{"id":8203,"date":"2026-08-20T10:20:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T02:20:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-science-saru-prime-video-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T10:20:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T02:20:30","slug":"ghost-in-the-shell-science-saru-prime-video-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-science-saru-prime-video-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ghost in the Shell Is Back \u2014 Science SARU&#8217;s Reboot Is Streaming on Prime Video Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One of sci-fi anime&#8217;s most iconic franchises is back \u2014 and if you haven&#8217;t started watching yet, you have seven episodes of catching-up to do. <em>The Ghost in the Shell<\/em>, produced by Science SARU and streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, premiered on 7 July 2026. It&#8217;s available in Singapore right now, with new episodes dropping weekly every Tuesday.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-cast-poster.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Ghost in the Shell 2026 official poster \u2014 Science SARU and Bandai Namco\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of Science SARU \/ Bandai Namco Filmworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>A Fresh Ghost in the Shell, Faithful to Shirow&#8217;s Original Manga<\/h2>\n<p>Science SARU \u2014 the studio behind the breakout hit <em>Dan Da Dan<\/em> and <em>Scott Pilgrim Takes Off<\/em> \u2014 is adapting Masamune Shirow&#8217;s original 1989\u201391 manga directly, a first for a TV anime series. Earlier adaptations, including Mamoru Oshii&#8217;s beloved 1995 film, drew from the same source but charted their own course. This 2026 series goes back to the pages, following Major Motoko Kusanagi in 2029 Japan as she builds the unit that will become Public Security Section 9 \u2014 an elite tactical force that hunts cybercrime and terrorism in a world where the line between human and machine has all but dissolved.<\/p>\n<p>At the helm is Mokochan (Toma Kimura), a key animator and storyboarder on <em>Dan Da Dan<\/em> making his full directorial debut. Series composition is handled by EnJoe Toh, whose genre-savvy script work on <em>Godzilla: Singular Point<\/em> established him as one of the more interesting voices in sci-fi anime today. Character design, which stays close to Shirow&#8217;s distinctive manga look, is by Sh\u016bhei Handa. The production is entirely hand-drawn 2D animation \u2014 no generative AI involved, as the production committee explicitly confirmed.<\/p>\n<p>The central mystery of the series is the Puppet Master: a hacker capable of infiltrating human minds through cybernetic implants, forcing Section 9 to question where a person ends and a program begins. It&#8217;s the kind of question <em>Ghost in the Shell<\/em> has always been best at asking.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gt-video\">\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SyiptJcY9hA\" title=\"TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u30fc\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3\u300e\u653b\u6bbb\u6a5f\u52d5\u968a THE GHOST IN THE SHELL\u300f\u30d7\u30ed\u30e2\u30fc\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3\u30d3\u30c7\u30aa\u7b2c2\u5f3e\uff5c2026\u5e747\u6708\u653e\u9001\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture;web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><figcaption>The Ghost in the Shell Promotion Video 2 \u2014 via \u30d0\u30f3\u30c0\u30a4\u30ca\u30e0\u30b3\u30d5\u30a3\u30eb\u30e0\u30ef\u30fc\u30af\u30b9 \u30c1\u30e3\u30f3\u30cd\u30eb on YouTube (Japanese)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Maaya Sakamoto Takes the Seat as Major Motoko<\/h2>\n<p>The casting choice carries real weight. Maaya Sakamoto steps in as Motoko Kusanagi, succeeding the late Atsuko Tanaka, who had voiced the Major across nearly every anime entry in the franchise since 1995 and passed away in August 2024. Sakamoto \u2014 known internationally for roles including Aerith in <em>Final Fantasy VII<\/em>, Haruhi in <em>Ouran High School Host Club<\/em>, and Ciel in <em>Black Butler<\/em> \u2014 brings a different register to the character: warmer in some moments, colder in others, and unmistakably her own.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-motoko-action.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Motoko Kusanagi in action \u2014 The Ghost in the Shell 2026\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of Science SARU \/ Bandai Namco Filmworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The rest of Section 9 has been completely recast as well. Kazuhiko Yamaji plays Chief Daisuke Aramaki; Hiroki Yasumoto is Batou; Yuichi Nakamura voices Togusa; Kosuke Goto is Ishikawa; Toru Nara voices Saito; and Tomoko Kaneda returns to a franchise tradition by voicing the Fuchikoma spider-tank units. It&#8217;s a complete generational reset for the voice cast, and the early consensus from viewers has been that it works.<\/p>\n<h2>King Gnu Opens, Millennium Parade Closes<\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-go-ghost-king-gnu.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Ghost in the Shell 2026 opening theme Go Ghost by King Gnu \u2014 Motoko Kusanagi\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><figcaption>Image courtesy of Science SARU \/ Bandai Namco Filmworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The music is another strong point. King Gnu&#8217;s opening theme <strong>&#8220;Go Ghost&#8221;<\/strong> leans into the band&#8217;s propulsive, slightly unhinged energy and fits the series better than most anime opening assignments fit their shows. The ending theme, <strong>&#8220;Blue&#8221;<\/strong> by Millennium Parade featuring Saya Gray and Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar, is the kind of collaboration that sounds like a playlist recommendation and turns out to be an anime ED \u2014 unexpected, gorgeous, and worth staying through the credits for. Music composition across the series is handled by Taisei Iwasaki, Ryo Konishi, and Yuki Kanesaka.