The new The Ghost in the Shell TV anime releases its fourth episode on July 28, 2026. The episode will be available to stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video starting from the early hours of the morning.
Global Release Time and Streaming Platforms
Episode 4 of The Ghost in the Shell (Japanese title: Kōkaku Kidōtai THE GHOST IN THE SHELL) comes out on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. The series follows a weekly schedule with new episodes arriving every Tuesday.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive streaming home for the series worldwide. The platform holds an early release window before the televised airing in Japan. The episode will be available with subtitles in multiple languages. There are no free streaming options for the series at this time.
For viewers in Japan, the episode also airs on television every Tuesday at 11:00 PM JST on the Kansai TV and Fuji TV network during the “Hianibar!!” programming block.
The complete first season will have 10 episodes in total. Here is the full release schedule:
- Episode 1 – July 7 (released)
- Episode 2 – July 14 (released)
- Episode 3 – July 21 (released)
- Episode 4 – July 28
- Episode 5 – August 4
- Episode 6 – August 11
- Episode 7 – August 18
- Episode 8 – August 25
- Episode 9 – September 1
- Episode 10 – September 8
What Happened Before Episode 4
The Ghost in the Shell is a new anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s classic cyberpunk manga, which first appeared in 1989. The story takes place in the year 2029 in a near-future Japan. In this world, humans can enhance their bodies with cybernetic implants and artificial parts. The line between human and machine has become unclear.
The main character is Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg who works as an agent for the government. She is the leader of a special unit that fights cybercrime and terrorism.
Episode 1, titled “PROLOGUE + SUPER SPARTAN i,” introduced the world and the main characters. During a raid on a meeting with an international delegate, Daisuke Aramaki from Public Security met a mysterious cyborg woman. She introduced herself as Motoko Kusanagi and proposed the creation of a special section. Aramaki gave Kusanagi a test investigation to prove her abilities.
Episode 2, titled “SUPER SPARTAN ii + JUNK JUNGLE i,” showed Kusanagi and her team becoming the “Special Unit”. The team faced a case where the interpreter for the Minister of Foreign Affairs had her cyber-brain infected by a virus. Aramaki suspected that a colonel in exile was trying to sabotage a secret meeting. He ordered Kusanagi to trace the hacking to find the person responsible.
Episode 3, which came out on July 21, was titled “JUNK JUNGLE ii + MEGATECH MACHINE i + ii”. It continued the team’s investigation into the growing cyber threats.
The series follows Section 9 as they track down a mysterious hacker known only as the “Puppet Master”. This hacker can break into people’s cyber-brains, change their memories, and use them for their own purposes without anyone knowing. For Kusanagi, this becomes a race against an enemy who is nearly invisible in a fully connected world.
Production Team and Voice Cast
The anime is produced by animation studio Science Saru. The studio has worked on popular titles like DAN DA DAN and The Heike Story.
The production committee includes Bandai Namco Filmworks, Kodansha, and Production I.G. Production I.G was the studio behind the original 1995 Ghost in the Shell film.
Mokochan serves as the director, with EnJoe Toh handling the series composition and episode scripts. Shuhei Handa is the character designer and chief animation director. The music is composed by Taisei Iwasaki, Ryo Konishi, and Yuki Kanesaka.
The main Japanese voice cast includes:
- Maaya Sakamoto as Motoko Kusanagi
- Kazuhiro Yamaji as Daisuke Aramaki
- Hiroki Yasumoto as Batou
- Yuichi Nakamura as Togusa
- Kosuke Goto as Ishikawa
- Toru Nara as Saito
- Tomoko Kaneda as Fuchikoma
- Marie Oi as Operator
- Chafurin as Minister of Home Affairs
Maaya Sakamoto reprises her role as Motoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell ARISE series. The role was previously performed by voice actress Atsuko Tanaka, who passed away in 2024.
For the English dubbed version, the main cast includes Suzie Yeung as Motoko, supported by SungWon Cho as Aramaki, Bill Butts as Batou, and Nick Apostolides as Togusa.
The series also features special end cards created by Yoji Shinkawa, the art director for KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS and the designer behind the DEATH STRANDING series. Each episode gets a unique end card illustration.
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About the Original Manga and Franchise
The Ghost in the Shell franchise began with Masamune Shirow’s original manga, published in Young Magazine Zōkan: Kaizokuban (Kodansha) in 1989. The series has grown into a large universe that includes Mamoru Oshii’s famous 1995 animated film, multiple TV anime series, and a live-action Hollywood movie.
The 2026 TV series is a new adaptation that marks a fresh start for the franchise. It brings the story to a new generation of viewers while staying true to the original manga’s aesthetic.
The series premiered on July 7, 2026 on Fuji TV and Kansai TV. It quickly gained attention from audiences worldwide. The show combines cyberpunk action with deep questions about identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human.
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