RGRebuild of Evangelion

Evangelion Unit-03 + Enchanted Shield of Virtue

A Regular Practical Type EVA that ships with its own transport cover and a shield built to double up on Unit-00.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

Evangelion Unit-03 · non-scale · 2021

GradeRG

Scalenon-scale

Released2021

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This kit is really two ideas in one box, a Regular Practical Type Unit-03 with the same spine-and-arm-twist articulation the RG Eva line is built around, and the Enchanted Shield of Virtue accessory set that was clearly engineered to be shared.

Bandai sculpted a dedicated transport cover for Unit-03 for the first time in kit form, which is a nice bit of specificity, and the ESV shield ships with hand parts sized for Unit-00 as well as Unit-03, so it is not a one-kit accessory. It is a strong pick if the crossover accessory appeals to you, less essential if you only want Unit-03 on its own.

Best for: RG Eva collectors who want Unit-03 plus a shield accessory built to also equip their Unit-00 kit

The full review

What it is

This is the Real Grade Regular Practical Type Unit-03, a production Evangelion from the Rebuild films, paired with the Enchanted Shield of Virtue in one box. The frame uses the same spine-movement and arm-twisting joint system as the rest of the RG Eva line to keep the poses human-like rather than stiff, and Bandai sculpted a dedicated transport cover for Unit-03 for the first time as a kit part, a level of specificity that stands out next to the more generic accessory sets other Eva kits ship with.

The catch

The headline accessory, the Enchanted Shield of Virtue, ships with hand parts sized for Unit-00 as well as Unit-03, which is a smart crossover move but also means part of what you are paying for is an add-on for a different kit you may not own. Like the rest of the RG Eva line this is non-scale and built from thin, organic-styled frame parts, so the joints reward patience over force, and the transport cover, while a nice sculpted detail, is a display piece rather than something that adds posability on its own.

Who it's for

If you are collecting the RG Eva lineup and like the idea of a shield accessory that crosses over to your Unit-00 kit, or the Regular Practical Type Unit-03 specifically matters to your Rebuild Evangelion shelf, this is a thoughtfully engineered pick. If you already own the ESV shield through another release or only want Unit-03 with no extras, weigh whether the crossover accessory is worth the added cost before committing.

The build story

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

Assembly follows the RG Eva format the line has settled into, spine and arm joints doing the posing work, overlapping armor sections instead of flat panels. The transport cover is a new sculpted part rather than a repurposed piece from another kit, which is a nice touch of specificity for a suit that had not had a dedicated Real Grade release before.

The Enchanted Shield of Virtue is the real engineering story here, built with hand parts sized for both Unit-00 and Unit-03 so it genuinely works as a shared accessory rather than a single-use add-on. Combined with the Progressive Knives and Pallet rifle carried over from the rest of the line, this kit leans on cross-compatibility as its main selling point over raw part count.

Lore & trivia

01This kit depicts Unit-03 as a Regular Practical Type Evangelion, the production configuration seen in the Rebuild of Evangelion films rather than the original 1990s TV series version of the suit.
02The Enchanted Shield of Virtue accessory is designed to also equip the RG Unit-00 kit, shipping with hand parts sized for both units.
03Bandai sculpted a dedicated transport cover for Unit-03 specifically for this release, a detail not included on earlier RG Eva kits.