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Yoko Taro

Yoko Taro is writing and composing the story for a new Neon Genesis Evangelion television series announced by Studio Khara at the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary event. He also produced a visual piece with singer Yoko Takahashi that ran during The Weeknd's September 19 show at Saitama's Belluna Dome.

Synthesized from 4 Yomimono stories · updated 1d ago

Yoko Taro's involvement with Evangelion moved from announcement to screen in 2026. Studio Khara announced a new Evangelion television series at the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event, with Taro attached as series composer and scriptwriter. Kazuya Tsurumaki directs alongside Toko Yatabe, and Keiichi Okabe handles music. The series is co-produced with CloverWorks. Story details, release timing, and cast are not revealed, and original creator Hideaki Anno is not listed among the lead creative credits.

On September 19, The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour presented a visual piece produced by Taro and singer Yoko Takahashi during the show at Saitama's Belluna Dome. The piece uses clips from Neon Genesis Evangelion, samples of Takahashi's "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," and Evangelion-style imagery. Cast and staff shared photos and video afterward.

Outside Evangelion, Taro's attention in 2026 went to Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. He approached Denfaminicogamer in March 2026 to ask the outlet to interview the game's team so he could learn how its in-game art was achieved. The feature identifies art director Tatsuro Asano, a self-taught illustrator who worked at an eyeglass store until his mid-30s, and describes photogrammetry of actual dolls and a four-tone black-and-white blur process behind the game's diorama-like visual style.

Key facts

Evangelion series role
Series composer and scriptwriter ↗
Evangelion series production
Studio Khara co-produces with CloverWorks; directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toko Yatabe; music by Keiichi Okabe ↗
Evangelion announcement venue
Announced during the final program of the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event ↗
Evangelion series details withheld
Story details, release timing, and cast have not been revealed ↗
Weeknd tour visual
Produced with singer Yoko Takahashi; ran during the September 19 show at Saitama's Belluna Dome using Evangelion clips, a sample of "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," and Evangelion-style imagery ↗
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined inquiry
Approached Denfaminicogamer in March 2026 to interview the game's team about how its in-game art was achieved ↗
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined art director
Tatsuro Asano, a self-taught illustrator who worked at an eyeglass store until his mid-30s ↗
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined art process
Photogrammetry of actual dolls and a four-tone black-and-white blur process ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Noted
director of NieR:Automata · 2026-10-05
Noted
served as MC at The Tenth Mosaic · 2026-10-05
Noted
Director Yoko Taro joked the message means they want to keep making money · 2026-05-22

Connections

Directs
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Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/yoko-taro. CC BY 4.0.

Claim activity

When a claim about Yoko Taro was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.

  • Confirmed Yoko Taro writes Neon Genesis Evangelion Sep 21 · source
  • Confirmed Yoko Taro produces Neon Genesis Evangelion Sep 21 · source

All coverage

1d ago

Okabe Tells Yoko Taro He Builds Games Market-First

At The Tenth Mosaic, held September 22 and 23 at the Tokyo French Institute, Yoko Taro opened the festival in conversation with Keisuke Okabe, director of ENDER LILIES. Okabe said he came to games from doujin manga, was hired by Neverland Company, drew and wrote for a mobile project, and grew into directing. ENDER LILIES began as a Slack proposal, reached a three-month mockup, and shipped after three to four years with roughly 500 million yen.

1d ago

Yoko Taro's Shonen YoRHa Stage Play Returns In 2027

Kyodo Medias announced that Shonen YoRHa ver 1.2, a stage play sharing a worldview with NieR:Automata, will be restaged in 2027. Yoko Taro handles original work and script, Matsuta Ichidai directs, and Okabe Keiichi composes. Tokyo performances run November 28 to December 5, 2027 at Theater G-Rosso; Osaka runs December 16 to December 19 at Cool Japan Park Osaka TT Hall. Auditions close October 18.

3d ago

Yoko Taro and Keisuke Okabe Talk Stress-Driven Design at The Tenth Mosaic

Yoko Taro, director of NieR:Automata, and Keisuke Okabe, director of ENDER LILIES and ENDER MAGNOLIA, held a one-hour talk session at The Tenth Mosaic, a game culture event at the Institut francais de Tokyo in Tokyo on September 22 and 23, 2026. Taro served as MC and drew out Okabe on the making of the ENDER series. Okabe described a method he calls "stress-driven development": when envy of a strong game sets in, he plays a Steam title with Mixed user reviews to rebuild his confidence, then studies its missteps for his own work. He said he picks such games when the store page pitch reads well but the ratings do not. Taro said he never feels envy and described his own role as filling gaps no one else has covered.

Sep 20

The Weeknd Tour Runs Evangelion Visual by Yoko Taro and Yoko Takahashi

The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour presented a visual piece produced by NieR:Automata director Yoko Taro and singer Yoko Takahashi. It ran during the September 19 show at Saitama's Belluna Dome and uses clips from Neon Genesis Evangelion, samples of Takahashi's "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," and Evangelion-style imagery. Cast and staff shared photos and video afterward.

Jun 4

Yoko Taro Asks Square Enix to Explain Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Art Direction

Yoko Taro, creator of the NieR series, approached Denfaminicogamer in March 2026 with an unusual request: interview the team behind Dragon Quest VII Reimagined so he could learn how its in-game art was achieved. The resulting feature reveals art director Tatsuro Asano, a self-taught illustrator who worked at an eyeglass store until his mid-30s, used photogrammetry of actual dolls and a four-tone black-and-white blur process to create the game's diorama-like visual style.

May 30

Anime Feminist Round-Up Covers Publisher Ethics, Accessibility, and Joseimuke Winter

Anime Feminist's weekly round-up for February 25 to March 3, 2026, covers several industry stories. A major focus is the controversy around Manga One, which secretly rehired a writer convicted of sexual abuse against minors. Multiple manga creators, including One (One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100), Haruko Kurumatani (Nakasetakute Doushiyou), and Misaki Takamatsu (Skip and Loafer), publicly condemned the publisher. Witch Hat Atelier creator Kamome Shirahama also commented, asking for compensation for an illustrator harmed by the situation. The round-up also includes a discussion of the manga Tank Chair and its cripple punk motifs, an interview with the director and producer of Champignon Witch, and an analysis of gender performance in In the Clear Moonlit Dusk. Other topics include a review of Peter Grill and the Philosopher's Time criticizing its sexual politics, a report on the growing trend of men wearing makeup in Japan influenced by K-beauty, and a post about Seven Seas Entertainment stating it will not use AI in translations after its acquisition by MediaDo. The round-up also notes the passing of KyoAni founder Hideaki Hatta.

May 30

New Evangelion Series Announced With NieR Creator Yoko Taro Writing

A new Neon Genesis Evangelion television series is in development, with NieR creator Yoko Taro attached as series composer and scriptwriter. Studio Khara announced the project during the final program of the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event over the weekend. The series will be co-produced with CloverWorks, known for Spy x Family. Story details, release timing, and cast have not been revealed. Kazuya Tsurumaki, a longtime Evangelion collaborator and director of FLCL, will direct alongside Toko Yatabe, who has worked extensively within the franchise. Keiichi Okabe, another key NieR creative voice, will compose the music. Original Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno is not listed among the lead creative credits. The announcement positions the project as the franchise's first completely new TV installment in years, fueled by the creative team's well-regarded profiles for atmosphere and story crafting.