-
In Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks did something that made absolutely no sense — and it worked like a charm.
Against a New England Patriots offense that had specialized in the power run game throughout the 2025 season, Seattle played base defense exactly 1.5% of the time. The Patriots played into that by using 11 personnel on 79.1% of their snaps, but still… when you play nickel (five defensive backs) on 44.8% of their snaps (14.2% below the NFL average) and dime (six defensive backs) on an astonishing 53.7% of their snaps (43.9% of the NFL average), something was afoot — and it made all the difference in Seattle’s 29-13 win.
The name of that something was Nick Emmanwori. The 35th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of South Carolina, the 6’ 3⅛”, 220-pound Emmanwori (who completely dominated the 2025 scouting combine) became head coach Mike Macdonald’s multi-position enforcer, in many of the same ways Kyle Hamilton filled that role back when Macdonald was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023.
“We’ve had him at 9-technique, 5-technique, he’s playing the slot,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of Emmanwori last December. “We’re putting a lot on his plate. That’s part of my message to him, ‘You’ve got a lot on your plate, there’s a lot of expectations, and rightfully so, you’ve earned those opportunities. Go prepare your tail off so you can play the brand of ball you want to play. Then go let it rip, and if something happens throughout the game, we’ll fix it or we’ll put you out of that situation, but just go to the next one and keep rolling.’”
Overall, it worked very well. Emmanwori played 51% of his snaps last season in the box, 45% in the slot, 2% in the deep third, and 2% as an overhang defender. His success was the latest in a long line of do-it-all safeties that goes back to Charles Woodson, through Eric Berry, Tyrann Mathieu, Derwin James, and Hamilton. These types of players have never been more relevant in the NFL, and that proved itself out in the 2026 draft.
- The Dallas Cowboys selected Ohio State’s Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick.
- The Chicago Bears selected Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick.
- The Cleveland Browns selected Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren with the 58th pick.
Now that these guys are in the NFL, what can they do for their new teams all over the field?
Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys
May 1, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (18) goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Last season for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Downs played 37% of his snaps as a two-deep safety, 30% in the slot, 17% as a single-high safety, and 9% as an outside cornerback or overhang defender. Overall, he had one sack, five pressures, 58 solo tackles, 35 stops, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and in coverage, he allowed 25 catches on 38 targets for 168 yards, 92 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, one pass breakup, and an opponent passer rating of 53.4.
Downs may be the most NFL-ready player in this class regardless of position; he ran the show in Matt Patricia’s NFL-conversant defense, and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t do that at the next level — especially in a new Christian Parker-led defense that takes its two-high shells, match coverage principles, and defensive back versatility from the Vic Fangio tree (Parker was the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game coordinator & defensive backs coach in 2024 and 2025). Certainly a glow-up from whatever the heck it was that Matt Eberflus was doing with that defense last season.
“Premium instincts,” Parker said of Downs in early May. “You can tell his football intellect, the way he directs traffic out there, the way he reads and reacts, his brain is connected with his feet. It was constant. You’re watching three years of film, and there’s not a difference in the tape.
”He’s constantly making the right decision, constantly down in the football, constantly making contact with it, constantly just in the right spot. It’s just a smooth, smooth transition and smooth play.”
Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears
May 8, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) runs during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Last season for the Oregon Ducks, Thieneman played 54% of his snaps as a split safety, 22% as a single-high safety, 12% in the slot, 8% in the box, and 4% as an outside cornerback or overhang defender. He had four pressures, 72 solo tackles, 30 stops, three tackles for loss, and in coverage, he allowed 18 catches on 29 targets for 145 yards, 42 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 80.4.
“Range,” Bears Director of College Scouting Breck Ackley said when asked to detail Thieneman’s most impressive trait. “The versatility to play. He has nickel-flex. He has the versatility to play both free and strong. But the thing that stands out, if you can go back to his Purdue tape, 2023, when he had six picks, he’s really got some center field range stuff.
“Oregon used him a little bit in a rover role, and at times in a different role. Safety is one of those positions where you really have to watch a lot of tape, but there’s plenty of snaps for him. He can flip his hips, he can cover ground, and then you add in the versatility, the run support, the physicality. But I would say the range stands out.”
