Ghost in the Shell gets a new anime, with Science SARU back at the helm

A new Ghost in the Shell series is on the way. Studio Science SARU will handle the animation once again, after producing Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, which aired between July and September this year.

The announcement came in the most unexpected way. Attendees at the press preview for the OPEN HOUSE event, held on October 23 at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA, found a flyer confirming the start of production on the new project, currently titled Kōkaku Kidōtai (kari), or Ghost in the Shell (tentative). The public event was scheduled for October 24, so the news broke a day early by surprise.

A franchise that doesn't stop

The franchise was born from the manga by Shirow Masamune and has spent decades exploring a future where technology and the human body merge. The story follows Motoko Kusanagi, an agent with a fully artificial body who leads Section 9, known as Ghost in the Shell, taking on increasingly complex crimes.

Since the 1995 film directed by Mamoru Oshii, the saga has gone through multiple formats. In 2002 came STAND ALONE COMPLEX, in 2013 ARISE, in 2017 the Hollywood adaptation with Scarlett Johansson, and in 2020 SAC_2045. The most recent, THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, brought the franchise back to Japanese television with Science SARU in charge.

The studio returning for the new project is no small thing. Science SARU has made a name for itself with works like Devilman Crybaby and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, and its visual style fit the world of Kusanagi well. Now it remains to be seen what direction this new installment takes.

For now, there is no release date or details about the format. What's clear is that the saga is still alive and that Science SARU will continue at the helm.