The Eva Japonisme project — dedicated to fusing Japan’s traditional arts with the world of Evangelion — is back with its second installment: EVANGELION 風神雷神図屏風 (EVANGELION Fujin Raijin-zu Byobu), a collection of five folding-screen artworks inspired by the wind and thunder gods of classical Japanese painting. The series will go on sale from 17 July 2026 through the official online shop Ukiyo-e Kobo, operated by Hansan Co., Ltd.
From TV Screen to National Treasure
The Evangelion franchise began with the 1995 TV anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, following young pilots who battle mysterious beings called Angels using giant humanoid weapons known as Evangelions. A theatrical reboot series, Rebuild of Evangelion, launched in 2007 and concluded with Shin Evangelion Theatrical Version in 2021.
Eva Japonisme channels traditional Japanese art forms — ukiyo-e, washi paper, woodblock printing, and byobu folding screens — to reinterpret Evangelion, making visible the franchise’s inherent mythological, symbolic, and spiritual dimensions in a deeper cultural context.
Sotatsu’s Brushwork Meets EVA
Each piece in the new series draws on Tawaraya Sotatsu‘s celebrated national-treasure painting Fujin Raijin-zu Byobu, overlaying the divine authority of the wind god (Fujin) and thunder god (Raijin) onto individual EVA units. The EVA designs sample Sotatsu’s distinctive brushwork and sculptural sensibility, as if the Edo-period master had painted the mechs himself. The human characters are rendered not with photographic realism but with expressive brushwork that conveys each pilot’s inner world and narrative role.
The Five Works
- Raijin-zu: Unit-01 / Ikari Shinji — Unit-01 is cast as the thunder god, embodying both “awe” and “salvation.” Shinji is depicted with eyes closed, drifting in mid-air — a figure buffeted by a cruel fate that shakes even his sense of self.
- Fujin-zu: Unit-00 / Ayanami Rei — Unit-00 takes the role of the protective wind god. Rei stands resolute despite an inner emptiness, reaching toward a purpose she has yet to grasp.
- Fujin-zu: Unit-02 / Shikinami Asuka Langley — The dynamism and guardian power of the wind god are merged with Unit-02’s strength. Asuka is portrayed as someone who leaps into danger and duty without hesitation, a symbol of decisive will.
- Fujin-zu: Unit-08 / Makinami Mari Illustrious — Unit-08 embodies the wind god’s protective force. Mari is shown diving in with a smile even in dire circumstances, her whole body expressing an open, positive strength of spirit.
- Fujin-zu: Mark.06 / Nagisa Kaworu — Mark.06 is cast as the wind god who protects and guides. Kaworu is rendered with a serene smile and arms spread wide, as if ready to embrace all things.
Standalone Art or Unified Panorama
Each piece stands alone as an independent artwork, but when arranged side by side in the traditional nikyoku isseki (two-panel, single-screen) format, the gazes, hand directions, and spatial distances between characters begin to converse, revealing relationships and dialogues across the panels. Collectors can also place figures in front of the screens to create an immersive three-dimensional Japanese display space.
Product Details
The ukiyo-e byobu 「EVANGELION 風神雷神図屏風～雷神図」 specifications are as follows:
- Price: ¥27,000 (tax excluded)
- Distributor: Hansan Co., Ltd. (株式会社版三)
- Dimensions (open): H 31.4 cm × W 43.7 cm × D 1.0 cm
- Dimensions (folded): H 31.4 cm × W 22.0 cm × D 2.0 cm
- Materials: Washi paper, wood, MDF, cloth
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