
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】
Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Used chopsticks upgraded from “waste” to “valuable material” by Kawasaki City thanks to ChopValue
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
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
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 reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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