If you’ve kept up with the Persona fandom online over the last month or so, you may remember how viral a certain musician’s Instagram Story posts went as he played his way through Persona 5. After falling head over heels for Dr. Takemi, The Weeknd seems to be making the most of the newfound focus his foray into gaming has given him.
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Evangelion Didn’t Need Another Series, But I Believe in Yoko Taro
The Neon Genesis Evangelion anime is returning with a new series that’s being penned by Yoko Taro, acclaimed creator of the Nier franchise.
Revealed on his Twitter, The Weeknd has put out an all-new song made in collaboration with Yoko Taro, the lead behind the Drakengard and NieR series, and Yoko Takahashi, the original singer behind A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, the opening of Neon Genesis Evangelion. This new track, clearly inspired by the beloved anime, is a huge love letter to the series, as well as a celebration of The Weeknd’s support.
New Voices, Old Pain
The Weeknd’s new track, still currently without a title, comes off of the July announcement that the infamous gaming auteur would be the lead writer behind another version of Neon Genesis Evangelion, an anime that needs no introduction. Yoko Taro feels like a perfect pick for the series, and as out of nowhere as The Weeknd’s collaboration seems, it really fits Taro’s celebration of emotions in all their forms.
Even the original opening by Yoko Takahashi served as an amazing source of tonal whiplash. Starting each brooding, existential episode of EVA with a big band pop beat almost feels like a joke in retrospect, but the blend of perfectly fitting lyrics and the passion pumping through the song helps it work as an underline instead of a counterpoint.
This new song, be it a companion piece or eventual opening to Yoko Taro’s spin on the series, fills that same role. Like most of The Weeknd’s music, the lyrics themselves feel ethereal, often drowned out by the boom synths and backing tracks. The lines that manage to stick out talk about voices inside the mind, a desperate struggle for inner control, all central tenets of the franchise that fit perfectly.
Why The Weeknd?
Lionsgate
If you haven’t been following The Weeknd’s last few bouts of viral fame, this pick may seem out of left field. Luckily, he wasn’t just chosen for star power; The Weeknd has been a massive fan of JRPGs for years, obtaining unique artwork and meeting with legendary artists like Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame.
Even when he isn’t living every Final Fantasy fanatic’s dream, he’s a truly active member of the JRPG community, live posting his own run through Persona 5 Royal across his Instagram just a few months ago. The artist has been open with his inspirations time and time again, citing Yoshitaka Amano himself as a huge source of influence throughout his career.
This new track, clearly inspired by the beloved anime, is a huge love letter to the series, as well as a celebration of The Weeknd’s support.
It’s a nice reminder of just how collaborative the pursuit of art is as a whole, requiring masters of music, writing, and drawing to work together to make a piece the absolute best it can be. Alongside Yoko Taro, if The Weeknd is set to assist with the new Neon Genesis Evangelion series coming, it’s in good hands.
What may come off as a profit-focused rerun in worse hands feels here like a real attempt to add something new to such an influential franchise, packed with all the raw emotion the entire team is willing to pack into it.
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Release Date
1995 – 1996
Network
TV Tokyo
Directors
Keiichi Sugiyama, Masahiko Otsuka, Tensai Okamura, Shoichi Masuo, Minoru Ohara, Seiji Mizushima, Tetsuya Watanabe, Ken Ando
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Megumi Ogata
Shinji Ikari (voice)
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Kotono Mitsuishi
Misato Katsuragi (voice)
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Megumi Hayashibara
Rei Ayanami (voice)
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Yuko Miyamura
Asuka Langley Soryu (voice)