Hey gang, Valkor here. A few years back (2016 to be exact), I ventured into NYC to attend an eyewear event hosted by ClearVision; I thought this would be something fun, new, and interesting to showcase here at TOV, but ultimately that didn’t pan out much. Fast-forward to my recent trip to Japan and a run-in with a Tokyo Otaku Mode pop-up shop in Shinjuku, Japan, and I’m back into eyewear again, but solely on a geek level. From the Yabushita Group, check it out, its Neon Genesis Evangelion Eye Wear Collaboration. Or, more specifically, Asuka Langley’s Eva Unit 2 Eyeglasses.
About Yabushita Group (taken from the company's website) - Yabushita Co., Ltd. is a general eyeglass trading company that deals with eyeglass related products such as manufacturing and sales of eyeglass frames and sunglasses, OEM business, overseas sales, import sales, and logistics business based on the wholesale business of eyeglasses. Our company celebrated its 95th anniversary in September 2018.
Under the management philosophy of "contributing to society as a pioneer of the industry through our eyesight and striving to create valuable companies," we have been working on various new attempts. In recent years, we have started a store development business, and we are making every effort to help our customers to "shape their feelings" by helping them from the stage of store creation. We also develop products in collaboration with the animation and game industries.
On the outset, the look of the Eva Unit 2 frames match that of the actual mech which appears in the anime; the front, where the lenses sit, matches the face of the unit. One side rocks the arm with the “Eva 2” logo. And on the inside of that, there’s an inscription/Asuka quote that translates to “Are You Stupid?”. Finally, on the other arm, you get the weapon. The frames are made of titanium and yet they feel very light to the touch. I handle these frames with kid gloves because it feels like I can bend them if I apply too much pressure. So, if you get a pair, handle them with care. Next up, the frames come equipped with lenses that you can wear indoors or outdoors; the lenses are “blue-cut” so you can wear them while you’re in front of your computer or gaming. And if you like, you can add your own prescription. Finally, the frames come with a storage box with the “Evangelion” name on it. Plus, you get a cloth wipe with some sweet artwork to complete the package.
I fell in love with the Unit 1/2 frames at first sight. But upon trying on Unit 1, I found them to be too dark against my face. However, Unit 2 looked better and both fit my face well. And that was my biggest fear prior to purchasing the glasses, is that the frames wouldn’t fit right. However, they fit well and are super light to where I don’t feel them as much when I’m wearing them. Like they don’t feel tight around my face. Plus the lenses, while small, don’t appear too small against my face. In short, these are the best frames I’ve worn in quite some time.
If you’re interested in snagging either a pair of Unit 1 or Unit 2 of the Neon Genesis Evangelion Eyeglasses, then you’ll have to do a bit of hunting. But I hope the link on the right towards the Yabushita Group website makes for a great start. Are the frames worth the hunt? I think they’re worth it, especially if you’re a fan of the series. And out of TOV 5 stars, I give the Neon Genesis Evangelion Unit 2 Eyeglasses a perfect 5!
