Cult classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting a brand new series, with Nier director Yoko Taro responsible for the series' composition and screenplay. It is currently being co-produced by original Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno’s Studio Khara.
The news was announced earlier today, at the end of the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event, a three-day long festival held in Yokohama, Japan to celebrate three decades of the franchise that featured exhibitions, talk show sessions, an Evangelion kabuki adaptation, and a brand new 15-minute short featuring Asuka Langley. The event was a culmination of various anniversary projects held throughout the past year.
Joining Yoko Taro on the new Neon Genesis Evangelion series will be two directors: Kazuya Tsurumaki (who previously helmed the Rebuild of Evangelion movies) and Toko Yatabe (who was a key animator on Rebuild, amongst others).
Prolific composer Keiichi Okabe, who has worked on the Nier, Drakengard and Tekken games, will be providing the music. The new show will be produced by original series’ director Hideaki Anno’s Studio Khara and CloverWorks.
Although plot details have yet to be revealed, the official announcement emphasizes that it will be a completely new series. Over on X, Yoko Taro retweeted Studio Khara’s post, commenting: "It's been announced! I’ll do my best!"
The original Neon Genesis Evangelion anime TV series ran from 1995 to 1996, becoming a big hit not only in Japan but also overseas. The 1997 movie The End of Evangelion served up an alternative ending to the series. Between 2007 and 2021, the Rebuild of Evangelion series of four movies were released. This retelling of the original TV series was highly popular, with the last film Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time surpassing 10 billion yen in Japanese box office revenue.
Studio Gainax, the studio behind the original anime was liquidated in December last year, after a series of scandals, plus legal battles with Studio Khara — something that Anno himself termed a "truly disappointing end."
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
