Evangelion Creator Hideaki Anno Hints At A Possible Sequel Made By Someone Else In A Recent Interview
But, he also clarifies for the fans that making the sequel by himself isn’t out of the question.
In an interview with Asahi Shimbun published on May 12, 2024, Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno revealed that a sequel for the series (after the events of End of Evangelion) might be real and it may be either taken up by him or somebody else entirely.
He says he wants the work to have that level of freedom that another capable person can continue its legacy. But, he also clarifies for the fans that making the sequel by himself isn’t out of the question.
“The prospect of an Evangelion sequel made by someone other than myself could exist. I haven’t decided yet – or rather, it’s better for the work if there’s a high degree of freedom. Whether it’s commercially viable or interesting would depend on the content. It’s not like I’m saying I’ll never make another one again or anything like that.”
(Hideaki Anno, creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion)
This wasn’t the only tease he gave for an Evangelion sequel. In an interview with Collider in 2021, Hideaki Anno revealed that he has more ideas about further stories that could be told in Evangelion’s world. While Thrice Upon A Time gives a definitive end to Shinji’s story, there are gaps in the timeline and stories about other characters that could be fleshed out in further Evangelion projects.
However, he reiterated that 3.0+1.01 will still be the final entry in the franchise that he works on himself, saying, “At this point, I don’t feel that I’m going to continue the story where I left off.”
Even though there would be a lot of people interested in an Evangelion sequel, Anno seems to be busy with other projects. The special anniversary project for Space Battleship Yamato is now underway, and Anno has stated that it was a respite from filmmaking for him. After Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021), Shin Ultraman(2022), and Shin Kamen Rider (2023), he claimed to have been “mentally and physically wrecked” by releasing so many films so quickly.
Nevertheless, this new interview shed light on the possibility of another person taking his mantle and doing that job for him. Anno might not direct the sequel but he can always supervise the whole project.
About Neon Genesis Evangelion:
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese mecha anime-original series produced by Gainax, animated by Tatsunoko, and directed by Hideaki Anno. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1995 to March 1996.
In 1997, Hideaki Anno and Gainax released the feature film The End of Evangelion, which serves as an alternate ending replacing the final two episodes. A series of four films, titled Rebuild of Evangelion, retelling the events of the series with different plot elements and a new ending, were released between 2007 and 2021.
MyAnimeList describes the overall plot of Neon Genesis Evangelion as follows:
Fifteen years after a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact, the world faces a new threat: monstrous celestial beings called Angels invade Tokyo-3 one by one. Mankind is unable to defend themselves against the Angels despite utilizing their most advanced munitions and military tactics. The only hope for human salvation rests in the hands of NERV, a mysterious organization led by the cold Gendou Ikari. NERV operates giant humanoid robots dubbed “Evangelions” to combat the Angels with state-of-the-art advanced weaponry and protective barriers known as Absolute Terror Fields.
Years after being abandoned by his father, Shinji Ikari, Gendou’s 14-year-old son, returns to Tokyo-3. Shinji undergoes a perpetual internal battle against the deeply buried trauma caused by the loss of his mother and the emotional neglect he suffered at the hands of his father. Terrified to open himself up to another, Shinji’s life is forever changed upon meeting 29-year-old Misato Katsuragi, a high-ranking NERV officer who shows him a free-spirited maternal kindness he has never experienced.
A devastating Angel attack forces Shinji into action as Gendou reveals his true motive for inviting his son back to Tokyo-3: Shinji is the only child capable of efficiently piloting Evangelion Unit-01, a new robot that synchronizes with his biometrics. Despite the brutal psychological trauma brought about by piloting an Evangelion, Shinji defends Tokyo-3 against the angelic threat, oblivious to his father’s dark machinations.
Source: Asahi Shimbun via CBR
