The enduring legacy of Ghost in the Shell has spawned various iterations of protagonist Makoto Kusanagi, and the forthcoming remake from Science Saru is set to honour her classic look. The Dandadan studio unveiled a new trailer at AnimeJapan 2026, which took place on 28 and 29 March, featuring a distinct old-school aesthetic that pulls from Masamune Shirow’s original manga.
Alongside a series of action-heavy scenes, the short clip also confirms the previously announced release window of this July, with a new key visual by character designer Shuhei Handa accompanying the announcement.
It’s unclear whether The Ghost in the Shell will be a beat-by-beat adaptation or a retelling in the vein of the recent Trigun Stampede, but a producer on the project previously stated plans to stay true to the source material (per Anime News Network). The official synopsis offers more details, albeit vague:
“Deep into the twenty-first century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants and robots are upgraded with human tissue. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg superagent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including ‘ghost hackers’ who are capable of exploiting the human/machine interface and reprogramming humans to become puppets to carry out the hackers’ criminal ends.”
Moko-chan, assistant director of Dandadan, is helming the series, with acclaimed sci-fi novelist Toh EnJoe (Space Dandy, Godzilla Singular Point) serving as a scriptwriter and series composer. Science Saru is joined by Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, and Production I.G. on the production committee.
Announced in 2024, it marks the first anime instalment for the franchise since 2020’s Ghost in the Shell: SAC_204 and the 10th adaptation overall of the manga. Mamoru Oshii’s original animated feature remains the most popular and acclaimed, spawning four more manga entries, five animated movies, a live-action film adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson, and four anime series over the years.
The Ghost in the Shell reboots in July 2026.
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.
