One person’s recreational drug trip might be another’s mental health boost. Research out today finds that dimethyltryptamine, better known as DMT, could be effective at treating people’s depression.
Researchers in the UK conducted a small, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of people with major depression. Compared to controls, people on DMT experienced a rapid drop in their depressive symptoms, one that lasted at least 12 weeks later. Though larger studies are warranted, the findings suggest that DMT could very well become the next psychedelic drug rechristened as psychiatric medicine.
“A single dose of DMT with psychotherapeutic support produced a rapid, significant reduction in depressive symptoms, sustained up to 3 months,” the researchers wrote in their paper, published Monday in Nature Medicine.
Psychedelic medicine
Psychedelic drugs have garnered lots of scientific attention as of late for their potential to treat various mental health conditions, usually in conjunction with other forms of therapy. Drugs like LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have shown promise in small trials for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other studies have suggested these drugs can rewire the brains of people with these conditions in positive ways.
Compared to these drugs, DMT has received less attention. Yet the researchers behind the study argue that it may have its unique advantages, namely time. Typically, the drug’s most profound effects fade away much quicker than other psychedelics, with a half life of around five minutes. (That said, DMT is also one of the ingredients in the psychedelic brew ayahuasca, which has a much longer duration). This limited duration could then allow for shorter, more convenient, and likely less costly sessions of therapy to be paired with it—provided the drug can work as hoped.
The researchers’ new Phase IIa trial involved 34 volunteers diagnosed with moderate to severe depression. Half of the volunteers were randomized to receive an infusion of DMT plus therapy right at the start of the study, followed by a second dose two weeks later; the other half received a placebo infusion, followed by an actual dose of DMT two weeks later. This design ensured that all the participants could obtain a potentially beneficial treatment, while still enabling researchers to have a placebo control group for comparison—at least for the immediate, short term effects of the drug.
On average, people who took DMT at the study’s start reported significantly fewer depression symptoms compared to the delayed treatment group. And once the second group took DMT, they also reported a reduction of their depression. Though two doses of DMT didn’t seem to be more effective than one dose, both groups experienced a similar level of improvement that was sustained for at least three months, and even up to six months for some participants. By the three month mark, 47% of participants (across both groups) had improved enough to be considered in remission.
DMT also appeared to be safe and well-tolerated. No serious adverse events were reported, and the most common events linked to the drug were infusion site pain, nausea, and transient anxiety.
The future of DMT therapy
These results are still based on a very small sample size, so it’s far from definitive proof that DMT should become widely used to treat depression. At the very least, though, the results do justify more research.
“Longer and larger trials, including comparisons with existing treatments, are needed to further evaluate the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of DMT in the treatment of depression,” the study authors wrote.
Some research teams and companies are already moving ahead with larger trials of DMT for depression and other mental health conditions, including versions of DMT that last relatively longer in the body. But there’s still a long way to go before psychedelics like DMT could become a routine psychiatric treatment.
In 2024, the FDA rejected Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, stating that further positive Phase III data was needed to secure approval (the company rebranded as Resilient Therapeutics last year, though the current status of its application is unclear). And though the Trump administration has encouraged further psychedelic research at times, senior officials last week rejected the FDA’s plan to speed along the regulatory review process of Compass Pathways’ psilocybin-based treatment for severe depression.
The era of psychedelic medicine may yet come, but not without some bumps along the way.
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#DMT #Treatment #Depression #Small #Study
![‘The Ghost in the Shell’ Director, Character Designer on Keeping Motoko True to the Manga
Dan Da Dan anime studio Science SARU’s adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell is finally streaming on Prime Video, and its pilot episode looks like a ’90s anime fever dream in the best way possible. Major Motoko Kusanagi kicks all the ass, its soundtrack is a bop, and its action sequences are a chef’s kiss. Don’t just take our word for it; check out the trailer below and see for yourself how Science SARU cooked once again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZn4dVCbvs[/embed] Ahead of its premiere, io9 got to chat with director Mokochan and character designer Shuhei Handa at Anime Expo about how their vision for Masamune Shirow’s seminal cyberpunk manga came to be, as well as a couple of pointed fandom-centric questions for fans who’ve been dying to see Major Motoko Kusanagi realized in all her goofy glory. Left: Shuhei Handa, right: Mokochan. © Isaiah Colbert/io9 This interview was edited for clarity. Isaiah Colbert, io9: From Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Dan Da Dan to Sanda and Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU has built an impressive portfolio and reputation for making bold, expressive, and experimental anime. What about The Ghost in the Shell made it feel like a natural fit as the studio’s next project?
