Hideaki Anno Hints That More Evangelion is in The Works

Neon Genesis Evangelion recently ended its latest film series, Rebuild of Evangelion, by recreating the series and injecting some new story bits into the world of Shinji Ikari and NERV. As of the writing of this article, creator Hideaki Anno has yet to confirm if he will be returning to what is considered to be his anime masterpiece. In a new interview, Anno hints that the world of NERV isn’t gone, though the legendary director might not be the one at the helm. 

Hideaki Anno has earned some time off, having worked on both animated and live-action projects for decades. Most recently, Anno had helped continue the Shin Universe in Shin Kamen Rider, but doesn’t have any solidified projects in his future. In a new interview with the outlet Asahi, Anno comments on how tired he is, “I’ve been releasing movies for three years in a row, and I’m completely exhausted. I think I’ll be happy with directing for a while. I guess this is the end of my career in movies. For a while, I’ll be working on ‘Yamato‘ (a special project for the 50th anniversary of ‘Space Battleship Yamato‘, which produces publications and events). I think it’s a good idea to direct myself now. My schedule has been compressed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Because of that, I was physically and mentally exhausted from having to release new works. I’m not a very strong-willed person, so every time I release a work, I get cut down on it. There’s hardly any left.”

Is a New Evangelion Series Being Worked Now?

In the same interview, Anno hints at the idea that “there may be plans” for a new Evangelion anime project but didn’t share the details of what this story would entail. Hideaki also stated that “someone other than [himself]” might be helming the project, and said the creator might have a high degree of freedom in revisiting the world of NERV. 

Evangelion as a franchise has worked in terms of creating cerebral stories that can bend reality and take the original versions of NERV’s story, reimagining them in brand new ways. Should a new anime adaptation be in the works, there is no telling what it could be.

Want to see if NERV makes an anime comeback in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest updates on the EVA pilots. 

Via ANN