Shift Up director Hyung-tae Kim’s original Evangelion designs for NIKKE were rejected for being “too erotic” 

Goddess of Victory: NIKKE is known for its attractive female characters, “back views” and jiggly butt physics. However, Shift Up’s CEO Hyung-tae Kim recently revealed in jest that his initial sketches of Asuka Langley and Rei Ayanami for the game’s Evangelion collaboration were just too hot and sexy to be put in the game, with the studio opting for another designer’s take on the characters. 

First launching back in 2022, the South Korean third-person shooter RPG Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, has amassed a dedicated following- with its biggest playerbase in Japan. Unsurprisingly, the recent collaboration with classic mecha anime Neon Genesis Evangelion sent the game zooming up the Japanese charts again. The collab offered limited-time events, music and outfits, letting you recruit the popular characters Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Mari Makinami Illustrious and Misato Katsuragi.  

In an interview with Famitsu at TGS 2024, Hyung-tae Kim was asked to share some memorable behind-the-scenes stories. Kim talked about the recent NIKKE x Evangelion collaboration. “I drew Asuka and Rei, but they were rejected for being ‘too erotic’. I hope my drawings get used next time.” Kim commented. 

Although they were wearing skin-tight bodysuits, the Evangelion girls’ appearances in NIKKE were rather conservative compared to say, the revealing outfits for the game’s NieR: Automata collaboration.  

Hyung-tae Kim’s character designs have been gaining a lot of attention recently. As the director of Stellar Blade, he is probably best known for his slick and eye-catching designs for the game’s protagonist, Eve. Previously, he revealed his initial sketches of Eve and how her body was based on that of a real life model.