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Laughing Man Takes Over Ghost in the Shell's Social Media to Reveal 1st Franchise-Wide Exhibition

posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
The Laughing Man Incident 2.0?

The Ghost in the Shell franchise's Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts began uploading a series of short videos featuring the Laughing Man and a mysterious 96-hour countdown on Saturday. Each video featured images from Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ghost in the Shell Arise, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, and the Ghost in the Shell manga series. The countdown ended on Wednesday, revealing the first exhibition to cover the anime titles in the entire franchise.

gits_teaser_jp_web
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Filmworks
©士郎正宗／講談社 ©1995士郎正宗／講談社・バンダイビジュアル・MANGA ENTERTAINMENT ©2004士郎正宗／講談社・IG,ITNDDTD ©士郎正宗・Production I.G／講談社・攻殻機動隊製作委員会 ©士郎正宗・Production I.G／講談社・「攻殻機動隊ARISE」製作委員会 ©士郎正宗・Production I.G／講談社・「攻殻機動隊新劇場版」製作委員会 ©士郎正宗・Production I.G/講談社・攻殻機動隊2045製作委員会

The exhibition will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1995 film Ghost in the Shell, although it will open in Tokyo in 2026. The exhibition will feature the following anime titles:

  • Ghost in the Shell
  • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
  • Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  • Ghost in the Shell Arise
  • Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
  • Ghost in the Shell (2026)

The short videos teasing the exhibition's announcement are below:

The Ghost in the Shell social media accounts did a similar stunt in 2024 in celebration of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex's 20th anniversary. Several Ghost in the Shell social media accounts and websites were filled with the Laughing Man logo leading up to the date the Laughing Man Incident occurred in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

ghost_in_the_shell_2025_laughing_man
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Filmworks
© 1995 士郎正宗/講談社・バンダイビジュアル・MANGA ENTERTAINMENT © 士郎正宗・Production I.G／講談社・攻殻機動隊製作委員会

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG ran between November 2002 to January 2005. The series follow the characters Major Motoko Kusanagi and the members of Public Security Section 9 as they investigate cybercrimes and terrorism cases. The Laughing Man Incident is the overarching case the characters are investigating in the series.

A new Ghost in the Shell anime series is planned for 2026. Science SARU will produce the series. As of press time, no staff or cast have been announced for the upcoming series.

Update: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG's premiere dates corrected. Thanks, Kenpachi_91

Sources: Email correspondence, Ghost in the Shell franchise's X/Twitter account (link 2, link 3, link 4, link 5, link 6), Comic Natalie


Disclosure: Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. (Sunrise) is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.
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