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Evangelion's Lunar Spear of Longinus Is Fastest-Growing Japanese Crowdfunding Project
posted on by Sarah Nelkin
The "Project to Pierce the Moon With the Spear of Longinus" crowdfunding campaign has earned 35.38 million yen (about US$291,800) in the span of 38 days on crowdfunding website Readyfor. It is now the fastest-growing project in the history of all crowdfunded projects started in Japan.
The project is open to donations until April 5 at 11:00 p.m. JST. In the case of not meeting the 100 million yen (about US$825,000) goal, the project will not continue, and all backers will have their money refunded.
Hakuto, Japan's first civilian team that aims to send an unmanned lunar expedition, is assisting "Project Longinus" as the only team from Japan competing for the Google Lunar XPRIZE. Project Longinus aims to recreate (with real-world contraints) the scene in the anime where the Evangelion Unit-00 hurls the Spear of Longinus, which eventually lands on the lunar surface.
If the campaign meets its goal, a 240-millimeter (9.4-inch) spear will launch aboard a spacecraft from America between the end of 2015 and the end of 2016. The project is being held in celebration of the 20th anniversary since the broadcasting of the Neon Genesis Evangelion television anime. Supporters will receive exclusive illustrations, t-shirts, replicas of the spear, spears forged by swordsmiths, and other rewards.
Source: Oricon via Rocket News, Hachima Kikō
