the legendary franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion He is preparing to celebrate his thirtieth anniversary with a project that has moved fans from all over the world. In addition to exhibits, concerts and unique experiences, the organizers have announced a New short anime Produced especially to commemorate these three decades of cultural impact. This project returns with the participation of Hideaki Anno, original creator of the series, who returns to work directly on an animation after several years.
The work will premiere at a special event in Japan in February 2026, and promises to be one of the most anticipated moments of the celebration
An exclusive short for the anniversary of Neon Genesis Evangelion
The main piece of the celebration will be a short anime titled Evangelion Broadcast 30th Anniversary Special Screening. This animation will last approximately 13 minutes. In addition, it was produced specifically for the festival Evangelion:30+; 30th Anniversary of Gospeln.
This three-day event will be held from February 21 to 23, 2026 at the Yokohama Arena, one of the most important venues in Japan. During each day of the festival, the short will be screened once a day on the main screen. That screen will be huge: approximately 18 meters wide by 15 meters high, offering an impressive visual experience for attendees.
As if that were not enough, the short is a world premiere and can only be seen at the event. Evangelion It has not yet been confirmed if it will be available outside of that context at some future time, such as in theaters, streaming platforms or physical video releases.
The creative team behind the project
The most exciting thing for many followers is the direct participation of Hideaki Anno. Anno not only supervises, but also plans and writes the short script. This is very special news, since it marks its creative return to the franchise actively after jobs such as Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
Also, the address falls on Naoyuki Asano, who was director of animation at thrice upon time. His return as director in this new short ensures visual and narrative continuity. In addition, several veteran collaborators join the team as supervisors. Among them are Kazuya Tsurumaki, , Shinji Higuchi and Ikki Todoroki, all with experience in different productions of Evangelion. This brings even more creative weight to the project.
The Evangelion Festival and other celebrations
This short is not the only thing that will happen during the anniversary. the event Evangelion:30+; 30th anniversary of Evangelion It has been planned as the first official three-day festival in the entire franchise. It will include exhibition areas, interactive experiences, exclusive merchandise and activities for fans of all ages.
For example, the exhibition area Eva Extra 30 It will have special facilities, interactive content and thematic areas that review the history and legacy of Evangelion. For its part, the stage area will offer live concerts, special presentations and exclusive content screenings.
In addition to the projection of the short, the atmosphere will be full of complementary events. Among them are musical activities, tributes to iconic artists of the franchise, and opportunities for fans to share their enthusiasm and creativity.
