Who is Misato Katsuragi? One of the most impressive anime characters one can think of, a woman who not only fights monsters in the Evangelion franchise but also happens to drive one. That would be her Alpine A310, which can be seen in this independent rendering in all-out Time Attack form.
It’s been almost a month since we first discussed the Evangelion series here on Carvibz and I have a confession to make: writing the first article on this Japanese animation topic convinced me to remove the work from my “to watch” list and actually hit that play buttonโafter all, the original Neon Genesis Evangelion that became a pillar of Japanese pop culture in the 1990s is now on Netflix.
We’re talking about a world of biomechanical humanoids that are piloted by teenagers whose field commander is Katsuragi, with the aim of defending our planet from supernatural beings labeled as Angels.
Sure, there are only six basic plots in the world. But not following the usual Western means of telling a story leads to the audience getting to enjoy plenty of unexpected turns and twists. Nevertheless, this doesn’t even start to describe the Eva universe, which explores philosophical and moral themes that can keep you thinking about the series long after you’re done watching it.
Returning to Misato Katsuragi, her “civilian” activities include getting around in an Alpine A310 which she frequently hoons and [minor spoiler alert] takes care of in a way that only a car gal could. In fact, I’ve added a YouTube clip below, which gives one a few samples of this character.
There are many resurrected brands these days, but rather than bringing Alpine back strictly to link its past to the inevitable EV future, Renault has chosen to honor this once-majestic brand by introducing the mid-engined A110 compact RWD coupe back in 2017.
A rear-engined, RWD retro tool
Katsuragi’s machine was built back in the late 1970s/early 1980s. This would’ve had 190 hp at best (in its most potent V6 form), but keep in mind that the rear-wheel-drive toy weighed in at under one ton (2,160 lbs), not least thanks to its fiberglass body sitting over a tubular steel chassis.
Well, this rear-engined sports car, with its tail-happy handling, has been digitally given a time attack makeover courtesy of Walter Kim (more on the artist below).
One might argue that the massive overfenders (check out the vents up front), together with the aero package, which adds quite a bit of real estate on the sides, mean this A310 is no longer suitable for the road.
But keep in mind that the original was driven on fictional streets that often hosted the said battles, so a car that’s wider than normal shouldn’t bring too much trouble, not even when it’s attached to a Pikes Peak-sized rear wing.
The LA-based enthusiast behind the work is a designer for customization shops such as Orange Flame and RBDLA. He loves bringing Japanese culture under the spotlightsโour previous Evangelion story is based on another one of his renderings, and, should you Google “Gundam Lamborghini”, you’ll come across an article I wrote in another life, covering a piece of brilliant 3D the pixel master completed.
PS: Eva fans will find Easter Eggs here and there.