It doesn’t take much for the prospect of a new Ghost in the Shell anime—especially one adapted by Dan Da Dan studio Science SARU—to skyrocket to the top of any anime fan’s watchlist in an already packed season. Its cyberpunk legacy precedes it, after all, as the generation-defining blueprint that inspired Western cinema from The Matrix onward. But Science SARU’s take on Masamune Shirow’s 1989 manga plays like a hard reset—a restoration that pulls a retro classic into the modern day not by smoothing out its edges, but by leaning into its spiritual roots. After screening the first two episodes of The Ghost in the Shell ahead of its Prime Video release at Anime Expo, our back-of-the-box read is simple: this isn’t just an early contender for anime of the year; it’s poised to reshape the tier lists of Ghost in the Shell‘s storied iterations, with itself sitting shoulders above its predecessors as the delightfully goofy cream of the crop. Because this is Science SARU we’re talking about—a studio that’s evolved from a word-of-mouth darling in the Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! era to an attention grabber with Devilman Crybaby, and now a production house capable of swimming with animation juggernauts while juggling concurrent shows without stretching itself thin—it almost goes without saying that The Ghost in The Shell plays like a dream. Its sweeping animation sequences are a visual treat, its whimsically expressive character work is delightfully charming, and its operatic soundtrack punctuates every death-defying action scene with absolute sonic finesse. The show absolutely has the juice.