It is entirely likely that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will use Thieneman as his range guy in 2026 and beyond, because that is indeed his most impressive trait. Kevin Byard was the team’s primary free safety last season, and he signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the New England Patriots this offseason. Former Seahawks safety Coby Bryant is now in the fold on a three-year, $40 million deal, which gives the Bears some flexibility, but you can be sure that Thieneman’s particular range and coverage traits will be a big part of Allen’s defense.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Cleveland Browns
May 8, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (28) during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Last season for the Toledo Rockets, McNeil-Warren played 45% of his snaps as a single-high safety, 20% in the slot, 19% as a split safety, and 2% on the outside. He had one sack, five pressures, 42 solo tackles, 17 stops, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and in coverage, he allowed six catches on 15 targets for 116 yards, 50 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 50.3.
“I think what’s so special about Emmanuel is the versatility that he brings,: Assistant GM & Vice President of Football Operations Catherine Hickman said. ”You’re thinking of a player that can play high, can play low, a player that has excellent ball skills, size, strength, physicality. So really a player that the way we want to play defense, just gives our defensive coaches so many options. And they’re going to be extremely pleased to work with him.”
I have no doubt about that, and I was surprised that McNeil-Warren lasted until the second round. He has some things to work on like any draft prospect does, but he may also have the most pure athletic upside among these three players. At 6’ 3½” and 201 pounds, he has all the tools to be one of the new wave of complete safeties — the new type of player that every NFL team not only wants… but desperately needs.
#NFL #teams #supersafeties #Nick #Emmanworis #versatility">Why NFL teams want super-safeties with Nick Emmanwori’s versatility
In Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks did something that made absolutely no sense — and it worked like a charm.
Against a New England Patriots offense that had specialized in the power run game throughout the 2025 season, Seattle played base defense exactly 1.5% of the time. The Patriots played into that by using 11 personnel on 79.1% of their snaps, but still… when you play nickel (five defensive backs) on 44.8% of their snaps (14.2% below the NFL average) and dime (six defensive backs) on an astonishing 53.7% of their snaps (43.9% of the NFL average), something was afoot — and it made all the difference in Seattle’s 29-13 win.
The name of that something was Nick Emmanwori. The 35th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of South Carolina, the 6’ 3⅛”, 220-pound Emmanwori (who completely dominated the 2025 scouting combine) became head coach Mike Macdonald’s multi-position enforcer, in many of the same ways Kyle Hamilton filled that role back when Macdonald was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023.
“We’ve had him at 9-technique, 5-technique, he’s playing the slot,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of Emmanwori last December. “We’re putting a lot on his plate. That’s part of my message to him, ‘You’ve got a lot on your plate, there’s a lot of expectations, and rightfully so, you’ve earned those opportunities. Go prepare your tail off so you can play the brand of ball you want to play. Then go let it rip, and if something happens throughout the game, we’ll fix it or we’ll put you out of that situation, but just go to the next one and keep rolling.’”
Overall, it worked very well. Emmanwori played 51% of his snaps last season in the box, 45% in the slot, 2% in the deep third, and 2% as an overhang defender. His success was the latest in a long line of do-it-all safeties that goes back to Charles Woodson, through Eric Berry, Tyrann Mathieu, Derwin James, and Hamilton. These types of players have never been more relevant in the NFL, and that proved itself out in the 2026 draft.
- The Dallas Cowboys selected Ohio State’s Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick.
- The Chicago Bears selected Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick.
- The Cleveland Browns selected Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren with the 58th pick.
Now that these guys are in the NFL, what can they do for their new teams all over the field?
Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys
May 1, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (18) goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Last season for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Downs played 37% of his snaps as a two-deep safety, 30% in the slot, 17% as a single-high safety, and 9% as an outside cornerback or overhang defender. Overall, he had one sack, five pressures, 58 solo tackles, 35 stops, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and in coverage, he allowed 25 catches on 38 targets for 168 yards, 92 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, one pass breakup, and an opponent passer rating of 53.4.
Downs may be the most NFL-ready player in this class regardless of position; he ran the show in Matt Patricia’s NFL-conversant defense, and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t do that at the next level — especially in a new Christian Parker-led defense that takes its two-high shells, match coverage principles, and defensive back versatility from the Vic Fangio tree (Parker was the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game coordinator & defensive backs coach in 2024 and 2025). Certainly a glow-up from whatever the heck it was that Matt Eberflus was doing with that defense last season.
“Premium instincts,” Parker said of Downs in early May. “You can tell his football intellect, the way he directs traffic out there, the way he reads and reacts, his brain is connected with his feet. It was constant. You’re watching three years of film, and there’s not a difference in the tape.
