It's a piece of news that mightn't hold any interest without some context.
As reported by Andriasang (and picked up by VG247), a Japanese developer is making a new PSP rhythm-action title. So what?
Firstly, the Japanese developer in question is Shadows of the Damned creator Grasshopper Manufacture, a company already known for its odd takes on standard genre types.
The studio's composer is Akira Yamaoka, who's previous works includes the Silent Hill series.
The title is based on an anime entitled Neon Genesis Evangelion, a franchise whose original television series is regarded as one of the most bat-shit crazy concepts disguised on the surface as a traditional teen-angst-meets-giant-robot-fights story.
Rebuild of Evangelion Sound Impact is due out in September for PSP in Japan, and offers six different modes (if the translation of the original source material is correct) mixing music and visuals from the franchise.
This still mightn't seem like much unless you know the material.
Neon Genesis Evangelion was a twenty-six episode anime series released in the late 90s which received critical acclaim, mostly due to its handling of standard subject matter of a trio of teenagers piloting massive mechs to combat an escalating alien threat. Monster-of-the-week cliche meets soap opera.
But what started as traditional teen angst bookended by citywide fight sequences quickly fell into a swirling mix of physiological mind-melts, hard-boiled questions of morality, sex and death, stunning use of biblical imagery and the horrifying practical implementation of religious dogma. The latter concept alone has swallowed vast column inches online with the sort of passionate conspiracy theories usually reserved for Roswell.
The series has had a few tie-in games before, but the obvious route would be a 3D beat-em up. And if this was the 90s, and any other developer, that's the route that might be taken. And you'd expect given the content matter, Grasshopper would be perfect for making something of it. But the developer's going action-rhythm. Bizarre.
Can we also note that the TV series used cover versions of Sinatra's 'Fly Me to the Moon' for its post-show credits sequence, and whose soundtrack CDs offer over twenty different remixes and versions of the song? That there's reportedly thirty tracks in the game suggests we might see at least one new mix.
While it's unlikely ever to see light of day outside Japan, we'll be extremely interested to see the final game upon release.