Neon Genesis Evangelion has always been known for its music, from Yoko Takahashi's legendary "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" to the numerous orchestral pieces composed by Shirō Sagisu. Every bit of Evangelion media features at least one memorable piece of music. And the newly released film Neon Genesis Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is continuing that tradition with a new song by Utada Hikaru.
Hikaru is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter who debuted in 1998, but she achieved mainstream recognition with her Japanese debut album First Love and its 2001 follow-up Distance. These two albums spawned many of her most famous singles including "Addicted to You" and "Time Will Tell."
Most anime fans will likely know Utada Hikaru from her work on the Kingdom Hearts series. She wrote and produced four theme songs for the games, including "Simple and Clean" (a re-recording of the Japanese version called "Hikari") for the original Kingdom Hearts and "Sanctuary" from the Kingdom Hearts II soundtrack. She also performed "Don't Think Twice" and "Face My Fears" for the Kingdom Hearts III soundtrack. She is one of Japan's best-selling music artists, and in 2010, The Japan Times declared Hikaru one of the most influential artists of the decade.
Hikaru's recently released single "One Last Kiss," the official theme song for Neon Genesis Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, isn't her first appearance on an Evangelion soundtrack either. Her song "Beautiful World" was featured in Evangelion 1.0 and in 2.0, and "Sakura Nagashi" was the theme of Evangelion 3.0. So at this point, it is Evangelion tradition for Hikaru to produce an excellent up-tempo pop jam for each film. And "One Last Kiss" likewise does not disappoint. It sounds like a classic Hikaru track through and through, especially with its fusion of several genres.
The production was handled by legendary English producer, singer, and songwriter A. G. Cook and it really is a match made in heaven as both artists' styles mesh perfectly. "One Last Kiss" features a toe-tapping beat and some excellent multi-tracking on the vocals that let you fully appreciate how good Hikaru's voice is. The whole package is ludicrously catchy, and will definitely become an earworm that will stick in your head long after you leave the theater. It will also no doubt be the fixture of many summer playlists this year due to how easy it is to dance to.
While it likely won't reach the memetic level of fame that "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" has, it can't be denied that "One Last Kiss" is a fantastic track that continues the Evangelion trend of having super-catchy pop songs in its soundtrack. Then again, when Utada Hikaru is involved, you're guaranteed a fantastic track. Hopefully, this song helps her get the recognition she deserves in America as well.
