Diecast EVAloution
“Ever since I was a kid,” says anime series creator Hideaki Anno in the instruction manual for the Soul of Chogokin Evangelion figure, “I’ve always preferred toys that look just right over toys that contained a bunch of gimmicks that had nothing to do with the show.” And there you have it in a nutshell.
Do ya like the “new wave” of diecast figures? The uber-“anime-accurate” Chogokin Hyaku Shiki? The super-articulated Kado Senshi series of diecast Gundams? You’ll love Chogokin Evangelion.
Or have your tastes devolved to the point where you not only don’t care, but actively seek out toys with gimmicks that had nothing to do with the show? An old-skool toy gangsta all the way? If that’s the case, it probably won’t do a whole helluva lot for you.
Don’t get me wrong, now. It’s incredibly well done. It’s heavy. It’s beautifully sculpted. It’s jointed up the wazoo — literally. The waist and thighs alone have more poseability than some toys have in their entire bodies. Hell, it’s even got bendable toes! Evangelion’s more of a bio-mechanical monster than a giant robot, and Bandai even managed to get the Eva’s organic-looking, slouched posture down pat. And unlike a lot of other super-posable toys, it’s solid. No worries about breakage with this baby (even if the horn on his (her?) helmet does pop out with annoying frequency.)
And those accessories! It’s got the Rambo-esque “progressive knife.” It’s got the pair of samurai swords. It’s got the light machinegun, plus a handy “briefcase” to store it in. It’s got the bazooka. It’s got the swappable shoulder units (one pair for looks, the other “functional.”) For god’s sake, it even has what appears to be a 9mm handgun (my personal favorite, especially when held sideways, “Boyz in the Hood” style.)
One additional accessory: a stand that actually looks like something more than a plastic tray. Unlike the stands for the other S.O.C. toys, Evangelion’s is a dead ringer for the “launch rack” used to store him/her/whatever in the show. Nice touch.
In fact, much like the show itself, S.O.C. Eva’s almost disturbing. Disturbing because no toy this heavy and metallic should be this poseable. Bottom line? It’s an honest to goodness toy (albeit a slightly expensive one at $50 MSRP in Japan.) A (gasp) diecast action figure! Perish the thought.
For full sized, Brisko-directed, hot ‘n sweaty EVA-on-EVA action, check out the photos directly at timbrisko.com:
http://www.timbrisko.com/tbdx/eva.html |
