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‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and ‘Expedition 33’ Are Having a Moment

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and ‘Expedition 33’ Are Having a Moment

Have you watched KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix or played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

Chances are the answer is ‘yes,’ and if not, you’ve certainly heard of them: both were released earlier this year to fairly glowing reviews (if not outright critical acclaim) and performed very well commercially. The latter, a turn-based RPG from newcomer Sandfall Interactive, will likely pick up some awards at year’s end, while Netflix is planning to go all in on KPop. Along with talks of sequels and an ever-growing wave of merchandise, the streamer submitted the mid-movie song “Golden” for Academy Award consideration. Both may also wind up jumping to live-action; Expedition had a movie announced months before the game’s release, while Netflix is reportedly mulling over a remake with human actors.

There’s at least one movie, game, or show that becomes the talk of the town each year, but the way KPop and Expedition have been moving feels more significant than most. Both of them certainly build on the foundation set by their predecessors; musically, K-pop has been a popular genre for years, but it’s possible general audiences didn’t fully know just how much until now. Even if folks didn’t watch KPop Demon Hunters, they’ve sure heard the music, which has risen in the charts in the weeks after release and beat real groups like BTS and Blackpink. (In a fun nod to the film, the two bands, Huntrix and the Saja Boys, became the highest-charting female and male K-pop groups for U.S. Spotify while competing against each other.) Several prominent artists in the genre have reacted to or covered the film’s music, which has also become a viral sensation in Korea. Even before that point, viewers had KPop fever the moment the credits rolled and immediately demanded Netflix greenlight a sequel and shared their ideas for a TV spinoff.

Meanwhile, Expedition 33 was built on the back of decades’ worth of turn-based RPGs made in Japan, from heavy hitters like Final Fantasy and Persona to modern cult classics Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. Whether you knew the influences or not, that didn’t stop the game from feeling like a breath of fresh air (well, paint) at a time when the industry could’ve used some good news in between the next rounds of layoffs and cancellation-focused news. It’s also a game that did its job too well: between bad faith actors and a general need to deify Sandfall for making a strong debut title, the RPG has become overwhelmed by discussions about what its success could and should mean for the industry—and, more pointedly, the ever-evolving Final Fantasy franchise, whose mainline installments have taken more of a real-time combat focus—that subsequently smothered any real talks about its mechanics or late-game narrative swerves. Sandfall’s kept its head down and focused on updating the game (and probably its next project next), so it’s hard to know how much of this has gone to their heads, for better and worse.

For folks hoping for some originality, KPop Demon Hunters and Expedition 33 couldn’t have come at a better time. The 2020s have seen franchises start to buckle under continuous sequels and expanded universe games, prompting many to go back to their old ways, if not reboot entirely. So many headlines have focused on what’s being rebooted or remade, what’s coming back for another go years or decades after the fact. Original works feel more rare than they have in some time, even despite the odds becoming increasingly stacked against them. It’s always been a crap shoot as to what originals will land with audiences and to what degree, as seen with the split between how they took to 2023’s Elemental versus Elio this past summer. But when one seems like it’s got the juice, there’s hope that it can build up the proper momentum and find an audience so it becomes a true great. Or failing that, it can always be a stepping stone towards later projects from its creators and gain more attention down the line.

Netflix will get to fulfill several of its KPop-related ambitions, and if Sandfall ever makes an Expedition sequel, players will be all over it. But the most interesting thing about them is seeing the shadow they’ll have both cast years after the fact and what new creations come to follow in its footsteps. And if what comes next looks, sounds, and plays as great as what inspired them or finds their own voice, it’ll all have been worth it.

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.

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#KPop #Demon #Hunters #Expedition #Moment

Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099.

So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why.

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review

Hisan Kidwai

Summary

Everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

Design & Comfort

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review: The Budget Earbuds Most People Should Buy
	
OPPO’s Enco earbud series has time and again delivered some of the best value devices, and for good reason. Take last month’s Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099. 



So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why. 



        OPPO Enco Air 5 ReviewHisan KidwaiSummaryEverything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.
        
        


Design & Comfort







What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love. 



While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated. 







As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably. 



Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine. 



Sound Quality & ANC







The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough. 



On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.



If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation. 







On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace. 



OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.



Controls & Companion App





While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC. 



All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.



Verdict







At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo

What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love.

While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated.

A person holding the earbud

As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably.

Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine.

Sound Quality & ANC

Different earbuds

The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough.

On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.

If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation.

Enco Air 5 on a table with the buds out

On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace.

OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.

Controls & Companion App

While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC.

All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.

