The Ghost in the Shell (2026) Anime Review: There’s a New Major in Town

Major Motoko Kusanagi, the iconic cyborg leader of a counter-cyberterrorism squad in Masamune Shirow's manga and Mamoru Oshii's 1995 film Ghost in the Shell, is a beloved anime character. However, the 2026 anime series from Science Saru takes a fresh approach to the character. Rather than sticking closely to the original portrayal, the 2026 anime keeps most of Kusanagi's loud, energetic, and childish traits, as seen in the original manga.

This version of the Major is portrayed as both a silly goof and a badass government operative, effectively bridging the gap between the comic book and previous adaptations.

The voice of the character plays a significant role in shaping our perception of her personality. Maaya Sakamoto, who voiced Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013–2015), brought a more mature tone to the character in the 2026 anime. Despite her childish actions in the comic book, Sakamoto's softer and more controlled Major sounds more in control of herself, which changes how we view the character.

This mature Major still engages in sarcastic banter and silly faces, but it feels like calculated behavior rather than raw emotion.

The 2026 anime also reimagines the setting of Ghost in the Shell. The dystopian New Port City, known for its chaotic and crowded atmosphere, is softened in the anime version. Cars and other forms of transport feature rounded designs and are animated in a cartoonish manner, contributing to the show's distinctive look. The AI crab-like tanks, known as Fuchikoma, are adorable due to their round shapes and high-pitched AI voices, which adds a layer of insidiousness to the setting.

The anime adaptation also expands on smaller ideas and characters from the original manga, giving them more space to grow. For example, the garbageman, a memorable character from Mamoru Oshii's movie, receives a significant amount of screen time in the 2026 anime. He experiences a loss of reality, with the audience witnessing his reaction to discovering that his false memories cannot be removed.

The garbageman's annoyance at the situation is a stark contrast to his catatonic sadness in the 1995 film, revealing a deeply broken society where nightmares are shrugged off. The 2026 anime presents a more unsettling portrayal of the original Ghost in the Shell manga, one that might leave viewers with a lingering sense of unease.