Sadly, it looks like giant walking robots are still a long ways off. While the technology has definitely made some huge steps forward in recent years, just getting robots to walk on their own can be a major hurdle – making them the size of skyscrapers and then putting a pilot inside probably won't be any easier. That's not to say that it's not worth it to build giant robots, it's just that it'll probably take longer than anyone would have hoped.
So, if you can't have a giant walking robot, what's the next best thing? Well, according to Japan (the unrivaled experts on all things mecha), it's to re-paint one of your bullet trains to look like one of the most iconic walking tanks in anime. That's right: Japanese train company JR West is currently planning on repainting one of its trains to look like Evangelion Unit 01 from Neon Genesis Evangelion. The "500 Type Eva Project" is set to launch this year, and it's not just a shiny new paint job – even the train's interior will be remodeled to look like the inside of the mech.
You may be asking yourself why a company would spend thousands of dollars repainting a train and remodeling the interior to look like a giant fictional robot. The answer is simple: birthdays!
As it turns out, 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Sanyō Shinkansen line, which runs between Osaka and Fukuoka, two of the largest cities in western Japan. That's a huge event in its own right, but it's not the only anniversary of the year: coincidentally, 2015 also marks the 20th anniversary of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series. With timing like that, the 500 Type Eva Project just makes sense ... at least for anime fans.
As if the new paint job itself wasn't a big enough surprise, the creator of the franchise will be personally overseeing the project. If there was ever any doubt that the 500 Type Eva Project wouldn't live up to its giant robot inspiration, having Hideaki Anno himself working on the project should help.
If you're lucky enough to live somewhere in western Japan, you can expect to see the Unit 01 Sanyō Shinkansen start running later this year. It's not a one-time thing, either: the Type 500 Eva Project will continue running until sometime in 2017. If you don't happen to live in Japan, well ... until Amtrak thinks up something equally cool, pictures will have to suffice.
For anyone wondering if this 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' show is worth watching, check out our Beginner's Guide to Anime (spoiler - it totally is)!
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
