Considered as among the OG (original) Japanese animes, Neon Genesis Evangelion has helped shape global pop culture — from hairstyles to adult entertainment.

It has been 30 years since the animated series’ beloved characters, Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley Soryu and Kaworu Nagisa, among others, debuted as pilots of fighting machines stopping monsters from wiping out humanity. More than just an anime, Evangelion gave the Batang ‘90s their own generation of robotic heroes, ever since Voltes V came out in the ‘70s.

As Batang ‘90s (‘90s kids) themselves, Japanese executives Daisuke Fujii, chief executive officer of multi-brand lifestyle company Adastria; and Jimmy Gao, the company’s chief marketing officer, admitted that they, too, are big fans of Evangelion.

According to Gao, what makes Evangelion a hit all these years is because it is ahead of its time.

 “EVA (Evangelion) is one of the most iconic Japanese animes of all time… 30 years ago, the anime already depicts a post-dystopian world. And I think, a lot of people’s imagination about the future world started from EVA,” Gao told DAILY TRIBUNE in an exclusive interview.

“The first time I saw this animation, I was still in preschool. And I’m Chinese, by the way. But when I saw this Japanese animation in primary school, I was really shocked by the Japanese culture and creativity,” he shared.

Evangelion, in fact, is among the reasons why he decided to study, then eventually live and work in Japan. 

“So, it’s a very special series for me!” he exclaimed, declaring his fondness for the series’ main protagonist, Shinji Ikari. 

In contrast, Fujii, who was in third year high school when Evangelion came out, is not after any character in particular, but watched the show more for the robots.

Since Evangelion pilots and robots have been “a part of the childhood memories of a lot of people,” said Gao, they aim “to bring these characters alive again” by bringing in official EVA 30th anniversary merchandise at niko and…, a lifestyle store in SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

“It’s a coincidence. This year is the first anniversary of niko and… in Manila and this year is also the 30th anniversary for EVA,” Gao affirmed. “So we want to turn those milestones into tangible products that they will cherish not only for memories but really use for daily life.”

Indeed, instead of just coming up with collectibles that might only gather dust, the store brings in a collection that reinterprets key elements from the series through clean silhouettes, subtle graphics and styles meant for daily wear, allowing fans and new audiences to experience the world of Evangelion in a fresh and accessible way.

“Filipino consumers value design, story and creativity,” adds Fujii in a statement. “We see strong interest in Japanese culture and the ideas behind it. This collaboration is our way of celebrating Evangelion’s legacy while showing what we hope to build here. We want to grow with the market and bring more of our brands and experiences to the Philippines.”

“As you can see in the crowds, it’s super popular!” Gao said when asked how famous Evangelion still is in the Philippines. He recalled that when they were just teasing about the collection on social media, “a lot of people are already showing interest.”

“They were saying, ‘Hey! How can I buy it? When do you guys launch? So this also means it’s well-received,” he added.

The very limited collection only includes 30 to 40 SKUs (stock keeping units or inventories) for its first drop, in “very limited quantities,” he noted.

“Because we launched this collection earlier in China, and they sold out in a single day!” he claimed.

The collection, designed by the very creators of Evangelion, is exclusive to niko and… and is available in store for only 45 days.