Despite whitewashing concerns, mixed reviews, and poor box office performance for the Ghost in the Shell live-action film, the cyberpunk franchise will continue. But don’t expect to see Scarlett Johansson, since the property is returning to its roots as a brand-new anime.
The news comes from a press release out today from Production I.G, the production company and anime studio responsible for beloved anime like Guilty Crown, Psycho-Pass, Eden of the East, and, of course, the original Ghost in the Shell movie and show. The project — which could be either a new series or feature-length film — will be co-directed by Kenji Kamiyama, perhaps best known for his work on the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime series, and Shinji Aramaki, whose resume includes cyborg-heavy cyberpunk projects like Appleseed.
It would appear that Production I.G is pulling out the big guns for a franchise revival. Kamiyama’s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime series was the franchise entry point for many fans before the live-action adaption, and with good reason considering its high quality. Aramaki is also one of the premiere mecha designers in the business, so whether that means a new direction for the series or fresh takes on the Fuchikomas remains to be seen. Chances are, though, that the series won’t share continuity with the just-released 2017 film.
The Major with a Fuchikoma and Batou
Almost no solid details are available beyond it being an “animation project” co-directed by Kamiyama and Aramaki. The release date, therefore, is unknown.
