Prime Video Bets Big on Cyberpunk and Wastelands: New Ghost in the Shell and Fist of the North Star Series Announced for 2026

Amazon’s Prime Video is doubling down on its anime catalog, announcing two massive reboots that aim to bring legendary franchises back to their roots. At the inaugural “Prime Video Presents: International Originals” showcase in London, the streamer revealed it has snagged exclusive worldwide rights for a new The Ghost in the Shell series and a definitive Fist of the North Star reboot, both slated for July 2026.

The Cyberbrain Returns: Science SARU Takes on Motoko Kusanagi

The new Ghost in the Shell project is being handled by Science SARU, the powerhouse studio behind Inu-oh and Dan Da Dan. Unlike recent iterations that leaned heavily into 3D CGI, this version (directed by Mokochan and scripted by EnJoe Toh) promises to hew closer to Shirow Masamune’s original 1989 manga. This means fans might finally see the return of the manga’s trademark humor and expressive character designs that were largely stripped away in the more stoic Stand Alone Complex or the gritty 1995 film.

However, Prime Video has a rocky history with anime adaptations, as often noted by Bubbleblabber’s reviewers. When Prime released Übel Blatt in 2025, reviewer David King was quick to point out the “stilted pacing” and “frustrating disregard for story structure,” famously asking in his headline if Amazon was “shooting itself in the foot” with its anime acquisitions. For Ghost in the Shell to succeed, it will need to avoid the “unfinished sketch” feel that plagued Übel Blatt.

You Are Already Dead: A New Era for Kenshiro

On the post-apocalyptic front, TMS Entertainment is producing Fist of the North Star: Hokuto no Ken. Marking the franchise’s 40th anniversary, the reboot will utilize a hybrid of cutting-edge CGI and traditional hand-drawn animation to bring Kenshiro’s “seven scars” back to the screen.

This announcement comes on the heels of Prime’s more disastrous experiments in the genre. Bubbleblabber’s Marcus Gibson recently torched Prime’s Ninja vs. Gokudo, giving the finale a dismal 1.5/10 and calling the series an “irritatingly mindless experience” that he wanted to “remove from his brain immediately.” Gibson’s primary gripe was the “atrocious” English dubbing and “unbearably lackluster direction”—two hurdles that Fist of the North Star must clear if it wants to be more than just a nostalgia cash-grab.

The “AI Dubbing” Elephant in the Room

Beyond the animation, the biggest question for 2026 is localization. Prime Video recently faced backlash for its “efficiency-over-art” approach, specifically regarding the use of AI-generated dubs for series like Banana Fish. I highlighted the tension between technological speed and the “emotional fidelity” of human voice actors. For a series as nuanced as Ghost in the Shell, or as vocally iconic as Fist of the North Star, an AI-driven “mechanical delivery” could be a death sentence in the eyes (and ears) of the community.

Can Prime Reclaim the Crown?

It’s not all doom and gloom for Amazon’s animation wing. Prime has seen massive success with hits like Hazbin Hotel (which Bubbleblabber praised for its musical genius and 8/10 score) and the “fresh and reinvigorating” Batman: Caped Crusader.

With July 2026 also seeing the return of the fan-favorite From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman II, Prime Video is clearly positioning itself as a destination for mature, high-concept animation. The real test will be whether they treat these legendary IPs with the “artistic value” we demand, or if they’ll simply be another set of titles for the “race to the bottom” of streaming quality.