If there is one anime that never goes out of popularity in Japan, it’sNeon Genesis Evangelion. Despite beingseveral decades oldnow, the anime still has a significant cultural impact in Japan today, and the characters, colors, and even font style are recognizable by even people who have never watched the anime. Thus, it comes as no surprise to see another bigNeon Genesis Evangelionevent springing up in Tokyo.
This event is called Eva Crossing Expo, and is happening right now in Shibuya, Tokyo. The name refers to the famous Shibuya scramble crossing that is just a few minutes away from the building the expo is being held in. The expo’s goal is to share the spread ofEvangelion’s culture over the years, and to feature a lot of merchandise for fans to buy.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion, often shorted toEvangelionor simplyEva, originally aired in Japan in 1995. Since the first 26-episode anime series, there have been several movies, manga, and even a light novel. Themost recent movie,Rebuild of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, was released in 2021. Over the years,Evangelionhas had a significant cultural impact in Japan, and Eva Crossing Expo is showcasing exactly that.
Within the Expo,Evangelionfans can see a lot of the special collaborations that the anime has had over the past 30 years. A few of these include the specialEvangelionshinkansen (bullet train), a collaboration withHello Kitty, and even a giant Nebuta, a kind of traditional light-up decoration from the prefecture of Aomori. And that is just naming a few of the things over the years that you can see at the Eva Crossing Expo.
Additionally, there is a ton of merchandise available for sale at the expo. Currently, there are a few permanentEvangelionstores across Japan where fans can shop any time, and the expo will have the largestEvangelionstore yet. It has a lot of products that are available in the other stores, as well as best-selling products from the past, and new products that are exclusive to the expo. With everything from fashion and house goods to figures, stationary, and toys, there is something for everyone.
On select dates, there are also photo opportunities with mascot characters. These include the local mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kumamon, dressed as EVA-1, and the angel Yurushito from the anime.You can also meet the ladies from theEvangelionRacing RQ team dressed asAsuka, Rei, and Mari.
Finally, a trip to the Eva Crossing Expo would not be complete without some food, and there are two special soft ice creams available. The first is green and purple in the image of EVA-1 with the expo’s logo. The second is strawberry and chocolate with a picture ofYurushito. Both are being advertised as being perfect for posting on social media.
Tickets for Eva Crossing Expo are ¥2,000 (about $15USD) for normal tickets, or ¥3,500 (about $30 USD) including a special book pamphlet about the event. It will last about six weeks, and then will be moving to Osaka later in the year.
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Eva Crossing Expo is being held from July 15 to July 10, 2025, in the Shibuya Hikarie building in Tokyo.
