Kusanagi Makoto has been rebooted in various forms over the years, and the upcoming anime series from Dandadan studio Science Saru is bringing its own flair to the iconic character. While a previous trailer teased a return to ’90s form, the latest clip — its longest to date — shows off some Section 9 action, a more expressive Major, and a mention of a familiar antagonist, the Puppet Master.
A new key visual by chief animation director Nao Naito was also unveiled, featuring the Section 9 members all armed up in their suits, alongside another artwork that puts the entire team into focus and a confirmed release date of 7 July:
As previously reported, Moko-chan, assistant director of Dandadan, is directing the project, with acclaimed sci-fi novelist Toh EnJoe (Space Dandy, Godzilla Singular Point) serving as a scriptwriter and series composer. Joining Science Saru on the production committee are Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, and Production I.G.
Before the series airs, a world premiere of The Ghost in the Shell will be held at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which runs from 21 to 27 June. The first two episodes are set to screen at the annual event’s “Special Events” programme under the “Dive into ‘The Ghost in the Shell‘” session, where the anime’s core creative team will share insights into the behind-the-scenes process.
“The year is 2029, A near-future Japan, where the world has become highly information-intensive, with a vast corporate network covering the planet, electrons and light pulsing through it. But the nation-state and ethnic groups still survive. Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg, leads an elite combat unit of fellow cyborgs, including Batou. While commanding her team, Kusanagi envisions the creation of a specialised task force to preemptively strike against emerging threats. Meanwhile, Daisuke Aramaki of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who had been planning to establish a similar unit, scouts Kusanagi and her team,” reads the official description.
“Together, they begin operations as Public Security Section 9 — an aggressive tactical organisation known as “Shell Squad.” As they confront complex cyber-crimes and international conspiracies, the existence of a mysterious, unidentified hacker known as “the Puppet Master” emerges on the horizon of their investigation. What fate awaits Kusanagi? And what is the Puppet Master’s true objective? A new era of cyberpunk action begins.“
The Ghost in the Shell gets a new lease of life on 7 July.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
