Science SARU is staying with Ghost in the Shell for another round. A brand-new animation project based on Shirow Masamune's manga was announced on Friday, with Science SARU returning to handle animation production after making this summer's TV anime, The Ghost in the Shell. The project currently carries the working title The Ghost in the Shell, and a teaser visual was released alongside the news.
The format, release window, director, and cast have not been revealed. According to the official announcement, the new work launches as an entirely fresh creative endeavor following the 2026 series. Check out the announcement from the TV anime's official account down below:
A Surprise Reveal In Ginza
The news broke in an unusual way. It was revealed through a surprise flyer handed out at the press preview for "OPEN HOUSE," a public event held at Dover Street Market Ginza in Tokyo. The preview also celebrated a collaboration between the 2026 TV anime and the apparel project GEEKS RULE, and it included a signing session with the series' director, Mokochan.
The flyer artwork doubles as the project's teaser visual. Bandai Namco Filmworks says further updates will be shared through its official social media channels. Science SARU also posted the news on its own account:
The 2026 TV Anime
The new project follows The Ghost in the Shell, which began broadcasting and streaming in July and streams exclusively on Prime Video outside Japan. Mokochan, known for standout animation work on Chainsaw Man and Dan Da Dan, directed the series, with Akutagawa Prize-winning author EnJoe Toh writing the scripts and Shuhei Handa on the character designs. Taisei Iwasaki served as music director, working with Ryo Konishi and YUKI KANESAKA. King Gnu performed the opening theme, "GO GHOST," and millennium parade handled the ending theme, "Blue." Even the title logo had a big name behind it, as it was designed by artist Hajime Sorayama.
The cast was led by Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko Kusanagi, with Kazuhiro Yamaji as Daisuke Aramaki, Hiroki Yasumoto as Batou, Yuichi Nakamura as Togusa, Kousuke Goto as Ishikawa, and Toru Nara as Saito. Sakamoto previously voiced Motoko in the Ghost in the Shell: Arise series, so she was a familiar choice for longtime fans.
The series went back to the original manga for its story. Set in 2029, it follows full-body cyborg Motoko Kusanagi and her team as they are recruited by Aramaki to form Public Security Section 9, a unit that takes on cybercrime and international conspiracies, while a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master emerges.
Science SARU's Growing Resume
Science SARU has become one of the most respected studios in the industry. Its credits include Devilman Crybaby, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Lu Over the Wall, which won the top feature prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the Golden Globe-nominated Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and The Colors Within, which won Best Animation at the Shanghai International Film Festival. It is also the studio behind Dan Da Dan, which has a third season on the way in 2027.
A Franchise With A Long History
Shirow's manga debuted in 1989 in a special edition of Kodansha's Young Magazine. Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film adaptation became one of the most influential anime films ever made, and the franchise later grew through Production I.G's Stand Alone Complex series, the Arise series, Netflix's SAC_2045, and a Hollywood live-action film in 2017.
Shirow himself noted on the 2026 series' official site that it was the fourth anime version after those by Oshii, Kamiyama, and Kise, or the tenth adaptation if you count every film and season separately. This new project will add yet another entry to that list.
Would you rather see Science SARU's new Ghost in the Shell project continue the 2026 TV anime's cast and style, or take the franchise in a completely different direction?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.