With Neon Genesis Evangelion being such an integral part of modern Japanese culture (at least in the pop culture sense), perhaps it was only a matter of time before it was combined with another age-old Japanese tradition – that of the ‘izakaya.’
Loosely translating to ‘pub,’ izakaya are a mainstay in Japanese nightlife as not only do they serve alcoholic drinks at very reasonable prices but also a wide array of special food designed especially to accompany a cool beer or highball. So you can bet we were excited to hear that the legendary Evangelion series will be opening an izakaya of its own – but not without a distinctly Evangelion flavor, of course.
Set to open November 16 in Ikebukuro, the ‘Evangelion Pub’ will be serving up more than 30 different Evangelion-themed food and drink items for fans of the series to enjoy. The menu will draw inspiration from scenes and famous lines from the series for its offerings, such as the “I Mustn’t Run Away! Super Spicy Mapo Tofu Bowl” and the “Anta Bataaa? Asuka’s Corn Butter” dish.
Furthermore, the various drinks on offer – many of which are themed after the Evangelion units themselves – are all only 390 yen, which makes the pub very competitive with the cheap prices of other, regular izakayas. What’s more is that ordering a drink will enter you into a prize draw, from which you can receive a special calendar for the year ahead.
And speaking of the year ahead, this year is a rather special one as it will mark the last year of the ‘Heisei’ era, with Japan’s current Emperor abdicating at the end of the year, thus bringing in a new, as of yet unnamed era presided over by his son, Naruhito. To ring in the end of this historic period, the pub will also be hosting an event with none other than Yoko Takahashi on December 26, who lent her voice to the series’ original opening song, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis.
Other events are set to be announced (including a ‘rock-paper-scissors grand tournament’) so keep your eye on the official Evangelion website for more details, here. The full menu for the pub can also be found here. You’ll have until January 6, 2019, to check it out.