Unit 01

 Unit 01 (Shogōki: 初号機) is the first non-prototype EVA unit, and is referred to as the "Test Type". It houses the soul of Shinji's mother, Yui Ikari. It is the only EVA to be born from Lilith. Following it's going berserker and eating of the 14th angel Zeruel's S² Engine, it is the only Evangelion able to go without umbilical cable, before the construction of the Mass Production Eva's.

Overview
Created in the Third Annex of Gehirn's Artificial Evolution Laboratory in Hakone from 2003 to 2004 and deemed a functional Eva unit in 2014, Unit 01 is piloted by Shinji Ikari (with Rei Ayanami or a Rei dummy plug as backup pilots), and has the best battle record of all the Evangelions. It frequently acts independently (the "berserker" mode), without the instructions of a pilot and without any apparent power source. The Eva will also take action to protect its pilot while sometimes servicing other interests. The Eva's resident soul, Yui Ikari (Shinji's mother), appears to be responsible for such events. Unit 01 is called the "Test Type", perhaps because of the experimental way in which it was created: although Unit 01 seems to be an Adam-derived cybernetic organism like all other Evangelions, it is the sole Eva to have been born from Lilith.

Upon savagely disfiguring the fourteenth Angel, Zeruel, it proceeded to devour the Angel and assimilated its S² Engine, making Unit 01 the first physically complete Evangelion prior to the construction of the Mass Production units. The S² Engine seems to be used only at Unit 01's discretion; after acquiring it, the Eva is still sent into battle with an umbilical cable. Just before Unit 01 absorbed the S² Engine, it used one of Zeruel's arms to regenerate its severed left arm, demonstrating the Angelic ability of regeneration. The Mass Production models were also equipped with Nerv-developed S² Engines but it is a common misconception that they also have the ability to regenerate (see entry below).

Unit 01's armor is primarily purple; some components are colored neon green, light blue, orange, and black. The helmet, with its prominent horn and "frill," is vaguely evocative of a ceratopsid dinosaur. The pectoral plates are different from those seen on any other Eva. The humanoid entity beneath the armor has light brown skin, two emerald-green eyes, four small nostrils positioned preorbitally, and red blood.

As a result of Third Impact, at the conclusion of The End of Evangelion, Unit 01 is left floating adrift in space, fossilized and still containing the soul of Yui Ikari, where it will outlast the sun and moon, as an eternal testament that the human race existed.

Rebuild of Evangelion
In the Rebuild of Evangelion series, Unit 01 has more neon green highlights on the head, chest, abdomen, and arms. The knife and its storage mechanism are also redesigned, but most of the armor has not changed. During its fight with Sachiel an onscreen graphic notes that Sachiel has blood type Blue 04 (since it is the fourth Angel) and Unit 01 has blood type Blue A*, likely a reference to the Eva units being derived from Angels. Shamshel and Ramiel are identified as having blood types Blue 05 and Blue 06, respectively. During its fight with Shamshel, the skin of the humanoid entity beneath the armor is revealed to a lighter color than in the series.

 On the second film Shinji continues to be Unit 01 pilot, and overall remains much like the first movie however by the climax of the film Unit 01 displays a slight but important amount of changes, first of all entering a "God Mode" which greatly differs from the "Berserk Mode" used on the series in the same scene.

In God Mode Unit 01 recibes a power similar to the usual restoration ability all EVAs and Angel seem to have, but to a greater degree, because when Unit 01 restores its arm back (that was cut by Zeruel energy beam) it glows with bright light and then it turns into AT Field like energy just before it counters Zeruel attacks and later it return to it "arm" shape back to the Evangelion.

This mode also enhances the Unit´s AT Field far beyond the conecpt treated so far in that when used it blocks a larger area of protection, almost the entire HQ is defended by this AT Field an latter is used for combat purposes which counters Zeruel AT Field and pushes it away several miles away. Another boost of power is that Unit 01 is capable of performing energy beams through its eyes much like other Angels, but in comparison the beams seem to have more catastrophic results.

Lastly due to Shinji´s desperate desire to be with Rei (who was absorbed by the Angel) Evangelion 01 transcends the boundaries of human condition as stated by Ritsuko that if Shinji keeps on struggling their humanity will disappear when she sees the Angel halo forming on EVA 01 head.

Its is when Unit 01 starts to break through Zeruel´s Core that Shinji and EVA 01 halo turns into a large black hole like ellipse where all forms of matter in the world resides and meld in a form of condensed energy, this boundaries are broken in order to fulfill Shinji´s wishes. These elements starts a Third Impact while Shinji fights its way through the Plug Capsule to Zeruel´s Core to find Rei, this makes EVA 01 break its chest plate revealing its S2 engine and eight energy wings sprout out of the Core, as Shinji and Rei are reunited EVA 01 takes Unit 00 S2 engine out of Zeruels destroying it and assembling a giant Rei from its remains around it and starts to merge with her when Shinji talks to Rei about her intentions of making him happy while trying to reunite him with his father.

In the end Ritsuko states that now that the wish of Shinji is fulfilled at the cost of all human life the Third Impact will begin. However Unit 01 is pierced from its back to the chest by the Cassius Spear when Mark 06 arrives from the moon preventing the events to come.

In the Evangelion 3.0 trailer Evangelion 01 remains incapacitated since it was pierced by the Cassius Spear with Rei and Shinji still inside its core.

