Following the broadcast of Episode 5 ("PHANTOM FUND") of the ongoing anime series "THE GHOST IN THE SHELL"—which premiered on July 7, 2026—official comments have been released from voice actresses Aya Hisakawa (Annapuma) and Niina Kumagaya (Unipuma). Additionally, the series unveiled a brand-new end card illustrated by renowned animator Mahiro Maeda.
<The following content is quoted from the official announcement>
Official Cast Comments: Aya Hisakawa & Nina Kumagaya
Anna Puma (VA: Aya Hisakawa)
■ Comment from Aya Hisakawa
"Ghost in the Shell?" I recall playing a very mature, sophisticated woman in a Shibuya studio quite a long time ago... (Wait, that was a character from a different story altogether, lol).
"Dominion"? A character with a Kansai accent? Anna? Oh! Now that I think about it, I might have played that role with Nina Kumagaya even longer ago. I think we even sang a character song together... and yeah, it was definitely in a Kansai dialect. Little by little, the memories started flooding back.
Reuniting with Nina Kumagaya at the studio after all this time was such a nostalgic and joyful experience. Since our recording was just a single scene, we were done in about 20 minutes, but Nina and I ended up losing track of time chatting outside the studio afterward (lol).
It was a truly happy moment reminiscing about our back-and-forth dialogue as Anna and Uni back in the day. Thank you so much!☆
Uni Puma (VA: Nina Kumagaya)
▲ Uni Puma (left)
■ Comment from Nina Kumagaya
"No way!? I’m in 'Ghost in the Shell'?! And as Uni Puma too!?" I was beyond shocked when I first heard about the role. Can you guess the first thing I did? I hunted down my old "Dominion" soundtrack CD and blasted "Kaseganaa-kan Kibara-naa-kan" (We Gotta Earn, We Gotta Hustle) to get myself hyped up (lol).
Then, on the day of the recording, reuniting with Anna pumped me up even more! We ended up geeking out over our dogs (both Aya and I are huge dog lovers).
As for the test and the final take—BOOM! Nailed it! It’s only a brief moment, so please don't blink or you'll miss it! Having my precious "alter ego" Uni Puma loved across time and space like this is a blessing. It’s only possible because this is a Masamune Shirow work! "Thanks a ton, everyone! Hope you all have a blast watching!"
(Note: Nina ends her comment with a friendly Kansai-style greeting).
Episode 5 End Card Released
Illustration: Mahiro Maeda
"THE GHOST IN THE SHELL" Series Information
Synopsis
A.D. 2029. In a near-future Japan, the corporate networks have covered the planet, and electrons and light dance through the void. Yet, the world is not so digitized that nations or ethnic groups have vanished. Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg, commands an elite team including the formidable Batou.
Amidst their missions, she envisions the creation of a specialized unit dedicated to preemptive strike crime prevention. Daisuke Aramaki of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who shares a similar vision, scouts Kusanagi and her crew. Thus begins the activities of Public Security Section 9—an aggressive tactical organization known as "Ghost in the Shell."
As they confront cyber-crimes swirling in a vortex of international intrigue, the shadow of a mysterious hacker known only as the "Puppet Master" emerges on the horizon. What destiny awaits Kusanagi? And what is the Puppet Master’s true objective? The next generation of cyberpunk action begins now!!
Cast
Motoko Kusanagi: Maaya Sakamoto
Daisuke Aramaki: Kazuhiro Yamaji
Batou: Hiroki Yasumoto
Togusa: Yuichi Nakamura
Ishikawa: Kosuke Goto
Saito: Toru Nara
Borma: Atsushi Miyauchi
Operator: Marie Oi
Fuchikoma: Tomoko Kaneda
© 2026 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA/THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
