Summary

• Ghost in the Shell, a Japanese sci-fi franchise since 1989, spans manga, animated movies, TV series, games, and a live-action film, with three continuities and a suggested watch order.
• The original Ghost in the Shell movie, directed by Mamoru Oshii, sets the franchise's dystopian cyberpunk tone and is the best entry, highly recommended for first-time viewers.
• Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, a 2004 sequel, expands on the original 1995 film's stories and themes, featuring returning characters like Togusa, Batou, and Chief Aramaki.

The Ghost in the Shell’s impact on pop culture comes mostly from the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie by Mamoru Oshii.

The classic animated feature combined elements from different sci-fi inspirations. The following movies and shows expanded the franchise in different ways and added more nuances to the story of Major Kusanagi and Section 9. Between the several movies, TV shows, OVAs, and compilations, there is no correct Ghost in the Shell watch order. That is because there are at least three different continuities, with events that do not necessarily connect and sometimes even contradict that of the other universes. However, there is a logical Ghost in the Shell watch order that can make the experience much better.

Ghost In The Shell (1995)

The Original Anime Movie That Kicked Off The Franchise

The original and best Ghost in the Shell movie places the audience in a dystopian world in which the characters’ alignments, origins, and motives can be hard to follow. The Mamoru Oshii film obviously could not count on the footnote commentary that Masamune Shirow used in the manga, and it went instead for a very defined “show, don’t tell” approach with scenes that go on for minutes without any significant dialogue. That said, the initial difficulty in following The Major's story in Ghost in the Shell is not enough not to recommend the film as someone’s first entry in the Ghost in the Shell watch order.

Not only was Ghost in the Shell the first adaptation of the manga, but it remains the best entry in the franchise. It beautifully introduces the viewer to the franchise's dystopian cyberpunk world, and it sets the tone for everything that would come later in the Ghost in the Shell franchise. It is also important to note that the 2017 live-action Ghost in the Shell movie starring Scarlett Johansson as the Major and Pilou Asbæk as Batou is mostly a remake of the 1995 film. Likewise, 2009’s Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a reproduction of the 1995 film with updated animation techniques and the addition of 3D elements.

Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

The Sequel To The 1995 Original

Immediately following on from the 1995 original is the sequel which, despite releasing almost a decade later, is the next movie in the Ghost in the Shell watch order and the story picks up where the original left off. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence arrived in 2004 with Mamoru Oshii returning to direct. While the sequel is not as good as the original, it expands upon the stories and the themes of Ghost in the Shell.

Most of the characters from Ghost in the Shell, such as Togusa, Batou, and Section 9’s Chief Aramaki, are back.

Most of the characters from Ghost in the Shell, such as Togusa, Batou, and Section 9’s Chief Aramaki, are back. However, Major Kusanagi has been missing since her encounter with the Puppeteer, a character that served as an inspiration for Michael Pitt's Ghost in the Shell villain in the 2017 movie. Given that element of continuity, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is better when watched after Ghost in the Shell (1995).

Ghost In The Shell: Arise Watch Order

The Anime Series Of Ghost In The Shell Serves As A Prequel

The Ghost in the Shell: Arise series consists of five 50-minute long episodes, plus a theatrical movie that can be seen as prequels to the events of 1995's Ghost in the Shell. For example, Ghost in the Shell: Arise reveals how Major Kusanagi and the future of Section 9 got to know each other, and it explores the characters’ backgrounds before they were a team. Arise also sees the first between the Major and Chief Aramaki, and it lays down the idea of Kusanagi questioning her memories and her very own existence.

Though the series is a prequel, the episodes require knowledge of the earlier films

However, in the Ghost in the Shell watch order, the Ghost in the Shell: Arise series is best watched after the two original movies. Though the series is a prequel, the episodes require knowledge of the earlier films, and the episodes aren't as satisfying without knowing the full context of the franchise's wider lore and sci-fi concepts (which can get incredibly deep at points). The watch order for the Ghost in the Shell: Arise universe is as follows:

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Watch Order

The Early 00s Anime Series Exists In Its Own Timeline

The animated show Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) was the start of a brand new Ghost in the Shell continuity that has no connections with the 1995 film – despite featuring the same characters. The show was followed by a sequel, 2004’s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, as well as an original movie and two compilations of previously aired episodes.

The Stand Alone Complex universe continued with the Netflix CG-anime sequel Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045. For being the longest-running Ghost in the Shell continuity, the Stand Alone Complex universe is better if watched after the original movies and the Arise titles. The Ghost in the Shell watch order for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex universe, excluding the retelling compilations such as Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Sustainable War, is as follows:

The American Ghost In The Shell Remake (2017)

The Controversial Live-Action Movie Starring Scarlett Johansson

In 2017, Hollywood ventured into adapting Ghost in the Shell, resulting in a live-action film starring Scarlett Johansson as Major Mira Killian/Motoko Kusanagi. The film offered a visually stunning interpretation of the futuristic world that fans of the original series were acquainted with. However, unlike the original anime and manga that dug deep into philosophical quandaries about human consciousness, identity, and the integration of technology into the human experience, the American remake streamlined the narrative to cater to a broader audience.

While it retained elements of corporate malfeasance and cyber-enhanced warfare, purists felt that the film lost some of the philosophical depth that made the original movie iconic. The live-action movie was also somewhat controversial, as many accused it of Ghost in the Shell franchise.

When navigating through the Ghost in the Shell watch order and wondering where the film fits in, the American remake is a completely separate entity, a reinterpretation of the original story rather than a direct continuation, prequel, or otherwise. The American remake provides a different flavor, emphasizing spectacle and action sequence to appeal to a broader Western market. Critical reception was mixed; while some praised its visual flair and ambitious world-building, others felt it lacked the depth and nuance of its Japanese counterparts.

The Future Of The Ghost In The Shell Franchise

A New Ghost In The Shell Anime Is Pegged For A 2026 Release

While the Ghost in the Shell timeline is already expansive, it's set to grow even further in the next few years. In 2024 it was announced that a new Ghost in the Shell anime is in the works, which is scheduled to release in 2026. Very little is known about the new Ghost in the Shell series beyond the release year and tentative title of "The Ghost in the Shell". A promotional teaser was released alongside the announcement, however, that does provide a few clues (via X).

The teaser for The Ghost in the Shell relies heavily on artwork from the original manga. This suggests that the series may be returning to the roots of the franchise, and could even be a Ghost in the Shell reboot or an isolated timeline similar to Stand Alone Complex. Fans of the Ghost in the Shell manga have already expressed their approval of this idea, as — while the 1995 movie was certainly deep in its own right — the adaptations so far have all missed out several elements of the incredibly intricate on-page story.

A reboot would also make slotting the series into the Ghost in the Shell watch order much easier, as it could be taken as its own entity and viewed without having seen the 1995 original. The 2026 series is being produced by Science SARU, with the likes of Bandai Namco, Kodansha, and Production I.G. also involved.