Japanese kimono are often praised for the beauty and elegance found in their design, but what really ties them together (pun intended) is their obi. Obi are the belt-like sashes that are fastened around kimono, and particularly stand out when viewed from the rear due to the variety of ornate patterns and knots they can be worn in.

Japanese first class kimono coordinator and enthusiast Mami (Twitter, Instagram) often shares gorgeous kimono and obi on her social media. As a "stay at home" project during the pandemic, she began a series of obi designs titled "obi nots with zero practicality", which are essentially specially made obi knots for for fun with the the practicality of wearing them being secondary.

With the recent theatrical release of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, Mami has been getting quite some attention for expertly designed and fastened obi knots she made inspired by iconic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. For example, take a look at her awesome Evangelion Unit-01!

Mami creatively uses her knotting technique and kimono knowledge to recreate the head of Shinji Ikari's Evangelion Unit, even with a shiny aesthetic.

She also shared a few other Evangelion-inspired obi knots, including fan favorite Third Angel, Sachiel, as well as a part of The spear of Longinus.

As well as Shamshel!

Of course, Mami has a lot more on her resume than these clever Evangelion designs. Be sure to follower her on Instagram and Twitter for even more amazing kimono, yukata, and obi coordination.