Ghost in the Shell 2026 release schedule: every episode date and where to stream
Science SARU's brand-new take on Masamune Shirow's cyberpunk classic is finally here — and if you're wondering when the next episode drops, you're in the right place. Here's the full release schedule.
The short answer
The Ghost in the Shell premiered on July 7, 2026, and streams exclusively on Prime Video worldwide. New episodes drop weekly on Tuesdays — around 7:30 a.m. Pacific / 10:30 a.m. Eastern — shortly after their Japanese broadcast on Fuji TV. The total episode count hasn't been officially confirmed, but reports point to a 10–12 episode run.
The episode-by-episode schedule
Based on the weekly Tuesday pattern, here's how the season maps out:
- Episode 1 — July 7. Combines two manga chapters, "Prologue" and "Super Spartan I," introducing Motoko Kusanagi, Daisuke Aramaki, and the formation of Public Security Section 9.
- Episode 2 — July 14
- Episode 3 — July 21.
- Episode 4 — July 28.
- Episode 5 — August 4.
- Episode 6 — August 11.
- Episode 7 — August 18.
- Episode 8 — August 25.
- Episodes 9–10 — September 1 and September 8, if the 10-episode reports hold. A 12-episode run would carry the finale to September 22.
Where to stream it
Prime Video, and only Prime Video. The series streams in more than 240 countries and territories — the exceptions are mainland China, Russia, and Vietnam. There's no Crunchyroll or Netflix option this time, so you'll need an Amazon Prime subscription ( currently $15 per month in the US, with a 30-day free trial for new subscribers).
How is this different from the other adaptations?
This one goes back to the source. It's the first adaptation to follow Shirow's 1989 manga directly — not a remake of the 1995 film, and not a sequel to Stand Alone Complex or SAC_2045. Science SARU, the studio behind DAN DA DAN and Devilman Crybaby, handles the animation, and the series had its global premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 22, 2026, before hitting streaming.
Episodes run about 25 minutes each. Set in 2029, the story follows full-body cyborg Motoko Kusanagi and her offensive unit, Section 9 — nicknamed the "Shell Squad."
For the record: episode 1 burned through two manga chapters in a single sitting. At that pace, expect the season to cover serious ground.