Ahead of the October 29 opening of "Machichu Evangelion 2026," Ube City has completed a new specially commissioned illustration and confirmed that a statue of Evangelion Unit-01 will be installed at Yamaguchi Ube Airport.
Centered on JR Ube-Shinkawa Station and Yamaguchi Ube Airport — the city's main gateways — the campaign takes advantage of the many tourists expected to visit during the Yamaguchi Destination Campaign to draw more visitors to Ube.
In related news, singer Yoko Takahashi will also appear on the special stage at "Ube Matsuri" in November.
1. New "Machichu Evangelion 2026" Illustration Unveiled
Ube City worked with West Japan Railway Company (JR West) to produce a new special illustration for "Machichu Evangelion 2026."
The illustration shows five characters standing in front of the "Eva's Hand" sculpture installed at JR Ube-Shinkawa Station for "Machichu Evangelion Round 5," with the Ube Line's "105 series" train — in its yellow and tricolor liveries — and the "Kumoha 42," a train that once ran on the Ube and Onoda lines, depicted in the background, creating a composition unique to this event.
The illustration will appear at the "Machichu Evangelion 2026" special spot set up at JR Ube-Shinkawa Station, along with various other scenes throughout the campaign.
Because the event overlaps with the Yamaguchi Destination Campaign (October 1 – December 31, 2026), the two are cross-promoting one another.
2. "Evangelion Unit-01" Statue Returns to Yamaguchi Ube Airport
The Unit-01 statue that greeted many fans at "EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION," the Evangelion series' 30th anniversary event held in Yokohama in February 2026 — where Ube City itself had a booth — is making a return appearance at Yamaguchi Ube Airport, which is marking the 60th anniversary of its opening.
With the cooperation of Yamaguchi Ube Airport Building Co., Ltd., the statue will be installed from mid-September, ahead of the opening of "Machichu Evangelion 2026."
- Installation period: September 18 (Friday), 2026 – March 14 (Sunday), 2027
- Location: 2nd floor departure lobby, Yamaguchi Ube Airport Domestic Terminal Building
At the "EVANGELION:30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION" event, Ube City in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture — both known as model locations for the series — formed an official partnership and jointly exhibited a booth, crossing municipal boundaries.
This is a return appearance for the statue, which previously drew crowds when displayed at the same airport during the second and third rounds of "Machichu Evangelion."
3. Related News: Yoko Takahashi to Appear on Special Stage at Ube Matsuri
To mark the 105th anniversary of Ube's city status, singer Yoko Takahashi will appear at "Ube Matsuri," the city's largest festival, held November 1 at venues including MUCC Cement Plaza.
The festival's timing overlaps with the October 29 opening of "Machichu Evangelion 2026," adding to the excitement across the city this autumn.
About Yoko Takahashi
Takahashi made her major-label solo debut in 1991 with "P.S. I Miss You," winning the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist and the Yusen Music Award for Best New Artist.
She is best known for "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," the theme song of the 1995 TV anime "Neon Genesis Evangelion," and "Tamashii no Rufuran," the theme song of the 1997 film "Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth" — both of which continue to sell well today.
She has sold approximately 1.75 million records in total, with 7 million digital downloads and 400 million streams.
In 2025, she held her first-ever solo tour in China, and continues to perform actively both in Japan and abroad, including appearances at Evangelion Wind Symphony concerts in South Korea and North America.
About "Machichu Evangelion 2026 – Ube's Town, Awakens! –"
Running from October 29 (Thursday), 2026 to March 14 (Sunday), 2027, "Machichu Evangelion" is an annual event that lets visitors enjoy the world of Evangelion throughout Ube City.
Ube City is the hometown of Hideaki Anno, general director of the Evangelion series. After JR Ube-Shinkawa Station appeared as one of the series' model locations, the city began holding "Machichu Evangelion" every year starting in 2021, the year it marked the 100th anniversary of its city status.
Official "Machichu Evangelion Ube" X (Twitter)
Official "Machichu Evangelion" Website (scheduled to update August 19 (Wednesday) at 1:00 PM)
