
As waste gasses from fossil fuels continue to choke our planet and money-grubbing businessmen propose plans to frack (and that’s not some coy euphemism) the very ground we walk on to get at even more of the stuff, more and more people are doing their bit to be kind to the environment. Solar panels can be seen up on the roofs of residential buildings, people separate their waste so that as much of it can be recycled as possible, and more consumers than ever are choosing electric or hybrid vehicles.
And now, Japanese motorists have another reason to go green: Evangelion-themed electric car charging stations!
In a move to promote its line of “Elseev” charging poles, Panasonic has teamed up with ever-popular anime smash Evangelion to produce these specially themed charging stations for cars that run on lovely clean fizzbang rather than the liquid remains of once-living organisms.
The pump-like stations are being installed in the town of Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, which is a popular getaway for Tokyoites due to its close proximity to the capital and picturesque landscape. And of course, as fans of the anime will know, in the world of Evangelion, Hakone actually features as “Tokyo-3”–what better place to install a series of futuristic green juice boxes to run eco cars on!?
Although there are currently only two designs in operation (models 01 and 02 in the above image), stations featuring whole Eva gang, from Rei to Kaworu, are also due to be rolled out soon, though we’re not sure when they’ll arrive or whether they’ll be a permanent feature. We certainly hope they’re here to stay, though, as charging up is a lot more fun when you’re pretending to refuel your own mini mecha!



Take a tour of Tokyo-3 on an Evangelion bus
Hakone Opens an Evangelion Themed Souvenir Shop, Hopes They Don’t Get Overrun With Fans Again
Hakone volcano erupts on small scale
We visit Evangelion’s real-life Village-3, a hidden gem where time has stopped【Photos】
Visiting Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 anime locations in real-life Hakone【Photos】
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Did Mr. Sato just discover Japan’s longest bread?
Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds
Tiny house by Muji finally goes on sale in Japan
Tokyo’s amazing 2D Cafe looks like an illustration, but it’s an actual restaurant you can eat in!
Drift ice in Japan is a disappearing winter miracle you need to see now
Japan’s hardest frozen treat is secretly an ingredient to make great hot dessert drinks【Recipe】
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan now has talking Evangelion ATMs
Godzilla vs. Evangelion towels need all of Japan as stage big enough to contain their awesomeness
Blood-red Evangelion hot spring bath to open in Japan for fun, relaxing terror
City hall in Japan now has a giant Evangelion robot statue in its lobby【Videos】
Japan Railway Company to end awesome Evangelion Shinkansen service soon, makes us all sad
Evangelion episode to be shown on giant skyscraper monitors across Japan for 20th anniversary
Real-life Evangelion apartment in Japan is ultra-cheap, ultra-anime【Photos】
We visit the full-scale Evangelion statue in Kyoto and particularly delight in the food tie-ins
Edible Evangelion Angel cores now on the menu at Coco’s Japan【Taste Test】
500 Type Eva Cafe releases exclusive lineup of Evangelion-themed meals, sweets and drinks
Official Evangelion rations now on sale at movie theaters across Japan
Evangelion, Spice and Wolf LED manhole covers installed in otaku-friendly neighborhood in Japan
You can now visit a recreation of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 and live there in miniature form in【Pics】
Japan now has a transforming giant robot/car that two full-sized adults can ride in【Video】
10 things Japan gets awesomely right