Interest
Crowdfunding Aims to Bring Back Real Galaxy Express 999 Train
posted on by Carlos Cadorniga
In December of 2014, a popular Japanese train on the Seibu Railway with a Galaxy Express 999 motif was removed from service due to old age. At the train's farewell event on that December 20, a plethora of fans gathered there and urged the locomotive's eventual revival. Now, a crowdfunding campaign has begun for the Galaxy Express 999 Reality Project.
The project was kicked off by original author Leiji Matsumoto, the Seibu Railway, Amaneri Organization and the Institute of New Industrial Cultural Creation. The crowdfunding will be run through the Japanese site, Makuake. Matsumoto himself has been appointed chairperson of the project. They plan to have several sponsors assist with the production of this eight-car train.
The Reality Project aims not only to create a new train with a decorative exterior, as pictured above. It also has its ambitions set on using modern technology to remodel the train's interior as well. The final project is expected to be a new steam-powered train that runs across the Seibu line.
Crowdfunding participants may contribute anywhere between 5,000 (US$41) to 100,000 yen (US$817). Contribution rewards include a chance to ride on the train's first departure and even having one's name printed on the train. The crowdfund's goal is to raise 29.9 million yen (US$245,000).
Those who contribute to the 100,000 yen tier will be rewarded with lunch with Matsumoto and receive a special artist's drawing of the mysterious Maetel.
The crowdfunding period will last until September 29 and the train's first voyage is expected to run in December of this year.
[Via Anime Anime]
