Evangelion Officially Returns With Ride On Summer ’26

Neon Genesis Evangelion fans can officially step into the world of their favorite anime with a brand-new in-person experience this Summer.

Nagasaki-based theme park resort Huis Ten Bosch is currently in the midst of its Ride on Summer ’26 event, which showcases the recently opened Evangelion The Ride, a themed 8K ride nestled within the Fortress City area of the park. Guests will be able to explore various aspects of the franchise through a wide variety of media and experiences as they make their way through Fortress City.

Evangelion Is Returning As a Theme Park Ride

Image via Huis Ten Bosch

Among the various attractions are Evangelion The Ride itself, which gives visitors the chance to take in the spectacle of a battle between EVAs and Angels courtesy of a massive 8K LED dome screen. The ride also features sections where guests will float and experience haptic impact effects, and bouts of sudden acceleration.

Beyond Evangelion The Ride, Huis Ten Bosch’s Fortress City boasts a myriad of themed food and drinks and exclusive merchandise unavailable anywhere else. There are also expansive light shows and rally attractions for fans to see, ensuring an immersive experience for guests who might not be up for diving into anything so pulse-pounding as Evangelion The Ride.

The opening of Evangelion The Ride coincided with the ongoing Ride on Summer ’26 event, which has seen the introduction of numerous new features and attractions, as well as the opening of the brand-new European Aqua Lagoon, a sprawling, luxurious pool area for resort guests to enjoy. Younger visitors and families can journey through an overtly kawaii world in Miffy Wonder Square, while regular fireworks shows light up the night skies. Finally, there is the Sunflower Celebration, which includes European scenery and motifs in its bright and shining scenery.

2026 has been a major year for the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, which is still running hot courtesy of its 30th anniversary in 2025. Apart from new tie-in merchandise, model kits, and figures, fans were treated to a new anime short film crafted by Studio Khara during the Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th anniversary event after-party, which was held at the Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan back in February.

As much of a delight as this was for die-hard fans, it still fell short of making up for the loss of original Neon Genesis Evangelion studio GAINAX, which was shuttered back in December. As explained by original creator and studio founder Hideaki Anno at the time, “The animation production studio GAINAX Co., Ltd. has completed bankruptcy proceedings, ceased to exist as a corporate entity, and thus brought to a close nearly 42 years of history.”

Anno went on to explain, “The problem was that the transfer of rights and materials had been carried out without due process under the former management. As a result, we filed a civil lawsuit against the management at the time, and on Jan. 20, 2023, a settlement was reached in which the plaintiff’s claims were accepted, and the defendant apologized.”

Fortunately, fans can still find their favorite characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion gracing plenty of other titles. In April, it was announced that Final Fantasy XIV players will be able to take on a new alliance raid series, Evangelion – Ghosts of Desire, with the debut of the next major expansion, Evercold, giving gamers another in a surprisingly long line of video game crossovers between Neon Genesis Evangelion and other major titles to dive into this year.

Release Date

1995 – 1996

Network

TV Tokyo

Directors

Keiichi Sugiyama, Masahiko Otsuka, Tensai Okamura, Shoichi Masuo, Minoru Ohara, Seiji Mizushima, Tetsuya Watanabe, Ken Ando

Writers

Akio Satsukawa, Yoji Enokido

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  Megumi Ogata

  Shinji Ikari (voice)

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  Kotono Mitsuishi

  Misato Katsuragi (voice)