Madhouse has announced that production is underway on a new upcoming animated film from Shingo Natsume. The project, which is going by the working title Ghost, is directed and written by Shingo Natsume, who is best known for directing Season 1 of the One-Punch Man anime. It's his first original animated film.
While little is known about the movie, just the simple fact that it reunites Natsume with Madhouse, the studio that produced Season 1 of the critically acclaimed One-Punch Man, has fans buzzing with excitement. It's a pairing that has seen incredible results dating all the way back to 2015.
Natsume is serving as director and scriptwriter with character designs by Natsume Ono, creator of the ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Deptartment manga series, and Norifumi Kugai. The project reunites Natsume with staff that have worked on his previous works, such as ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department and Sonny Boy, as well as "creators who resonated with this work."
The announcement was accompanied by some visual key art, including a poster of a girl holding a glass sword standing in front of a starry background.
The film is scheduled to be released in 2027, so it may be quite a while before we get any specific details. However, two additional stills from the film were shared, giving off a sci-fi fantasy vibe with political undertones. A brief description teases:
There's a ghost in everyone's heart These are the true feelings that cannot be put into words, but are definitely there. The story lyrically depicts the loneliness and bravery of Nike, a young girl who rebels against the absurdity of the world in order to protect the "starry sky," and the emotional nuances that come from relationships with others.
Natsume is best known for directing Season 1 of One-Punch Man, where he brought together a team of top-tier animators at Madhouse. The first season of the anime was widely praised for its polished visuals and high-quality action.
Unfortunately, he didn't return for a second season due to other commitments, and it became abundantly clear how much of an impact he had. One-Punch Man's second season was a clear downgrade in animation quality, although som of J.C. Staff's struggles could be attributed to a tight schedule.
In any case, Natsume is widely regarded as one of the anime industry's top directors and animators. In addition to One-Punch Man, Natsume has also directed other notable anime, including ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department, a political drama series based on the manga by Natsume Ono, which was also produced by Madhouse.
Ghost is Shingo Natsume's first original animated film, and we've already got high expectations.