On February 23rd (Monday), the final day of the "EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION" festival, a bombshell was dropped during the "Final Program": a completely new "Evangelion" series is officially in the works.
It has been five years since the 2021 release of "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time," which was marketed with the definitive slogan "Bye-bye, all of Evangelion." Fans are currently in a state of absolute shock at this unexpected "re-activation" of the franchise.
Perhaps even more shocking is the revealed staff list. Taking the reins for "Series Composition and Screenplay" is none other than Yoko Taro. For gamers, this name alone is enough to send chills down the spine.
Why is Yoko Taro’s involvement causing such a massive stir online? We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on everything we know so far, including the careers of directors Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toko Yatabe, composer Keiichi Okabe, and the heavy-hitting collaboration between Studio Khara and CloverWorks.
Table of Contents
"Evangelion" Completely New Series: Project Information
Who is Yoko Taro?
Kazuya Tsurumaki Returns to the Director’s Chair
From Recent Hits! Director Toko Yatabe
The Master of Anime & Game Sound: Keiichi Okabe
The Powerhouse: Studio Khara
A Hit-Making Machine: CloverWorks
What We Know So Far
"Evangelion" Completely New Series: Project Information
Series Composition & Screenplay: Yoko Taro
Directors: Kazuya Tsurumaki, Toko Yatabe
Music: Keiichi Okabe
Production: Studio Khara × CloverWorks
Who is Yoko Taro?
With the NieR anime team, we visited the Takumi Kogei (@takumikougei) pop-up shop. We got to see weapons and even "defeat" a Black Knight. It was a great experience that reminded me how important passion is!They’ll be in Akihabara until Jan 5th, then heading to Sendai. Stop by if you’re interested! pic.twitter.com/2tLXr22m7r— yokotaro (@yokotaro) December 28, 2024
Yoko Taro is one of Japan’s most iconic game creators. He is famously known for appearing in media wearing a giant mask of the character Emil from his "NieR" series.
While he speaks with a very calm and gentle demeanor, fans are buzzing because of his reputation for incredibly "depressing" and "existential" storytelling.
His representative works, "Drakengard" and the "NieR" series, are notorious for plunging players into the depths of despair. He often forces players to make impossible choices that determine the fate of the world—where a "happy ending" is rarely a simple thing.
This unique worldview has earned him a massive cult following. While playing the games is the best way to experience his "Yoko Taro-ism," the TV anime "NieR:Automata Ver1.1a" is an excellent entry point for anime fans.
Once you experience his work, you’ll understand the fan panic: "What happens when the man who writes these gut-wrenching scenarios gets his hands on 'Evangelion'?"
Interestingly, Yoko Taro is also a massive fan of the cute (but subtly dark) series "Chiikawa."
It’s been announced. I’ll do my best...! https://t.co/exqNLJV9Pt— yokotaro (@yokotaro) February 23, 2026
"NieR:Automata Ver1.1a" Series Information
Synopsis
The year is 5012.
Earth is suddenly invaded by <Aliens> and their creations, <Machine Lifeforms>, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction.
A small remnant of humanity escapes to the Moon, launching a counteroffensive using <Android> soldiers to reclaim their home.
However, the battle reaches a stalemate against the infinitely multiplying <Machine Lifeforms>.
As a final trump card, humanity deploys a new unit of androids: the <YoRHa> squad.
Assigned to Earth, <2B> joins the scout <9S>, but during their mission, they encounter a series of inexplicable phenomena...
This is the story of lifeless <Androids> who continue to fight for the sake of humanity.
Cast
2B: Yui Ishikawa
9S: Natsuki Hanae
A2: Ayaka Suwa
Pod 042: Hiroki Yasumoto
Pod 153: Kaoru Akiyama
Adam: Daisuke Namikawa
Eve: Tatsuhisa Suzuki
Pascal: Aoi Yuki
Commander: Chiaki Kano
Operator 6O: Keiko Isobe
Operator 21O: Mary Hatsumi
Lily: Atsumi Tanezaki
(C)SQUARE ENIX／Council of Humanity
Kazuya Tsurumaki Returns to the Director’s Chair
To everyone who has always supported our work:On my 60th birthday, I received the best gifts imaginable: the [TAAF2026 Anime of the Year (TV Series Category)] and the [46th Japan SF Grand Prize Special Award].These awards belong to all of you.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.Kazuya Tsurumaki#GQuuuuuuX… https://t.co/wzbIYzyWMP pic.twitter.com/V9P3KJGGEC— Studio Khara Unit 2 (@khara_inc2) February 2, 2026
Kazuya Tsurumaki, who also serves as a director at Studio Khara, is a titan of the franchise. He was the assistant director and storyboard artist for the original "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and served as a director on "Evangelion: 1.11," "2.22," "3.33," and "3.0+1.0." Most recently, he made waves directing "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX."
