LMHGNeon Genesis Evangelion

Evangelion EVA-01 Test Type

The very first kit in Bandai's Evangelion model line, and the one release that's still being reissued nearly thirty years later.

MechaGrade Score

3.3/5

EVA-01 · non-scale · 1996

GradeLMHG

Scalenon-scale

Released1996

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is Bandai's original 1996 mold for Shinji's Unit-01, catalogued as LMHG001, literally the first kit in the entire Evangelion model line, and it's the one release from this era that's kept coming back, with new-parts reissues surfacing as recently as 2024.

That staying power says something real about how well the sculpt captures the character even by vintage-kit standards, and it's the main reason I'd rate it a notch above its LMHG line-mates.

Best for: Evangelion collectors who want the flagship, most-reissued kit from Bandai's original 1996 Eva line rather than a lesser-known sibling release

The full review

What it is

EVA-01 Test Type depicts Unit-01, the first non-prototype Evangelion and the series' flagship mecha, mainly piloted by Shinji Ikari and, in the story, housing the soul of his mother Yui. Scalemates catalogs this as LMHG001, the very first kit in Bandai's 1996 Evangelion snap-kit line, and unlike most of its contemporaries it hasn't stayed a one-and-done release: it's been reissued repeatedly, with new-parts printings tracked as recently as 2024, nearly thirty years after the original tooling.

The catch

It's still fundamentally 1990s Bandai engineering: expect sticker-assisted color separation and basic articulation rather than anything close to a modern inner frame. It's non-scale, so it won't sit at a consistent size next to a 1/144 or 1/100 Gundam kit. And while the line's longevity is a good sign, I don't have independent build logs specific enough to make granular claims about fit or gate placement, so I'm keeping this to what's documented.

Who it's for

This is the sensible starting point if you want one kit from Bandai's original Evangelion line and want the one with the most staying power and the most iconic character behind it. If modern engineering matters more than kit history, the 2020 RG Evangelion Unit-01 gets you the same character with current-generation articulation and detail.

The build story

What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.

Confirmed facts: this is LMHG001, the first release in Bandai's original 1996 Evangelion line, and scalemates' product timeline tracks reissues with new parts and new tooling entries through 2012, 2013, 2020, and 2024, meaning Bandai has kept bringing this specific kit back rather than letting it lapse.

That reissue history is a real, verifiable signal of demand, but it isn't the same as a build report. I don't have independent, kit-specific logs to draw granular engineering claims from, so I'm keeping this to what's documented: original 1990s-era snap-kit engineering, repeatedly proven popular enough to keep reprinting.

Lore & trivia

01This kit is catalogued as LMHG001, the first release in Bandai's original 1996 Evangelion snap-kit line.
02It has been reissued with new parts or new tooling multiple times since, including printings tracked in 2012, 2013, 2020, and 2024.
03Unit-01 houses the soul of Yui Ikari, Shinji's mother, and is mainly piloted by Shinji Ikari.
04Unit-01 serves as the flagship mecha design for the entire Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise.