Evangelion takes over as Wonder Festival 2025 Summer becomes “Eva WonFes”
Japan’s Wonder Festival and the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise are set to reunite for a special collaboration event in 2025, building on their successful partnership in 2020.
The “Eva Wonder Festival” (“Eva WonFes”) event will commemorate the 30th anniversary of Evangelion, celebrating the franchise’s enduring impact on pop culture and the garage kit community.
The special “Eva WonFes” event will see a large part of Wonder Festival 2025 [Summer] transformed into a special Evangelion centric exhibition area.
Neon Genesis Evangelion, created by Hideaki Anno and produced by Gainax and Tatsunoko Production, first aired in 1995.
It quickly became a foundational series in anime, known for its complex narrative, psychological depth, and distinctive mecha designs.
Wonder Festival, a biannual event held in Japan, is one of the world’s largest gatherings for garage kit and figure enthusiasts, showcasing both professional and amateur sculptors.
The relationship between Evangelion and the garage kit scene runs deep; early in the franchise’s history, model kits of its characters and mechs became a significant movement at Wonder Festival.
Evangelion’s production staff utilized garage kits as “animation reference models,” illustrating a symbiotic creative relationship that has significantly shaped both the series and subculture.
The key visual for “Eva WonFes” was created by Kaneko Shake, an illustrator from Hyogo Prefecture known for their comic-style art.
The upcoming event promises to feature the largest collection of Evangelion series sculptures to date.
The exhibition will span works inspired by various Evangelion media, including:
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- The End of Evangelion
- The Rebuild of Evangelion film series
- The Evangelion ANIMA novel series
This extensive display aims to showcase different interpretations of the Evangelion universe, offering a variety of perspectives on the series and its themes.
While specific exhibits remain a surprise, these impressive displays are intended to allow fans to observe, experience, photograph, and discuss the series’ grand scale firsthand.
A “Legendary Sculptures Corner” will transport visitors back in time, showcasing a selection of garage kit works from the franchise’s early days.
Kaiyodo, a prominent figure company, first produced and sold Evangelion-related resin kits at Wonder Festival 1996 [Winter], just months after the TV anime’s initial broadcast.
These early “Eva Garake” (Eva garage kits) reflect the nascent but passionate garage kit culture of the time, revealing the skill, challenges, and dedication of their creators.
An example on display will be the 1996 “Rei Ayanami in Hospital Room” by sculptor Kuniaki Teraoka and colorist Tetsuya Umeda.
This exhibit offers a rare opportunity to view these nearly 30-year-old works, allowing long-time fans to reminisce and new fans to discover the origins of Evangelion’s merchandising history.
To further celebrate Evangelion’s 30th anniversary, numerous companies dealing in Evangelion-related products will be present.
Visitors can explore a wide variety of items, including figures, apparel, food, and more, offering opportunities to discover both rare finds and new releases.
The event will also include interactive workshops. Hall 1’s experience corner will host painting workshops for “Yurushito,” the relaxed character originating from EVANGELION STORE, and assembly experiences for the “ARTPLA Evangelion Unit-01 (Beige Color)” model kit.
Additionally, “Eva WonFes” will release special Wonder Festival merchandise utilizing the event’s key visual.
Details regarding the limited-edition Evangelion x Wonder Festival goods will be announced at a later date.
Wonder Festival 2025 [Summer] will take place at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 1-8 on the 27th of July, 2025.
Tickets are now available via the official website.
| calendar_month DATE | Jul 27 2025 |
|---|---|
| schedule TIME | 10:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| payments Cost | from ¥3500 |
| info Website | Official Website |
| location_on Location | Daimaru Umeda/Tokyo |
|---|---|
| map Area | Chiba Makuhari Osaka Tokyo Marunouchi |
| category CATEGORY | Anime/Manga Gaming Pop Up Shop |
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