So I contacted Sideshow's CS multiple times. Went through their same stock answers, and finally got a rep to contact the processing team for me. Turns out they had a few more Eva 01s in the warehouse, so mine's getting shipped now too! So excited!
On the topic of the variant: it does look good and is true to the 1st scene where Shinji piloted Eva-01 at night. Having said that, I still prefer the original for several reasons.
1. The color is Eva 01's normal shades and how it is usually seen
2. The base will match with the other 2 Evas
3. The contrast between base and figure is stronger, putting more emphasis on the Eva and making it more visually striking.
I had the chance to visit Japan last year, and used some photos I took at an Prime 1 exhibition to compare with the new piece. I like the original better seeing them side by side.
