The Ghost in the Shell (2026) is a ten-episode anime from Science Saru, directed by Mokochan, that adapts Masamune Shirow's original 1989 to 1990 manga. It aired in Japan from 7 July to 8 September 2026 and streams on Prime Video. It is a fresh start, not a sequel to the 1995 film or Stand Alone Complex.
Image: Anime Corner
| Fact box | |
|---|---|
| Studio | Science Saru |
| Director | Mokochan |
| Source | Masamune Shirow's manga, 1989 to 1990 |
| Premiere | Annecy festival, 22 June 2026 |
| TV run in Japan | 7 July to 8 September 2026 |
| Episodes | 10 |
| Where to watch | Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories, with some exclusions |
| What is next | A new Science Saru project, announced 23 October 2026, with no title or date |
Last checked: 3 November 2026. This page is spoiler-free. We refresh it when the new project gets a title or date.
What it is, in one minute
Set in Japan in 2029, the series follows Major Motoko Kusanagi and her colleagues in Public Security Section 9, led by Daisuke Aramaki, as they handle cybercrime and terrorism. Their cases lead them toward a hacker known as the Puppet Master. That premise comes straight from Shirow's manga, which Wikipedia says the series adapts in its entirety.
The visual approach is the main talking point. The series moves closer to Shirow's 1989 art than the earlier films and TV shows, with a livelier, more expressive Kusanagi than the cool, composed version of the 1990s. Our news report on the series ending and the new project covers the announcement timeline.
Who made it
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Animation production | Science Saru |
| Production committee | Science Saru, Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, Production I.G |
| Director | Mokochan |
| Script | Toh EnJoe |
| Character design and chief animation director | Shuhei Handa |
| Music | Taisei Iwasaki, with Ryo Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka |
| Title logo | Hajime Sorayama |
The Japanese cast was fully recast. Maaya Sakamoto voices Kusanagi, Hiroki Yasumoto voices Batou, Kazuhiro Yamaji voices Aramaki and Kikuko Inoue voices the Puppet Master, according to the official English site. The English dub stars Suzie Yeung as Kusanagi and Bill Butts as Batou, per Final Weapon's cast report of 22 June 2026.
Release dates and episodes
Science Saru's series was announced on 25 May 2024. It premiered at the Annecy festival on 22 June 2026, with English-language screenings of the first two episodes in the UK and Ireland on 26 June. The Japanese TV broadcast ran weekly from 7 July to 8 September 2026 on the Ka-Anival!! block on Fuji TV, Kansai TV and other stations.
It has 10 episodes. Episode titles include "Robot Rondo" and "Brain Drain", and some episodes combine two or three story units. The finale aired on 8 September 2026, and But Why Tho described episode 10 as a finale in its review of that date. No second season has been announced, as we explain below.
Where to watch
Prime Video streams the series worldwide, in more than 240 countries and territories. Exclusions are reported inconsistently: Wikipedia and Final Weapon name mainland China, Russia and Vietnam, while Amazon's own page names Japan and Vietnam, where the show was on TV first. Check Prime Video's page for your region. One outlet reports eight dub languages at launch; we could not confirm that on an official page, so we only state the English dub.
A Blu-ray BOX is on the way. The official site revealed the jacket art by Shuhei Handa on 30 October 2026 and announced a commemorative screening event for Sunday 22 November. It does not give a street date on the page we read.
How it differs from earlier Ghost in the Shell anime
| Title | Year | Studio and lead | Source and tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost in the Shell (film) | 1995 | Production I.G, Mamoru Oshii | Adapts the manga's Puppet Master story; more mature and serious Kusanagi |
| Stand Alone Complex | 2002 to 2005 | Production I.G, Kenji Kamiyama | An original "relative" of the manga and film in a parallel world |
| Arise | 2013 to 2015 | Production I.G, Kazuchika Kise | Prequel, an alternate-universe origin story |
| SAC_2045 (season 2) | 2020 to 2022 | Production I.G and Sola Digital Arts, Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki | 3DCG, set in the Stand Alone Complex world, in 2045 |
| The Ghost in the Shell | 2026 | Science Saru, Mokochan | A direct adaptation of the 1989 manga |
Shirow himself places the new series in the family tree. On the official English site he says it "marks the fourth version following those by Oshii, Kamiyama, and Kise" and suggests it could be seen as the first installment of a second generation, given the change in staff. That is the closest thing to an official statement on continuity, and it describes a new start rather than a continuation.
