A Cruel Angel's Thesis
| "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Original anime edition cover of "Zankoku na tenshi no tēze"/"Fly Me to the Moon" | ||||
| Single by Yoko Takahashi | ||||
| from the album Neon Genesis Evangelion | ||||
| Language | Japanese | |||
| A-side | "Fly Me to the Moon" | |||
| Released | October 25, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:05 | |||
| Label | Starchild | |||
| Composer(s) | Hidetoshi Satō | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Neko Oikawa | |||
| Producer(s) | Toshiyuki Ōmori | |||
| Yoko Takahashi singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music videos | ||||
| "The Cruel Angel's Thesis" on YouTube | ||||
"The Cruel Angel's Thesis" (残酷な天使のテーゼ, Zankoku na Tenshi no Tēze), also known as "A Cruel Angel's Thesis", is a J-pop song performed by Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi. Toshiyuki Ōmori and Hidetoshi Satō composed the song, while Neko Oikawa wrote the lyrics. It was written for the opening theme of the anime television series Neon Genesis Evangelion, and was released as a double-A-sided single with "Fly Me to the Moon", the show's closing theme, on October 25, 1995. "The Cruel Angel's Thesis" was also included in the series' soundtrack releases and Takahashi's albums.
The song had a positive reception from music critics and audiences; it later became one of the most famous Japanese anisongs, songs specially created for anime series. Years after the show's first airing, "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" has remained a popular Japanese karaoke song, winning popularity polls and awards. On the Internet, along with its official video, the song gained further fame through covers and parodies, becoming one of the most famous theme songs in the history of animation.