I mustn’t run out of cash…I mustn’t run out of cash…
One of the great ironies is that back in the beginning, Evangelion had trouble working out merchandising deals. That’s obviously no longer an issue for the anime juggernaut, though, as there’s now a near-constant flow of Eva figures, fashion, and even food.
If anything, the problem for fans isn’t finding some merch they want, but keeping enough cash on hand for those impulse buys. So it makes sense that as of this week, Japan has talking Evangelion ATMs.
On Monday, convenience store Lawson reconfigured its in-store ATM terminals with a new user interface with an Evngelion motif, featuring the characters, fonts, and other visual design cues of the series. The really special part, though, is that the ATMs also talk with one of three iconic Eva voices.
Currently, your transactions will be guided by the voice of Misato (portrayed by voice actress Kotono Mitsuishi). On January 25, Misato hands off ATM duties to Evangelion Unit-02 pilot Asuka (Yuko Miyamura), and, protagonist Shinji’s stint starts on February 1 and runs until February 14.
▼ Yeah, he has to wait the longest, but Shinji should probably just be happy he wasn’t left out entirely.
Initially, the promotion was meant to overlap with the release of the final Rebuild of Evangelion movie, Thrice Upon a Time, which was supposed to start playing in Japanese theaters on January 23. That premiere has since been delayed indefinitely, but at least in the meantime, the Eva cast will be there for you if you need to make a withdrawal to pay for one of those crazy Unit-01 drink holders.
Source, images: Lawson
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