Get in the damn Golden Arches, Shinji!

You know an anime has hit the visual-design bullseye when not only its characters, creatures, and mecha are memorable, but when even its font instantly signals the series. So when McDonald’s Japan put out a tweet announcing “Preview”…

…fans instantly knew that a collaboration with Evangelion was on the way!

This is McDonald’s first-ever tie-up with the fabled franchise that ping pongs between those two classic narrative conflicts: man-versus-self, as protagonist Shinji struggles to overcome the trials of adolescent self-realization, and man-versus-giant aliens as he and his fellow Eva mecha pilots fight to defend Earth from the rampaging Angels.

And yes, there’s an animated promotion for the collaboration, featuring the anime series’ A-list voice cast reprising their roles.

As you can see in the video, Eva Units 00, 01, and 02 are now transforming robots (though not Transformers) who convert from a classic three-item combo meal into, as Misato announces…

▼ Big Mac Test Type!

▼ McFrench Fry Production Model!

▼ And McShake Prototype!

Dimensions for the individual figures haven’t been released, but considering the size of the box they come bundled in, as well as the preview images of them being carried on a tray, they look pretty big, perhaps even 1:1-scale compared to the actual McDonald’s menu items.

Now, seeing McDonald’s and toys together, the natural mental leap is to Happy Meals. Evangelion is a franchise that hardly ever goes for the obvious narrative pattern, though, and instead the figures are being offered as what’s being called the McDonald’s Evangelion Value Set, which includes all three transforming Evas for 3,900 yen (US$26). Surprisingly, the set doesn’t appear to include any actual food, but since you have to go to a branch of the burger chain to pick it up, McDonald’s probably figures you’ll grab a bite to eat there too, since why would you be buying McDonald’a Eva figures if you weren’t at least OK with McDonald’s?

Demand is no doubt going to be high, so the McDonald’s Evangelion Value Set is being offered for sale through a lottery system. Interested buyers can register via the McDonald’s Japan app after scanning the QR code at the special webpage here between now and January 10. Those who are selected for eligibility to purchase the set will be notified on January 16, and can pick up their Evas between January 20 and 26.

As for edible Eva tie-ups, McDonald’s says that the transforming figures are the “first round” of the collaboration, with the next being something that “conveys the world of Evangelion through deliciousness” and promising more details later this month. Fingers crossed that it’s not an End of Evangelion Shinji sauce burger.

Source: McDonald’s Japan
Top image: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan
Insert images: McDonald’s Japan, Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan
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