”He’s constantly making the right decision, constantly down in the football, constantly making contact with it, constantly just in the right spot. It’s just a smooth, smooth transition and smooth play.”
Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears
May 8, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) runs during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Last season for the Oregon Ducks, Thieneman played 54% of his snaps as a split safety, 22% as a single-high safety, 12% in the slot, 8% in the box, and 4% as an outside cornerback or overhang defender. He had four pressures, 72 solo tackles, 30 stops, three tackles for loss, and in coverage, he allowed 18 catches on 29 targets for 145 yards, 42 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 80.4.
“Range,” Bears Director of College Scouting Breck Ackley said when asked to detail Thieneman’s most impressive trait. “The versatility to play. He has nickel-flex. He has the versatility to play both free and strong. But the thing that stands out, if you can go back to his Purdue tape, 2023, when he had six picks, he’s really got some center field range stuff.
“Oregon used him a little bit in a rover role, and at times in a different role. Safety is one of those positions where you really have to watch a lot of tape, but there’s plenty of snaps for him. He can flip his hips, he can cover ground, and then you add in the versatility, the run support, the physicality. But I would say the range stands out.”
It is entirely likely that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will use Thieneman as his range guy in 2026 and beyond, because that is indeed his most impressive trait. Kevin Byard was the team’s primary free safety last season, and he signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the New England Patriots this offseason. Former Seahawks safety Coby Bryant is now in the fold on a three-year, $40 million deal, which gives the Bears some flexibility, but you can be sure that Thieneman’s particular range and coverage traits will be a big part of Allen’s defense.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Cleveland Browns
May 8, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (28) during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Last season for the Toledo Rockets, McNeil-Warren played 45% of his snaps as a single-high safety, 20% in the slot, 19% as a split safety, and 2% on the outside. He had one sack, five pressures, 42 solo tackles, 17 stops, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and in coverage, he allowed six catches on 15 targets for 116 yards, 50 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 50.3.
“I think what’s so special about Emmanuel is the versatility that he brings,: Assistant GM & Vice President of Football Operations Catherine Hickman said. ”You’re thinking of a player that can play high, can play low, a player that has excellent ball skills, size, strength, physicality. So really a player that the way we want to play defense, just gives our defensive coaches so many options. And they’re going to be extremely pleased to work with him.”
I have no doubt about that, and I was surprised that McNeil-Warren lasted until the second round. He has some things to work on like any draft prospect does, but he may also have the most pure athletic upside among these three players. At 6’ 3½” and 201 pounds, he has all the tools to be one of the new wave of complete safeties — the new type of player that every NFL team not only wants… but desperately needs.
#NFL #teams #supersafeties #Nick #Emmanworis #versatility
इंदौर विकास प्राधिकरण में फर्जी एनओसी का खुलासा, पुलिस ने दर्ज की एफआईआर
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](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/07/The-Ghost-in-the-Shell-Mokachan-Shuhei-Handa.jpg "‘The Ghost in the Shell’ Director, Character Designer on Keeping Motoko True to the Manga
Dan Da Dan anime studio Science SARU’s adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell is finally streaming on Prime Video, and its pilot episode looks like a ’90s anime fever dream in the best way possible. Major Motoko Kusanagi kicks all the ass, its soundtrack is a bop, and its action sequences are a chef’s kiss. Don’t just take our word for it; check out the trailer below and see for yourself how Science SARU cooked once again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZn4dVCbvs[/embed] Ahead of its premiere, io9 got to chat with director Mokochan and character designer Shuhei Handa at Anime Expo about how their vision for Masamune Shirow’s seminal cyberpunk manga came to be, as well as a couple of pointed fandom-centric questions for fans who’ve been dying to see Major Motoko Kusanagi realized in all her goofy glory. Left: Shuhei Handa, right: Mokochan. © Isaiah Colbert/io9 This interview was edited for clarity. Isaiah Colbert, io9: From Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby, Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Dan Da Dan to Sanda and Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, Science SARU has built an impressive portfolio and reputation for making bold, expressive, and experimental anime. What about The Ghost in the Shell made it feel like a natural fit as the studio’s next project?
Mokochan: For all of the works done by Science SARU, using animation to do storytelling is very important. That’s why we use a lot of hand-drawn animation in it. For The Ghost in the Shell, the most important thing is to use the visuals to capture its world. It’s the same policy with other series as well.
