"The Ghost in the Shell" Anime Broadcast Begins! Cast Comments from Maaya Sakamoto, Kazuhiro Yamaji, and Others & Episode 1 Synopsis and Preview Images Released

Main cast information for the anime "The Ghost in the Shell" has been announced. In addition, the 4th key visual (KV) and the 6th promotional video (PV), along with the synopsis and scene cuts for Episode 1, have been released.

Since Masamune Shirow published the original manga in "Young Magazine Pirates Edition" (Kodansha) in 1989, the "Ghost in the Shell" series has continued to surprise and inspire the world through various works, including the 1995 film "GHOST IN THE SHELL" directed by Mamoru Oshii, as well as animations and a Hollywood live-action film. "The Ghost in the Shell," the latest TV anime series, began broadcasting on July 7 on the Fuji TV and Kansai TV nationwide network, airing every Tuesday at 11:00 PM in the "Ka-Anibaru!!" slot.

Along with the start of the broadcast and streaming, information on the main cast was announced. The protagonist, Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg with a full-body prosthesis, is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto, who previously played the same character in the "Ghost in the Shell: Arise" series. Additionally, Daisuke Aramaki, the commander of Public Security Section 9, is voiced by Kazuhiro Yamaji; Batou, the second-in-command of the unit with prosthetic eyes, is voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto; Togusa, a rookie member and former detective, is voiced by Yūichi Nakamura; Ishikawa, a veteran member skilled in cyber-warfare, is voiced by Kōsuke Gotō; Saitō, a member whose eye is covered by an eyepatch, is voiced by Tōru Nara; Fuchikoma, the AI-equipped think tank, is voiced by Tomoko Kaneda; Operator, a female-model robot in charge of information control, is voiced by Marie Ōi; and Chafurin voices the Minister of Internal Affairs. Comments from the cast members have also arrived.

Furthermore, the 6th promotional video featuring lines from the main characters was released. The footage raises expectations for the drama woven by Motoko and other main characters of this work.

Additionally, the 4th key visual drawn by Shuhei Handa, the character designer and chief animation director, was unveiled. Together with Public Security Section 9, it is a stunning visual that symbolizes a "new generation cyberpunk action," bringing together characters expected to appear in this work, including the mysterious hacker "Puppet Master," who holds the key to the story.

The end card for Episode 1 is an original illustration by Yoji Shinkawa. Mr. Shinkawa, who handles overall art direction including character and mechanical design for titles like the "DEATH STRANDING" series at KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, a game development studio led by game creator and director Hideo Kojima, has created a luxurious end card that adds glamor to the premiere broadcast.

Episode 1 Scene Cuts

Episode 1: "PROLOGUE + SUPER SPARTAN i"
[Synopsis]
While raiding a meeting of foreign representatives suspected of corruption and crime, Daisuke Aramaki of the Public Security Bureau encounters a mysterious cyborg. The cyborg introduces herself as Motoko Kusanagi and proposes the establishment of a new special forces unit to the Minister of Internal Affairs. In preparation for setting up the unit, Aramaki requests Kusanagi to conduct a certain investigation.