Ghost in the Shell director says he doesn't consider the anime to be cyberpunk and he's "not that interested" in the genre: "I don't care about it"

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Ghost in the Shell director says he doesn't consider the anime to be cyberpunk and he's "not that interested" in the genre: "I don't care about it" News By Molly Edwards published 10 February 2026

Mamoru Oshii isn't actually a fan of Cyberpunk

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(Image credit: Masamune Shirow/Kodansha Ltd./Bandai Visual Co. Ltd/Manga Entertainment Ltd.)

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Despite directing an incredibly influential cyberpunk story, Ghost in the Shell helmer Mamoru Oshii doesn't actually like cyberpunk that much.

"That's a misunderstanding. I'm not that interested in cyberpunk, and I haven't actually read many cyberpunk works, to be honest. I don’t care about it," Oshii told the official Ghost in the Shell YouTube channel (via Automaton Media).

He added: "It may seem like cyborgs mesh well with cyberpunk, but I don't think that’s actually the case. In that sense, I didn't direct Ghost in the Shell thinking it was cyberpunk. It was just that others, on the contrary, said it was."

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He explained that he's a fan of the hard-boiled genre, but "cyberpunk doesn't really excite my imagination… I don't have the desire to live in a world that looks like a landfill."

While Oshii doesn't consider himself to be a cyberpunk fan, Ghost in the Shell is considered a classic of the genre. The film focuses on Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg hunting a hacker. The film had a live-action remake in 2017, starring Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi, a casting move which drew criticism and allegations of whitewashing.

In the same interview, Oishii also revealed he has played over 10,000 hours of Fallout 4, which leaves us wondering how he has the time to make his legendary movies.

A new adaptation of Ghost in the Shell is on the way, based on Masamune Shirow's manga. The first trailer has arrived, but time will tell how it holds up against one of the best anime movies ever made.

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You can fill out your watchlist with our guide to the most exciting new anime that's on the way.

Molly EdwardsSocial Links NavigationDeputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.

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