If you want the full list of every title and where to begin, our Ghost in the Shell watch order covers all five lines. Ghost in the Shell originally ran in Young Magazine and remains one of the best-known seinen works.
Do you need to watch anything first?
No. The series adapts the manga from the beginning, so it works as a first Ghost in the Shell. Earlier anime do not provide required background. Many viewers will still enjoy comparing it with Oshii's 1995 film and its sequel Innocence (2004), which are the closest in subject matter.
What is next: the new Science Saru project
On 23 October 2026 the official site announced that production of a new Ghost in the Shell animation had started, with Science Saru again handling animation. Anime Corner reported that it had "officially entered production" and that it surfaced on a flyer at an event preview in Tokyo, alongside a new visual.
No title, format, cast or release date has been given, and nothing says it continues the 2026 series. We therefore do not call it a second season. We will update this page when more is announced.
Who is it for?
It suits readers of the manga and anyone who wants the story close to Shirow's original. It may suit you less if you want the slower, more philosophical tone of the 1995 film. One review to weigh: But Why Tho gave the finale 7 out of 10, praising its focus on one central event while finding the ending rushed and several threads unresolved. We have not seen a critics' aggregate score.
Questions people ask
What is The Ghost in the Shell (2026)?
A ten-episode anime from Science Saru based on Masamune Shirow's 1989 to 1990 manga.
Who made it?
Science Saru animated it. Mokochan directed, Toh EnJoe wrote the scripts and Shuhei Handa designed the characters.
When did it air?
From 7 July to 8 September 2026 in Japan, after an Annecy premiere on 22 June 2026.
How many episodes does it have?
Ten, according to Wikipedia's episode list; But Why Tho reviewed episode 10 as the finale.
Where can I watch it?
On Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories, with regional exclusions.
Is it a remake or a sequel?
Neither. It is a new adaptation of the original manga, separate from the earlier films and series.
Is there a season 2?
Not officially. A new Ghost in the Shell animation project from Science Saru was announced on 23 October 2026, but it has no title, format or date.
How is it different from Stand Alone Complex or the 1995 film?
It follows Shirow's manga and its art more closely, with a more expressive Kusanagi, while those titles told their own stories.
Is there a Blu-ray?
A Blu-ray BOX has been announced, with a screening event on 22 November 2026.
Sources
- Official site, "THE GHOST IN THE SHELL" news list (23 October, 30 October and 2 November 2026): https://theghostintheshell-anime.jp/
- Official English site, staff and cast, including Masamune Shirow's comment: https://www.theghostintheshell-anime.jp/en/staff-cast/
- Wikipedia, "The Ghost in the Shell (2026 TV series)", accessed 3 November 2026: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_in_the_Shell_(2026_TV_series)
- Anime Corner, "Ghost in the Shell New Anime Project by Science SARU Announced", 23 October 2026: https://animecorner.me/ghost-in-the-shell-new-anime-project-by-science-saru-announced/
- Final Weapon, "The Ghost in the Shell Anime Reveals English Dub Cast", 22 June 2026: https://finalweapon.net/2026/06/22/the-ghost-in-the-shell-anime-english-dub-cast/
- Amazon, "Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video": https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-prime-video
- But Why Tho, Charles Hartford, "The Ghost in the Shell Episode 10 Review", 8 September 2026: https://butwhytho.net/2026/09/the-ghost-in-the-shell-episode-10-review/
- Anitrendz, "Science SARU To Produce New Ghost in the Shell Anime", 25 May 2024: https://www.anitrendz.com/news/2024/05/25/science-saru-to-produce-new-ghost-in-the-shell-anime
- Wikipedia, "Ghost in the Shell", "Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)", "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex", "Ghost in the Shell: Arise" and "Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045", accessed 3 November 2026: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell
Last checked: 3 November 2026
