Eva 03
Evangelion Unit-03 (EVA-03) is a Production Model Evangelion unit featured in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. Built at NERV's North American branch, the machine is piloted by Toji Suzuhara in the original TV anime and manga series, whereas Shikinami Asuka Langley serves as its test pilot in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. During its transport to Japan, it becomes infected by an Angel, resulting in a sudden berserk state upon activation that forces NERV to reclassify and destroy it.
Overview
Evangelion Unit-03 (EVA-03) is a Production Model Evangelion unit featured in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. Built at NERV's North American branch, the machine is piloted by Toji Suzuhara in the original TV anime and manga series, whereas Shikinami Asuka Langley serves as its test pilot in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. During its transport to Japan, it becomes infected by an Angel, resulting in a sudden berserk state upon activation that forces NERV to reclassify and destroy it.
Appearance
Unit-03 features black-colored main body armor and possesses white eyes. In the Rebuild of Evangelion films, its color scheme is slightly revised, featuring a distinct red face mask. When overtaken by the Angel, its arms stretch to abnormal lengths, and in the films, it mutates to manifest four arms. In select video games, it equips a pair of tonfas for close-quarters engagement.
Abilities
Unit-03 exhibits fundamental Evangelion capabilities, including physical melee fighting and A.T. Field deployment. Once infected by the Angel, it gains extraordinary biological flexibility, stretching its arms to strangle opposing units and dominating Unit-02, Unit-00, and Unit-01. In specific game titles, it relies on proficient close-combat maneuvers using tonfas alongside mid-to-long-range support via submachine guns.
Background
Following the destruction of NERV's second North American branch, Unit-03 was transferred to Japan by the United States government. While passing through cumulonimbus clouds during aerial transport, it was infected by an Angel. During its maiden activation test at the Matsushiro underground facility, the Angel took control, causing the unit to go berserk and destroy the site. It effortlessly overpowered Unit-02 and Unit-00, but was ultimately brutally dismembered by Unit-01 after the latter switched control to the Dummy Plug system. In various video games, alternate scenarios exist where the unit avoids infection and fights alongside NERV.
Relationships
In the TV series and manga, Toji Suzuhara is assigned as its primary pilot, whereas Shikinami Asuka Langley serves as its test pilot in the Rebuild movies. During its rampage, it fights against Unit-01 piloted by Shinji Ikari, Unit-02 piloted by Asuka, and Unit-00 piloted by Rei Ayanami. In Super Robot Taisen F Final, it appears as a hostile unit controlled by Kaworu Nagisa.
Trivia
Despite its tragic fate in the core canon, Unit-03 frequently receives alternative story branches in crossover and spin-off games such as Super Robot Wars, Evangelion 2, and Battle Orchestra, allowing players to rescue the pilot and use it as a standard playable unit. In the spin-off title Detective Evangelion, the incident is given a humorous spin, revealing that the unit became infected due to suffering from a cavity.