Official Report & Event Photos Released for the “Otakon 2026” Panel!

At Otakon 2026, held in Washington, D.C., a special panel for the series titled “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL Panel – Different Perspectives on the Series” took place on Saturday, August 1 (local time).

 

The panel featured author and screenwriter EnJoe Toh, who handles series Script for the TV anime “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL”, alongside producer Kengo Abe.

Together, they discussed the appeal of the work and shared behind-the-scenes stories about its production. When asked why they planned an anime based directly on the original manga, Producer Abe explained, “I felt that at this moment in time, we should once again express the landmark charm of Shirow Masamune’s original manga through animation.” Regarding what he prioritized as a Script for this project, EnJoe shared, “In depicting the world of the original work, I made sure to value how its various layers—such as public security operations, technology, and systems theory—overlap with one another.” Furthermore, when asked about their favorite characters, EnJoe remarked, “I used to like Aramaki, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize what a tough position he’s in, so now I like Ishikawa.” Producer Abe named “the man in pajamas who missed trash day” and the crow, noting, “The depiction of that character symbolically reflects this series’ stance of confronting the original manga head-on.” The event also included a Q&A session with fans, filling the packed venue with enthusiastic energy from start to finish. In addition to the panel, an autograph session with both guests was held at Otakon.

 

[EVENT DETAILS]
Otakon 2026: https://otakon.com/
Panel Title: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL Panel – Different Perspectives on the Series
Date & Time: Saturday, August 1, 2026 / 17:45 – 18:45 (EDT / Local Washington, D.C. Time)
Venue: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Panel 7
Panelists:
EnJoe Toh (Script, TV Anime “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL”)
Kengo Abe (Producer, TV Anime “THE GHOST IN THE SHELL”)