Ghost in the Shell is an anime title that most viewers will be somewhat familiar with given the icon status it has received and its more recent live-action adaptation. If you’re new to the franchise, then you may not know that there is quite a lot of content out there within its universe.
Like many other anime franchises, Ghost in the Shell boasts a series of movies, OVAs, and different series that make up its story and universe. Given their release timeline and contents, working out the correct order to watch them in may feel a little tricky.
Fortunately, you can’t go wrong with this series, but to ensure that you’re on the right track, here is the best watch order for everything Ghost in the Shell to date.
Ghost in the Shell watch guide
Ghost in the Shell can be watched both in release order or chronologically; however, neither of these are the best ways to watch it. The best order is a mix of the two, which you can follow along with here.
- Ghost in the Shell (Movie)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Series)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (Series) / Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig – Individual Eleven (OVA)
- Ghost in the Shel 2: Innocence (Movie)
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society (Movie)
- Ghost in the Shell: Arise (OVA Series)
- Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie
- Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (ONA)
The difference between this order and the chronological order of Ghost in the Shell is that Ghost in the Shell: Arise has been placed midway through the watch instead of at the beginning, where it would be chronological. This is because it’s best to have knowledge of the show and characters before watching these OVAs.