NieR creator Yoko Taro to write every script for new Evangelion series
Fans of the Neon Evangelion series have something exciting to look forward to. An announcement on 23 February 2026, right at the tail-end of the three-day festival celebrating the 30th anniversary of Neon Genesis Evangelion in Yokohama, revealed a brand-new original Evangelion anime series.
The reveal quietly made its way through a short video and a simple credits page on the Evangelion website, mentioning that Yoko Taro, the creator of the NieR series, is working on the script.
For the new Evangelion anime, Yoko Taro will spearhead scriptwriting, while the project will be directed by veteran director and storyboard contributor Kazuya Tsurumaki, alongside Toko Yatabe, who worked on Evangelion: Thrice Upon a Time and Chainsaw Man. Keiichi Okabe, the sound designer who produced NieR’s legendary scores, will work as a composer for the as of yet untitled Evangelion anime.
Production is being undertaken by Hideaki Anno’s Studio Khara, along with CloverWorks, which previously worked together on Shin Godzilla and Darling in the Franxx. However, all that remains to be known is a title, release date, or plot surrounding the untitled Evangelion anime. All that we know so far is that it’s an original anime series.
The last entry in the Evangelion series, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, was released in 2021 and delivered what many consider the definitive conclusion to Shinji Ikari’s story. However, that conclusion leaves many fans wondering whether the currently untitled Evangelion anime will feature returning characters or introduce new ones.
It’s interesting to see how long-time Evangelion fan and NieR creator, Yoko Taro, will uphold and lead scriptwriting and screenplay duties, now that the original creator, Hideaki Anno, has stepped back from his usual role as the primary creative lead of the series.
Anno had already expressed that he wanted a new generation to take charge of the Evangelion series and follow in the footsteps of franchises like Gundam, where the new generation tells its own unique stories.
That’s where Yoko Taro steps into the picture. In an X post, he said with his usual humility, “It’s been announced! I’ll do my best!”
Yoko Taro has always expressed his love for Evangelion. In prior interviews, he repeatedly emphasized that Evangelion served as the core driving inspiration for NieR: Automata. The NieR series has been critically acclaimed for its emotional storytelling, heavy narrative, dark humor, appalling twists, and openness to explore themes of despair and hope.
Therefore, it doesn’t seem wrong to claim that Yoko Taro was destined to write the next entry in the Evangelion series. However, many fans still wonder how the untitled Evangelion anime will sit alongside Thrice Upon a Time, which delivered a powerful statement about letting go and moving forward in life.
Source(s)
Add as a preferred