Neon Genesis Evangeli-Train

Did I mention that Japan likes trains AND anime? So put the two together and you get a Neon Genesis Evangelion themed Shinkansen train...

Observations:

The Kyoto Railway Museum includes a mock up of the real Eva themed Shinkansen that is running till May between Tokyo and Osaka. The real one is... quite frankly better!

A lot of the trains in Japan have their own musical tune to announce their arrival at a station, when the Eva Shinkansen approaches a station it even plays the Evangelion theme song so you know it's no ordinary train you are about to catch.

They of course have their own standard Japanese merchandise which consists of branded stationery and keychains.

I actually didn't know this exhibit was here till we showed up, but in and odd twist of fate the shirt I'm wearing on this day is an Asuka-themed one I got from the Evangelion store when we were in Tokyo - so an Asuka-pose next to an Asuka cut out while wearing an Auska shirt seemed appropriate. Rei meanwhile gets a typical Rei pose with the distant stare in the pits of nothingness.

Shinji gets nothing.

Themed trains is actually a bit of a longstanding tradition in Japan, they call them Joyful Trains. Some are Pokemon themed, there's an art gallery train from JR:

https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/joyful-character…

One of the railway companies claims it was "saved" by going full on cat themed:

http://www.wakayama-dentetsu.co.jp/en/

They are really into this stuff...

Kaiju Collected:

Asuka character shot, Rei meet and greet - totally just like in the show!もっと詳しく