The announcement of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe project got fans very excited and it is easy to see why. The project combines four of Japan's largest franchises in Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider. It also features input from visionary creators Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, so it is no wonder people got hyped about it. Interestingly, this isn't the first time Anno's projects have been involved in promotional crossovers. In fact, Shin Japan Heroes Universe can be considered the spiritual successor to another marketing event.
In 2016, Hideaki Anno's Shin Godzilla was about to hit theaters, and he was still working on the long-delayed final Evangelion movie that would become Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. To promote the upcoming film Shin Godzilla, a marketing event called Godzilla vs. Evangelion launched.
This marketing push featured loads of new merchandise that uniquely blended both franchises. It included posters showing Godzilla and Eva units locked in combat, models of Mechagodzilla that painted the robotic kaiju to look like the various Eva robots, and even a figure that depicted Rei Ayanami in the Xillien costume from the legendary Invasion of Astro Monster movie.
This promotion did exceptionally well, and it continued in various forms in the following years. In 2019, the collaboration was taken to the next level with the launch of Godzilla vs. Evangelion: The Real 4-D. This short film ran in Universal Studios Japan as part of its Cool Japan event. A yearly event where Universal Studios Japan runs exclusive rides and events based on Japan's biggest franchises. The film featured most of Evangelion's cast reprising their roles from the legendary series, including Megumi Hayashibara as Rei, Megumi Ogata as Shinji, and Kotono Mitsuishi as Misato.
This CGI film is set after Second Impact. During the cleanup, Japan's capital is moved from Tokyo-II to Osaka-III. However, weird signals suddenly appear, causing confusion. At first, people presume these signals link to an upcoming Angel attack, so NERV prepares for war. Godzilla suddenly arrives and attacks the city, forcing Shinji, Rei, and Asuka to hop into their Eva suits and battle the monster.
However, despite their power, they can't damage the king of kaiju. When all seems lost, Godzilla charges his heat ray. However, he doesn't shoot the Eva units. Instead, he fires into the sky, causing King Ghidorah to fall to the ground. King Ghidorah and Godzilla then fight, with the Eva pilots helping Godzilla fight against this new mutual foe.
The movie has never been shown outside of Universal Studios Japan, despite fans often hoping for an official release of some form. However, this promotion does give us an idea of how the Shin Japan Heroes Universe project will likely play out. While it won't lead to a fully-fledged cinematic universe in the vein of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we might see another short promotional film. Especially as Universal Studios Japan still shows exclusive 4D movies based on popular anime, with the park currently showing a unique Sailor Moon film.
Godzilla vs. Evangelion is a unique curiosity as it sees two legendary but highly distinct franchises coming together to celebrate their best elements. Hopefully, Shin Japan Heroes Universe continues this trend and gives fans of all four franchises something they'll love while also attracting new fans to the franchises. Hopefully, one day, Godzilla vs. Evangelion will get an official online or home release so everyone can experience this one-of-a-kind crossover.