Evangelion: Zulfiqar Character/Design Sketches

[Piedmon_Sama]

So as a brief explanation of this thread, for a while I've been working on this long story of fanfiction from the setting of Neon Genesis Evangelion. For those unfamiliar, it is what we call "annie may" or moving drawn pictures hailing from the nation of Japan. Without giving any of the plot away, Zulfiqar introduces a number of new characters and when not writing I've been sketching out designs of what each new castmember should look like.

What I'd really like to get from posting these is any thoughts on the quality of the drawings and the look of the characters themselves, from people who won't necessarily indulge me the way my friends might.

Picture 1 - http://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?i...tasquadig8.jpg

Those familiar with NGE know the three main characters are a trio of teenaged pilots for the titular gigantic biomechanical monsters. This story I'm working on introduces a secondary, or "Beta" squad of pilots pulled from a global pool of candidates. From left to right: Castor Stratos-Popaskonstantinou of Greece, Jason Jefferson Grier of the United States and Frank Bourne of the United Kingdom. All characters are meant to be 14 years of age. I personally think the hot issue is going to be Jason's hair: awesome, or terrible?

Picture 2 - http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?i...amgrierxq7.jpg

Another major character in the story is General William Jefferson Grier, father of the pilot Jason, former assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Superintendant of the American branch of NERV. I was attempting to give his face a "reptilian" kind of quality and I feel I got it.

Picture 3 - http://img125.imageshack.us/my.php?i...elion09zw9.jpg

The first "Mecha" (or Bio-Mechanical Giant Monster, whatever) I've managed to draw. Evangelion 09 was built at the NERV branch in the United Kingdom, and is assigned to pilot Frank Bourne. It was designed with "Aquatic Supremacy" as the focus to compliment its terrestrial Evangelion squadmates.

Picture 4 - http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9271/zacariyafu9.jpg

The main original character of the fanfic is HRH Zacariya al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. (Being Crown Prince at the age of 14 would be impossible under ordinary circumstances). He is shown here with two of his bodyguards in ceremonial regalia (now including a fur cloak---Saudi Arabia has become a frozen wasteland since the earth was knocked off its axis in Second Impact).

Picture 5 - http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9...rosevenht8.jpg

Zacariya's Evangelion, Unit 07, built in the American NERV Branch at Massachusetts and specially for the Prince's use. It is centered around close combat, with "splitting" arms that give the Eva four upper limbs. These wholly mechanical arms are connected via rollers to the shoulders and held on by an electromagnetic field, able to slide anywhere and giving the Eva nearly limitless shoulder articulation.