Evangelion 30th Anniversary Festival Opens as 15 Cast Members Reunite

The Evangelion 30th Anniversary festival has officially begun, celebrating three decades of the iconic anime franchise. The event titled EVANGELION 30+ 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION opened today on the 21st at Yokohama Arena, where it will run through the 23rd. On the first day, 15 guests including voice actors Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, and Yuko Miyamura, along with director Hideaki Anno, took the stage to thunderous applause from fans.

Following a live performance of the theme song A Cruel Angel’s Thesis by Yoko Takahashi, the cast appeared before an audience filled with fans waving cross shaped penlights inspired by imagery from the series. Ogata looked out at the venue and joked about the overwhelming sight, saying she was surprised by the intense shapes of the lights, comparing them humorously to gravestones standing everywhere. She added, “From those who watched the series 30 years ago to those who recently became fans, I am so happy we can celebrate together. Thank you for 30 years.”

Hayashibara reflected on the scale of the three day event, saying it made her realize just how significant Evangelion has been in anime history. She expressed joy at reuniting with fellow cast members who rarely gather together, while also acknowledging those who could not attend and senior colleagues who continue to watch over the franchise.

During the talk segment, Hayashibara shared a memorable fan interaction. Despite being a self proclaimed meat lover, she once said the line “I do not eat meat,” which led someone close to her to remark, “You are not Rei Ayanami.” She admitted it shocked her at the time, but now she remembers it fondly.

The event also featured playful exchanges of famous lines from the series. After Kotono Mitsuishi opened with “Service, service” in reference to her character Misato Katsuragi, Fumihiko Tachiki and Koichi Yamadera followed with lines associated with the franchise, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.

When asked about memories from the earliest recording sessions, Akira Ishida reflected that he wished he had commented more enthusiastically about the opening theme at the time. He joked about feeling unsure how to present himself when joining a production whose world had already been firmly established. Ogata responded with Shinji Ikari’s famous line, “I think you should smile,” prompting warm laughter from the audience.

Yuko Miyamura spoke about a powerful scene involving Asuka Langley Soryu, admitting there are moments she still finds too painful to rewatch. She recalled Asuka’s determined cry about understanding the meaning of the AT Field, followed by a devastating turn of events. Anno quipped that the sequence was handled by Kazuya Tsurumaki, drawing more laughter.

Introducing himself as the chief director of Evangelion, Anno received resounding applause. He expressed deep gratitude that a television series created 30 years ago could grow into a franchise capable of hosting such a large scale celebration. He also paid tribute to the late Motomu Kiyokawa, noting it was the only regret that he could not be present.

Regarding the 30 year milestone, Anno humbly remarked that as a creator he focuses on giving his all in each moment. He revealed that he had been working until 6 a.m. on a brand new short anime project related to the franchise and had not slept. Confidently, he assured fans that the new work is shaping up to be something exciting and asked them to look forward to it.

Additional stage participants included Maaya Sakamoto, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Tetsuya Iwanaga, Junko Iwao, Miki Nagasawa, and Yuki Hiro.

The anniversary festival commemorates 30 years since the 1995 television broadcast of Neon Genesis Evangelion. As the culmination of ongoing anniversary projects continuing through 2025, the event offers exhibitions, stage programs, merchandise, screenings of a new short anime, and even the first kabuki adaptation of Evangelion. It is designed as a grand celebration for the fans who have supported the series over three decades.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is set in a world attacked by mysterious beings known as Angels. The story follows teenage pilots who operate the multipurpose humanoid weapon Evangelion as humanity’s last line of defense. The original television series aired from 1995 to 1996. Beginning in 2007, the franchise relaunched with the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. The films Evangelion 1.0 You Are Not Alone, Evangelion 2.0 You Can Advance, and Evangelion 3.0 You Can Redo were major hits, culminating in the 2021 finale Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, which surpassed 10 billion yen at the Japanese box office.

Source : ORICON NEWS