Many moons ago, when anime reached the western world, our first experience of Japanese animation was likely to be either Akira or Ghost in the Shell. Both of these films are still celebrated and considered as films that you must watch usually placing in the top 10 list of most anime aficionados. However, true fans of Ghost in the Shell know that the film doesn’t truly follow the manga. As with most anime films the content of the manga has been reduced down only showing the parts that work together effectively in a screenplay, but this is about to change. There has been an exciting buzz online about the upcoming series The Ghost in the Shell, which is due for release in July 2026.
The Ghost in the Shell is a manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga was first serialized from 1989 to 1991 in Kodansha’s manga anthology Young Magazine which targeted adult males. The anime Ghost on the Shell was released in 1995 and in 1996 it became the first Japanese film to top the billboard video sales chart in the US, which is why it was an anime first for many people.
The Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese cyberpunk military science fiction manga that is set in mid-21st-century in the fictional Japanese city of Niihama, otherwise known as New Port City. The plot follows the fictional counter-cyberterrorist organization Public Security Section 9, led by protagonist Major Motoko Kusanagi. In the possible future, computer technology has advanced to the point that many members of the public possess cyberbrains, technology that allows them to interface their biological brain (the ghost) with various networks. This can also be combined with various levels of prostheses, with a fully prosthetic body enabling a person to become a cyborg (the shell). Major Motoko Kusanagi is one of these people. The flaw in this technology is that the cyberbrains that are connected to networks are at risk of being hacked and the person can lose control of their body which then can be used to kill other people, mostly politicians. It is Public Security Section 9’s duty to find the hacker and stop them before they control more cyberbrains.
What fans are getting excited about is that the new anime series The Ghost in the Shell is going back to the original character design by Masamune Shirow, including the 90s colours that he used for the manga. The Ghost in the Shell fans are also enthusiastic about the fact that the storyline, supposedly, will follow the manga more closely. Science SARU (DAN DA DAN, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!) are producing the latest adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s iconic manga. Science SARU have produced some award-winning anime recently, and this is also giving The Ghost in Shell fans a lot to look forward to.
Whilst The Ghost in Shell anime is exciting for a lot of fans it will be unlikely that it will be as ‘graphic’ as the manga. The manga is rated 18+ due to graphic violence, frequent nudity, and complex adult themes. It features explicit scenes, including sexual content and detailed depictions of gore, making it only suitable for mature readers. Thirty years later I think that we are ready for an anime reboot even if some of the more explicit scenes are removed. I, for one, hope that some of the quirky comedic scenes will appear, for example in the manga you will occasionally see the characters shocked or dumbfounded with simple faces, more like emojis than manga. These scenes lighten the dramatic, often dark and thought-provoking storyline. Overall, I’m super excited so see this anime, it will be a refreshing change from the current anime available. Lexémon signing out!
Ghost in the Shell 1995
The Ghost in the Shell 2026
Here is the trailer for The Ghost in the Shell which is set to be released in July 2026.
Opening sequence to the original 1995 Ghost in the Shell. WARNING this video clip shows some nudity however it is not sexual.
Lexémon’s star rating for Ghost in the Shell, 1995
Things You Should Know:
Ghost in the Shell, 1995,is age rated 15 in the UK.
This is because of the following content according to IMDB:
Sex & Nudity: Moderate
Violence & Gore: Moderate
Profanity: Moderate
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: Mild
Frightening & Intense Scenes: Moderate
Additional information
The Ghost in the Shell, 2026, is likely to be an age rating 15, however this may change. Please check before watching.
Masamune Shirow is a wonderful artist, he was one of the first mangaka to embrace technological advances and spent a lot of time working on rendering his illustrations on a computer. However, his artwork is for a more mature audience. Please take care if you are looking for his work.
Published: 2026.04.24