Evangelion’s 30th Anniversary Stuns Fans with Bold Rakugo Twist
Three decades after it first changed anime forever, Evangelion has just taken one of its boldest creative turns yet and fans in Japan witnessed it live.
At the EVANGELION 30th Anniversary festival inside Yokohama Arena, the legendary franchise introduced something no one expected, Evangelion Rakugo. For those unfamiliar, rakugo is a centuries-old form of Japanese comic storytelling, usually performed by a single artist who shifts voices and characters while seated on stage. It is intimate, traditional and deeply cultural. Evangelion, on the other hand, is psychological, apocalyptic and futuristic. Bringing those two worlds together was a risk.
But it worked.
The performance opened with a haunting instrumental version of “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the iconic theme from Neon Genesis Evangelion, played with shamisen and taiko drums. That alone signaled that this would not be a standard tribute event. Then rakugo performer Kikuhiko Hayashiya stepped onto the stage and presented an original piece titled “Sleeping Princess.”
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The story imagined Asuka awakening from a deep sleep, only to be questioned by familiar characters about the dream she experienced. Hayashiya shifted seamlessly between voices, moving from humor to emotion in seconds. The audience responded with thunderous applause, not just for nostalgia, but for the creativity of reimagining these beloved characters in a completely different artistic form.
Hayashiya later revealed he is a devoted Evangelion fan himself, having watched the final film in theaters more than a dozen times. He blended his original idea with elements from the classic rakugo tale “Tengu Sabaki,” proving this was not a gimmick, but a thoughtful fusion of tradition and modern pop culture.
And that was only part of the celebration.
The festival also staged a live voice drama titled “The Gendo Ikari Incident,” featuring original cast members including Megumi Ogata as Shinji, Megumi Hayashibara as Rei and Yuko Miyamura as Asuka. The storyline unfolded at NERV headquarters and pulled the audience directly into the action. Fans were treated as new NERV recruits, practicing salutes and responding during key moments. It was immersive, theatrical and deeply emotional for long-time followers of the series.
This matters because Evangelion is not simply revisiting its past. It is reinventing itself. By merging with traditional Japanese performance art and creating exclusive live experiences, the franchise shows how legacy series can evolve without losing identity.
Thirty years on, Evangelion is still experimenting, still challenging expectations and still uniting generations of fans. Stay with us for continuing coverage as this landmark anniversary unfolds and as one of anime’s most influential creations charts its next chapter.
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