To celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" (イノセンス), a limited two-week 4K remastered theatrical run is hitting Japanese cinemas starting February 28, 2025. Director Mamoru Oshii previously addressed sequel possibilities at a panel discussion.
Yesterday (March 15), the 3rd Niigata International Animation Film Festival kicked off, featuring "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" as its opening film. Producer and Production I.G founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa took the stage to chat with the audience, sharing director Mamoru Oshii's latest thoughts and future plans.
The event kicked off with a special video message from Mamoru Oshii himself. He reminisced about his creative process, stating, "Just like with 'Ghost in the Shell,' I wanted to make a film that wouldn't be forgotten even after 10 or 20 years."
On the future of the anime industry, he mused, "Instead of asking 'What will anime become?', we should ask 'What do we *want* anime to become?' Everyone in this industry must create with their own convictions; that's what will truly shape anime's future." He then humorously concluded, "As for me, I plan to just relax, enjoy movies, and live my life. The future? I'll leave that fight to the younger generation!"
But then, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa dropped a bombshell: "I just spoke with Director Oshii about 48 hours ago." He recounted that at the March 2nd screening of the 4K remastered version, Oshii had mentioned, "I have something unfinished." This piqued Ishikawa's interest, prompting him to ask directly, "Are you serious about making a third film, or was that just polite talk?"
Ishikawa revealed Oshii's response left him stunned: "While I can't disclose the details, he said that the clues he planted in 'Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence' might be revisited, potentially forming an astonishing new concept." This ignited hope among fans in attendance: "Could 'Ghost in the Shell 3' actually be happening?"
At the event's close, Ishikawa chuckled, "'Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence' had a production budget of 2 billion yen, and it still hasn't fully broken even. If that money isn't recouped, 'Ghost in the Shell 3' simply can't happen." He then appealed to the fans: "I really want to see 'Ghost in the Shell 3' myself, so please help us promote the 4K remastered version!"
Will Mamoru Oshii's "Ghost in the Shell 3" ever see the light of day? We'll just have to wait and see if the opportunity arises. Fingers crossed!
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via： mantan-web