TVアニメ「#攻殻機動隊 THE GHOST IN THE SHELL」⋱ご視聴ありがとうございました⋰ ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢ 第01話より草薙素子と荒巻大輔の出会い 👩🏻 🐵迫力の原画を大公開！ 原画｜小島崇史 さん ◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢https://t.co/wICYD3OlUm pic.twitter.com/6rNlJdXZZk — サイエンスSARU (@sciencesaru) July 7, 2026 io9: From the jump, The Ghost in the Shell marks a stark tonal shift—a return—towards Masamune Shirow’s lighter, more mischievous vision of the cyberpunk epic. What led Science SARU to pivot away from the austere, military tone that Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film would go on to cement as the franchise’s vibe for decades? Mokochan: We didn’t intentionally try to change the tone from how director Mamoru Oshii did previously because the concept for making this new series is to base it on the original manga, so we already had our own way of making this one.
© Masamune Shirow/Kodansha io9: In an era when people often use AI to cheaply mimic retro anime aesthetics, the new Ghost in the Shell feels like a deliberate rejection of AI’s pervasiveness in the arts—where every frame in the trailers looks unmistakably hand‑crafted. It’s a phenomenon that’s certainly paradoxical, considering that the manga prophesied how such technologies would be utilized in the not-so-far-off year of 2029. What’s Science SARU’s stance on AI, and what specific animation techniques did it use most to capture the show’s aesthetic through the power of collective human artistry? Mokochan: One of the concepts of the original manga is about the mysterious part of the human being. So we wanted to honor how the original creator captured the world and how we express all of the story in the original manga. So we wanted to follow the same concept using the same method to show humanity by using hand-drawn art. We prefer to just use our arms to draw all of the animation. Handa: It’s because the main concept is about the human body, so that’s why we prefer hand-drawn art over AI.
© Science SARU io9: Major Kusanagi has long been read as a bisexual icon in the West, especially because of Shirow’s famous island-escapade chapter with her gal pals, which has been lost in some Western reprints of the original manga. She’s also considerably goofier in the manga, a trait fans lovingly call a “bisexual disaster.” In what ways was it important for Science SARU to depict Kusanagi’s inherent goofball nature and her queerness in this adaptation, and what does portraying that side of her mean for a global audience in 2026? Mokochan: During the process of making the new series, we were actually very surprised by it because, compared to the original manga, a lot of the thoughts about sexuality are very advanced, exploring many possibilities. It’s not just about sexuality; it’s also about the human being, technology, and many other things. [The manga] accepts everything in the world. That was a very big surprise. We didn’t intend to modernize the content to make it fit the new era.
© Science SARU [The Ghost in the Shell producers’ note in regard to Science SARU’s adaptation of Motoko’s vacation scene from the original manga: “We had to adjust the depictions in the original work to match the rating.”] Handa: When we portray Kusanagi’s character, we like to bring out all the comical parts because they’re in the original manga. It’s kind of different how director Oshii portrays her in the previous series because, in those series, Kusanagi was not that expressive. We prefer to keep the authentic parts of the original manga, so we thought we definitely needed to keep the comical parts in the character, so that’s why we included that content. © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU © Science SARU io9: As a fan of the series, I’ve seen Ghost in the Shell go through different iterations, reinterpretations, and reboots. And in that, Motoko’s design has changed in a way that reflects how different people interpret her. But while her outer shell is different, the themes—the ghost in the original story—remain in each adaptation. For Science SARU’s newer adaptation of The Ghost in the Shell, which themes from the original manga feel more prescient now than when it first came out?
Mokochan: Because the original intent of this project is to follow the original manga—not just Kusanagi, but also all the content and the world’s concept—we didn’t try to modernize any part of it. The creative team, all of whom are also big fans of the original manga. So, for the world, the story, the characters, and the theme, it’s all the same because we want to honor the original manga. ｳｵｵｵ攻殻機動隊1話にLOと作画監督で参加させていただきました！憧れの攻殻機動隊に関わることができて感激です🔥LOはセンターの子供が撃たれるあたりから脱走するところまで、作監は冒頭からOP前あたりまでです。少佐かっこよくて可愛かった〜！こちら担当LOのうちの1カットです🙏🏻#攻殻機動隊 pic.twitter.com/zUlxgD9fin — 宮かなえ (@miyakanae_) July 7, 2026 The Ghost in the Shell is streaming now on Prime Video. io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Ghost #Shell #Director #Character #Designer #Keeping #Motoko #True #MangaAnime,Anime Expo,Science Saru,The Ghost in the Shell")
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.
© 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.
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.
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.
© 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.
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
