Science Saru, the studio behind Devilman Crybaby and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, has revealed its Ghost in the Shell adaptation will premiere July 7. The new anime marks yet another attempt to crack Masamune Shirow's cyberpunk masterpiece for a modern audience—and the pressure is on.
Ghost in the Shell has been adapted so many times that it's become a case study in how to—and how not to—reimagine a beloved property. Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film is a philosophical masterpiece that influenced everything from The Matrix to Blade Runner 2049. Stand Alone Complex proved the property could work in serialized form. And then there's the 2017 live-action film starring Scarlett Johansson, which... well, we don't need to rehash that disaster.
According to Anime News Network, Science Saru has released a new promo video revealing staff and character designs for the July 7 premiere. The studio's involvement is reason for optimism—they've built a reputation for stylistically bold, emotionally resonant anime that respects source material while finding new angles.
Devilman Crybaby took Go Nagai's ultraviolent manga and turned it into a devastating meditation on human nature. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off deconstructed the original graphic novels while honoring their spirit. If Science Saru brings that same energy to Ghost in the Shell, we might actually get something special.
But they're also playing with one of anime's most sacred properties. Shirow's original manga is dense, philosophical, and deeply weird. Oshii's film stripped away some of the manga's playfulness in favor of meditative existentialism. Stand Alone Complex balanced action and philosophy while building a rich political world. Each adaptation found something different in the source material.
