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Maaya Sakamoto to Play New Character in Eva: 2.0 Film (Updated)

The free EVA-EXTRA01 paper magazine will announce on Saturday that voice actress Maaya Sakamoto will play the new character Makinami Mari Illustrious in the Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance film. This film is the second of Hideaki Anno and Khara's four theatrical remakes of Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion science-fiction television anime series. Like previous Evangelion character names, both "Illustrious" and "Makinami" (with different kanji characters) happen to be names of World War II naval ships.

EVA-EXTRA01 will also confirm that Yūko Miyamura will reprise her Asuka role in the new film, although the character has been renamed Shikinami Asuka Langley. (Miyamura herself has the name Yuko Seki after marrying in 2004, but she is using her previous name for the Evangelion voice credits.) The project's official website and the second film's teaser, which was shown with the first film, promised the fan-favorite character Asuka, the EVA-02 through -06 units with new designs for many of them, a new eyeglasses-wearing brunette girl character, more fan "service-service," "a shocking new story, and new visuals." Evangelion: 2.0 You Can [Not] Advance will open in Japan on June 27.

Funimation announced on New Year's Eve that it will release the first film in the remake, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, in North America this year. ADV Films released the original television series, while Manga Entertainment released the two 1997 films. Viz Media, ADV Manga, and Dark Horse Comics have all released or will release the manga versions of Evangelion.

Source: 2channel

Update: The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web has posted photos of the two cosplaying representatives who distributed the EVA-EXTRA01 magazine on Saturday, as well as of the estimated 300 people who waited in line for a limited-edition ticket package for Evangelion: 2.0 You Can [Not] Advance.