Hideaki Anno Unveils Exclusive 13-Minute Evangelion Short for Landmark 30th Anniversary Festival

The monumental legacy of Neon Genesis Evangelion is set for a spectacular 30th-anniversary commemoration. This celebration is highlighted by the unveiling of a brand-new, 13-minute anime short, personally stewarded by the franchise's visionary creator, Hideaki Anno.

This exclusive cinematic offering, officially titled Evangelion Hōsō 30 Shūnen Kinen Tokubetsu Kōgyō, will make its highly anticipated world premiere at the 'Evangelion:30+; 30th Anniversary of Evangelion' festival. Fans eager to witness this unique installment must attend the event, which is scheduled for February 21 through 23, 2026, at Yokohama Arena. The short will be projected once daily onto a colossal 18-meter by 15-meter LED screen, promising an utterly immersive experience.

Anno's direct involvement extends beyond conception; he is deeply embedded as the planner, scriptwriter, and overarching supervisor. This guarantees the new work will resonate with the series’ signature explorations of existentialism, human fragility, and intense mechanized conflict. Guiding the animation is director Naoyuki Asano, known for his crucial work as animation director on the concluding film, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. This pairing hints at an authentic yet fresh narrative thread woven into the established Evangelion canon, perhaps offering tantalizing glimpses into the future path of the franchise, following Anno's prior suggestions about potential successor projects.

This festival is shaping up to be the definitive celebration, featuring not only the new short but also expansive exhibitions, dynamic stage events, exclusive merchandise drops, and groundbreaking spatial installations curated by Anno’s Studio Khara. Further elevating the cultural fusion, the event will debut Kabuki Kōkyōkyoku Dai Kyū-ban Evangelion, a special Kabuki production developed in collaboration with Shochiku, marrying traditional Japanese artistry with Evangelion’s intense science fiction drama.

While the short remains a live event exclusive for now, the anticipation among global fans for a subsequent streaming release is palpable, cementing Evangelion's ongoing reign as a cornerstone of global pop culture.