Sadly, it looks like giant walking robots are still a long ways off. While the technology has definitely made some huge steps forward in recent years, just getting robots to walk on their own can be a major hurdle – making them the size of skyscrapers and then putting a pilot inside probably won't be any easier. That's not to say that it's not worth it to build giant robots, it's just that it'll probably take longer than anyone would have hoped.
So, if you can't have a giant walking robot, what's the next best thing? Well, according to Japan (the unrivaled experts on all things mecha), it's to re-paint one of your bullet trains to look like one of the most iconic walking tanks in anime. That's right: Japanese train company JR West is currently planning on repainting one of its trains to look like Evangelion Unit 01 from Neon Genesis Evangelion. The "500 Type Eva Project" is set to launch this year, and it's not just a shiny new paint job – even the train's interior will be remodeled to look like the inside of the mech.
You may be asking yourself why a company would spend thousands of dollars repainting a train and remodeling the interior to look like a giant fictional robot. The answer is simple: birthdays!
If you're lucky enough to live somewhere in western Japan, you can expect to see the Unit 01 Sanyō Shinkansen start running later this year. It's not a one-time thing, either: the Type 500 Eva Project will continue running until sometime in 2017. If you don't happen to live in Japan, well ... until Amtrak thinks up something equally cool, pictures will have to suffice.
For anyone wondering if this 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' show is worth watching, check out our Beginner's Guide to Anime (spoiler - it totally is)!
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