- "Unit-08" redirects here. For the Mass Production Unit-08, see Mass Production Evangelion#Specific Eva Units.
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Evangelion Unit-08 (8号機, Hachigōki?, lit. "Unit Eight") is an Evangelion unit introduced in the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy.
Debuting in Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, the unit is piloted by Mari Makinami Illustrious and assists WILLE, alongside the repaired Evangelion Unit-02', in their crusade against the remnants of NERV and SEELE.
Profile
Evangelion Production Model Custom Type-08α (汎用ヒト型決戦兵器 人造人間エヴァンゲリオン 正規実用型（ヴィレカスタム） 8号機α, Hanyō Hitogata Kessen Heiki Jinzō Ningen Evangerion Seiki Jitsuyōgata (Vire Kasutamu) Hachigōki Arufa?, lit. "General-Purpose Humanoid Battle Weapon Android Evangelion Utility Model (WILLE Custom) Unit Eight Alpha") sports the same basic shape as other production model Evangelions, mainly colored pink with white trim and some yellow details. Its status as a custom type, however, causes it to have some noticeable differences. The helmet of the unit sports three horns aimed slightly backwards, with eight individual eyes colored neon green distributed in the front.
Evangelion Production Model Custom Type-08β (汎用ヒト型決戦兵器 人造人間エヴァンゲリオン 正規実用型（ヴィレカスタム） 8号機β, Hanyō Hitogata Kessen Heiki Jinzō Ningen Evangerion Seiki Jitsuyōgata (Vire Kasutamu) Hachigōki Bēta?, lit. "General-Purpose Humanoid Battle Weapon Android Evangelion Utility Model (WILLE Custom) Unit Eight Beta") is not shaped like a typical production model. It is bulkier in hips, shoulders, and most notably in the torso. The plating on the chest, abdomen, and legs is far bulkier as well, and does not match the thin, sleek plating seen on most Evangelion units. Unlike Unit-08α, it also has large, pink guards around its forearms and wrists which add significantly to the bulk of the arms. Its coloring is largely the same, the most notable difference being that the pink portions of the shoulder pylons on Unit-08α are now white, as well as the arm colors being switched to a different order. Its head is identical to that of Unit-08α, and the remaining body (sans the arms) largely resembles the design of Unit-02'γ, using essentially the same model. In the final movie preview, there was also the EVA-08 β-ICC (Improvised Combat Configuration).
Features
As the Eva itself wasn't shown that much in 3.0 (and when it was seen, it was in a support role), the real extent of its abilities are unknown. It is seen to be compatible with standard weapons like the pistol or the sniper rifle.
History
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Having been acquired through unknown means by the newly formed WILLE in the 14-years-gap after Near Third Impact, Evangelion Unit-08α was first deployed during the recovery operation of the Tesseract imprisoning Evangelion Unit-01. It was unable to go into orbit, and was forced to simply act as a backup for Unit-02'β for a brief moment, and engage a bunch of Mk.04A before re-entering the atmosphere.
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Unit-08β attacking the Mark.09
Later on, an upgraded Evangelion Unit-08β is deployed during Evangelion Mark.09's raid on the AAA Wunder in an attempt to bring Shinji Ikari to WILLE. Unit-08 attempts to stop it, equipped with a handgun, and succeeds in destroying Mark.09's head, but fails to prevent it from carrying out its mission successfully.
It is deployed once again as support fire for Unit-02'γ inside Central Dogma, engaging Evangelion Mark.09 again, as well as the recently activated Evangelion 13. Following the latter's pseudo-evolution and Kaworu's subsequent sacrifice to stop Fourth Impact, Evangelion Unit-08β helps to eject Shinji's Entry Plug from the unresponsive Evangelion 13 before falling to the landscape below, partially turning the hands of Eva-08 into core in the process.
The Evangelion is last seen being carried away by WILLE's fleet alongside the critically damaged remains of Unit-02'γ.
Development
Unit-08 as seen during the 3.0 preview
At the end of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, the Unit-08 is seen in the preview for 3.0. It is drastically different from the actual unit seen in the movie. It has a dark purple color scheme on its whole body and an helmet with a pink visor similar to the Evangelion Mark.06. It also has a halo, can float and is also said to "awakened".