With this new series, he steps back into the world of "Evangelion" once again.
Tsurumaki has a long-standing history with Hideaki Anno. In fact, Tsurumaki’s directorial debut was the "New Gunbuster Science Lessons" bonus shorts for Anno’s first directorial work, "Gunbuster."
Even as the staff roster evolves, Tsurumaki’s presence ensures that the core "soul" of "Evangelion" remains intact.
From Recent Hits! Director Toko Yatabe
Just got home from Eva Fes!Once again, happy 30th anniversary to Evangelion!The news is finally out: I’m working on the brand-new Evangelion series with the rest of the staff with all our hearts! Please look forward to further updates. pic.twitter.com/tocodot) February 23, 2026
Toko Yatabe has become an indispensable figure in the modern "Evangelion" era. She served as an assistant director on "Thrice Upon a Time" and directed the "EVANGELION:3.0(-46h)" prologue featured in the "3.0+1.11" home video release.
Beyond Eva, she gained massive acclaim for her work as character designer and chief animation director on the hit film "The Birth of Kitaro: Mystery of GeGeGe." Having also worked on "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX," she and Tsurumaki are becoming quite the powerhouse duo.
The Master of Anime & Game Sound: Keiichi Okabe
I’ll give it my all!! https://t.co/4iBnj7V2gu— Keiichi Okabe (@MONACA_okabe) February 23, 2026
Keiichi Okabe is the head of the music production collective MONACA. You have almost certainly heard his hauntingly beautiful and epic scores before. His resume is packed with hits like "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," "Star Driver," and "Yuki Yuna is a Hero."
His collaborations with Yoko Taro on "NieR Gestalt/Replicant," "Drakengard 3," and "NieR:Automata" are legendary.
With Okabe joining the team, fans are speculating whether this new "Evangelion" will adopt a more melancholic, "NieR-esque" atmosphere...
The Powerhouse: Studio Khara
At the "EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION" festival’s Final Program today, Feb 23 (Mon/Holiday), we announced the first news regarding the production of a brand-new "Evangelion" series.Series Composition/Script: Yoko TaroDirectors: Kazuya Tsurumaki, Toko YatabeMusic: Keiichi OkabeProduction…— Studio Khara (@khara_inc) February 23, 2026
Studio Khara is the animation studio founded by Hideaki Anno. While primarily known for the "Evangelion" Rebuild films and "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX," they are also heavily involved in assisting other studios.
They are currently working on a completely new "Space Battleship Yamato" project. Khara is a studio that never stays out of the headlines for long.
A Hit-Making Machine: CloverWorks
Information regarding the brand-new Evangelion series has been released.Everyone, please stay tuned for more news! https://t.co/y4FQ66k15Y— CloverWorks (@CloverWorks) February 23, 2026
CloverWorks, a subsidiary of Aniplex, is one of the most respected studios in the industry today. They have delivered a string of high-quality hits recently, including "Rascal Does Not Dream" series, "My Dress-Up Darling," "The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity," "Bocchi the Rock!", and "SPY x FAMILY."
Since "Gundam GQuuuuuuX" was a co-production between Khara and Sunrise, fans expect a similar high-budget, collaborative effort for this new project.
What We Know So Far
The Teaser Trailer
The initial teaser was unveiled both at the Eva Fes venue and during the TV broadcast of "Shin Evangelion Movie TV Version" on the TBS network in Japan. As of now, the footage has not been released online.
The teaser depicted ruined orchestral instruments standing in a desolate wasteland (Haishyu).
The cryptic messages appearing at the start of the video were as follows:
An Eternal Summer VacationThis is our ParadiseThis is our GraveyardAll that can be heard is the Song of Gou-zai
The term "Gou-zai" (劫罪) appears to be a neologism created for the series. It likely stems from "Gou-batsu" (劫罰), which refers to an eternal, hellish punishment or damnation.
The teaser concluded with a glimpse of what appeared to be a brand-new Evangelion unit...
We will be watching closely for more updates!
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