Mokochan: For all of the works done by Science SARU, using animation to do storytelling is very important. That’s why we use a lot of hand-drawn animation in it. For The Ghost in the Shell, the most important thing is to use the visuals to capture its world. It’s the same policy with other series as well.
TVアニメ「#攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL」⋱ご視聴ありがとうございました⋰ ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢ 第01話より草薙素子と荒巻大輔の出会い 👩🏻 🐵迫力の原画を大公開！ 原画｜小島崇史 さん ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢https://t.co/wICYD3OlUm pic.twitter.com/6rNlJdXZZk — サイエンスSARU (@sciencesaru) July 7, 2026 io9: From the jump, The Ghost in the Shell marks a stark tonal shift—a return—towards Masamune Shirow’s lighter, more mischievous vision of the cyberpunk epic. What led Science SARU to pivot away from the austere, military tone that Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film would go on to cement as the franchise’s vibe for decades? Mokochan: We didn’t intentionally try to change the tone from how director Mamoru Oshii did previously because the concept for making this new series is to base it on the original manga, so we already had our own way of making this one.
© Masamune Shirow/Kodansha io9: In an era when people often use AI to cheaply mimic retro anime aesthetics, the new Ghost in the Shell feels like a deliberate rejection of AI’s pervasiveness in the arts—where every frame in the trailers looks unmistakably hand‑crafted. It’s a phenomenon that’s certainly paradoxical, considering that the manga prophesied how such technologies would be utilized in the not-so-far-off year of 2029. What’s Science SARU’s stance on AI, and what specific animation techniques did it use most to capture the show’s aesthetic through the power of collective human artistry? Mokochan: One of the concepts of the original manga is about the mysterious part of the human being. So we wanted to honor how the original creator captured the world and how we express all of the story in the original manga. So we wanted to follow the same concept using the same method to show humanity by using hand-drawn art. We prefer to just use our arms to draw all of the animation. Handa: It’s because the main concept is about the human body, so that’s why we prefer hand-drawn art over AI.
© Science SARU io9: Major Kusanagi has long been read as a bisexual icon in the West, especially because of Shirow’s famous island-escapade chapter with her gal pals, which has been lost in some Western reprints of the original manga. She’s also considerably goofier in the manga, a trait fans lovingly call a “bisexual disaster.” In what ways was it important for Science SARU to depict Kusanagi’s inherent goofball nature and her queerness in this adaptation, and what does portraying that side of her mean for a global audience in 2026? Mokochan: During the process of making the new series, we were actually very surprised by it because, compared to the original manga, a lot of the thoughts about sexuality are very advanced, exploring many possibilities. It’s not just about sexuality; it’s also about the human being, technology, and many other things. [The manga] accepts everything in the world. That was a very big surprise. We didn’t intend to modernize the content to make it fit the new era.
© Science SARU [The Ghost in the Shell producers’ note in regard to Science SARU’s adaptation of Motoko’s vacation scene from the original manga: “We had to adjust the depictions in the original work to match the rating.”] Handa: When we portray Kusanagi’s character, we like to bring out all the comical parts because they’re in the original manga. It’s kind of different how director Oshii portrays her in the previous series because, in those series, Kusanagi was not that expressive. We prefer to keep the authentic parts of the original manga, so we thought we definitely needed to keep the comical parts in the character, so that’s why we included that content. © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU io9: As a fan of the series, I’ve seen Ghost in the Shell go through different iterations, reinterpretations, and reboots. And in that, Motoko’s design has changed in a way that reflects how different people interpret her. But while her outer shell is different, the themes—the ghost in the original story—remain in each adaptation. For Science SARU’s newer adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell, which themes from the original manga feel more prescient now than when it first came out?
