Japan has brought in the Evangelion to combat the Coronavirus!
In the prefecture of Fukuoka, a state of emergency was declared due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in recent months. The government saw an urgent need to effectively enforce rules and regulations to curb the spread of the virus.
Most adverts and awareness campaigns were cutesy and childish characters, shedding a not-so-serious light on the pandemic. So, the Fukuoka Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters decided to change their tone of voice into something more serious.
The Neon Genesis Evangelion inspired campaign was plastered all over the Tenjin station. Tapping onto social media, the Tenjin Subway social team then shared the message on their feed.
The concourse at Tenjin Station in Fukoaka during state of emergency. Had a surprise when I got off the train! Let’s wash our hands, gargle, wear masks, and avoid the three mitsu.
The community immediately got the anime reference.
The campaign certainly has captured the attention of the community, complete with big and bolded letters in the anime’s signature fonts and motifs. The Evangelion-themed campaign warns the citizens to stay at home as much as possible and of course to wash their hands, and socially distance themselves from others.
The Fukuoka Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters commented that their campaign aims to push the younger generation to be more proactive in keeping themselves safe from the virus. The campaign is on display at both Fukuoka’s Tenjin and Hakata subway stations and the Headquarters plan to install another one at the Kokura station soon.
Fukuoka’s residents had a mix of opinions when they saw the poster. Some were worried that the anime was too outdated for current youngsters, while others made Evangelion references to encourage others to start being more aware of their actions.
We all hope that the new campaigns will be effective in curbing the spread of the virus. At the same time, we’re all waiting to catch the new Evangelion movie on the big screens – safely.
Yvette loves anime especially haikyuu and naruto. Would gladly spend her life savings on sneakers and can’t stop watching Greys Anatomy.
Si Jia
Gerald
Natalie
