Think You Saw Hideaki Anno? Studio Khara Says You’re Probably Wrong
Japanese pop culture news edited by Patrick Macias
Studio Khara has issued a rare warning about false reports of seeing Evangelion and Shin Godzilla director Hideaki Anno in public
The studio says many viral sightings are cases of mistaken identity and asks fans not to assume it's really him
On June 6, Studio Khara, the production company behind the Evangelion film series, posted an unusual message on its official X account, formerly Twitter. The announcement was a response to a recent flood of social media posts claiming to have seen company president and director Hideaki Anno in public.
"Due to his very recognizable appearance, Anno is often spotted," the post stated. "However, many of these sightings turn out to be cases of mistaken identity."
These types of celebrity encounter posts are common on Japanese social media, but Khara felt compelled to address the confusion directly. The account, operated under the name "Studio Khara Unit 2," made it clear that Anno does not initiate conversations with people he does not know. "If someone who looks like Anno speaks to you out of nowhere, it was definitely not him," they wrote.
The studio's message comes at a time when Anno is more visible than ever. In addition to his legacy with Neon Genesis Evangelion, he remains in the spotlight for directing Shin Godzilla and for his involvement in the new Gundam GQuuuuuuX project. His public image, paired with his distinctive look, has likely contributed to the recent surge in mistaken sightings.
Studio Khara closed the statement with a note of gratitude: "We sincerely thank you for your continued support of Studio Khara, Hideaki Anno, and all related works."
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