki Tsuneta, have contributed theme songs to the same work. The announcement was made during a panel at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 4. A fifth promotional video previewing the opening theme was also released. The anime is produced by Science SARU, with Mokochan directing his first series. Toh Enjoe is writing and overseeing the series scripts. Shuhei Handa is designing the characters and serving as chief animation director. Taisei Iwasaki is the music director, composing alongside Ryo Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka. The anime will premiere on July 7 on Fuji TV's "Hi Anime!!" block at 11:00 p.m. JST, followed by streaming on Prime Video at 11:30 p.m. JST in over 240 countries and territories. The ending theme "Blue" features Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar.
Amazon Prime Video announced its July 2026 lineup on June 26, featuring the new Ghost in the Shell TV anime, the One Piece spin-off One Piece Heroines, and a large catalog of Pokémon and Crayon Shin-chan films. The theatrical film of The Dangers in My Heart arrives July 13 as a Prime Video exclusive.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on June 24 that official apparel and smartphone cases for the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell are now available through Amazon's print-on-demand service, Amazon Merch on Demand. The lineup includes T-shirts, pullover hoodies, and smartphone cases featuring designs of protagonist Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, the Fuchikoma, and other motifs. T-shirts are priced at 3,640 yen in black or white, available in men's XS-3XL and women's M and L sizes. Hoodies cost 5,930 yen in black, with the same size range. Smartphone cases for iPhone models are 2,950 yen. The anime, based on Masamune Shirow's manga, is produced by Science SARU and directed by Moko-chan, with series composition by Tow Ubukata and character design by Shuhei Handa. It will premiere on July 7 on Kantele and Fuji Television, and will stream on Prime Video in Japan. The goods are manufactured after ordering, so they are always in stock.
Science SARU's upcoming Ghost in the Shell television series has announced its English dub cast, led by Suzie Yeung as Motoko Kusanagi and SungWon Cho as Daisuke Aramaki. The first two episodes will screen in the U.K. on June 26 and at Anime Expo on July 4, ahead of the July 7 premiere on Prime Video Japan and television.
At the Annecy Festival, Science Saru's director Toma "Mokochan" Kimura and producer Kohei Sakita, alongside Bandai Namco's Kengo Abe, presented the first two episodes of their upcoming Ghost in the Shell adaptation. The series, which premieres on Prime Video on July 7, follows an episodic case-of-the-week format more closely aligned with Masamune Shirow's original manga than the 1995 film. The team emphasized a hand-drawn production pipeline, with CG used only for elements impossible in 2D, such as first-person-shooter-style camera movements.
Apparel brand GEEKS RULE will release two T-shirt designs for the new anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell, launching early at Kodansha House in Los Angeles from July 2. The shirts use the first and second key visuals, with the first evoking Masamune Shirow's illustration style and the second featuring Motoko Kusanagi on a Fuchikoma with an icon by Hajime Sorayama. Each costs 13,200 yen.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced the new TV anime 'Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL' will begin broadcasting July 7, 2026, on Kantele and Fuji TV, with Prime Video streaming the fastest in Japan. From July 8, it will be available on services including ABEMA, d Anime Store, DMM TV, Disney+ Star, Netflix, Hulu, U-NEXT, and FOD. Studio Science SARU produces the series.
The Kansai tour of the Ghost in the Shell Exhibition will run from July 17 to August 30, 2026, at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art. New merchandise includes T-shirts collaborating with GEEKS RULE, metallic bottles, and other items. The interactive AI content Tachikoma AI will appear on opening day.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on June 16 that the new TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell will stream on Prime Video in Japan starting July 7 at 23:30 JST, with the fastest domestic unlimited viewing. The series will air on Kantele and Fuji TV's new anime slot Ka Anibar!! at 23:00 JST the same day. Overseas, the anime will stream exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and regions, excluding mainland China, Russia, and Vietnam. A Prime Video-exclusive trailer was released alongside the announcement, showing Public Security Section 9 members led by Motoko Kusanagi and hinting at the mysterious hacker Puppeteer. The anime is produced by Science SARU, with Moko-chan directing in her debut role. Series composition and script are by Tow Ubukata, character design and chief animation direction by Shuhei Handa, and music by Taisei Iwasaki. The ending theme is "Blue" by MILLENNIUM PARADE, featuring Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar. A US premiere screening of episodes 1 and 2 will take place at Anime Expo 2026 on July 4, with a staff panel and autograph sessions.
IQUNIX has launched the IQUNIX EV63 Ghost in the Shell Edition, a collaboration keyboard inspired by the cyberpunk world of Ghost in the Shell. It features a premium aluminum chassis, magnetic switches, 8KHz polling rate, and 16KHz scan rate, targeting competitive FPS players. Two keycap profiles are available: the comfort-oriented GHOST and the e-sports optimized SHELL. The keyboard is priced at $249 and is on sale at the IQUNIX official store.
Bandai Namco Filmworks has revealed the ending theme for Science SARU's upcoming "Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell" television anime. The song, titled "Blue," is performed by MILLENNIUM PARADE, the creative collective led by King Gnu's Daiki Tsuneta, and features Canadian-Japanese artist Saya Gray and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar. According to Tsuneta, work on the track began roughly three years ago with Gray before Caesar later joined the project. A fourth promotional video previewing the song has also been released, focusing on the inner lives of characters centered on protagonist Motoko Kusanagi. The anime is set to premiere on July 7, 2026, airing on Kansai TV and Fuji TV's new anime programming block "Ka-Anival!!" on Tuesday nights at 11:00 p.m. Amazon Prime Video will stream the series worldwide except in Russia and China, with an early exclusive streaming window in Japan. The first two episodes will also screen at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 4, followed by a panel with director Mokochan, character designer Shuhei Handa, and producers.
