Returning to Tokyo-3: Seal Lab Visits the EVANGELION 30th Anniversary Exhibition
Thirty years after its debut, Neon Genesis Evangelion continues to inspire generations. Discover the iconic world of EVA with Seal Lab as we explore its 30th anniversary exhibition in Shanghai and reflect on how great creative works become lasting cultural memories.
Released Date: 2nd, Nov., 2026
In November, members of Seal Lab visited the EVANGELION 30th Anniversary Exhibition in Shanghai.
The exhibition is being held at Exhibition Space E on the 11th floor of Shanghai New World City and will remain open until January 3, 2027. SCLA serves as the exclusive licensing agent, with TORNADO and Jijin Culture as the organizers.
Since the original television anime premiered in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion has now reached its thirtieth anniversary. For a series that has influenced generations of anime fans, thirty years is clearly more than just a milestone. Over the past year, Japan has seen a series of anniversary projects, including the "EVANGELION:30+;" event in Yokohama, the traveling "ALL OF EVANGELION" exhibition in Iwate and other locations, and Bandai's successive releases in its METAL BUILD 30th Anniversary series.
By comparison, the Shanghai exhibition stands out as one of the most significant celebrations of EVA's 30th anniversary in the Chinese market this year.
The timing is interesting, too. On the very same day, Hong Kong launched a weekly re-release program featuring all six Evangelion theatrical films. Meanwhile, the "The Last Messenger: Kaworu Nagisa Exhibition," which opened on September 25, was reportedly the first overseas stop of its kind outside Japan. Clearly, the anniversary celebrations are far from over.
Starting with the Rebuild of Evangelion
At the entrance stands a wall of four illuminated panels, each displaying the logo of one of the four Rebuild of Evangelion films: Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, and Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
The numbers 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 3.0+1.0 mark the four stages of the Rebuild series. For those who first discovered EVA through the theatrical films, these illuminated panels are perhaps the most immediate gateway back to those memories.
The exhibition itself is quite extensive. Its main sections include an original artwork and production materials gallery, a miniature model of Tokyo-3, a screening space featuring iconic scenes, a dedicated area for the 30th anniversary short animation, a music screening space, a figure display, and several recreated scenes from the series where visitors can take photos.
If you want to explore everything at a comfortable pace, we recommend setting aside around two hours.
Original Artwork: Rediscovering How the Series Was Made
The largest section of the exhibition is dedicated to original artwork and production materials. It brings together a wide range of creative documents from across the EVA franchise, including character designs, background settings, and original animation drawings. Together, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the process of bringing the series from its earliest concepts to the finished screen.
For longtime EVA fans, there are plenty of details worth stopping for. Scenes that may have flashed by in the anime take on a different character when presented as original drawings, naturally encouraging visitors to slow down and look more closely.
Some of the materials from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time are particularly memorable. Seeing them again brings back the emotions of watching the film in theaters. Take Rei Ayanami in Village-3, for example. Those quiet scenes of everyday life carry an even greater sense of meaning when viewed through the original artwork.
Unlike simply displaying finished images, these materials bring visitors closer to the creative process itself. Every line, revision, and compositional detail reveals the enormous amount of careful work behind the animation.
For a series that has been around for thirty years, these original materials are valuable records in their own right.
Tokyo-3 and the Scenes We Remember
Another highlight is a detailed miniature model of Tokyo-3, complete with a mode-switching effect that simulates the city's battle preparations.
For EVA, Tokyo-3 is arguably one of the most iconic settings in the entire story. Its underground city, surface-level buildings, retractable structures, and automated defense systems activated during Angel attacks all contribute to its distinctive vision of a futuristic city. The miniature model on display is impressively detailed, and switching between its different presentation modes reveals different aspects of the city. It is certainly one of the more visually engaging installations in the exhibition.
There is also a dedicated screening space showing a continuous loop of iconic scenes from the EVA series.
Another screening area features classic songs such as "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" and "Soul's Refrain," alongside the special 30th anniversary short animation starring Asuka, which had previously been released online.
For fans, these familiar melodies and images are perhaps the parts of the exhibition most likely to bring back memories.
More Than EVA: Another Side of Hideaki Anno
The exhibition also features elements from Shin Ultraman and Shin Kamen Rider.
At first, their presence might seem a little unexpected. However, it makes perfect sense when viewed in context. Both live-action films were directed by Hideaki Anno and can be seen, in some ways, as extensions of his broader creative vision.
From Neon Genesis Evangelion to Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman, and Shin Kamen Rider, Anno has consistently reinterpreted iconic elements of Japanese tokusatsu and anime culture in his own distinctive way.
Rather than treating these works as additional Easter eggs in an EVA exhibition, it is perhaps better to see this section as a brief retrospective of the director's wider creative journey.
Thirty Years Later: Returning to EVA
Overall, the Shanghai EVANGELION 30th Anniversary Exhibition offers a rich and varied experience. From original drawings and production materials to recreated environments, video screenings, and collectible figures, it covers most of what fans would hope to see at an anniversary exhibition.
Yet what stays with us after the visit may not be any single exhibit, but rather the enduring cultural presence of EVA itself and its ability to remain relevant for three decades.
From the original television anime in 1995 to the Rebuild theatrical series, and now to anniversary events, exhibitions, models, and collectibles around the world, EVA has long since grown beyond the boundaries of an animated series. It has developed its own visual language, musical memories, and cultural symbols, continually finding its way into the lives of new generations through different media and forms of expression.
Thirty years have passed. Audiences have changed, and the ways people consume culture have changed, too. Yet there are still people willing to stop and spend time with a character, a story, or even a single familiar image.
This also got us thinking about what we are trying to achieve at Seal Lab.
One question we keep coming back to is this: How can a creation born in the digital world become something tangible, collectible, and worth preserving for years to come?
A special edition book, a carefully designed set of cards, or a collectible created around a particular work is more than just a manufactured product. These objects carry the creator's original vision, as well as the emotional connection between an audience and the work itself.
The EVA 30th Anniversary Exhibition reminds us that the life of a creative work does not depend solely on its original creation. It is also sustained by decades of participation, reinterpretation, collecting, and sharing by countless people. Thoughtfully designed and carefully produced physical objects are an important part of how cultural memories continue to live on.
Thirty years after its debut, EVA still brings people together at exhibitions like this one.
And perhaps that is exactly why we continue to invest ourselves in the creative and physical production industry: great works deserve to be seen, and they deserve to be preserved in forms that do them justice.
Ronald
Seal Lab Print
Exhibition Information
Exhibition: Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th Anniversary Exhibition
Venue: Exhibition Space E, 11F, Shanghai New World City
Dates: Open until January 3, 2027
Exclusive Licensing Agent: SCLA
Organizers: TORNADO and Jijin Culture
Recommended Visiting Time: Approximately 2 hours
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