The Weeknd debuted a new track at his Saitama concert, and Yoko Taro was there to make sure it felt like a game intro. The song, unnamed, draws heavily on Neon Genesis Evangelion, including samples from its iconic theme Cruel Angel’s Thesis and a feature from its singer Yoko Takahashi. Taro directed the visuals, which mix existing Evangelion footage with what appears to be entirely new animation. It’s a strange way for fans to catch a glimpse of Taro’s upcoming Evangelion project — stranger, perhaps, than a banana sticker.
Taro’s Evangelion Takeover
Taro, the creator of the Nier games, announced back in July that he would be directing an upcoming run on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The new visuals at the Weeknd concert now raise the possibility that fans caught a sneak peek at the show. The video is presented by Taro himself, with a direct credit to Yoko Takahashi.
The track is far from The Weeknd’s first foray into video-game culture this year. Throughout the summer, Tesfaye has built a reputation for crossing paths with game legends. He has met with FromSoft’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, Grasshopper’s Goichi Suda, and has even seen a private demo of Persona 6. He has also displayed fan art from Yoshitaka Amano, the Final Fantasy illustrator.
Whether this campaign of fandom is building toward a new project or simply passion spilling out of the tube remains unclear.
The Saitama Debut
The concert took place on Saturday, with Tesfaye performing the new track in front of an audience in Saitama. The visuals, directed by Taro, add a layer of spectacle to the performance. The video includes a still of Eva Unit-01 staring down Nier: Automata characters 2B and 9S.
The montage also includes similar poetic text across the screen, matching the look of Taro’s previous teaser for the Evangelion project. That similarity raises the possibility that some of the footage is part of his upcoming series.
Taro’s Idiosyncratic History
Taro has never been one to play it safe. He has shown a fondness for crossing over with anime and video games alike — not to mention pop culture in general.
The Weeknd’s concert now adds another feather to his cap. The track ties the song firmly to the Evangelion universe, with a vocal touch from Yoko Takahashi.
The Summer Meetings
Tesfaye’s summer schedule has been packed with meetings with game legends. The sequence goes like this:
- FromSoft’s Hidetaka Miyazaki
- Grasshopper’s Goichi Suda
- A private demo of Persona 6
- Fan art from Yoshitaka Amano, the Final Fantasy illustrator
The pattern is consistent: Tesfaye is building bridges between music and gaming, and the Evangelion project with Taro is the latest example.
What the Video Shows
The video raises the possibility we just caught a glimpse of Taro’s upcoming series in a very strange manner. The mix of existing Evangelion footage with what appears to be new animation, combined with the text on screen matching Taro’s previous teaser, suggests the visuals may have been part of his Evangelion project.
The presence of Nier: Automata characters 2B and 9S alongside Eva Unit-01 is a curious touch. Whether it means Taro’s idiosyncratic projects will be crossing over is unclear. With this guy, you really, really never know.
For now, the video stands as a strange glimpse at what Taro has planned for the Evangelion series.
The Key Details
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Taro’s Evangelion project | Announced back in July, with visuals now debuting at the Weeknd concert |
| Track details | Unnamed, takes plenty of inspiration from Evangelion, including samples of Cruel Angel’s Thesis, features Yoko Takahashi |
| Visuals | Directed by Taro, mix existing Evangelion footage with what appears to be new animation |
| Concert location | Saitama, on Saturday |
| Previous teaser | Poetry on screen matching the look of Taro’s earlier Evangelion teaser |
The Unanswered Questions
The video offers fans a strange glimpse at Taro’s upcoming Evangelion series. The visuals were directed by Taro himself, and they mix existing Evangelion footage with what appears to be new animation. The text on screen matched the style of Taro’s previous teaser, raising the possibility that some of the footage is part of his upcoming series.
Whether the song itself will appear in the new Evangelion series remains to be seen. It would be safe to wager that some of The Weeknd’s music will emerge in the new Evangelion series — after all, Taro has a history of working with pop culture in unusual ways.
Source material: “Potential Glimpse At Yoko Taro’s Neon Genesis Evangelion Drops At The Weeknd Concert,” Kotaku.
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