While the American live-action film adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson as a controversial take on the Major, probably won’t lead to a sequel, the franchise is far from finished. As it turns out, there’s already a new Ghost in the Shell anime project on the way, from one of the veterans behind Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Production I.G and Kodansha have announced (as we’ve heard via Kotaku) that Stand Alone Complex director Kenji Kamiyama has signed on to co-direct a new Ghost in the Shell anime alongside Appleseed Alpha co-director Shinji Aramaki. The Ghost in the Shell manga by Masamune Shirow debuted in 1989, but its legend was solidified by the 1995 animated adaptation–still widely hailed as one of the all-time great anime films.
Since that initial anime, Ghost in the Shell has been revisited several times, including a direct sequel and two seasons of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as well as anime sequel film to that series. Given Kamiyam’s experience with Stand Alone Complex, it’s possible that the new anime project will continue some of the themes of that series, including the broader implications of the population embracing cybernetic bodies and physical alterations. But Ghost in the Shell has proven to be versatile with its subject matter, and it’s equally possible that the new film will approach the project in an entirely new way. It may be a while before we know one way or the other.
Are you excited about the prospect of a new Ghost in the Shell anime? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Image:Â Kodansha
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