Yoko Takahashi, the acclaimed singer who has been actively performing both in Japan and internationally through live shows and numerous media appearances, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the ''Evangelion'' series with the simultaneous release of two vinyl records! Titled after her signature songs-''The Cruel Angel's Thesis(Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis)'' and ''Soul's Refrain(Tamashii no Refrain)''-each record features a selection of related tracks from the ''Evangelion'' series. The jacket illustrations are brand-new artworks created by Ikuto Yamashita, the mechanical designer for the ''Evangelion'' series. Yoko Takahashi made her major solo debut in 1991 with the single ''P.S. I miss you,'' earning the Best New Artist awards at both the Japan Record Awards and the Japan Cable Awards. Prior to her debut, she had worked as a studio musician and backup vocalist for artists such as Toshinobu Kubota and Yumi Matsutoya since 1987. Her most well-known works are ''The Cruel Angel's Thesis(Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis),'' the opening theme for the 1995 TV anime ''Neon Genesis Evangelion,'' and ''Soul's Refrain(Tamashii no Refrain),'' the theme song for the 1997 film ''Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth.'' Both songs remain in strong demand to this day, with combined physical sales of approximately 1.75 million copies, 7 million digital downloads, and over 400 million streams. The music video for ''The Cruel Angel's Thesis(Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis)'' has surpassed 110 million views on YouTube. To date, she has released 30 singles, 12 albums, and 8 best-of compilations. In March 2017, she released the maxi single ''Welcome to the Stage,'' produced by Shiro Sagisu and themed around ''Shin Godzilla vs. Evangelion.'' The jacket illustration by Moyoco Anno garnered attention, and that same month, she performed at the Shin Godzilla vs. Evangelion Symphony Concert held at Shibuya Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Since then, she has showcased her live performances around the world, including in Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Taiwan, Moscow, Barcelona, Bangkok, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi. In 2023, she held her first solo concert themed around the ''Evangelion'' series at Zepp Shinjuku (TOKYO). In November 2024, she held her first solo concert in Guangzhou, China. In 2025, she continues to perform actively both domestically and internationally, including numerous media appearances in Japan, participation in the Evangelion Wind Symphony in South Korea and North America, and a solo tour in China.
