A new anime based on Shirow Masamune‘s cyberpunk landmark Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) has been officially greenlit, with Science SARU — the studio behind the 2026 TV anime Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL — confirmed to return as the animation studio.

Surprise Announcement at Tokyo’s DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA

The news broke on October 23, 2026, during a press preview for the public event “OPEN HOUSE” held at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA in Tokyo. Attendees were handed flyers revealing the new production as a surprise announcement. The preview also featured an autograph session by THE GHOST IN THE SHELL director Moko-chan, held to celebrate a merchandise collaboration between the apparel project “GEEKS RULE” and the TV anime. A key visual for the new project was released alongside the announcement, with further updates to follow via the official Bandai Namco Filmworks social media channels.

About Science SARU

Science SARU has built a strong international reputation with titles including Inu-Oh (Golden Globe nominee for Best Animated Feature), The Colors Within (きみの色) (Best Animated Film at the Shanghai International Film Festival), and the TV anime Dandadan. The studio is also set to deliver Dandadan Season 3 in 2027.

New Anime: Basic Details

• Working Title: Ghost in the Shell (tentative)
• Original Work: Shirow Masamune (Kodansha, KC Deluxe)
• Animation Studio: Science SARU

About Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL (2026 TV Anime)

Set in the year 2029, the TV anime depicts a near-future Japan where corporate networks blanket the globe yet nations and ethnic identities persist. Full-body cyborg Motoko Kusanagi, commanding an elite unit that includes Batou, seeks to establish a special crime-prevention task force. Aramaki Daisuke of the Ministry of Internal Affairs shares the same vision and recruits Motoko’s team. Together they form Public Security Section 9 — the “Ghost in the Shell” — and soon find themselves pursuing a mysterious hacker known as The Puppet Master.

Staff

• Original Work: Shirow Masamune
• Director: Moko-chan
• Series Composition / Screenplay: Enjo To
• Character Design / Chief Animation Director: Handa Shuhei
• Art Director: Katanozaka Emi
• Art Supervisor: Masuyama Osamu
• Color Design: Hashimoto Ken
• Photography Director: Ito Hikari
• Editor: Hirose Kiyoshi
• Sound Director: Tange Yuji
• Music Director / Composer: Iwasaki Tasei
• Music: Konishi Ryo, YUKI KANESAKA
• Music Production: Flying Dog
• Animation Production: Science SARU

Theme Songs

• Opening Theme: “GO GHOST” by King Gnu
• Ending Theme: “Blue” by MILLENNIUM PARADE

Cast

• Kusanagi Motoko: Sakamoto Maaya
• Aramaki Daisuke: Yamaji Kazuhiro
• Batou: Yasumoto Hiroki
• Togusa: Nakamura Yuichi
• Ishikawa: Goto Kosuke
• Saito: Nara Toru
• Borma: Miyauchi Atsushi
• Paz: Uchida Yuya
• Operator: Oi Marie
• Fuchikoma: Kaneda Tomoko
• The Puppet Master: Inoue Kikuko

Blu-ray BOX and Merchandise

A Special Limited Edition Blu-ray BOX collecting all 10 episodes of THE GHOST IN THE SHELL is scheduled for release on December 23, 2026. The set includes a bonus disc with making-of footage, non-credit OP/ED, and promotional videos, along with newly drawn packaging artwork, a booklet, and a storyboard book.

Exhibition merchandise from “攻殻機動隊展 Ghost and the Shell” — including T-shirts, hoodies, plush charms, posters, stickers, and more — is available through ONLINE PARCO until March 31, 2027 at 23:59.

Official Discord and GLITCH WITCH Manga

The official Ghost in the Shell Discord server launched on October 16, 2026, offering a global community hub for fans. Members who join within the first month will receive the exclusive early-adopter role “The First Ghosts.”

The manga GLITCH WITCH — original concept by Shirow Masamune, art by Higashi Naoki — continues its biweekly Wednesday serialization on Kodansha’s “ヤンマガWeb.” Set in 2029, just before Motoko and Aramaki establish Section 9, it follows a series of incidents in the United States investigated by the FBI, AI researchers, and the military, with the conflict between Project 2501 (The Puppet Master) and a Solomon-class AI at its core.

With Science SARU confirmed for the new production, the Ghost in the Shell universe is set to expand once again — and anticipation is already running high.