Prime 1 Studio is producing a 1/4 scale figure of Motoko Kusanagi and Tachikoma based on artist Entei Ryu's illustration from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Two versions are available: a sepia-tone edition and a character color edition. Pre-orders are open at Rakuten Books for 296,890 yen each.
The first large-scale exhibition spanning the entire Ghost in the Shell anime series, "Ghost in the Shell Exhibition Ghost and the Shell," will run from January 30 to April 5, 2026, at TOKYO NODE in Toranomon Hills. The event includes an augmented reality experience called "Dennou VISION" that lets visitors wear AR glasses modeled after those worn by protagonist Motoko Kusanagi. XREAL, the company that develops and sells AR glasses, announced it is providing equipment including the XREAL Air2 Ultra for the experience. The AR tour is guided by the Tachikoma robots from the Stand Alone Complex series. A separate "Dennou VISION Experience Ticket" is required on top of the general admission ticket, priced at 1,300 yen in advance online, 1,500 yen during the exhibition period online, and 1,700 yen at the door. General admission is timed-entry with limited quantities per slot. The exhibition is organized by a production committee including Kodansha, Mori Building, KDDI, Production I.G, Parco, and Bandai Namco Filmworks. A new TV anime, "Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL," directed by Moko-chan with series composition by Tow Ubukata and animation by Science SARU, is scheduled for 2026.
Bandai Spirits revealed new plastic models of Motoko Kusanagi and Fuchikoma from the upcoming TV anime 'Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell' during a May 26 livestream. The kits are part of the 30 MINUTES PREFERENCE line and are scheduled for a December 2026 release at 4950 yen and 2750 yen respectively.
Science SARU's new TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell released its third PV and key visual, revealing the story of Section 9 investigating a hacker called the Puppet Master. The series premieres July 7 on Kantele and Fuji TV's Funi Bar!! slot.
Bandai Candy Division is releasing a set of Ghost in the Shell card wafers featuring 26 metallic pla cards. The lineup includes Motoko Kusanagi and other Public Security Section 9 characters from the upcoming anime series Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, which is set to begin airing on July 7, 2026. The cards use art described as closer to Shirow Masamune's original manga than previous anime adaptations. Each wafer pack contains one card and one vanilla cream flavored wafer. The cards are made of PET and measure approximately 86 mm by 59 mm. A box of 20 packs costs 3,410 yen including tax. Pre-orders opened on Premium Bandai at 1:00 PM on May 20, 2026, though the product is not a Premium Bandai exclusive. Shipments are scheduled for September 2026. A single box does not guarantee a complete set of all 26 card types. The product is distributed by Bandai Candy Division.
The latest installment of Anime News Network's 'This Week in Anime' column is a roundtable discussion covering the entire Ghost in the Shell franchise, timed around the upcoming Science SARU adaptation. The column's participants survey every major iteration of the series, from Masamune Shirow's original manga to Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film and its sequel Innocence, the Stand Alone Complex television series and its CG sequel SAC_2045, the Arise prequel series, the 2017 live-action Hollywood film, and even the PS1 video game. The conversation highlights the franchise's thematic flexibility, noting how its core cast of characters can work across vastly different tones and formats. The column gives particular attention to the Science SARU series, which the writers describe as the first direct cel-animated adaptation of Shirow's manga stories rather than a reinterpretation. The writers also discuss the Major's role as a transfeminine icon and the franchise's handling of feminine sexuality and power. The column closes by mentioning Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn as a connected prequel work.
The new anime project "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY" has brought back the popular character Isao Ota, voiced by Chikao Ohtsuka, who made a surprise appearance at a stage greeting in Tokyo on May 16. Director Yutaka Izubuchi explained the decision, saying he wanted to bring the character out "in a delicious way." Ota is a veteran member of the former Special Vehicles Section 2 from the original OVA series. The stage greeting also featured cast members Sumire Uesaka, Kikunosuke Toya, and Chikahiro Kobayashi. Separately, a new one-shot manga by original creator Masami Yuki, titled "Patlabor 2026," was published in Weekly Spirits on May 18, marking the first new manga in the franchise in 32 years. The anime project consists of eight episodes split into three theatrical chapters. "File 1" opened on May 15, "File 2" is scheduled for August 14, and "File 3" for March 2027. The project has also received recommendation comments from 14 figures including Hideaki Anno, Sumito Owara, and Kenji Kawai.
The new anime adaptation of Masamune's The Ghost in the Shell will begin its television run on July 7, 2026. Science SARU is producing the series, with Bandai Namco Filmworks and Kodansha also attached. The date arrived in a third promotional video that opens on Major Motoko Kusanagi and introduces other members of the Shell Squad. Many of the on-screen text slides in the trailer appear in both Japanese and English, though no official subtitles are present. Before the broadcast, the first two episodes will screen at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2026. The festival event, titled "Dive into The Ghost in the Shell," will include director Mokochan and producers Daichi Sasa, Kengo Abe, and Kohei Sakita as special guests. A specific time for the Annecy screening has not been posted on the festival's official page or programming site. The new key art was also released alongside the trailer. Earlier character-focused trailers had already spotlighted Makoto, the Tachikoma robots, Batou, and Togusa across separate months leading into this announcement.