Ghost in the Shell has always been a franchise unafraid of evolution. At Anime Expo 2025, fans were treated to the reveal of yet another iteration of the legendary manga. This time, Science SARU will take the reins, promising a fresh beginning rooted in the original manga, not as a remake but as a reintroduction.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the core staff:
- Director: Mokochan
- Script: EnJoe Toh
- Character Design & Executive Animation Director: Shuhei Handa
While Mokochan may be a newcomer in the director’s chair, he arrives with a glowing recommendation from Dan Da Dan director Fuga Yamashiro, who vouched for his vision and drive. Joining him and scripting the project is EnJoe Toh, whose resume is stacked with literary honors. From Harlequin’s Butterfly (winner of the Akutagawa Prize) to Code Buddha (Yomiuri Prize for Literature) and The Empire of Corpses (Nihon SF Taisho), Toh’s mastery of high-concept science fiction makes him an inspired match for Ghost in the Shell’s cerebral core.
Handling character designs is Shuhei Handa, known for his work on Spriggan and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. His animation pedigree also includes KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia. Still, here he’s channeling something different: an homage to the unreleased rough cover art from Masamune Shirow’s original manga.
Although the script is nearly complete, the team is deep in the storyboarding and art board phase, refining the tone and visual storytelling. They’ve also begun refining the development materials that define the color palette of each shot. Based on what we saw, this version of Ghost in the Shell will be vivid, electric, and unafraid of bold contrasts.
Even the logo breaks tradition. Designed by artist Hajime Sorayama (Sexy Robot), it’s sleek, metallic, and entirely different from anything the franchise has used before.