Verdict

A person holding the Enco air 5

At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo">OPPO Enco Air 5 Review: The Budget Earbuds Most People Should Buy
	
OPPO’s Enco earbud series has time and again delivered some of the best value devices, and for good reason. Take last month’s Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099. 



So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why. 



        OPPO Enco Air 5 ReviewHisan KidwaiSummaryEverything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.
        
        


Design & Comfort







What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love. 



While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated. 







As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably. 



Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine. 



Sound Quality & ANC







The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough. 



On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.



If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation. 







On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace. 



OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.



Controls & Companion App





While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC. 



All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.



Verdict







At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo

as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099.

So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why.

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review

Hisan Kidwai

Summary

Everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

Design & Comfort

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review: The Budget Earbuds Most People Should Buy
	
OPPO’s Enco earbud series has time and again delivered some of the best value devices, and for good reason. Take last month’s Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099. 



So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why. 



        OPPO Enco Air 5 ReviewHisan KidwaiSummaryEverything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.
        
        


Design & Comfort







What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love. 



While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated. 







As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably. 



Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine. 



Sound Quality & ANC







The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough. 



On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.



If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation. 







On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace. 



OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.



Controls & Companion App





While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC. 



All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.



Verdict







At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo

What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love.

While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated.

A person holding the earbud

As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably.

Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine.

Sound Quality & ANC

Different earbuds

The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough.

On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.

If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation.

Enco Air 5 on a table with the buds out

On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace.

OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.

Controls & Companion App

While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC.

All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.

Verdict

A person holding the Enco air 5

At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo">OPPO Enco Air 5 Review: The Budget Earbuds Most People Should Buy

OPPO’s Enco earbud series has time and again delivered some of the best value devices, and for good reason. Take last month’s Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099.

So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why.

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review

Hisan Kidwai

Summary

Everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

Design & Comfort

OPPO Enco Air 5 Review: The Budget Earbuds Most People Should Buy
	
OPPO’s Enco earbud series has time and again delivered some of the best value devices, and for good reason. Take last month’s Enco Air 5 Pro as an example. They combined well-balanced audio and strong ANC capabilities into a package that cost ₹4,999. While we still think they are great value, I’d also admit that spending that much isn’t feasible for many budget-conscious buyers. Keeping that in mind, OPPO has just announced the non-Pro version, the Enco Air 5. It follows the same recipe as its bigger brother, with 52dB of ANC and a 54-hour battery life, but trims the price down to just ₹3,099. 



So, when OPPO called asking if I’d like to test the Enco Air 5, I said yes, of course. For some context, I have been using the buds for almost a month, during which I’ve taken them to countless gym sessions, gone on evening walks while listening to my favorite music, and even taken them with me to cover an esports tournament in Jaipur. If you can’t be bothered to read the full review, then yes, they are worth the price. Here’s why. 



        OPPO Enco Air 5 ReviewHisan KidwaiSummaryEverything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.
        
        


Design & Comfort







What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love. 



While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated. 







As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably. 



Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine. 



Sound Quality & ANC







The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough. 



On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.



If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation. 







On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace. 



OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.



Controls & Companion App





While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC. 



All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.



Verdict







At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo

What does it take to design a great pair of earbuds? To some brands, it’s about a fun design that stands out amongst others, even if that comes at the cost of comfort. I could name a dozen such earbuds, but the truth is, the ones I keep using after reviews are those that don’t stand out. I don’t care whether you have a brand-new design or a new LED light strip. An earbud needs to be sophisticated yet stylish enough not to look cheap. And no other brand does that better than OPPO. The new Enco Air 5 are no exception. They feature the same oval-shaped case that I have come to love.

While the dimensions are almost identical to the 5 Pro, the finish is indeed different. I got the Lavender Purple variant, which I’d say looks quite good. It adds a pop of color in an otherwise bland earbud world. Even though it’s very difficult to put the feel of the finish into words, I’ll try anyway. The finish reminds me of those large chalky medicine tablets. The matte finish is a little rougher than the 5 Pro, and it held up quite well in my regular use. I didn’t see any smudges, nor was there any damage to the case when I dropped it at the airport while taking out my boarding pass. The case can be opened with one hand, and there’s also a satisfying click every time you close the lid. There’s also a physical pairing button, which is always appreciated.

A person holding the earbud

As for the earbuds themselves, they are shiny this time around, so a bit more difficult to keep clean. Comfort is a tricky thing to answer, since everyone’s ears are different. My ears are small, so bigger earbuds like the Noise Master Buds 2 were difficult to manage. Fortunately, the Enco Air 5 were not the same. They fit perfectly inside my ear canals, without causing any discomfort. For my 6 AM flight, I put them on before leaving home, and after 4 hours of travel, they were still sitting comfortably.

