THE GHOST IN THE SHELL episode 8 adds Chikahiro Kobayashi to its cast as Lee. The announcement, published on August 26, 2026, in Crunchyroll News, also credits Shingo Natsume with the episode’s ending illustration, continuing the JEU.VIDEO news.
Lee’s role in the story has not been detailed. The announcement also gives no episode 8 release date or platform, so viewers still cannot determine when or where this chapter will be available, including in France.
Chikahiro Kobayashi takes the role of Lee
Crunchyroll presents Chikahiro Kobayashi as the voice of Saichi Sugimoto in Golden Kamuy. That credit establishes his connection to a major Japanese animation production, but it does not indicate how Lee fits into the new Ghost in the Shell story. His relationship with Motoko Kusanagi, Batou or Section 9 remains unknown.
Shingo Natsume’s contribution is separate from the voice cast. He created the episode’s ending illustration and is notably associated with the first season of One-Punch Man, Space Dandy and Sonny Boy. The credit identifies an artist attached to the episode’s illustration; it does not change the responsibilities of the main animation staff.
The creative team and 2029 setting
MOKOCHAN directs the anime at Science SARU. To Enjo handles the series composition and scripts, while Shuhei Handa oversees character design and animation direction. Taisei Iwasaki, Ryo Konishi and YUKI KANESAKA compose the music, with Iwasaki also serving as music director.
The official synopsis places the story in 2029, in a Japan shaped by corporate networks spanning the planet. Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg, leads an elite unit alongside Batou. With Daisuke Aramaki, she establishes Section 9, also known as Shell Squad, to combat cybercrime and international conspiracies. Their investigation eventually brings them to the mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master.
What this announcement changes
Episode 8 now has an identified voice actor for Lee, but the available information does not establish whether the character is central to the episode or connected to the investigation surrounding the Puppet Master. The release schedule for later episodes and any additional cast announcements are also still unknown.
The adaptation continues the legacy of Kodansha’s original manga, serialized from April 1989 to November 1990 in Young Magazine and later published in English by Kodansha USA. For now, the confirmed update is limited to Kobayashi joining the cast as Lee and Natsume receiving the ending illustration credit. Broadcast details will need to be announced separately.
