Evangelion Director Asks for Patience Following Final Film's Delay

Neon Genesis Evangelion is in the thick of celebrating its 25th anniversary, and the awaited milestone has brought both good and bad news. It was announced recently the anime will get its first Blu-ray collection in the U.S. this year, but the uplifting news was tapered shortly after being announced. Reports confirmed the final Evangelion film has been delayed.

Director Hideaki Anno was the first to apologize to fans for the delay. The man went on to ask netizens to be patient as the team works diligently from home amidst the pandemic. The team is more interested in getting the movie right than getting it released, so Evangelion fans must focus on that while the film continues production.

"Society and being in the office is difficult at the moment because of the coronavirus, but I'll do my best as the film nears completion," Anno tweeted. "Please look forward to it!" (via Crunchyroll)

#エヴァ25周年 に寄せて、庵野秀明より皆様へ。

画像は『新世紀エヴァンゲリオン』最初（最古）の企画書の表紙1993年9月20日版。と、
『シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版』Dパート（最終ブロック）の最新ラッシュの画面2020年10月2日版。#エヴァンゲリオン #エヴァ pic.twitter.com/92zgiRcWlk

— 株式会社カラー (@khara_inc) October 4, 2020

In another statement, Anno reflected on his past with Evangelion. The director brought the sci-fi classic to life back in the early 1990s.

"It's been a quarter of a century since the start of the series, and it's already passed five years since the year the series was set in. The flow of time goes so fast. I've been working on Eva since I first wrote the proposal in 1993. I never thought I'd last 27 years, but now it's at the end," he wrote.

"It's my own fault that it's taken me so long to complete this project, but the reason it's continued to this point is thanks to all the fans. Once again, I appreciate your support. Thank you."

Currently, there is no firm release date attached to the final installment of the 'Rebuild Evangelion' films. The third movie was slated to debut on June 27 but has been indefinitely delayed in the wake of COVID-19.

What do you make of this Evangelion delay? Have you enjoyed the anime's recent films? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.