Japanese railway’s famous “Evangelion”-inspired bullet train will be ending its service come springtime.
Also known as the 500 Type Eva Shinkansen, the anime-inspired bullet train came into service on Nov. 7, 2015. It will have traversed the Hakata to Shin-Osaka line for around two and a half years when it finally ceases operation by spring or sometime in May.
The train’s service period has been made public on its official website. It also contains information on the special train’s history and attractions.
One of the on-board attractions is a full-scale model of an entry plug seat as seen in the anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Fans of the show may get a chance to experience what it would be like to sit in the cockpit of a bio-mechanical creature built to save the world.
The 500 Type Eva also exudes a customized outer appearance modeled after the Eva Unit-01. Interiors match the outer skin with purple seats and “Evangelion” signages.
It even has futuristic-looking doors between train cars.
Riders may also check out the photo spot and purchase special “Evangelion”-related items.
So far there have been no announcements made on what will take the place of the 500 Type Eva Shinkansen. For the time being, fans still have a couple of months left to fly to Japan and experience it before the train service goes on its final run.
The anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion” first aired in 1995 as a 26-episode series. The story focuses on 14-year-old children recruited to pilot giant biomechanical creatures called Evangelions. They fight off beings known as Angels to prevent a repeat of the cataclysm called the Second Impact, which destroyed most of the world before the start of the series. The show has since earned countless fans worldwide and spawned an almost equal number of related merchandise from pencil cases to toys and clothing. /ra
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