The director of a new anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow's cyberpunk classic The Ghost in the Shell has revealed the unusual lengths he went to in seeking to honour the source material, saying he "prayed" to the original creator for guidance in bringing the manga to the screen. His comments underline both the reverence attached to Shirow's work within the anime world and the pressure that comes with reinterpreting such an influential title for a new generation.

Beyond the director's remarks about drawing on the spirit of the manga's creator, the article situates the project as the latest attempt to revisit a franchise that has already spanned acclaimed films and television series since Shirow's original work. The piece frames the adaptation as a significant undertaking given the story's status as a landmark of the cyberpunk genre and its lasting cultural influence.