Yoko Taro to Pen New Neon Genesis Evangelion Series as Studio Khara and CloverWorks Announce Project
The Evangelion franchise has a fresh creative lineup after a new Neon Genesis Evangelion series was announced during the EVANGELION: 30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION event in Japan. The announcement, made at the Final Program on February 23 (Mon. Holiday), confirmed that yoko taro will take series composition and write the scripts, while franchise creator Hideaki Anno will not be writing the scripts for this project.
Yoko Taro named series composer and scriptwriter
Yoko Taro is credited with series composition and script for the new Evangelion series. The event statement described this as the initial report regarding production of a completely new series in the Evangelion franchise, revealed at the final day of the festival. The choice places the NieR creator at the center of the series' narrative direction.
Directing team: Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toru Yatabe
Evangelion veteran Kazuya Tsurumaki will direct episodes for the new series. Tsurumaki previously directed the Rebuild of Evangelion films and the recent Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX anime. He will be joined by Toru Yatabe (appearing in coverage with the alternate spelling Toru Yatable), who worked as an assistant director on Evangelion: 3. 0+1. 0 Thrice Upon a Time and is returning to the franchise in a directing role.
Music and production: Keiichi Okabe, Studio Khara and CloverWorks
Composer Keiichi Okabe, known for his work on the NieR franchise, is scoring the new show. Production of the series will be handled jointly by Studio Khara and CloverWorks, listed as Studio Khara × CloverWorks in the announcement materials.
Plot status, trailer and what remains unclear
At present, details about the plot are not available. It is unclear in the provided context whether the new series will be a remake, a sequel, or a spin-off in the vein of Petit Eva: Evangelion@School. A trailer exists but is light on specifics, and no release date was announced in the event briefing.
How NieR lineage and past collaborations factor in
The decision to place yoko taro in charge of scripts invites questions about tonal and narrative direction because of his background with the NieR franchise. NieR is described as having rich and complex lore, with a story spanning thousands of years that occasionally dips into a parallel universe. That franchise itself began as a spin-off of a PS2 game called Drakengard: in one of Drakengard's multiple endings a final boss is transported from a fantasy realm to modern-day Tokyo; slaying this beast releases a virus that plagues humankind, which is what eventually leads to the post-apocalyptic setting of NieR. Yoko Taro has prior TV writing experience, having co-written the NieR: Automata anime spinoff, and is also noted for wearing a giant and rather unsettling moon mask.
What to watch for next
The announcement at EVANGELION: 30+ on February 23 provided the core creative lineup and confirmed production partners, but further details remain pending. Fans can expect additional announcements about the series' plot, format, and release timing as the production progresses; for now, the combination of Studio Khara, CloverWorks, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Toru Yatabe, Keiichi Okabe, and Yoko Taro frames a major creative shift for the franchise.
