A recent Metroid fan art sees the game series' main character Samus become a Neon Genesis Evangelion mech. Neon Genesis Evangelion was a hit mecha anime series when it premiered in 1995, and Metroid has had a similar cultural impact since its first installment's release in 1986.
Since the October release of Metroid Dread, there has been revitalized interest in the Nintendo game series and its main character. There are several Metroid spin-offs, but the last mainline video game was 2002's Metroid Fusion. Metroid Dread is a sequel to Metroid Fusion, despite launching nearly 20 years afterwards. As this time frame suggests, the game was in the works for years - and it was recently confirmed that Metroid Dread's development took 19 years.
Likely inspired by the new Metroid Dread game, Dennis Osaj took to Twitter to post their Metroid fan art that showcases Samus Aran as a Neon Genesis Evangelion mech. The artwork is for Osaj's Inktober x Metroid Challenge where the artist/programmer posted new Metroid art everyday in October. Osaj's Neon Genesis Evangelion-inspired Samus sports Metroid Dread's version of her Power Suit with the elongated helmet and visor. Samus' right arm also has her Arm Cannon. However, like Evangelion's flagship mecha EVA-01, there is a major spike on each shoulder of Samus' suit. The black-and-white drawing expertly captures the domineering atmosphere of the EVA-01 while maintaining Samus' resolve to fight what comes her way. Throughout October, Osaj drew several anime-inspired crossovers for Metroid, including Dragon Ball Z.
Fan art of the Metroid series is nothing new. A fan art piece of Samus shows her Metroid Dread suit, from Mega Man Zero's illustrator. This piece delighted fans because Capcom's Mega Man video game franchise is about a fighting robot defending the world from robotic threats - in many ways similar to Metroid's Samus protecting the galaxy from Space Pirates. Likewise, there is something especially fitting about Osaj's crossover between a mecha anime and a series with a cybernetic suit-wearing character.
With Nintendo's Metroid Dread having been out for less than a month, there will definitely be more Metroid fan art to come. Hopefully future Metroid fan art will tie over fans until a new installment in the Metroid series comes out - perhaps this next installment will be the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4.
Source: Dennis Osaj/Twitter