The Ghost in the Shell is a brand new anime take on the classic franchise now in the works, and the original creator behind it all has shared their take on the new anime series. Ghost in the Shell is likely one of the more identifiable anime and manga franchises among fans of a certain generation. The franchise not only has had a number of different anime adaptations across multiple decades and mediums, but even has had a full live-action feature film adaptation as well. So there really has been a new Ghost in the Shell to watch ever since its first movie hit theaters in Japan back in the 1990s.
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The Ghost in the Shell is the next new anime taking on Masamune Shirow’s classic manga series, and it will be one of the most unique yet as it will be tackled by the studio behind Dandadan and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Science SARU, and visually looks to be one of the most unique takes on the manga yet. With the newest update from the now in the works anime release for next year, original series creator Shirow shared their first impressions of the new anime as they note that it’s actually the tenth adaptation of the manga so far.
Ghost in the Shell’s Creator Hypes New Anime Series
“Anime adaptation-wise, this new THE GHOST IN THE SHELL marks the fourth version following those by Oshii, Kamiyama, and Kise,” Shirow began in a special comment shared with fans alongside a new teaser trailer. “Alternatively, if we separate GHOST IN THE SHELL and Innocence, categorize the S.A.C. series into Seasons 1, 2, and Solid State Society, divide ARISE into its own series along with The New Movie, and split SAC_2045 into Seasons 1 and 2, this would be the tenth adaptation overall.” But as Shirow elaborates, this new anime can be considered the start of a new generation.
“Considering the shift in production staff, one could even consider this the first installment of a second generation,” Shirow continued. “The original manga is quite old, so I ask for your understanding on that point (sorry!). That said, I sincerely hope this will once again be an enjoyable visual experience in some form.” As this new series further comes together, Ghost in the Shell fans clearly have a lot to look forward to when it hits sometime next year.
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What to Know for The Ghost in the Shell
Officially titled as The Ghost in the Shell, this new anime will be hitting screens sometime in 2026, but has yet to confirm a concrete release date, window, or international release plans as of the time of this publication. Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha and Production I.G. are overseeing the production with Moko-chan (who is making their directorial debut) directing the new series for Science SARU. Toh Enjoe is handling the scripts for the series, and Shuhei Handa will be serving as character designer and chief animation director.
Further details on the new anime’s staff and voice cast have yet to be revealed as of the time of this publication either, but we’ll be getting that information much loser to its release. This new take on the franchise looks to be the most faithful to Shirow’s original manga style yet, so it’s likely going to be a dramatically different version of the series than fans have seen before. But with some of those previous adaptations being better received than others, this new era of the anime is certainly going to be a welcome one.
