Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell Episode 1 Earns Tears of Joy from Longtime Fans with Manga-Faithful Adaptation

The long-awaited television anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell finally premiered on July 7, 2026, and longtime fans of Shirow Masamune’s original manga are already calling it a dream come true. Based on the 1989 comic series, the new anime is the first to faithfully adapt the source material’s tone, character designs, and even its iconic frame notes.

Previous animated adaptations—Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film and Kenji Kamiyama’s Stand Alone Complex series—took a more realistic, hardboiled approach, effectively creating their own distinct worlds. But from the moment the main visual was revealed, fans suspected this new project would be different. The character art clearly emulated Shirow’s original style, and the first episode confirmed those hopes.

“This Is Exactly What We Wanted!”

Episode 1 opens with the meeting between Aramaki Daisuke (later chief of Public Security Section 9) and the fully cyborged female operative Kusanagi Motoko. Motoko proposes the creation of a special unit to the Minister of Internal Affairs, leading to the establishment of Section 9 and their first mission. The episode meticulously follows the manga’s flow, supplementing dialogue and preserving the original panel-by-panel progression.

Viewers erupted on social media: “It’s incredibly faithful to the original!” “Oh! It’s the manga version of Aramaki!!” “It’s exactly the manga, and even the coloring is super close!” The inclusion of the manga’s signature marginal notes—explanatory text boxes outside the main panels—drew particular praise. “They have frame notes…!?” “They’re reproducing the outer annotations!”

The iconic scene of Motoko leaping from a building—memorably depicted in Oshii’s film—also appears, but with a manga-accurate touch. Another fan-favorite moment, the line “The 24-hour surveillance of the cherry blossoms is canceled,” was animated, prompting emotional reactions: “I cried just from that line.” “Ghost in the Shell is moving again. It feels so nostalgic.” After more than 30 years since Oshii’s film, fans finally have the faithful adaptation they dreamed of. “It’s literally volume one!” “The manga is moving as is!” “This is too godly!”

Voice Cast Delivers

One of the biggest talking points was the new voice cast. While previous adaptations had established distinct character voices, this series features a largely fresh lineup. The role of Kusanagi Motoko went to Sakamoto Maaya, who previously voiced a young Motoko in Oshii’s film and later played the character in Ghost in the Shell: Arise. Fans noted that Sakamoto adjusted her performance: “She’s really matching Atsuko Tanaka’s tone, but it’s still Maaya-san!” “She’s deliberately channeling Tanaka Atsuko-san.” “This is a different Motoko from Arise—more mature.”

The main cast includes:

Because the new Motoko is based on the manga, she shows a wider range of emotions—including comedic expressions—unlike the cool, stoic versions of previous adaptations. “A Motoko with actual feelings is refreshing!” “That’s right, the original Motoko is cute!” “This Motoko is so charming! Just adding movement and voice to the original makes her this adorable.” Sakamoto’s acting matches this lighter tone, with one fan analyzing: “After building her career, she shed her typical Sakamoto Maaya style and played a rougher Kusanagi Motoko, resulting in a voice approach similar to Tanaka Atsuko’s.”

Another detail that delighted fans: the autonomous multi-legged tank is called “Fuchikoma” (as in the manga) rather than “Tachikoma” (used in previous anime). “It’s Fuchikoma, not Tachikoma!” “They even drew Fuchikoma’s mouth, just like the original—so cute!”

Overwhelmingly Positive Reception

Overall, the first episode left viewers breathless. “I haven’t been this excited about an anime adaptation in a long time! I’m glad I lived to see this!” “This is irresistible for original manga fans!!” “The action from the very first episode is incredible… No time to even think about reviews!” Some admitted the difference from previous versions was jarring: “This isn’t the Ghost in the Shell I know (laughs).” But the overwhelming sentiment was pure joy.

“The art is great, but the robot designs—which you don’t see much these days—are wonderful. And the music is fantastic.” “I can’t believe they managed to animate the original world so perfectly. Amazing.” “This is insane. It’s been ages since I felt this thrilled by Ghost in the Shell. There’s so much love for the original. They even reproduced the annotations, the cool interfaces, the soundtrack is killer. And Sakamoto Maaya as Motoko—she’s channeling Tanaka Atsuko’s Motoko. Help, it’s too good!!”

Broadcast and Staff Information

Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell airs on Kantele and Fuji TV network every Tuesday at 23:00 JST. Streaming begins Tuesday 23:30 on Prime Video, and from Wednesday 23:30 on various platforms including ABEMA, d Anime Store, DMM TV, Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, U-NEXT, and more.

Staff

Cast

(C)2026 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA/THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE