With a brand-new Ghost in the Shell anime series expected to begin airing on 7 July 2026, the Japanese cyberpunk military sci-fi franchise is back, after beginning its life back in 1989, thanks to a serialized manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. Set during the 21st century, the story follows the fictional counter-cyberterrorism organization known as Public Security Section 9, which just so happens to be led by our protagonist, Major Mokoto Kusanagi.
Since its inception back in 1989, the Ghost in the Shell franchise has welcomed multiple adaptations across many different forms of media. This includes the 1995 movie and 2004 sequel, a 2002 television series, the Ghost in the Shell: Arise original video animation series, and perhaps most controversially, a live-action movie featuring Scarlett Johansson in the starring role back in 2017.
With multiple novels, television shows, movies, web series, animated series, plays, and video games under its belt, there is no denying that the Ghost in the Shell franchise is one of the most successful of all time, so it is perhaps no surprise that a brand-new release is on the way.
Now that Ghost in the Shell is back in the spotlight thanks to the upcoming anime series, it seems as though Mana Project Studio is making the most of it by launching the Ghost in the Shell: Arise tabletop roleplaying game. Play your own Public Security Section as you embark on an officially licensed story inspired by the events of the iconic manga series.
Available as a Kickstarter campaign, Ghost in the Shell: Arise has already managed to bag a whopping £386,065 out of its original goal of just £8,629, so it is safe to say that fans are eager to get their hands on the TTRPG. So, what can players expect?
"The GHOST IN THE SHELL ARISE TTRPG is a role-playing game focusing on action, espionage and corporative corruption, based on the exciting and hyper-technological future described in the anime series originally inspired by The Ghost in the Shell, manga imagined by the creative mind of Shirow Masamune, then adapted into a world-famous anime series by the renowned studio Production I.G," the official Kickstarter description reads.
In the TTRPG, players will follow the manga's saga from the very beginning by experiencing the formation of the Security Section, and all the ghosts that came as a result of it. It will be your job to impersonate operatives who specialize in the ways of counterterrorism, but in a world that has only just survived a global collapse, you will soon face moral questions about mankind itself.
In so doing, you will face intrigue and betrayal, corrupt officials and criminals, new dangers, cyber-enhanced opponents, and you will report directly to the top brass of the Japanese government and your Section Director.
Put simply, Ghost in the Shell: Arise is the perfect way to celebrate the history of the iconic franchise, whilst also being able to step into the shoes of operatives such as Mokoto Kusanagi. Not only that, but with the anime just around the corner, now will be the perfect time to gather friends and immerse yourselves in the corrupt cyberpunk story.