Mokochan: Because the original intent of this project is to follow the original manga—not just Kusanagi, but also all the content and the world’s concept—we didn’t try to modernize any part of it. The creative team, all of whom are also big fans of the original manga. So, for the world, the story, the characters, and the theme, it’s all the same because we want to honor the original manga. ｳｵｵｵ攻殻機動隊1話にLOと作画監督で参加させていただきました！憧れの攻殻機動隊に関わることができて感激です🔥LOはセンターの子供が撃たれるあたりから脱走するところまで、作監は冒頭からOP前あたりまでです。少佐かっこよくて可愛かった〜！こちら担当LOのうちの1カットです🙏🏻#攻殻機動隊 pic.twitter.com/zUlxgD9fin — 宮かなえ (@miyakanae_) July 7, 2026 The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video. io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Ghost #Shell #Director #Character #Designer #Keeping #Motoko #True #MangaAnime,Anime Expo,Science Saru,The Ghost in the Shell](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/07/The-Ghost-in-the-Shell-Mokachan-Shuhei-Handa.jpg "‘The Ghost in the Shell’ Director, Character Designer on Keeping Motoko True to the Manga
Dan Da Dan anime studio Science SARU’s adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell is finally streaming on Prime Video, and its pilot episode looks like a ’90s anime fever dream in the best way possible. Major Motoko Kusanagi kicks all the ass, its soundtrack is a bop, and its action sequences are a chef’s kiss. Don’t just take our word for it; check out the trailer below and see for yourself how Science SARU cooked once again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZn4dVCbvs[/embed] Ahead of its premiere, io9 got to chat with director Mokochan and character designer Shuhei Handa at Anime Expo about how their vision for Masamune Shirow’s seminal cyberpunk manga came to be, as well as a couple of pointed fandom-centric questions for fans who’ve been dying to see Major Motoko Kusanagi realized in all her goofy glory. Left: Shuhei Handa, right: Mokochan. © Isaiah Colbert/io9 This interview was edited for clarity. Isaiah Colbert, io9: From Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Dan Da Dan to Sanda and Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU has built an impressive portfolio and reputation for making bold, expressive, and experimental anime. What about The Ghost in the Shell made it feel like a natural fit as the studio’s next project?
Mokochan: For all of the works done by Science SARU, using animation to do storytelling is very important. That’s why we use a lot of hand-drawn animation in it. For The Ghost in the Shell, the most important thing is to use the visuals to capture its world. It’s the same policy with other series as well.
TVアニメ「#攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL」⋱ご視聴ありがとうございました⋰ ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢ 第01話より草薙素子と荒巻大輔の出会い 👩🏻 🐵迫力の原画を大公開！ 原画｜小島崇史 さん ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢https://t.co/wICYD3OlUm pic.twitter.com/6rNlJdXZZk — サイエンスSARU (@sciencesaru) July 7, 2026 io9: From the jump, The Ghost in the Shell marks a stark tonal shift—a return—towards Masamune Shirow’s lighter, more mischievous vision of the cyberpunk epic. What led Science SARU to pivot away from the austere, military tone that Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film would go on to cement as the franchise’s vibe for decades? Mokochan: We didn’t intentionally try to change the tone from how director Mamoru Oshii did previously because the concept for making this new series is to base it on the original manga, so we already had our own way of making this one.
© Masamune Shirow/Kodansha io9: In an era when people often use AI to cheaply mimic retro anime aesthetics, the new Ghost in the Shell feels like a deliberate rejection of AI’s pervasiveness in the arts—where every frame in the trailers looks unmistakably hand‑crafted. It’s a phenomenon that’s certainly paradoxical, considering that the manga prophesied how such technologies would be utilized in the not-so-far-off year of 2029. What’s Science SARU’s stance on AI, and what specific animation techniques did it use most to capture the show’s aesthetic through the power of collective human artistry? Mokochan: One of the concepts of the original manga is about the mysterious part of the human being. So we wanted to honor how the original creator captured the world and how we express all of the story in the original manga. So we wanted to follow the same concept using the same method to show humanity by using hand-drawn art. We prefer to just use our arms to draw all of the animation. Handa: It’s because the main concept is about the human body, so that’s why we prefer hand-drawn art over AI.
