Shirow is credited for the original concept on GLITCH WITCH, a new Naoki Azuma manga set in the Ghost in the Shell world that launched on Kodansha's YanMaga Web in September 2026. He also supervised the tuning of a new red color for the M.A.P.P. mouse revival, and his manga catalog remains on sale at the Kindle Store.
Masamune Shirow's current coverage is dominated by other people working inside his worlds. The new television anime Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, based on his original manga, ran ten episodes on Fuji TV's Hi Anime slot and streamed on Prime Video, with Science SARU producing, Moko-chan directing, Tow Ubukata writing series composition and scripts, and Maaya Sakamoto voicing Motoko Kusanagi. The adaptation returns to the tone and visual style of Shirow's original manga rather than the earlier Production I.G. approach, and its run carried the Puppeteer storyline through episode 7. The week the anime ended, Naoki Azuma launched GLITCH WITCH on Kodansha's YanMaga Web, set in the same world with Shirow credited for the original concept.
Outside animation, Shirow appears as a supervisor and a brand. The M.A.P.P. mouse revival with Hajime Katoki added a limited red color, tuned under Shirow's supervision and priced at 12,800 yen, after the blue variant sold out; reservations opened September 7 with general sale planned for late September. Apparel brand GEEKS RULE released two T-shirts for the new anime, with the first key visual evoking his illustration style.
His older manga also circulated. A Kindle Store sale cut Appleseed, its guidebook, Dominion F, ORION, and his debut work Black Magic to an effective 75 percent off. A separate op-ed compared the cyberbrain concept from Ghost in the Shell to current brain-computer interface work, arguing the 1989 manga's predictions still hold up in 2026.
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Naoki Azuma, the creator of Keishicho Zoshi and Dragon & Ape, launched GLITCH WITCH on Kodansha's YanMaga Web website this week. The manga is set in the world of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell, with Shirow credited for the original concept. New chapters update every other Wednesday. The launch follows the Science SARU television anime, which ended its 10-episode run on Tuesday.
Elecom will open reservations on September 7 at noon for a limited red color of the M.A.P.P. mouse, the revival of the 2002 design project with Masamune Shirow and Hajime Katoki. The red is the first new color in the series, tuned under Shirow's supervision, and sells for 12,800 yen. Blue, one of the three colors released in spring 2026, has already sold out. General sale is planned for late September.
Scene photos and episode visuals for episode 7 of the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL have been released. The episode reveals the Puppeteer inside a robot, demanding political asylum before being seized. The episode's alternative design poster is by Kano Kameda.
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.
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.
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.
Masamune Shirow's manga are on sale at the Kindle Store with a 44% discount plus a 50% point reward, making the effective discount 75%. The lineup includes Appleseed, its guidebook, Dominion F, ORION, and his debut work Black Magic. The sale coincides with the start of the new Ghost in the Shell anime.
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.