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Description
From VIZ:
In 2015, the "Angels" have returned, and Shinji Ikari, a fourteen year-old child of the new Earth, is forced by his father -- Gendo, commander of the secret organization NERV -- to pilot the monstrous biomechanical weapon called "Evangelion" to match the Angels' fearsome power...
Evangelion at its best. Really, this manga does so much to examine its characters and develop so much more plot into the story. Every character is given a different look, a flashback, a vice and a virtue. Evangelion here has become far more than the Shinji-based mind-dissolving pity-story it was in the anime. But i dont disregard the anime in any way because it started off the series. A good number of examples are the growth in Rei's character. There are honest moments of comedy, there are the moments of emotional torment. Its all there and its brought up a good level. It also develops both Rei and Asuka in equality if you were wondering.
[big spoiler] A good example is how the battle of the death of Rei with an angel was completely revisioned. It was so much more beautifully done and brought Rei into a fully developed rounded, dynamic character. It brought in her motifs of living, her resolve in death. etc. But the real thing that stunned me about this scene was that the author included a scene where Rei states that "The first time [Shinji] held her, she felt nothing, the second, awkward, the third warm, the fourth happy..." Additionally that was the shown as the last thoughts of Shinji before Rei died and just proves how his affection for her was not arbitarily based from her being an untouchable doll, emotional pity, or even being in the likeness of his mother. Instead it really bases both characters as being subject to human emotion and not crazy characters wrapped up in a psycho world. [spoiler end]
In reading this I also see how Evangelion is indeed, much better in the form of manga. The image the death of a character, the standstill joy in a moment is so much more exemplied. Gone are the re-run soundtracks and animations. The manga here is so much more clean, crisp, and greater. It also occurs to me how Evangelion needs asides and solioques applied liberally. The Anime did that to an extent but almost in a way where it became needlessly confusing to the viewers, not to mention being extremely repeitive. In a manga where the world is comming to an end, the extra side panels describing the inner throughts of characters was very much appreiciated and after reading this, it really makes you think how you think in a totally difference fashion.
I'd like to add is how it this story ties in with the doujinshi, 're-take', for those who havent read it, do yourself a big favor and read it because it expands on the story of evangelion so much yet remains truly canon. If you manage to read the manga and the anime the references made in 're-take' are given so much more value.
Oh and for those people complaining that the manga lacks the raw feel of the anime, let me get this straight, the manga interprets Evangelion much like a book and leaves many of its devices explored, yet open to thought, unlike the Anime.So I guess if you have your own imagination and are willing to read between the lines, then maybe the manga would be more enjoyable to ya.
I find the manga to be an alternate official version of the original show. The changes keep fans on their toes and are legitimately interesting instead of pretentious or nonsensical. Doing things such as making Rei's relationship with Shinji more prominent, changing the number of angels, and a drastic alteration of Kaworu make for some neat surprises but yet the soul remains the same. The endearing, interestingly flawed characters are still there as well as the trademark psychological elements.
agreed with anonymous, it has an "extreme" chance to become better than the anime and movie,
i'm glad that shinji emotional state is reduced, in the anime that was the only thing they mainly showed, a broken down shinji, this one has guts at least to almost hit his father (fanservice? i wish he connected).
if they showed him always depressed there wouldn't be even a point to read this manga, and kaworu is more of a badass than in the anime.
actually the first released one should leave the first image. thats why eva break the "manga-are-better-than-the anime" rule.
i agree with kamasutra69.i think we should consider the eva manga as an alternate story , just like the other eva mangas
sadamoto try to answer the mistery in the anime such as the character background-which lead to a lot of flashback. and i dont think everyone want the answer - since everyone have their owns. after watching the anime, i see that my friends have their own interpretation. and its amazing since no anime could have done it before. i respect that some people need a plain-clear-written explanation about the characters. rei's personality do developed in the anime, not as extreme as in the manga(realistic, since quiet person is always a quiet person). me? i like the unwritten-speakless clue such as the act when shinji and rei get in the same elevator and remain silent for quiet a few time. it tells a lot more than any flashback in the manga
The NGE anime is an amazing series. This manga seems to be on the path to assuming the alternative ending provided by EoE, which I do not mind at all.
Spoiler (highlight to view)
I do not think that any manga artist/writers would be able to depict in art the depth the instrumentality project concluded the original NGE series. This is the reason I believe that for an ending to the manga, that the EoE ending would be best suited.
I like this even more than the anime/movies which is sacrilegious but whatever. The manga could end in 2013 with volume 14 but i think it will be finished in 2014. The last volume and the last movie could come out at the same time. Kind of weird that in the amount the manga took to get to the endgame 2 movie, now 3 new movies and countless other mangas, games and so on happened.
Still it is worth your time because it is more clear and emotional that the original anime and has much more likable characters and actually spells some things out for you. There are no budget problems and creator breakdowns here which enhanced and destroyed the original vision for the franchise. Read and have fun. Also go on to read Berserk, you will thank me later.
I compared the manga with anime..And manga looses by far..Ofcourse the normal teenager that like more simpleminded plot than the symbols would enjoy this one...
Sadamoto has no talent at creatin g symbols that Anno had...Plainly - hes pathetic at creating angst and some philosophical stuff... But he can make characters more down to earth like (though their philsophical depth is reduced)...
As I am the person that enjoys philosophical and psychological stuff more than a plain rather simple-minded plot, I enjoyed anime by far better... Besides if yoiu are an Asuka fan you will get dissapointed as she turned into some additional charcter rather than being main one together with Rei adn Shinji....
Rei howver gets more time to develop so Rei fans will enjoy...Shinji is more like normal teenager thast why looks pretty plain here....
Overall...Compared with other mangas its still great (its NGE after all) but compared with anime it looses greatly... Even doujinshi RE-TAKE is far better here...
Less Shinji self-hate. It might as well be "nuff said" right there, but I may as well elaborate. I personally have grown to like the manga better over the anime. One of the reasons is the aforementioned. Some others are: Rei's emotional development, uniform art style, alternation from the anime storyline (like Asuka's introduction)...
Only one disappointment: I do wish that Sadamoto would get on and complete the darn manga series... and give it a nice, cohesive ending.
The manga was just promotional material for the anime series, so it was released before the first episode was shown on TV. The mangaka makes a volume every 1 or 2 years. There's many small differences so far. If you like the anime, movies, and Rebuild, you should read the manga. It will probably take a few more years for it to finish, but the last Rebuild is coming out next year at best.
As I am the person that enjoys philosophical and psychological stuff more than a plain rather simple-minded plot, I enjoyed anime by far better... <--- kekekeke another way of saying I've no life and a real otaku. Pathetic.
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