"Waiting for the Ultimate Hell" — Overwhelming Response of Resolve and Anticipation! As 'Evangelion' Completely New Series Production Team is Announced, Fans Prepare to Have Their Hearts Wrenched

On the official YouTube channel of Khara Inc., the first announcement video regarding the production of a completely new 'Evangelion' series has been released, sparking major discussion.

The video features the message "Eternal summer vacation. This is our paradise. This is our graveyard. What can be heard is the song of tribulation," and depicts a circular ruin with a submerged grand piano keyboard covered in moss and vines, classroom chairs, and scattered instruments like cellos. Amid the beautiful yet decadent atmosphere, the production team for the completely new series was announced within the video. Directors Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toko Yatabe will helm the project, music will be composed by Keiichi Okabe, and production will be a collaboration between Studio Khara and CloverWorks. Additionally, it was revealed that Yoko Taro will participate as series composer and scriptwriter. The video concludes with something resembling Evangelion and the message "May those souls rest in peace."

This first announcement video was revealed during the Final Program on the final day, February 23rd (Monday, a national holiday), of the festival commemorating the 30th anniversary of 'Evangelion,' titled "EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION."

'Neon Genesis Evangelion' is a science fiction animation series that aired on television in 1995 and became a social phenomenon. It depicts the battle between 14-year-old boys and girls, including Shinji Ikari (CV: Megumi Ogata), who become pilots of the massive general-purpose humanoid decisive weapon Evangelion, and the mysterious enemy known as the "Angels." Starting in 2007, the series was relaunched as the 'Rebuild of Evangelion' film series, and the concluding film 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,' released in 2021, recorded a massive hit with box office revenue exceeding 10 billion yen.

With the launch of a completely new series following the conclusion, and the participation of scriptwriter Yoko Taro, who has depicted despair in numerous works, fans are voicing both jubilation and trepidation. Recalling traumatic developments and memes from past works, voices of concern about the harsh narrative are pouring in, such as "It's revolutionary to have no dreams or hope just from the scriptwriter's name," "We must prepare to have our hearts wrenched," and "Here it comes... the Shinjuku Bon Odori with the Impact." At the same time, many responses expressing strong resolve and anticipation are being submitted, such as "Was the farewell charm foreshadowing for the new series?" and "Waiting for the ultimate hell."

(C)khara