Building Kaiyodo Artpla Evangelion Provisional Unit-05 — 20 Years Since Rebuild Was Announced

On 9 September 2026, the Kaiyodo Artpla Evangelion Provisional Unit-05 was completed.

The date marked 20 years since the October 2006 issue of Newtype went on sale in Japan, the issue associated with the announcement of what would become Rebuild of Evangelion. KADOKAWA’s WebNewtype archive records the issue’s release date as 9 September 2006.

Two decades later, the occasion was commemorated through the construction of one of the more unusual machines from the Rebuild series: EVA-05.

Preparing the Parts

The build began with the runners and parts being soaked in warm soapy water, followed by a rinse with a toothbrush. Once dry, the parts received a base coat of Mr. Hobby Mr. Color Gloss Black while still on the runners.

For weathering, Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 303 was initially tried, but proved too dark. No. 605 was subsequently used instead.

Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color Pink-Brown was applied into the recessed details, with the excess cleaned away afterwards. Selected mechanical details were highlighted with gold and silver permanent markers, followed by the application of waterslide decals.

Then came the more demanding part: assembly.

An Exercise in Patience

EVA-05 has a relatively compact torso, but its four-legged construction makes the build considerably more involved.

Step 32 was particularly tedious, requiring numerous small components to be assembled into what initially looked almost like an aircraft engine. These components were actually the feet of EVA-05’s insectoid body, with the same intricate construction repeated for all four legs.

Tamiya Cement was also required at various stages, adding considerably to the amount of careful assembly involved.

The build had become an exercise in patience.

The completed model also proved considerably larger in footprint than expected. While the torso is relatively slim, the four legs spread outward and give EVA-05 a surprisingly large presence on the display surface.

An Overlooked Detail

During leg assembly, an overlooked detail became apparent: some of the thigh parts had been weathered on only one side.

While still on the runners, it was easy to assume that the other surfaces were connection points or hidden areas. Once assembled, however, some of those surfaces were found to be visible.

Dismantling four painstakingly assembled legs was not considered worthwhile at that stage.

Instead, Pink-Brown Tamiya Panel Line Accent was applied to the recessed “leopard spot” details on the glossy black surfaces, with the excess removed afterwards.

The result is not perfectly symmetrical, but the darker surfaces can still read as deeper mechanical areas of the machine. More importantly, the assembly remained intact.

A Sculpture Rather Than a Poseable Machine

One of the appealing aspects of this Artpla kit is that it does not demand constant attention to posing.

The completed EVA-05 is largely a fixed-position sculpture. There are some possibilities for adjustment, particularly around the elbows and its spear and pincer-like equipment, but changing the overall configuration would require unplugging parts and experimenting with different combinations.

After such an intricate standard assembly, leaving the model in its intended configuration feels entirely appropriate.

The unusual four-legged silhouette is already the main attraction.

Twenty Years Later

Looking at the completed EVA-05, the build makes an appropriate marker for the anniversary.

Twenty years ago, Newtype carried news of a new Evangelion theatrical project. Two decades later, that moment has been commemorated through the physical process of building something connected to the resulting era.

There were small parts, cementing, weathering, decals, repeated assemblies and an overlooked detail along the way.

But that is part of the experience.

The finished model is more than a collection of painted plastic parts. It is a physical marker of a particular moment in anime history—and of the patience required to bring an unusual Evangelion design from a collection of runners to a finished sculpture.

9 September 2026.

Twenty years since Rebuild was first announced.

EVA-05 is complete.