Asuka and Shinji are finally together in this new official Evangelion Short Movie.

There has been recent news about a new Evangelion anime short featuring Asuka for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The “EVANGELION:30+” festival at Yokohama Arena from February 21-23, 2026 is a celebration for the franchise, and the exclusive short played during February 21.

The Evangelion 30+ Asuka short, titled Episode 27: たった一つの、冴えたやり方/The Only Neat Thing to Do, depicts an imagined future where Asuka Langley Soryu from the original series and Asuka Shikinami Langley from the Rebuild Films meet each other. They both bond over their similarities, and lament their sad lives. Asuka Soryu vows to find a world where she’s happy, and Asuka Shikinami shows her the way to do it: the Shinji Ikari method. First you sleep, the you open your eyes in a close-up. Then a new world will show up.

They then go through a montage of alternate worlds. The first world one where Asuka in the Evangelion Unit 02 is able to deploy against Sachiel, but accidentally ends up destroying the Evangelion Unit 01 in the process. Asuka Soryu rejects this, saying she’d never say “A true hero always arrives on time!”, and besides, this is too similar to Asuka Shikinami’s world. They try again, and this time, Asuka herself as a giant is deployed against Sachiel. Once again, Asuka Soryu stops this with a cut, asking why she would want to be gignatic. Asuka Shikinami thought she wanted power, but Asuka Soryu says it’s definitely not that.

The next world is one where Asuka plays Shogi against Fuyutsuki, which perplexes her. Asuka Shikinami thought she liked competition, but Asuka Soryu says she wants to win without cheating. Then a romantic world, where she and Shinji go on a date overlooking a cliff, but Asuka accidentally pushes him off a cliff after heaing Shinji’s romantic words. He does survive, but Asuka is too embarassed to continue with this world.

Then come worlds where Asuka replaces Kaworu or Rei, and are the clones shown during Human Instrumentality. Those are weird and creepy, so she immediately rejects that. Asuka Shikinami shows a world Asuka Soryu is wearing the torn Test Type Plugsuit. This is just too embarassing for her.

Asuka Soryu is then shown a world where her mother is proud of her. Asuka says this is uncomfrotable, that it’s not her. Asuka Shikinami agrees, then comes a world where she and Mari seem to be together. Asuka immediately says she wants to be happy in her own world. Shinji suddenly appears, asking if she wants to be happy in a world with Evas.

The scene then shifts, and Asuka meets Shinji at a train station. Shinji beckons Asuka to come with her, showing her a world where they get married and have a child together.

While Asuka Soryu likes this realize that she doesn’t belong in a gentle world, and she will fight for this in her own world. Komm, süsser Tod plays, but Asuka Shikinami grabs the micorphone and sings first, angering Asuka Soryu. Then Peaceful Times starts playing, a montage of all her scenes are shown and Asuka Soryu says she doesn’t need Asuka Shikinmai, and that her happiness comes after protecting everyone. And it will come, because she’s the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02, and she’s Asuka Langley Soryu!

This short has the internet abuzz, giving those shippers of Asuka and Shinji fuel after Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon a Time did not end so well for them. While the short has not officially been shown, there have been leaks, and many people are welcoming this new happy end for Asuka Langley Soryu that seemingly matches what Shinji Ikari wants. A world where you’re happy because you’re doing what you can, not one where things are given to you, that living and experiencing joy is worth it despite the struggle!