Evangelion Unit-01
PK-01 Progressive Knife
Pallet Rifle
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Technical Data |
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Equipment Type: Evangelion Government: Japan Manufacturer: NERV Accommodation: pilot only Dimensions: variable height starting at 40.0 meters and reaching up to 200.0 meters Mass: variable weight from 700.0 to 96,000.0 metric tons Power Plant: externally powered via umbilical cable; internal battery backup; standalone power via S² Engine (acquired) Design Features: Entry Plug; Internal Battery; Umbilical Cable; S² Engine (acquired); Radar and Sonar Arrays - Armament - Weapons: |
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Description and History |
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The outward appearance of the Evangelions have lead some to believe these massive contructs are giant robots. However, the Evangelions are actually bio-mechanical creations more akin to the concept of a cyborg than that of a true robot. The Evangelion is grown as a genetically engineered organism with mechanical portions such as an artificial section of spine. This artificial spine includes a circular gap through which a device called the "entry plug" can be inserted; a large cynlinder containing the cockpit and controls for the EVA pilot. The pilot within the entry plug is submerged in LCL, an amber-colored fluid for liquid breathing that also acts as a medium through which a direct mental link is established between pilot and EVA. Inserting the entry plug into the EVA fills the spinal gap, completing the nerve connections between head and body of the EVA. The external metal structure of the EVA is not armor but restraining metal plates designed to help retain control of the EVA while also disguising the being's true appearance. Initially the Evangelions have only a limited internal battery for power and can operate beyond short periods only via an Umbilical Cable providing them with large amounts of electrical power. As a mobile weapon, the capabilities of an Evangelion are impressive. Each EVA possesses tremendous physical strength and despite their enormous size and mass each Evangelion is capable of astounding physical feats of running, leaping, acrobatics and hand-to-hand combat. To augment their physical capabilities the EVAs also have numerous independently mounted armaments, the most basic of which is the progressive knife. This "Prog Knife" is a proportionally-sized one-handed bladed weapon stored within the left shoulder pylon of an Evangelion's outer structure. The blade of the prog knife vibrates at an extremely high frequency producing an effective sharpness so fine the weapon can cleave matter at a molecular level. For ranged combat the Evangelions can utilize the Pallet Rifle (resembling a Steyr ACR combat rifle), a giant automatic cannon proportionately sized such that the EVAs can wield the weapon like a human soldier would a conventional assault rifle. Other weapons are available such as a sniper rifle, a bazooka and a positron rifle but by far the most potent weapon of the Evangelion is the A.T. Field (Absolute Terror Field). The A.T. field is an invisible, nearly impenetrable force-field barrier generated by an Evangelion that can ordinarily only be perceived physically by a brief visual distortion when intially employed. However an A.T. field will become visible whenever intensely impacted with matter or energy, producing concentric octagonal blooms of yellow light. In addition to a powerful defense for the EVA, the A.T. field can be used offensively to penetrate the A.T. fields of other beings as well as a variety of destructive physical attacks. The A.T. field is impervious to all conventional attacks and even low-power directed energy weapons. However the A.T. field can be penetrated by other A.T. fields and certain high-powered directed energy weapons like the positron rifle. In addition to their physical abilites, weapons and A.T. fields, an Evangelion has incredible regenerative abilities as well as the ability to incorporate foreign biomass into itself. The Evangelion has been imbued with the soul of the pilot's mother, but it is unknown if either the pilot or the soul is chosen before the EVA is created. Successful operation of the Evangelion requires the pilot to synchronize with the EVA and hence compatibility between operator and the soul within can severely limit those able to pilot. Synchronization is dependent upon the pilot's psychological condition and the synchronization rate can limit EVA performance when the pilot is emotionally distressed. By contrast, increased synchronization between EVA and pilot can greatly enhance EVA performance. An EVA pilot under intense duress or furiously angered can produce a state in the EVA called the Berserk mode in which the resident soul of the Evangelion itself assumes operational control. A berserker Evangelion has greatly enhanced physical strength and at the height of berserker mode the EVA can operate without need for any electrical power. Synchronization does have some side effects, most important being the pilot sharing the pain of injuries suffered by the Evangelion. While the pilots are not actually physically injured by this shared sensation, severely damaging an Evangelion can lead to crippling or even killing the pilot via physical shock. The Evangelions were originally built to fight the Angels, creatures spawned from another organism humans named Adam, the descendant of the race of alien progenitors for life on Earth. The being named Adam was utilized as the genetic base from which humans created the Evangelions. In a Contact Experiment with Evangelion Unit-01 that took place in 2004, bioengineer Yui Ikari died and had her soul imbued into the EVA. In 2014 Evangleion Unit-01 was completed and was eventually paired with young boy Shinji Ikari as the pilot. Shortly thereafter EVA Unit-01 became the first Evangelion to battle one of the Angels, a creature known as Sachiel who appeared just off-shore of Tokyo-3. Although Evangelion Unit-01 initially suffered severe damage and appeared unable to stop Sachiel, the EVA nonetheless recovered quickly and soundly destroyed the third Angel. Following the first sortie Unit-01 is deployed repeatedly and becomes instrumental in the human struggle against the Angels. Note: The wildly inconsistent physical dimensions of the Evangelions are a well known fact of the Neon Genesis Evangelion animated TV series. From the animation alone it is quite clear scale was of very little importance when depicting the Evangelions and their size can vary significantly based on the dramatic or practical needs of any given episode or scene. Additionally, the series creators have acknowledged their total disregard for scale to permit themselves more creative freedom when depicting the EVAs. Despite the lack of official figures for the EVAs, the creators did eventually provide an “official” range of measurement for the EVA units once the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise was featured in Super Robot Wars. The EVA’s now range from 40-200 meters in height and 700 to 96,000 metrics tons in weight. Many fans have noted the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series depicts a consistent size for the Evangelions when they are at rest inside a base hangar. These depictions repeatedly show the EVAs as roughly 40 meters tall based on comparison with the nearby human characters in each such scene. |
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Production Notes |
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Debut: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Episode 1 Pilot(s): Shinji Ikari Other appearances: End of Evangelion, Rebuild of Evangelion Original mechanical designer: Ikuto Yamashita and Hideaki Anno |
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Line Art |
Information taken from the internet
C. Wilson - Writer, Editor and Colorist
