It's always nice when cities celebrate the remarkable people that grew up there. Ube, a city in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture, is embracing the work of Hideaki Anno by erecting a giant Spear of Longinus from Anno’s most famous work, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The prop, which stands at over 22 feet tall, is part of a wider collaboration between the city of Ube and Evangelion.

The Spear of Longinus is one of the most iconic weapons from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is one of the few items capable of piercing an Angel’s AT Field. However, this one is designed to draw tourists in rather than drive off Heavenly hosts. The huge weapon can be seen stabbed into the ground in Tokiwa Park in Ube, where it is bathed in red light at night to complete the look from the anime.

The event celebrating Ube’s place in Neon Genesis Evangelion’s history runs through 8 January 2024 and includes shops and displays at the local airport and a food fair with Evangelion-themed items for sale. It also features an AR app that turns Misato into a local tour guide to show tourists the sights. Of course, the coolest part of the whole festival is definitely the Spear of Longinus sticking out of the ground in the middle of the city. Nothing says “visit our town” quite like invoking the apocalyptic Third Impact, right?

While the collaboration event will end shortly into the new year, all hope isn’t lost if you’re desperate to get your picture taken with the Spear of Longinus. The city hasn’t announced a date when they plan to remove the art installation. Considering it is a 21-foot-tall hunk of steel, we don’t think they’re going to be in a huge hurry to remove it. Even if you can't make it to Japan, the local tourism board has been keen to share videos and photos on social media to make you feel like you're right there.

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