It has been announced that "Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL," a new TV anime series based on Masamune Shirow's popular manga "Ghost in the Shell," will begin airing on July 7th in the Tuesday 11 PM anime slot "Ka-Ani-Bal!!" on Kansai TV and Fuji TV. The third key visual has been released, featuring members of Public Security Section 9, including Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, Saito, Boma, and Paz, along with the AI-equipped thinking tank, Fuchikoma.
A third promotional video, featuring new footage from the anime, has also been released on YouTube. It depicts the exploits of the Ghost in the Shell team and hints at the intense drama surrounding the mysterious hacker known as "The Puppet Master."
Additional staff members were also announced, with Emi Katanosaka as art director, Osamu Masuyama as art supervisor, Ken Hashimoto as color designer, Hikari Ito as director of photography, Kiyoshi Hirose as editor, Yuji Tange as sound director, Shota Yaso as sound effects, and Yasuaki Ota as recording engineer.
The new series will be directed by Moko-chan, who has worked on projects such as "Dandadan," "Scott Pilgrim Takes Off," and "The Heike Story." This will be Moko-chan's first time directing. Akutagawa Prize-winning author Toh Enjo will be in charge of series composition and scriptwriting, and Science SARU will be producing it.
"Ghost in the Shell" is a science fiction manga that began serialization in 1989 in "Young Magazine Pirate Edition," a special issue of the manga magazine "Young Magazine" (Kodansha). It depicts the Ghost in the Shell team, led by Motoko Kusanagi with superior abilities in cyber warfare and hand-to-hand combat, as they confront increasingly sophisticated and heinous crimes.
The comments from each staff member are as follows:
◇Comments from director Moko-chan
Since encountering the original manga in high school, Ghost in the Shell has been my starting point. This work, which began with Shirow-sensei's manga and has been intertwined with the time of many creators and fans, was a source of pressure when it came to producing the anime within such a history. However, the entire staff did their utmost to create a work that as many people as possible could enjoy. We sincerely hope that fans of the original manga, anime fans, and future new fans alike will be able to enjoy it in some way.
◇Comment from series composition and scriptwriter, Toh Enjo
Masamune Shirow works are shrouded in mystery, and their form changes depending on the era in which they are read. One could say they are like a mirror reflecting what the reader already knows; as one's understanding of humanity deepens, so does one's interpretation of Masamune Shirow works. This power remains undiminished even in the 21st century. I wish I could tell my younger self, a middle school student struggling to understand Masamune Shirow works, what I should have researched. But even so, I don't fully understand them now, and there's a sense of unease in the reflection. It's similar to the unease one feels towards nature; a slight imperfection or distortion in the mirror becomes the key to understanding, revealing a new image.
◇Comment from character designer and chief animation director, Shuhei Handa
The Ghost in the Shell series has been adapted into anime many times since the 1995 theatrical film, and each time it has been loved by fans for many years. I am one of those who have been captivated by it. I hope that this new Ghost in the Shell will also become a work that will be loved by everyone for 10, 20, or 30 years, just like its predecessors. With that in mind, I am supporting this new Ghost in the Shell from an artistic standpoint. I never dreamed that I would be participating in Ghost in the Shell, but I believe this is some kind of fate, so I have joined forces with them. I am grateful to those who gave me this opportunity. I hope that not only long-time fans, but also those who are unfamiliar with Ghost in the Shell will enjoy it. I hope you will enjoy it. Please look forward to it.
◇Comment from art supervisor Osamu Masuyama
This latest adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, despite the series having been adapted into film and television numerous times, returns to the spirit of the original work, carefully capturing its charm. The atmosphere, which feels both futuristic and retro, calm and fancy, intellectual and pop, feels surprisingly fresh when viewed today. In a sense, it is because the times have caught up with the original that the imagination of the past has become more realistic, and the lightness and playfulness that the original possessed stand out even more. In the background art, we have also valued the coexistence of inorganicness and familiarity, and the entire team has worked together to support the depth of this unique world. We hope you will enjoy it.
◇Comment from color designer Ken Hashimoto
I still remember being shocked when I first encountered the original comic as a student, by the density of the visuals, the meticulous detail of the setting, and the color approach that I had never seen before. Even after starting to work in the anime industry, "Ghost in the Shell" has been a source of great inspiration and influence for me, with its high-quality content, including theatrical films and series, which offer a different approach from the original comic. I am grateful, delighted, and respectful to be involved with this work, which is both my origin and one of my guiding principles, and I present it to all those who love "Ghost in the Shell." In particular, there are many scenes that will resonate with fans of the original Masamune Shirow comic (including myself), so I hope you will enjoy it.
◇Comment from cinematographer Hikari Ito
Ever since I watched the Ghost in the Shell anime as a child, the Major has been my idol. I may not have become a brilliant and cool woman like the Major, but I was able to become a cinematographer for anime. I am very happy to be involved in this title as a staff member. While creating the cinematography with the original manga by my side, I often wonder, "Am I getting any closer to Shirow-san?" and "Do I truly understand Ghost in the Shell?" I think there are all kinds of people out there: those who have been following it since the original manga, those who came to love Ghost in the Shell through the anime or games, and those who are experiencing Ghost in the Shell for the first time... I put my heart and soul into making this so that everyone can enjoy it. Please enjoy Moko-chan's version of Ghost in the Shell, a return to its roots in the Reiwa era!
◇Comment from editor Kiyoshi Hirose
I feel incredibly honored to be involved with "Ghost in the Shell." Even after reading the storyboards, it's difficult to fully grasp everything in one go, so I often reread the original manga, and I'm constantly reminded of its profound depth. However, that's precisely what makes this work so interesting—there's so much room for thought and interpretation. Comparing my findings with friends after watching it and discovering new things is also one of its charms. I hope you'll enjoy it to the very end, including that experience.
◇Comment from sound director Yuji Tange
I feel incredibly honored to have been a part of the world of the historic "Ghost in the Shell." With AI becoming a major topic of discussion worldwide, I truly feel that the times have finally caught up with the world of this work, and I've once again come to appreciate the profound depth of the "Ghost in the Shell" worldview. While cherishing our respect for the previous works and staff, the sound staff and I are working together to create a unique work for this project. We hope you will enjoy it.
