International Railroad Discussion > Japan: Shinkansen – Evangelion Project, 500 Type Eva

During a visit to Japan last week, I was able to capture a rare Shinkansen - the N500 series, "Evangelion Project, 500 Type Eva".

Set N2, one of 9 N500 series Shinkansen currently in operation, is the only one in this special livery, which is part of the "Shinkansen:Evangelion Project" to mark the 40th anniversary of the Sanyo Shinkansen and the 20th anniversary of the Neon Genesis Evangelion animation series.

The train is arriving at Kokura station at 0652 hr, with train Kodama 730, 0636 hrs ex Hakata to Shin-Osaka. After leaving Kokura, the train will enter a tunnel for the undersea crossing from the island of Kyushu to Honshu.

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it is either a plane or a sports car, cept for those parrallel iron thingies

Nice catch! I did a "chase" and ride back in May, which included a 2 mile hike to a prime railfanning location to catch the "500 EVA" running at speed (270-285 km/h), then hopped on the EVA on its return trip back to Hakata to get some interior shots.

I'll probably post my videos in a separate report, but here are some interior shots of the "500 EVA."

- Interior has subtle Evangelion styling, the purplish-colors, Evangelion logos, and the aisle carpeting, but otherwise, a typical 3x2 500 Type interior.

- Less subtle near the vestibule.

- Lead car (going west) has the Evangelion exhibits. The anime was aired on TV back in 1995-1996, so that might explain the grown up visitors in this shot. While I have never watched the TV series, it did not have high number of viewers at first, but became a cult classic later.

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- There's an Evangelion cockpit in the lead car. After paying a small change, you can sit in it and play the simulator. The lady attendant (in Evangelion apron) keeps watch, while the kids are fascinated by it.

- Closer look at the Evangelion cockpit.

- Evangelion is a huge robot weaponry piloted by humans according to the story, and here's one being "transported" on rails in a display. In the background are "B Train Shorty" versions of the N scale Shinkansens.

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- Better look of an Evangelion, "under construction" and standing upright in another display.

- JR West explaining the finer points of a Shinkansen cockpit using Evangelion characters. Key information in this display are the following: Shape of the 500 Type nose is a result of minimizing the air pressure shockwaves from Tunnel Boom; The original 0 Type Shinkansen required two engineers, but miniaturization of electronics led to needing only one engineer in the 500 Type, since the displays and controls were brought closer together.

- That's it for the interior shots.

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WOW! Amazing. The Japanese certainly dont do things by halves. 

I thought the paintwork over the windows of the last car in the video seemed too solid to be able to see through & now I know why.

Thanks for posting all the additional information & photos.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/16 02:57 by Stephenloco.

In your dreams Gov. Jerry Brown, in your dreams.