The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, has kicked off an exhibition on the popular manga series "Neon Genesis Evangelion."
The show, which began Friday and runs through Oct. 22, features original sketches of Tezuka's "Astro Boy" as well as storyboards from the 1995 TV debut of "Evangelion," replicas of the costumes and a life-size figure of the popular character Rei Ayanami.
The futuristic series created by Hideaki Anno revolves around 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, who pilots humanoid weapons to fight mysterious enemies attacking the human race while questioning his own existence.
Many items that inspired the works of the late Tezuka are also on display, including a 1.3-meter statue of Astro Boy.
"Atom (Astro Boy) also struggled with the fact that he was different from a human," said museum director Takeshi Maekawa, referring to the humanoid status of Evangelion's robots.
"We hope visitors will enjoy the different kinds of attractions from 'Evangelion' and 'Astro Boy,' " he said.
Admission is ¥700 for adults. The museum is closed Wednesdays except during summer vacation. Call 0797-81-2970.