The special promotional video, “TV Animation “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL” Special Promotion Video directed by MOKOCHAN” and featuring the image song “po-ai feat. Mirai Moriyama” by Music Director Taisei Iwasak is out now!
The special promotional video, “TV Animation “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL” Special Promotion Video directed by MOKOCHAN” is out now!
Directed by Mokochan, this special promotional video features the image song “po-ai feat. Mirai Moriyama.” The track was composed, written, and arranged by Music Director Taisei Iwasaki, with vocals by Kobe-born actor and dancer Mirai Moriyama. This track served as the ending theme for the early overseas screenings, including the world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. Along with the promotional video release, the track is now available on all major streaming platforms as a digital single.
https://flyingdog.lnk.to/po_ai
In a process echoing the world of THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, Iwasaki generated a brand-new, fictional language through extensive dialogues with various AI programs. He then re-crafted his original lyrics into this unique language, integrating physical, embodied gestures as part of the linguistic structure itself. To bring this music to life, Moriyama was invited to provide vocals due to his profound mastery of physical expression, a core theme of the series. The result is a powerful track perfectly fitted for the climax of the story.
“po-ai feat. Mirai Moriyama” is available today as a digital single and will also be included in the original soundtrack releasing on September 9.
Original Soundtrack Details:
https://www.theghostintheshell-anime.jp/en/music/ost/
[Mirai Moriyama Comment]
Out of the blue, I received a message from Taisei Iwasaki, a musician I know both personally and professionally.
“The anime I’m working on right now uses Kobe’s Port Island as its motif, and I want to start the music with Mirai’s voice.”
I had no idea what he meant.
“It’s a new series of Ghost in the Shell.”
I’m truly embarrassed to admit it, but up until now, I’ve had almost no connection to this legendary work loved all around the world.
Nevertheless, I accepted immediately.
Once the name of that artificial island in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture—the birthplace of both original creator Masamune Shirow and myself—came up, my interest was naturally piqued.
As I heard it, there’s apparently a theory that “Newport City, Offshore City, Niihama Prefecture”—the very first panel of the Ghost in the Shell manga—was modeled after Port Island.
Looking at the illustration myself, I thought, “That’s definitely Po-ai!” (*Po-ai: a nickname for Port Island used by locals).
Before I knew it, the track was titled “po-ai” and had taken on the role of a main theme, which makes me feel a bit humbled—yet as a local, I’m deeply moved.
It would be pretty cool if “po-ai” was played at full volume on Po-ai virtue someday.
— Mirai Moriyama
[Taisei Iwasaki Comment]
In one of his books, Philip K. Dick wrote: “The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.”
So, what would happen if we manipulated “language” itself?
That question suddenly crossed my mind during the composition process.
From there, I engaged in dialogue with various AIs to construct a unique linguistic system that doesn’t exist on this Earth, reconstructing all of the lyrics into this new language.
At times, I was astounded by the responses of the AIs, which recognized not only spoken sounds but even physical acts like “tapping one’s left chest” as “language.” Through this, I continued to search for the threshold where humanity and technology merge.
Wanting the resulting track to be sung by someone with a mastery of “corporeality”—one of the themes of this work—I reached out to my longtime friend, Mirai Moriyama.
Singing in a language that exists nowhere in the world, his voice resonates with a strangely nostalgic quality.
Please enjoy his singing voice as it envelops Newport City.
— Taisei Iwasaki
[Mirai Moriyama Profile]
Born in 1984 in Hyogo Prefecture. He began studying various dance styles at age 5 and made his formal stage debut at 15. In 2013, he spent a year in Israel as a Cultural Envoy for the Agency for Cultural Affairs, performing across Europe with the Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company. Pursuing “physical expression arising from relationality,” he works cross-disciplinarily both in Japan and internationally. As an actor, he has won numerous film awards. He performed the opening solo dance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. In 2022, he founded Artist in Residence KOBE (AiRK) in Kobe and remains involved in its operations. Recipient of the FY2023 Hyogo Prefecture Art Encouragement Award and the FY2024 Kobe City Cultural Award. Post-butoh practitioner.
Upcoming projects include the NHK BS Special Drama Sasa Makura (broadcast August 8, 2026) and MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 2026: ART EXHIBITION “REFLUX” (October 9–12, 2026 at Tennoz Warehouse G1-5F, serving as Artistic Director).
[Music Director & Composer: Taisei Iwasaki Profile]
Musician. Representative works include the films Belle, The Endless Scarlet, 1ST KISS, the Netflix film Bullet Train Explosion, the film TOKYO Taxi, Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo, the anime series Blood Blockade Battlefront, SPRIGGAN, Marriage Toxin, as well as Netflix’s First Love and The Naked Director series. Other works include the Tokaido Shinkansen chime “Ai ni Ikō” and the compulsory piece “Boku ga Boku o Miteiru” for the High School Division of the 86th NHK National School Music Contest.
Won the Outstanding Achievement in Music Award at the 35th Japan Academy Film Prize for Moteki, Best Music Award at the 45th Japan Academy Film Prize for Belle, Outstanding Achievement in Music Award at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize for TOKYO Taxi, and Soundtrack Album of the Year at the 36th Japan Gold Disc Awards for Belle.