Anime, technology, and philosophy collide in Tokyo this winter with the arrival of the Ghost in the Shell Exhibition, the first large-scale exhibition to span the entire Ghost in the Shell anime universe. Running from January 30th to April 5th, 2026, the exhibition will take over TOKYO NODE at Toranomon Hills, offering fans and newcomers alike a rare opportunity to explore more than three decades of one of Japan's most influential science-fiction franchises.
Based on Masamune Shirow's original 1989 manga, the exhibition brings together works from across the series' many incarnations, with the full cooperation of Production I.G., which has animated the franchise since the landmark 1995 film, and Science SARU, the studio behind a brand-new TV anime scheduled to air in 2026. Visitors will be able to compare how different directors, including Mamoru Oshii, Kenji Kamiyama, Kazuya Kise, and Shinji Aramaki, have interpreted the same core ideas across time.
A major highlight is the display of over 600 archive materials, including original drawings, storyboards, setting documents, and previously unreleased production materials. Immersive installations and interactive exhibits will allow visitors to engage with the series' vast information-driven worldview, while exclusive interview footage offers behind-the-scenes insight into its creation. One experiential zone invites guests to "dig" through the Ghost in the Shell universe themselves, encouraging personal interpretation rather than passive viewing.
The exhibition also revisits the franchise's enduring question of "what does it mean to be human?" through the lens of modern technologies such as AI and brain–machine interfaces. Complementing this are collaborative installations by contemporary creators from Japan and abroad, highlighting the series' global cultural impact.
If you will be attending, please take note of the different operating hours each day:
- Monday: 12:00-18:00
- Tuesday-Thursday: 12:00-21:00
- Friday: 12:00-18:00 *May vary depending on events
- Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays: 10:00-21:00
