AnimeGlobe.com

The recently opened Evangelion themed Lawson store has been shut after mere days thanks to a vast horde of otaku pilgruns overwhelming the store.

The event was supposed to last a month but was cancelled after mere days, a victim of its own popularity.

Insufficient parking, excessive noise, too many visitors and the likelihood of even more visitors come Golden Week were given as reasons for the cancellation, with Lawson particularly concerned at the disruption to local residents caused by the huge influx of otaku pilgrims. Lawson is too polite to mention it, but there is some suspicion visitors were behaving in an inconsiderate fashion.

Lawson probably have themselves to blame for this – their theming was rather good, and the store they chose for the event turned out to be a tiny rural store in the middle of nowhere and barely accessible – hardly the appropriate venue a promotion involving a huge franchise like Evangelion.

There is no word from Lawson as to whether they will restart the event later under better conditions – the level of interest rather suggests a permanent store could be maintained.