© Science SARU io9: Major Kusanagi has long been read as a bisexual icon in the West, especially because of Shirow’s famous island-escapade chapter with her gal pals, which has been lost in some Western reprints of the original manga. She’s also considerably goofier in the manga, a trait fans lovingly call a “bisexual disaster.” In what ways was it important for Science SARU to depict Kusanagi’s inherent goofball nature and her queerness in this adaptation, and what does portraying that side of her mean for a global audience in 2026? Mokochan: During the process of making the new series, we were actually very surprised by it because, compared to the original manga, a lot of the thoughts about sexuality are very advanced, exploring many possibilities. It’s not just about sexuality; it’s also about the human being, technology, and many other things. [The manga] accepts everything in the world. That was a very big surprise. We didn’t intend to modernize the content to make it fit the new era.
© Science SARU [The Ghost in the Shell producers’ note in regard to Science SARU’s adaptation of Motoko’s vacation scene from the original manga: “We had to adjust the depictions in the original work to match the rating.”] Handa: When we portray Kusanagi’s character, we like to bring out all the comical parts because they’re in the original manga. It’s kind of different how director Oshii portrays her in the previous series because, in those series, Kusanagi was not that expressive. We prefer to keep the authentic parts of the original manga, so we thought we definitely needed to keep the comical parts in the character, so that’s why we included that content. © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU io9: As a fan of the series, I’ve seen Ghost in the Shell go through different iterations, reinterpretations, and reboots. And in that, Motoko’s design has changed in a way that reflects how different people interpret her. But while her outer shell is different, the themes—the ghost in the original story—remain in each adaptation. For Science SARU’s newer adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell, which themes from the original manga feel more prescient now than when it first came out?
Mokochan: Because the original intent of this project is to follow the original manga—not just Kusanagi, but also all the content and the world’s concept—we didn’t try to modernize any part of it. The creative team, all of whom are also big fans of the original manga. So, for the world, the story, the characters, and the theme, it’s all the same because we want to honor the original manga. ｳｵｵｵ攻殻機動隊1話にLOと作画監督で参加させていただきました！憧れの攻殻機動隊に関わることができて感激です🔥LOはセンターの子供が撃たれるあたりから脱走するところまで、作監は冒頭からOP前あたりまでです。少佐かっこよくて可愛かった〜！こちら担当LOのうちの1カットです🙏🏻#攻殻機動隊 pic.twitter.com/zUlxgD9fin — 宮かなえ (@miyakanae_) July 7, 2026 The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video. io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Ghost #Shell #Director #Character #Designer #Keeping #Motoko #True #MangaAnime,Anime Expo,Science Saru,The Ghost in the Shell")
![‘The Ghost in the Shell’ Director, Character Designer on Keeping Motoko True to the Manga
Dan Da Dan anime studio Science SARU’s adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell is finally streaming on Prime Video, and its pilot episode looks like a ’90s anime fever dream in the best way possible. Major Motoko Kusanagi kicks all the ass, its soundtrack is a bop, and its action sequences are a chef’s kiss. Don’t just take our word for it; check out the trailer below and see for yourself how Science SARU cooked once again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZn4dVCbvs[/embed] Ahead of its premiere, io9 got to chat with director Mokochan and character designer Shuhei Handa at Anime Expo about how their vision for Masamune Shirow’s seminal cyberpunk manga came to be, as well as a couple of pointed fandom-centric questions for fans who’ve been dying to see Major Motoko Kusanagi realized in all her goofy glory. Left: Shuhei Handa, right: Mokochan. © Isaiah Colbert/io9 This interview was edited for clarity. Isaiah Colbert, io9: From Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Dan Da Dan to Sanda and Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU has built an impressive portfolio and reputation for making bold, expressive, and experimental anime. What about The Ghost in the Shell made it feel like a natural fit as the studio’s next project?
Mokochan: For all of the works done by Science SARU, using animation to do storytelling is very important. That’s why we use a lot of hand-drawn animation in it. For The Ghost in the Shell, the most important thing is to use the visuals to capture its world. It’s the same policy with other series as well.
TVアニメ「#攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL」⋱ご視聴ありがとうございました⋰ ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢ 第01話より草薙素子と荒巻大輔の出会い 👩🏻 🐵迫力の原画を大公開！ 原画｜小島崇史 さん ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢https://t.co/wICYD3OlUm pic.twitter.com/6rNlJdXZZk — サイエンスSARU (@sciencesaru) July 7, 2026 io9: From the jump, The Ghost in the Shell marks a stark tonal shift—a return—towards Masamune Shirow’s lighter, more mischievous vision of the cyberpunk epic. What led Science SARU to pivot away from the austere, military tone that Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film would go on to cement as the franchise’s vibe for decades? Mokochan: We didn’t intentionally try to change the tone from how director Mamoru Oshii did previously because the concept for making this new series is to base it on the original manga, so we already had our own way of making this one.
