The official website for Ghost in the Shell: Arise announced that the series will be adapted for the stage.
The play will be directed by Shutaro Oku, known for his work on Persona 3 and Blood C: The Last Mind, with the script written by Jun'ichi Fujisaku. Ghost in the Shell: Arise writer Tow Ubukata will also join production as the editorial supervisor.
The Japanese sci-fi franchise, which tells the story of the counter-cyberterrorist organization Public Security Section 9, has been making headlines as of late with a "seinen manga" comic remake out now in honor of its 25th anniversary.
Directed by Rupert Sanders, a live-action feature film of the anime from DreamWorks in also in the works to be released in 2017, with Scarlett Johansson set to play cyborg protagonist Motoko Kusanagi. That casting decision has received backlash from fans accusing DreamWorks of whitewashing the Japanese lead character.
As a result, a petition has been launched to recast the role, which has to date received over 52,000 signatures.
"DreamWorks could be using this film to help provide opportunities for Asian-American actors in a market with few opportunities for them to shine," the petition reads.
Staying true to its Japanese roots, the play adaptation of Ghost in the Shell wlil run at the Tokyo Geijutsu Gekijō Playhouse from November 5 to 15.
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