New Ghost in the Shell anime coming from Devilman Crybaby studio

Ghost in the Shell is returning to our screens, with a new anime show based on the manga coming from Science SARU, the studio behind Devilman Crybaby, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and the upcoming Dandadan.

Science SARU made the announcement on May 25, revealing that The Ghost in the Shell will release in 2026. The adaptation is an anime show as opposed to a new movie, and a teaser featuring scenes for the manga, as well as a new poster of Major Motoko Kusanagi, were shared alongside the reveal.

Details are scant beyond these and the release window. But then, the prospect of a production house like Science SARU taking on something as stylistically bold as Ghost in the Shell is exciting enough as is.

Over the years, the studio has produced some of the best anime for fans who want distinct stories and ideas. Devilman Crybaby is one such example, an ultra dark superhero anime that’s as grim and gritty as you’d like. And then you have Ping Pong The Animation, a startlingly good sports anime.

On the big screen, the production house was behind Inu-Oh in 2022, an awesome rock opera, and provided the animation for The Colors Within, the upcoming film from Naoko Yamada. The highly anticipated Dandadan adaptation is the work of Science SARU as well.

Though no personnel are involved, there’s a non-zero chance Masaaki Yuasa will oversee The Ghost in the Shell, since ho co-founded Science SARU with Eunyoung Choi. That’s just speculation for now — and a bit of wishful thinking on my part.

Published in 1989, Ghost in the Shell was created by Masamune Shirow. The groundbreaking cyperbunk narrative takes in an alternative future Japan where humans have blurred what makes us such through cybernetic implants. A synthetic detective, Makoto, hunts a mysterious hacker, and the case turns out to have ramifications on our very existence.

A 1995 anime movie, directed by Mamoru Oshii, remains a benchmark for visuals and action within the medium. Though we’ve had a number of sequels and shows since — with the last arriving in 2020 on Netflix — none have touched Mamoru’s take.

As more information about the show arrives, we’ll keep you informed. Check out our guides to Tower of God Season 2 and Solo Leveling Season 2 for other upcoming anime TV shows in the meantime.