© Masamune Shirow/Kodansha io9: In an era when people often use AI to cheaply mimic retro anime aesthetics, the new Ghost in the Shell feels like a deliberate rejection of AI’s pervasiveness in the arts—where every frame in the trailers looks unmistakably hand‑crafted. It’s a phenomenon that’s certainly paradoxical, considering that the manga prophesied how such technologies would be utilized in the not-so-far-off year of 2029. What’s Science SARU’s stance on AI, and what specific animation techniques did it use most to capture the show’s aesthetic through the power of collective human artistry? Mokochan: One of the concepts of the original manga is about the mysterious part of the human being. So we wanted to honor how the original creator captured the world and how we express all of the story in the original manga. So we wanted to follow the same concept using the same method to show humanity by using hand-drawn art. We prefer to just use our arms to draw all of the animation. Handa: It’s because the main concept is about the human body, so that’s why we prefer hand-drawn art over AI.
© Science SARU io9: Major Kusanagi has long been read as a bisexual icon in the West, especially because of Shirow’s famous island-escapade chapter with her gal pals, which has been lost in some Western reprints of the original manga. She’s also considerably goofier in the manga, a trait fans lovingly call a “bisexual disaster.” In what ways was it important for Science SARU to depict Kusanagi’s inherent goofball nature and her queerness in this adaptation, and what does portraying that side of her mean for a global audience in 2026? Mokochan: During the process of making the new series, we were actually very surprised by it because, compared to the original manga, a lot of the thoughts about sexuality are very advanced, exploring many possibilities. It’s not just about sexuality; it’s also about the human being, technology, and many other things. [The manga] accepts everything in the world. That was a very big surprise. We didn’t intend to modernize the content to make it fit the new era.
© Science SARU [The Ghost in the Shell producers’ note in regard to Science SARU’s adaptation of Motoko’s vacation scene from the original manga: “We had to adjust the depictions in the original work to match the rating.”] Handa: When we portray Kusanagi’s character, we like to bring out all the comical parts because they’re in the original manga. It’s kind of different how director Oshii portrays her in the previous series because, in those series, Kusanagi was not that expressive. We prefer to keep the authentic parts of the original manga, so we thought we definitely needed to keep the comical parts in the character, so that’s why we included that content. © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU io9: As a fan of the series, I’ve seen Ghost in the Shell go through different iterations, reinterpretations, and reboots. And in that, Motoko’s design has changed in a way that reflects how different people interpret her. But while her outer shell is different, the themes—the ghost in the original story—remain in each adaptation. For Science SARU’s newer adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell, which themes from the original manga feel more prescient now than when it first came out?
Mokochan: Because the original intent of this project is to follow the original manga—not just Kusanagi, but also all the content and the world’s concept—we didn’t try to modernize any part of it. The creative team, all of whom are also big fans of the original manga. So, for the world, the story, the characters, and the theme, it’s all the same because we want to honor the original manga. ｳｵｵｵ攻殻機動隊1話にLOと作画監督で参加させていただきました！憧れの攻殻機動隊に関わることができて感激です🔥LOはセンターの子供が撃たれるあたりから脱走するところまで、作監は冒頭からOP前あたりまでです。少佐かっこよくて可愛かった〜！こちら担当LOのうちの1カットです🙏🏻#攻殻機動隊 pic.twitter.com/zUlxgD9fin — 宮かなえ (@miyakanae_) July 7, 2026 The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video. io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Ghost #Shell #Director #Character #Designer #Keeping #Motoko #True #MangaAnime,Anime Expo,Science Saru,The Ghost in the Shell](https://i0.wp.com/gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/07/The-Ghost-in-the-Shell-Mokachan-Shuhei-Handa.jpg?ssl=1 "‘The Ghost in the Shell’ Director, Character Designer on Keeping Motoko True to the Manga
Dan Da Dan anime studio Science SARU’s adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell is finally streaming on Prime Video, and its pilot episode looks like a ’90s anime fever dream in the best way possible. Major Motoko Kusanagi kicks all the ass, its soundtrack is a bop, and its action sequences are a chef’s kiss. Don’t just take our word for it; check out the trailer below and see for yourself how Science SARU cooked once again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZn4dVCbvs[/embed] Ahead of its premiere, io9 got to chat with director Mokochan and character designer Shuhei Handa at Anime Expo about how their vision for Masamune Shirow’s seminal cyberpunk manga came to be, as well as a couple of pointed fandom-centric questions for fans who’ve been dying to see Major Motoko Kusanagi realized in all her goofy glory. Left: Shuhei Handa, right: Mokochan. © Isaiah Colbert/io9 This interview was edited for clarity. Isaiah Colbert, io9: From Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Dan Da Dan to Sanda and Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU has built an impressive portfolio and reputation for making bold, expressive, and experimental anime. What about The Ghost in the Shell made it feel like a natural fit as the studio’s next project?