<\/p>\n<h2>Seven Episodes In \u2014 Here&#8217;s Where to Jump On<\/h2>\n<p>Episode 7 aired on 18 August; Episode 8, titled <em>Intermission + Brain Drain i<\/em>, arrives on 25 August. If you&#8217;re starting fresh, Amazon Prime Video has all seven existing episodes available right now, so a weekend catch-up is entirely possible before the new episode lands. The series is streaming in more than 240 countries and territories, and is available dubbed in eight languages alongside the original Japanese audio.<\/p>\n<p>For Singapore fans who grew up with the 1995 Oshii film or the <em>Stand Alone Complex<\/em> series, this is a very different entry point \u2014 more manga-faithful, more vibrant in colour palette, and younger in its animation sensibility thanks to Science SARU&#8217;s house style. Whether that reads as refreshing or jarring will probably depend on how attached you are to the Oshii aesthetic. Either way, seven episodes is enough to know if it&#8217;s for you. <a href=\"\/blog\/category\/manga-anime\/\">More anime coverage here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--GT-SCOUT source=\"Web (English)\" theme=\"Anime\" flags=\"none\"--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Science SARU&#8217;s The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video with Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko Kusanagi. Seven episodes in \u2014 here&#8217;s everything Singapore fans need to know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":8199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[25,30],"tags":[257,105,624,1257,204],"class_list":["post-8203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manga-anime","category-news","tag-amazon-prime-video","tag-ghost-in-the-shell","tag-king-gnu","tag-maaya-sakamoto","tag-science-saru"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-prime-video.jpg?fit=1600%2C900&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-28j","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3704,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-anime-prime-video-singapore\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":0},"title":"Ghost in the Shell (2026) Is Coming to Prime Video &#8212; 7 July","date":"June 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Ghost in the Shell returns with Science SARU on Amazon Prime Video from 7 July. Here is everything Singapore fans need to know.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-key-visual-scaled.jpg?fit=849%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4227,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-prime-video-july-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":1},"title":"Ghost in the Shell Anime Drops on Prime Video 7 July \u2014 Science SARU at the Helm","date":"June 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Ghost in the Shell gets an all-new anime series by Science SARU \u2014 streaming globally on Prime Video on 7 July 2026, Singapore included.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ghost-in-the-shell-key-art.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4574,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-anime-prime-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":2},"title":"Ghost in the Shell Returns on Prime Video This July 7","date":"July 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Science Saru reimagines Ghost in the Shell for Prime Video, premiering on 7 July 2026 \u2014 the first time the franchise has been animated without Production I.G.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-key-visual.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3493,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-july-2026-prime-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":3},"title":"Ghost in the Shell Anime Premieres 7 July on Prime Video \u2014 Ending Theme Revealed","date":"June 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Science SARU's Ghost in the Shell anime hits Prime Video 7 July 2026. New 4th PV reveals the Puppet Master and ending theme 'Blue' by MILLENNIUM PARADE.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-pv4-key-visual.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4746,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-anime-prime-video-science-saru\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":4},"title":"Ghost in the Shell 2026 Anime Premieres 7 July on Prime Video \u2014 Science SARU Takes the Helm","date":"July 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Science SARU's Ghost in the Shell TV anime hits Prime Video on 7 July 2026 \u2014 streaming in Singapore and 240+ countries from Day 1. No Production I.G., no AI, and a bold new creative direction.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-anime-key-visual.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4949,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-2026-king-gnu-op-prime-video-july-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":8203,"position":5},"title":"Ghost in the Shell Anime Gets King Gnu OP \u2014 Premieres July 7 on Prime Video","date":"July 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Science SARU's Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL premieres July 7 on Prime Video as an international exclusive, with King Gnu's \"GO GHOST\" confirmed as the opening theme at Anime Expo 2026.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manga Anime&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ghost-in-the-shell-2026-key-visual-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8203"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}