The legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary soon, and with such a big milestone of one of the most iconic and influential anime series out there, it is no doubt a whole slew of projects and events will be held, and the first one is already underway. The series has endured years of being an icon in the mecha genre, and with projects and films being consistently released to explore the rich world, lore and life of the young Shinji Ikari, the franchise’s 30 years in existence will be met with big celebrations.
One of the events was a community engagement one, where fans could submit art pieces revolving around the Evangelion franchise. The contest would be held from July 15 to August 31, 2025. Of course, the winners would receive prizes, and it seems the awards this time are big. The first place would receive an item signed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, director of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, have their illustration displayed at the 30th anniversary event, and their piece featured in the pixiv x Evangelion art book. The second prize, which will have three winners, will also receive the last 2 honors as well as a selection from the Evangelion 30th anniversary merchandise. To usher in this contest, popular X (formerly Twitter) illustrator, Rella Kinoko, made an official stunning illustration of Shinji, Kaoru, Rei, Asuka and Mari.
Evangelion‘s Anniversary Will Be Spectacular
「『エヴァンゲリオン』30周年記念イラストコンテスト」のキービジュアルを担当させていただきました。本当におめでとうございます！
pic.twitter.com/7pgYoCphEM
— Rella (@Rellakinoko) July 15, 2025
Described as an event where “a variety of content is planned, including exhibits, stage events, and merchandise sales”, and “The exhibition will be themed around the past, present, and future…”, the anniversary event is scheduled from February 21st to 23rd in Japan, and fans can expect a lot of announcements and news to come out of this event. Furthermore, it is very likely the franchise will have new content, be it in TV or theatrical release, and could be under the guidance of someone other than Hideaki Anno, the creator of the story, as he has hinted. Whatever spring 2026 holds, only time will tell, but there is a lot of hope from the millions of fans that the iconic series has garnered.
Focusing on the 12-year-old Shinji Ikari as he is coerced into helming the deadly Eva mechas, the series is beloved for its realistic and gritty portrayal of trauma, emotions and complex relationships of family and love. The last instalment to the franchise was the movie Evangelion 3.0: Thrice Upon A Time, in 2021, and it performed incredibly well and charted very highly, proving the massive following it has over the past 3 decades.
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