The mecha from the Neon Genesis Evangelion series are some of the most iconic robot designs in all of anime. Now, a new action figure is combining one of these mechs with the samurai aesthetic of another series' artist.
The new “Musha Unit-01 Multi-Purpose Humanoid Combat Weapon” is a musha-themed version of EVA Unit-01. Set to be part of Sentinel’s Riobot line, the recently revealed toy design will be done by an iconic anime creator. With pre-orders set to begin in the coming days, fans can get their hands on the evil angel ronin soon.
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Afro Samurai Author Gives His Own Take on Evangelion's Mechas
The design for the Musha Unit-01 figure will be done by Takashi Okazaki, the manga artist known for Afro Samurai. Fittingly, the collectible will depict the Evangelion mecha piloted by Shinji Ikari from the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime in samurai attire. It is the latest in the Riobot line of collectibles, which tend to depict mecha from franchises that appear in the Super Robot Wars video game. These figures typically stand around 25cm tall, although the exact specifications of the finished product for the new toy are still unknown.
Pre-orders will be available on July 26, 2024, and this is likely when more information will be revealed. So far, the price of Musha Unit-01 and the exact release date are also unknown. The same goes for if this is the only such figure for Evangelion with Okazaki's samurai style, although if it sells well, other units will likely be molded in this mold. Thankfully for fans looking to add to their collection, this isn't the only new Evangelion release announced for 2024.
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2024 sees the release of several new Evangelion collectible toys
Neon Genesis Evangelion remains an incredibly popular franchise and remains one of the biggest mecha properties in the entire anime medium. As such, many toys and statues have been created for the mecha units themselves, with some of these being new releases in the past year or so. A similar collaboration in 2024 saw EVA Unit-01 team up with Godzilla, building on the shared popularity of the franchises. The idea of samurai or historical-themed mecha figures is also quite popular, as seen in a recent Gundam model kit based on a real-life samurai. Likewise, the pilots of Evangelion are also popular, inspiring many figures and plushies in their likeness.
The Afro Samurai series began in 1998 as a manga by Takashi Okazaki. Inspired by his love of hip-hop culture, the stylized series tells the story of a vengeful black samurai in a post-apocalyptic world. The series was adapted into an iconic anime, with Samuel L. Jackson voicing the title character. Since then, Okazaki has worked on several other major projects in the world of anime and manga. These include the animated film Summer Wars, the groundbreaking anime anthology Star Wars: Visions, and character designer for the new hit series Ninja Kamui.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
A teenage boy is recruited by his father to be a member of an elite team of pilots.
Release date October 4, 1995
Cast Megumi Ogata, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Hayashibara
Seasons 1 Season
Studio Gainax, Tatsunoko
Creator Hideaki Anno, Masayuki Tsurumaki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
Producer Yutaka Sugiyama, Joseph Chou
Production company Gainax, Nihon Ad Systems (NAS), TV Tokyo, Tatsunoko Production
Number of episodes 26 Episodes
Extend
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