- This article has a collection of images to further represent its content. To see its gallery, visit Mass Production Evangelion/Gallery.
The Mass Production Evangelions (エヴァンゲリオン量産機, Evangerion Ryousanki?) are the final Eva units to be produced. They were manufactured in secrecy under SEELE's mandate at seven different facilities around the world, including ones in Germany and China. The MP Evas were designed by Takeshi Honda.
Nine MP Evangelions were created out of an originally planned twelve Evangelions (through Unit-16). However, SEELE had to advance the construction schedule for them, as they wanted to initiate Third Impact as soon as the final Angel was destroyed, and, as a result, three units were never completed. The nine are deployed as part of SEELE's assault on the NERV HQ Geofront, but their primary function is to carry out SEELE's version of Third Impact, which ends up utilizing Evangelion Unit-01.
Within the series itself, these Evas are referred to almost exclusively as the "Eva Series" (エヴァシリーズ). This is slightly confusing, since the "Eva Series" technically encompasses every Evangelion ever made.
Features
The MP Evangelions have all been furnished with S² Engines, eliminating the need for umbilical cable or internal batteries. However, unlike Angels, they do not utilize their organs for regenerative purposes (even though they theoretically could).
Mass Production Evangelions with their wings extended
They also possess large, fully retractable, mechanical wings (with an extended "tail" piece), attached to their shoulders. Considering the Evas' size and weight, traditional powered flight (as observed in birds, bats, and pterosaurs) would normally be impossible, so the wings would feasibly be used in concert with A.T. Field-based levitation. The Evas are observed levitating in a manner similar to flight-capable Angels (such as Ramiel and Zeruel) later on, with their wings spread but serving no apparent function.
Rather than being controlled by living pilots, they synchronize with dummy systems generated from Kaworu Nagisa's thought patterns. This presumably allows for a greater degree of control over the Evangelions than with a living pilot, who would be susceptible to sympathetic pain and emotions such as panic, fear, or rage which would impair the Evas' combat ability. Mass Production Evangelions, like all other Evangelions, truly die only if their cores are destroyed. Unit-02 did not succeed in destroying the cores of any of the attacking Evas in its final battle, which resulted in their revival and Unit-02's subsequent demise.
They carry no armament except for replicas of the Spear of Longinus, colored blue-gray and initially disguised as giant, gray Heavy Spears ("ooken"), which resemble large club-like weapons. The Heavy Spears twist and contort to turn into the replicas when required.
Operational History
The nine completed Mass Production Model Evangelions are deployed in Episode 25' to neutralize Evangelion Unit-02. In Episode 26', they play a role in the initiation of Third Impact and the Human Instrumentality Project.
Specific Eva Units
Production drawings of the MP Evas.
- Evangelion Unit-05 - Pushed through a wall by Unit-02, resulting in damage to its neck, then thrown through the air into Unit-13; after which it was completely impaled by Unit-02's arm as it punched a hole clear through its torso.
- Evangelion Unit-06 - Dueled Unit-02 using Heavy Spears, until Unit-02 was able to land a direct hit between its left shoulder and neck, cleaving downwards to the center of Unit-06's torso.
- Evangelion Unit-07 - Right arm cut off by Unit-02's Progressive Knife, after a short struggle Unit-07 had its head snapped backwards. Unit-07's head can be seen dangling over the top of its spine, resting just below the remains of its neck.
- Evangelion Unit-08 - Left leg cut off at the knee by Unit-02 using a Heavy Spear, causing it to lose balance and fall on its back.
- Evangelion Unit-09 - Attacked by Asuka with a flying-jump "skullbuster" move which tore off its upper jaw and smashed its brain pan to pulp, after which Asuka held it over Unit-02 and broke it in two, spilling its blood all over Unit-02.
- Evangelion Unit-10 - Tackles Unit-02, prompting Asuka to fire two volleys of missile-spikes through its head, using the spike-launcher in Unit-02's right shoulder pylon. The metal spikes remain impaled through Unit-10's devastated head throughout all of its subsequent appearances.
- Evangelion Unit-11 - Pushed into the lake with Unit-02, then stabbed through the top of its head with Unit-02's Progressive Knife; the blade snapped off, impaled in its upper jaw and projecting into its mouth.
- Evangelion Unit-12 - Completely cut in half by Unit-02 using a Heavy Spear, through the waist, its upper half sent spiraling through the air.
- Evangelion Unit-13 - Unit-02 threw Unit-05 into it, then as Unit-02's fist came out the other side of Unit-05 as it impaled it, Unit-02's fist punched into Unit-13's chest. Unit-02 squeezed its fist inside of Unit-13 as it writhed in pain.
In other media
Manga
In the manga, these units appear just like in the anime and also have the same role. However, their design is slightly altered as they have the forearms blades the other Evas have. As in the anime, they are deployed to fight Unit-02, and are defeated, but re-activate. However, before they can dismember Unit-02, Unit-01 rises from the Geofront to take them on, deactivating them a second time. As Unit-01 failed to damage any of these units' cores, they once again reactivate, this time to begin Third Impact with Unit-01.
Neon Genesis Evangelion -ANIMA-
Eva-01 Type-F fighting the Mass Production Evas
In the ANIMA continuity, the invasion plan of the NERV Headquarters by SEELE was leaked by Kaji and therefore NERV hurried to repair and enhance their Evangelions. The nine Mass Production Evangelions deployed were all destroyed by the common efforts of Evangelion Unit-01 Type-F, Evangelion Unit-00 Type-F and Evangelion Unit-02. The advanced technologies retrieved from these Evas were later used to upgrade the Unit-01 and build the three EVA0.0 Units. A successor to the Mass Production Evangelions, the Angel Carrier eventually shows up later, attacking NERV.
Girlfriend of Steel 2
In Girlfriend of Steel 2, Kaworu Nagisa pilots an MP Evangelion in battle alongside the other Eva units.
Continuity Errors
Several continuity errors in the animation of the Mass Production Evas in The End of Evangelion has led to some confusion: in several cuts, the MP Evas appear to have restored their severed limbs and regenerated their injuries. However, later cuts after these clearly show that they retain the damage sustained at the hands of Unit-02 through the end of the film.