The anime-inspired “Evangelion” bullet train 500 Type EVA completed its last run on May 13, Mother’s Day.
Around 1,200 anime fans and train enthusiasts flocked to the Shin-Osaka train station platform to see the train off on its final journey, according to a report by Kyodo News.
The specially outfitted 500-series bullet train or “shinkansen” of the West Japan Railway Co. started operating in November 2015. It ran on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line from Shin-Osaka to Hakata.
The 500 Type EVA’s introduction in 2015 also marked the 40th anniversary of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line and the anime series’ 20th anniversary since it first aired on TV.
This special “Evangelion” bullet train stood out on the tracks, thanks to its purple-and-green color scheme. The train’s look drew inspiration from the similarly purple-and-green main robot in the TV series, the EVA Unit-01.
Thanks to the anime’s popularity domestically and overseas, fans from around the globe flew to Japan just to get a chance to ride the unique bullet train.
Nara city resident Hiroshi Kaibe lamented the train’s last run and hoped service would resume one day. Alfred Bayle /ra
RELATED STORIES:
Pikachu Outbreak 2018 parade sked extends into the night
WATCH: Lego cherry blossom tree sets world record
‘Sailor Moon’ transforms Universal Studios Japan with new attraction