Evangelion Kabuki Project Announces Kichitarō Kamimura as Shinji Ikari

Kabuki actors take center stage in a fusion of traditional Japanese theater and mecha anime as the Evangelion franchise marks its 30th anniversary. The collaboration between Khara and Shochiku unveils a live performance blending elaborate costumes, stylized movements, and the existential dread of giant robot battles. Scheduled to anchor the festival’s final day, this production reimagines Shinji Ikari’s reluctant heroism through the lens of classical drama.

The performance, titled “Evangelion Shin Evangelion Gekijōban: The End of Evangelion,” draws from the franchise’s core narrative set in A.D. 2015. Tokyo-3 faces relentless assaults from enigmatic Angels, colossal beings threatening human extinction. Shinji Ikari, a 14-year-old summoned by his estranged father, pilots the biomechanical Evangelion Unit-01, a weapon fusing human will with armored exoskeleton. The story escalates as NERV, the UN-backed organization, deploys young Eva pilots including Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu against the invaders.

Kichitarō Kamimura portrays Shinji Ikari in the lead role. Known for appearances in “Kabuki Final Fantasy X” and “Touken Ranbu,” the young actor embodies the protagonist’s internal turmoil amid apocalyptic stakes. Sakon Onoe assumes the role of Kaworu Nagisa, the enigmatic 17th Angel whose arrival disrupts the pilots’ fragile psyches. Directed and scripted by Kazuhisa Tobe, the production incorporates Kabuki’s signature mie poses and hayagawari quick changes to depict Eva synchronization sequences.

Choreography falls to Kanjurō Fujima, who integrates kumadori makeup and footwork patterns to evoke the Angels’ otherworldly forms. Fumihiko Yamada composes the score, merging gagaku court music with the franchise’s orchestral motifs from composers like Shiro Sagisu. The stage adapts the Human Instrumentality Project’s psychological climax, where individual egos dissolve into collective consciousness, using revolving platforms and shadow puppets for surreal transitions.

This Kabuki iteration caps the “EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION” festival at Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa Prefecture. Running February 21 to 23, 2026, the event spans three days with an exhibition of Khara’s original cels, mecha blueprints, and character sketches. Day one features a talk panel with director Hideaki Anno; day two showcases live orchestral concerts; the third culminates in the 90-minute Kabuki show for 15,000 attendees.

The Evangelion series, serialized in Monthly Shōnen Ace from December 1994 to June 1996, spawned 26 TV episodes on TV Tokyo in 1995-1996. Theatrical releases followed, including “Evangelion: Death (True)²” in 1997 and “The End of Evangelion” in 1998, grossing over ¥15 billion combined. Netflix streamed the original and Rebuild films globally since June 2019, while Shout! Factory and GKIDS issued Blu-ray sets in 2021.

Prior stage adaptations include the 2023 “Evangelion Stage” at Tokyo Dome, drawing 50,000 fans with holographic projections. Merchandise exceeds 1,000 items annually, from Nendoroid figures to full-scale Eva replicas at theme parks. This Kabuki project extends the IP’s cross-media reach, following manga spinoffs and video games like “Evangelion Battlefields.”

Production leverages Shochiku’s 120-year Kabuki expertise, with rehearsals starting January 2026 under COVID protocols limiting cast to 20 performers. Tickets, priced ¥12,000-¥18,000, go on sale December 15 via the official site. The key visual depicts Shinji in aragoto warrior garb atop Eva-01, sword raised against a crimson Angel silhouette.