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Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, Kamen Rider Crossover, Combine in 'Shin Universe Robo' CG/Tokusatsu Short
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The Bandai YouTube channel unveiled a new 3D CG/tokusatsu short for the Shin Japan Heroes Universe collaboration project between the Shin Godzilla, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time (Shin Evangelion Gekijō-ban :||), Shin Ultraman, and Shin Kamen Rider films on Friday. The short promotes the new "Shin Universe Robo" toy, which physically combines the iconic machines and creatures from all four franchises. The short also features the song "Tsumi to Batsu - Inorazaru Mono yo" (Crime and Punishment, You Non-Worshipers) by Yoko Takahashi, which debuted as the theme song for the project on the "EVANGELION ETERNALLY" maxi-single on May 10.
Hiroshi Butsuda, a special effects veteran of the Kamen Rider franchise, directed the short.
The toy will ship in January 2024.
In addition to co-writing and directing the Evangelion franchise, Hideaki Anno is the writer and co-director of the Shin Godzilla film, the writer of the upcoming Shin Ultraman film, and the director and writer of the Shin Kamen Rider film. Longtime collaborator and fellow Gainax co-founder Shinji Higuchi co-directed Shin Godzilla, and also directed Shin Ultraman.
All the franchises have Anno's "Shin" prefix in their Japanese titles, which can mean many things, from "new" to "true." Anno has kept the meaning ambiguous in all titles.
Evangelion is Anno's most well-known work. It began with a landmark mecha anime series that aired in 1995, and most recently had its last installment with Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time last year. Godzilla is a long-running TOHO franchise starring the titular kaijū, or giant monster. Ultraman and Kamen Rider are both long-running tokusatsu ("special effects," but a colloquialism for shows starring costumed superheroes) franchises, the former by Tsuburaya Productions, and the latter by Toei (and created by manga creator Shōtarō Ishinomori).
Sources: Bandai's YouTube channel, Mainchi Shimbun's Mantan Web
Disclosure: Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.
