New ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Anime Series By Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’s Science Saru Due In 2026

Major Mokoto Kusanagi will soon return to the battlefield, as Ghost in the Shell gears up for a comeback in 2026. The beloved classic is set to receive a brand new anime series tentatively titled The Ghost in the Shell, with Science Saru helming the project.

The Scott Pilgrim Takes Off studio is joined by Production I.G. (Kaiju No. 8), Bandai Namco Filmworks, and Japanese publisher Kodansha on the production committee for the series, which has debuted a teaser trailer. A sizzle reel of sorts, it highlights panels from the original manga by Masamune Shirow, seemingly hinting at the idea of being more faithful to the host work.

Not much else is known about the upcoming release, but it’ll mark the first anime installment for the franchise since 2020’s Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. The various adaptations over the years, from live-action movies to animated shows, have largely deviated from the source material, adding their own spin to the highly-influential tale.

Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film remains the most popular, and is considered to be one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. It continues to see a huge cult following, and was included as part of The Projector’s 2022 Japanese Film Festival lineup in Singapore alongside Akira.

Before The Ghost in the Shell anime arrives, Masamune will first host an exhibition in spring 2025. The manga was published in 1989, with its story focusing on Public Security Section 9, a counter-cyberterrorist organisation led by Major Mokoto Kusanagi. It went on to spawn four more manga installments, five animated films, a live-action adaptation featuring Scarlett Johansson, and four anime series.

Prior to this upcoming project, Science Saru had worked on Ping Pong, Devilman Crybaby, two Star Wars: Vision shorts, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Garden of Remembrance, and more. The studio was founded in 2013 by director Masaaki Yuasa and animator Eunyoung Choi.

Si Jia

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.