Mokochan: For all of the works done by Science SARU, using animation to do storytelling is very important. That’s why we use a lot of hand-drawn animation in it. For The Ghost in the Shell, the most important thing is to use the visuals to capture its world. It’s the same policy with other series as well.
TVアニメ「#攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL」⋱ご視聴ありがとうございました⋰ ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢ 第01話より草薙素子と荒巻大輔の出会い 👩🏻 🐵迫力の原画を大公開！ 原画｜小島崇史 さん ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢https://t.co/wICYD3OlUm pic.twitter.com/6rNlJdXZZk — サイエンスSARU (@sciencesaru) July 7, 2026 io9: From the jump, The Ghost in the Shell marks a stark tonal shift—a return—towards Masamune Shirow’s lighter, more mischievous vision of the cyberpunk epic. What led Science SARU to pivot away from the austere, military tone that Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film would go on to cement as the franchise’s vibe for decades? Mokochan: We didn’t intentionally try to change the tone from how director Mamoru Oshii did previously because the concept for making this new series is to base it on the original manga, so we already had our own way of making this one.
© Masamune Shirow/Kodansha io9: In an era when people often use AI to cheaply mimic retro anime aesthetics, the new Ghost in the Shell feels like a deliberate rejection of AI’s pervasiveness in the arts—where every frame in the trailers looks unmistakably hand‑crafted. It’s a phenomenon that’s certainly paradoxical, considering that the manga prophesied how such technologies would be utilized in the not-so-far-off year of 2029. What’s Science SARU’s stance on AI, and what specific animation techniques did it use most to capture the show’s aesthetic through the power of collective human artistry? Mokochan: One of the concepts of the original manga is about the mysterious part of the human being. So we wanted to honor how the original creator captured the world and how we express all of the story in the original manga. So we wanted to follow the same concept using the same method to show humanity by using hand-drawn art. We prefer to just use our arms to draw all of the animation. Handa: It’s because the main concept is about the human body, so that’s why we prefer hand-drawn art over AI.
© Science SARU io9: Major Kusanagi has long been read as a bisexual icon in the West, especially because of Shirow’s famous island-escapade chapter with her gal pals, which has been lost in some Western reprints of the original manga. She’s also considerably goofier in the manga, a trait fans lovingly call a “bisexual disaster.” In what ways was it important for Science SARU to depict Kusanagi’s inherent goofball nature and her queerness in this adaptation, and what does portraying that side of her mean for a global audience in 2026? Mokochan: During the process of making the new series, we were actually very surprised by it because, compared to the original manga, a lot of the thoughts about sexuality are very advanced, exploring many possibilities. It’s not just about sexuality; it’s also about the human being, technology, and many other things. [The manga] accepts everything in the world. That was a very big surprise. We didn’t intend to modernize the content to make it fit the new era.
© Science SARU [The Ghost in the Shell producers’ note in regard to Science SARU’s adaptation of Motoko’s vacation scene from the original manga: “We had to adjust the depictions in the original work to match the rating.”] Handa: When we portray Kusanagi’s character, we like to bring out all the comical parts because they’re in the original manga. It’s kind of different how director Oshii portrays her in the previous series because, in those series, Kusanagi was not that expressive. We prefer to keep the authentic parts of the original manga, so we thought we definitely needed to keep the comical parts in the character, so that’s why we included that content. © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU io9: As a fan of the series, I’ve seen Ghost in the Shell go through different iterations, reinterpretations, and reboots. And in that, Motoko’s design has changed in a way that reflects how different people interpret her. But while her outer shell is different, the themes—the ghost in the original story—remain in each adaptation. For Science SARU’s newer adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell, which themes from the original manga feel more prescient now than when it first came out?
