Ghosts are real, and this is the prime example. Masamune Shirow’s famous manga series Ghost in the Shell is launching a new anime series that will undoubtedly take the franchise to higher heights. The hit cyberpunk series has already spread its wings with multiple adaptations, whether animated and live-action films, television series, or games. The latest project of the franchise came out in 2023 (Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 The Last Human), and fans are clamoring for an updated project. And so, they’ve delivered.
If you’re ready for more cyberpunk action, feast your eyes on a new anime series set to come down your doorstep in 2026! Bandai Namco, with Science SARU, has announced their spearheading of this huge project of making a television anime series for Ghost in the Shell. Set to air in 2026 with no specific date, the series has already released a promotional poster and video with the announcement.
What is Ghost in the Shell All About?
The story of Ghost in the Shell revolves around how seamless the transition has been from man to machine. On one hand, humans have depended on robotic implants to live while on the other, robots are embedded with human tissues to function.
In a world where technology has solely taken over, Major Matoko Kusanagi’s job is to find out who is taking advantage of these advancements for evil—especially the “ghost hackers” whose main objective is to reprogram humans into cyborgs and use them as their puppets. The Puppeteer is the ringleader of all of this, and when Major Kusanagi attempts to track the hacker down, her curiosity about the hacker and her own identity gets the best of her and throws her into confusion.
The Ghost in the Shell manga debuted in May 1989 in Kodansha’s Young Magazine Kaizokuban while the 1995 movie remains one of the greatest movies in anime history. After endless adaptations, Major Kusanagi is slated to return with a bang in 2026. The new announcement has also brought home a welcome surprise. Production I.G., Kodansha, and, as previously mentioned, Science SARU are joining Bandai Namco Filmworks in the project. The latter was recently bought by Toho and has been making fruitful strides with Dandadan arriving in October 2024.
However, Science SARU has been on the block for quite some time now with other projects such as Devilman Crybaby and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Rest assured that the upcoming Ghost in the Shell series will be in capable hands! In the meantime, all fans can do is hope that Toho Animation’s acquisition of the Japanese animation studio won’t impact the series’ quality.
The original movie introduced the audience to a vast world of advanced technology. It would later receive a sequel film and a live-action adaptation in the USA and judging by the uproar of fans, deservingly so. It was followed by Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, and Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045—all anime television series.