Born in Japan · Nationality Japanese — Culture / media / celebrities

Hideaki Anno

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “Evangelion television ending: massive backlash, hostile messages and provocative response in The End of Evangelion” and “Khara versus Gainax: lawsuit over approximately ¥100 million in unpaid royalties and loans”.

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Profile No. 0312 · Updated on 12 October 2026

6Documented controversies

12Sources

0Formal charge · all time

0Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

2021–2025

Second Khara/Gainax dispute over transfers of rights and materials, settled in 2023 and disclosed in 2025

Civil / administrative proceedings

In 2025, Khara revealed that it had initiated further civil proceedings from 2021 concerning transfers of rights, materials and documents it considered improper. A settlement reached on 20 January 2023 resolved the proceedings, with the defendants reportedly accepting the claims and apologising, according to Khara.

Legal status — source text: Civil settlement reached in 2023; defendants accepted claims and apologised according to Khara
Attribution: Khara/Anno as claimant; alleged misconduct attributed to Gainax-side defendants

Sources · 2

[1]
Khara株式会社ガイナックスについてStatementHigh reliability
[2]
ORICON NEWS EnglishKhara reveals details of separate Gainax legal disputeMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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2023

Shin Kamen Rider: debate over possible "power harassment" following footage of on-set tensions

No legal proceedings

An NHK documentary about Shin Kamen Rider showed Anno sharply criticising proposals from the action team and demanding numerous changes. The action director considered leaving the project. The broadcast prompted online debate over the boundary between extreme creative demands and "power harassment".

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: No legal proceedings

Sources · 2

[1]
週刊女性PRIME庵野秀明の現場に密着したNHK番組、「パワハラでは」の声MediaMedium reliability
[2]
ENCOUNT庵野秀明監督、シン・仮面ライダー制作現場での葛藤MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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2019-12

2019 arrest of Gainax president: Anno protests misleading media association with Evangelion

Investigation — against un dirigeant de Gainax

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

After Gainax's president was arrested over sexual offences involving a minor, several headlines strongly linked the case to Evangelion. Anno and Khara protested against the framing, pointing out that the arrested man had no involvement in creating Evangelion and that Anno had left Gainax long before.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: Criminal case concerned a Gainax executive; no wrongdoing by Anno
Person targeted by the proceedings: un dirigeant de Gainax
Role of the person profiled: Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

[1]
Diamond Online庵野秀明監督が語るGAINAXと報道への違和感Primary sourceHigh reliability
[2]
Evangelion Official一部報道についてStatementHigh reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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2016–2017

Khara versus Gainax: lawsuit over approximately ¥100 million in unpaid royalties and loans

Civil / administrative proceedings

Hideaki Anno's company Khara sued Gainax for approximately 100 million yen, including royalties and loans. The dispute publicly exposed the financial deterioration of Anno's former studio. Khara won the case.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: Khara prevailed; Anno/Khara were claimants
Attribution: Claimant in a commercial dispute; no wrongdoing by Anno

Sources · 2

[1]
ORICON NEWS庵野秀明氏のカラー、ガイナックスを提訴MediaHigh reliability
[2]
Khara本日の一部報道についてStatementHigh reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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2016

Shin Godzilla: debate over nationalism, Japanese autonomy and criticism of bureaucracy

No legal proceedings

Shin Godzilla sparked political debate over its portrayal of the Japanese state, cooperation with the United States and Japan's capacity to act independently. Some critics interpreted it as cultural nationalism, while others saw a satire of bureaucracy.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: No legal proceedings

Sources · 2

[1]
The Washington PostNew Godzilla film imagines a strong Japan pushing back against the U.S.MediaHigh reliability
[2]
Taylor & FrancisShin Godzilla and Japanese political discourseAcademic publicationHigh reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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1996–1997

Evangelion television ending: massive backlash, hostile messages and provocative response in The End of Evangelion

No legal proceedings

The final two episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion provoked considerable anger among some viewers, who criticised Anno for an abstract ending that resolved little. Anno received numerous hostile messages, some reported as threats, and the conflict with fans' expectations subsequently shaped The End of Evangelion.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: No legal proceedings

Sources · 2

[1]
The Japan TimesEvangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time review and history of the backlashMediaHigh reliability
[2]
Gwern archiveHideaki Anno Newtype interview (1996)InterviewMedium reliability

Last verified: 22 August 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.