Still, if the regular medium-sized tips are not to your taste, there are several bundled inside the box. So, experiment to find the best fit. The earbuds are also IP55 rated, and survived my gym sessions in the brutal Indian summers just fine.

Sound Quality & ANC

Different earbuds

The Enco Air 5 earbuds come with a 12mm dynamic driver featuring a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, AAC and SBC codecs, and Bluetooth 6.1. During my testing, I used the Ultimate Sound preset, but if that’s not your jam, there are Thundering Bass and Pure Vocals, along with a full equalizer, which we will talk about soon enough.

On tracks such as “After Hours,” “The Pina Colada Song,” and “Runaway,” the earbuds sounded very well balanced. The sound tuning is fantastic: the highs don’t feel sharp, the mids/vocals sound very clear, and the lows are there. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get the rumble of a big headphone, but the Enco Air 5 in the bass boost mode packs a punch. Despite the lack of high-res audio support, I found the instrument separation decent and the soundstage wide enough, though not quite as expansive as on the more expensive Enco Air 5 Pro.

If you’d like your instruments placed all around the room, like at a concert, OPPO has its Live Audio feature. It’s not my favorite thing in the world to experience music with, but it works very well to place different elements perfectly around you. I believe the best way to appreciate this is with a movie, and I watched the first episode of Silo season 3 with these connected to my MacBook. The latency was pretty minimal, and the audio was super clean. Even the call quality has been upgraded compared to the previous generation.

Enco Air 5 on a table with the buds out

On the topic of ANC, I was headed to Jaipur to attend a BGMI esports event. If you’ve seen such events, then you’d know they can get loud—really loud. And what better place to test the ANC capabilities of the Enco Air 5? I’ll be straight: you won’t cancel every noise there is, but that doesn’t mean the ANC is bad. In the event, the earbuds suppressed about 80% of the crowd noises, which was great news. On the flight, most of the jet engine rumble was canceled, without any music on. If you do have music running, it’s very easy to cut off the world for a moment of peace.

OPPO claims about 13 hours of battery life on a single charge for the earbuds without ANC on and about 6.5 hours with ANC. I can confirm those numbers are accurate, since I got roughly 5.5 hours with ANC turned on at all times. The case provides a couple of extra charges, so the total output should be around 24-25 hours, depending on your use case. Still, battery life is great overall.

Controls & Companion App

While many people ignore them, controls are a major factor when choosing earbuds. This is because poor controls can be frustrating. Very fortunately, that’s not the case with the Enco Air 5 earbuds. They keep things simple and functional. You get the basics like double-tap to play/pause the music, triple-tap to skip forward/rewind, and tap and hold to turn on ANC.

All of these can be customized to your liking using the HeyMelody app on Android and iOS, or just the Bluetooth settings page if you have an OPPO/OnePlus device. The app has always been great, and you also get Spotify Tap. It connects to your Spotify app and plays a song based on your listening habits whenever you tap your earbuds. I’m an Apple Music user, so I couldn’t test it much, but from what I’ve heard, it’s a great addition. Beyond that, there’s Sound Space, a collection of sounds that help you concentrate better or get work done among the annoying people who watch reels at high volume. Finally, there’s a full 10-band equalizer that lets you tune the sound output precisely to your liking.

Verdict

A person holding the Enco air 5

At ₹3,099, the OPPO Enco Air 5 are another pair of super-easy-to-recommend earbuds. There are no headline features, but everything about the Enco Air 5 feels well balanced. The design is understated yet premium, the comfort is good enough for hours of use, and the companion app is packed with genuinely useful features. The sound tuning gives every part of a track room to breathe without letting one frequency overpower another. Even the ANC does a commendable job of cutting out everyday noise.

#OPPO #Enco #Air #Review #Budget #Earbuds #People #BuyOppo
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.

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

‘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
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.

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.

Ghost In The Shell Shirow Masamune Kodansha (1)
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell image of Motoko Kusanagi.
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell still of Kusanagi kissing a woman.
© 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.

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.


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

 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.

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

‘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
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.

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.

Ghost In The Shell Shirow Masamune Kodansha (1)
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell image of Motoko Kusanagi.
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell still of Kusanagi kissing a woman.
© 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.

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.


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.

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

‘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
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.

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.

Ghost In The Shell Shirow Masamune Kodansha (1)
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell image of Motoko Kusanagi.
© 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.

The Ghost In The Shell still of Kusanagi kissing a woman.
© 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.

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.


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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