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Eva Unit 01 Revoltech Figure Review
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the first anime series I purchased when I started collecting anime, so naturally I've been collecting Evangelion (or Eva) stuff for a while as well (If you are unfamiliar with this show, check out my review of it for more info). At the time I started collecting, a company called Kaiyodo had a full line of Eva figures that, while posable in very dynamic poses, were a bit limited in their range of mobility. However, recently a new style of action figure from Kaiyodo has been hitting the market, featuring something called a "Revoltech" joint that allows figures using it to be much more flexible than ever before. This new line contains several Eva figures, of which this is the first. Unit 01 is the Evangelion robot piloted by the protagonist of the show, Shinji Akari. As such, it is a logical choice for the first Eva figure in the Revoltech line, as Unit 01 inevitable had the most screen time of all the robots on the show. The figure is about 6" tall, a bit shorter than older figures. The joints allow for many different poses, definitely more than was possible with previous versions. The paint and detailing is impressive and quite accurate to the show. Even small details such as small red lines that appear above and below the robot's eyes have been captured. Posing the figure is a fairly straightforward process, although it requires a little practice and effort. Rather than have articulated fingers, the figure has a number of hands that need to be switched out in order to hold various pieces of equipment. The problem is that the hands have a bit of a "death grip" on the Revoltech joints, which means that pulling off a hand usually takes the joint with it. The joint then has to be separated from the hand and re-inserted into the arm of the figure. It's not a huge hassle, but it does take a little getting used to as the force needed to separate the hand from the joint may seem excessive at first. Fortunately, these parts are built to withstand the necessary abuse. In addition to the aforementioned hands, the figure comes with a whole host of accessories. These include four different weapons, including a samurai sword, a combat knife, a rifle, and a pistol that is a dead-ringer for a Desert Eagle. Also included is the "extension cord" (in the anime, Eva units were dependent on an external power source) and an extra head with the mouth sculpted as open, to represent the Eva in its out of control "berserker" mode. Interestingly, this is almost exactly the same complement of goodies that came with the earlier Kaiyodo Unit 01 figure, right down to the sword which never made an appearance in the anime (but looks cool none the less!). Noticeably absent from this list is a stand, which is unfortunate because it can be a bit difficult to balance the figure in standing poses. As a result, I prefer to pose the figure kneeling to prevent tumbles. I learned this the hard way after my figure took a dive off my shelf, landed on its back, and snapped off the mounting pin for its power cable! Nothing a little super glue can't fix, but still... Bottom line, this figure is a quantum leap over earlier iterations. It is beautifully sculpted and decorated, comes with a huge assortment of accessory parts, and can be posed in a nearly limitless fashion. Best of all, this figure is also quite affordable (for the time being), averaging about $20, and is widely available. Fans of the show should really check these figures out!
Andy Rucker |
