30th anniversary celebration franchise legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion brought a big surprise to the fans. Studio Khara has just released the Evangelion short anime officially on YouTube, and viewers' enthusiasm has exploded since the first day of viewing.
Official Release of Evangelion Short Anime on YouTube
The 15-minute video premiered on channel Studio Khara's official YouTube on March 8, 2026. This release date was specifically chosen to commemorate anniversary the fifth theatrical screening of the film EVANGELION:3.0+1.0 THRICE UPON A TIME.
Initially, the show was only screened exclusively for festival-goers EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION at the Yokohama Arena from February 21 to 23.
However, the organizers found that there were people who recorded and disseminated footage illegally on the internet. They later released an official statement asking fans not to spread the leaked material and to watch the official version directly on YouTube.
Neon Genesis Evangelion first aired in 1995 and quickly became a household name. franchise anime most influential in Japan. The series has continued to grow through various movie adaptations, including the Rebuild of Evangelion which ended in 2021.
Evangelion Short Anime Viewing Record
Within just 24 hours of its release, the Evangelion short anime garnered over 2.75 million views. This viewership figure proves that the popularity of the series has never faded even though it has been running for three decades.
The video also received nearly 13,000 comments from viewers around the world. Many fans shared their nostalgic feelings about the experience of watching TV series original in the past.
The topic that fans are talking about the most is the story's focus on Asuka. You can see the surprising interaction between the two versions of the character. This video features Asuka Langley Soryu from TV series classic together Asuka Langley Shikinami from the movie series Rebuild of Evangelion.
The Production Team Behind the Short Anime
Project This special was done by big names in the anime industry. Series creator Hideaki Anno directly occupy the position as planner, scriptwriter, and general supervisor.
Position director filled by Naoyuki Asano, who previously served as animation director for movies EVANGELION:3.0+1.0 THRICE UPON A TIME. He is assisted by the supervisor veterans Kazuya Tsurumaki, Shinji Higuchi, and Ikki Todoroki.
The 30th anniversary festival at Yokohama Arena was also enlivened by the performance of Yoko Takahashi. Singer of the iconic opening song Neon Genesis Evangelion performed a special version of “Eva Fes Ver.” from the spring concert “Back to Neon Genesis”. The event closed with preview stage production Kabuki Kokyokyoku Dai Kyu-ban Evangelion.
In addition to the release of this short video, Studio Khara also announced project anime Evangelion a new, completely separate one.
Project This new one is particularly eye-catching because it collaborates with the creators of game Famous Yoko Taro. For those of you who want to know more details about project You can check out the full review at here.