Mokochan: Because the original intent of this project is to follow the original manga—not just Kusanagi, but also all the content and the world’s concept—we didn’t try to modernize any part of it. The creative team, all of whom are also big fans of the original manga. So, for the world, the story, the characters, and the theme, it’s all the same because we want to honor the original manga. ｳｵｵｵ攻殻機動隊1話にLOと作画監督で参加させていただきました！憧れの攻殻機動隊に関わることができて感激です🔥LOはセンターの子供が撃たれるあたりから脱走するところまで、作監は冒頭からOP前あたりまでです。少佐かっこよくて可愛かった〜！こちら担当LOのうちの1カットです🙏🏻#攻殻機動隊 pic.twitter.com/zUlxgD9fin — 宮かなえ (@miyakanae_) July 7, 2026 The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video. io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Ghost #Shell #Director #Character #Designer #Keeping #Motoko #True #MangaAnime,Anime Expo,Science Saru,The Ghost in the Shell")
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.jpg?ssl=1 "These New Smart Glasses From Solos Come With a Privacy Shield for the CamerasSmart glasses company Solos has long focused on audio-only smart glasses. On Tuesday, it announced two new pairs of glasses, one of which has a camera—but you can buy a separate accessory to hide the camera for privacy’s sake.Solos’ new smart glasses are the audio-only AirGo A6 and the second iteration of its camera-enabled glasses, the Solos AirGo V2. The latter was first announced last year as an effort to directly “outshine Meta.” These 9 glasses do just about everything you’d expect from Meta’s new 9 Meta Smartglasses, including photo and video capture, playing music, and interacting with an AI-powered assistant that can see what you see. They can be fitted with prescription lenses and have a 10- to 12-hour battery life.The AirGo V2 glasses can also be paired with a new Privacy Kit, a set of clip-on accessories that let wearers control what their camera glasses can access. The clip-on privacy shield blocks the cameras from view and from recording the world, allowing you to keep wearing the glasses in audio-only mode. There’s also a clip-on polarized lens, and the full kit of modular options costs .Selling a privacy kit as a clip-on accessory is perhaps not the most effective way to stave off concerns about people running around with small, discreet cameras on their faces. Having to buy a separate item, then clip it on and off every time you want to use or disable the camera, is a lot of extra steps that will likely keep people from bothering with privacy at all. Also, there isn’t anything stopping bad actors from removing the clip-on blockers later in an interaction—say, after entering an event that prohibits camera recording.Courtesy of Solos SmartglassesSolos’ first camera-enabled glasses, the Solos AirGo Vision, launched in 2024. WIRED put them in the “Don’t Bother” section of our Best Smart Glasses gallery, citing some decent design choices, albeit ones held back by middling media capture quality, frustrating touch controls, and a power-hungry app that demands too many permissions. All in all, the glasses haven’t quite reached the standard Meta has set with its popular smart glasses.Meta has been the dominant force in the smart glasses market, but other big companies are trying to fill in the cracks. Google and Samsung have a partnership to build out Google’s Android XR platform, with new glasses arriving later this year from eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. Apple has reportedly been building its own smart glasses as well.Some smaller companies are adjusting their target markets to counter Meta, like Even Realities and its camera-free glasses. Solos’ reemphasis on privacy comes after a period of widespread criticism of Meta’s glasses. The devices have been called creepy “pervert glasses” and were criticized after the company silently added face recognition code to its glasses, then quickly removed it after public outcry following a WIRED report. Meta hasn’t done itself any favors since then, announcing last week that it will start charging for features on its smart glasses that have previously been free.Meta has acknowledged that a market for audio-only smart glasses exists, as CTO Andrew Bosworth said in a private Q&A session with media that he thinks there is “market demand for that product for sure.” But Meta hasn’t moved away from its camera-forward spectacles yet. It may very well make audio-only glasses in the future. Until then, companies like Solos are eager to chip away at that market.#Smart #Glasses #Solos #Privacy #Shield #Camerascameras,design,smart glasses,wearables,artificial intelligence,meta")
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