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The Weeknd Debuts 'Tokyo' Sampling Evangelion Theme in Japan
Confirmed
In Short: Canadian singer The Weeknd debuted a new song titled 'Tokyo' during his 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' in Saitama, Japan, incorporating elements from the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) debuted a new song titled 'Tokyo' during his 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' in Saitama, Japan, on Saturday, September 19.
The performance featured a collaboration with Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi, who is best known for singing 'A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,' the opening theme to the influential 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
The visuals for 'Tokyo' were directed by Yoko Taro, the creative director behind the NieR video game series, and included imagery from both Neon Genesis Evangelion and NieR:Automata.
The song 'Tokyo' samples 'A Cruel Angel’s Thesis' and was showcased during The Weeknd's Asia leg of his tour at the Belluna Dome in Saitama.
This is not the first time The Weeknd has partnered with creators in Japanese pop culture. He previously debuted an unreleased track, widely dubbed 'Rio,' with Brazilian star Anitta during a stop in Rio de Janeiro in April.
The Weeknd's decision to debut new material comes as a surprise given his recent statements about potentially retiring the Weeknd name. He had previously signaled that his 2025 album 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' would be his final release under the moniker.
The Weeknd has been one of the most commercially dominant artists of the streaming era, notching five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Weeknd's 'Tokyo' performance was met with excitement from fans, with footage of the performance circulating online.
The song's debut marks the second time on the current tour that The Weeknd has premiered a new track tied to the city he was performing in.
What this adds
The song 'Tokyo' has not yet been officially released or given an official title.
The visuals for 'Tokyo' were directed by Yoko Taro, who is also working on a new Evangelion series.
Background
Neon Genesis Evangelion , also known as simply Evangelion or Eva, is a Japanese anime television series produced by Gainax and Tatsunoko Production, and directed by Hideaki Anno. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo and its affiliates from October 1995 to March 1996.
What's confirmed
- The accompanying visuals were directed by Yoko Taro, the creative director behind the NieR video game series, and drew on imagery from both Neon Genesis Evangelion and 2017’s NieR: Automata.
- YOKO TAKAHASHI pic.twitter.com/a8wUBHV7k6 It’s the second time on the current tour that Tesfaye has debuted a new song tied to the city he was performing in — in April, he premiered an unreleased track, widely dubbed “Rio,” with Brazilian star Anitta during a stop in Rio de Janeiro.
What's still developing
- Not coincidentally, Tarō is working on the brand-new Evangelion series.
- The " Evangelion :30+; 30th Anniversary of Evangelion " festival announced the new series after performances by Takahashi in February.
- Explore The Weeknd See latest videos, charts and news Performing Friday (Sept.
- Adding to the flashing intensity are visuals directed by Yoko Taro, who announced his Evangelion takeover back in July.
- As the creator of the Nier games ventures forward into directing an upcoming run on Neon Genesis Evangelion, he’s going to be keeping fans of the series on their toes.
- Fan-shot footage of the performance has also circulated online – watch here: ‘Tokyo’ was performed again during The Weeknd’s second Belluna Dome show today (September 20), and the two shows are the launch of the final Asian stretch of the long-running ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ stadium tour, which will next head to Jakarta for concerts on September 26 and 27.
- The record completed the trilogy that began with 2020’s ‘After Hours’ and continued with 2022’s ‘Dawn FM’, and Tesfaye previously said he felt he had “overcome every challenge” as The Weeknd.
- The emergence of further new Weeknd material comes after Tesfaye repeatedly suggested that he intended to retire the stage name following his 2025 album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’.
- He’s released two new albums since then: a 2023 soundtrack to the widely panned HBO series The Idol, and 2025’s Hurry Up Tomorrow, which he billed as his final release as the Weeknd.
- Over the past few years, Abel Tesfaye has made a fuss over his "the Weeknd" stage name, going back and forth about whether or not he's going to retire it.