Neon Genesis Evangelion
This marks the conclusion of an endeavour spanning 17 years. It was back in 1998 when I bought the first volume of the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga. Since then I had to endure a release schedule that operated in geological time. And now having read the fourteenth and final volume, I can declare it a masterpiece. Of the three “official” Evangelion stories – This Sadamoto manga, the TV series and the Rebuild movies – this is currently the best interpretation of the story. That’s right, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto has done a better job at telling Hideaki Anno’s story than Anno himself. Well, that’s how it stands pending the conclusion of the Rebuild series…
For a start, the story has been nipped and tucked into a tighter narrative, with entire filler sections like the Jet Alone and Volcanic Angel subplots excised. And the result is profound: unlike the series which – and I say this as a die-hard Eva fan for life – only got really interesting from episode 14 onwards, the manga is compelling from the word go. Events segue into one another seamlessly, creating a natural flow of events.
Best of all is how Sadamoto treats Shinji Ikari. Anno seemed to treat him like his personal whipping boy; it was not unlike the way Charles M. Schulz treated his own main character, Charlie Brown. In the manga Shinji is not quite the milquetoast that he was in the series. He stands up to Asuka from time to time, and the reader is given insight to his inner thoughts and motivation, the better to understand the decisions he makes throughout the series. Another aspect that I really enjoyed here was how the story explored the complexities of Shinji’s relationship with Rei and Asuka, something I would say was similar to – I’m sticking with the Peanuts motif here – the relationship between the insecure Charlie Brown, the outspoken Peppermint Patty and the reticent Marcie.
Sadamoto avoids a full-on crib of Anno’s story, inserting his own take on certain events, especially in the later values. For instance, it is Gendo who saves Shinji from execution, not Misato. Also we get to know what Gendo said to Ritsuko before pulling the trigger. But most telling is the ending itself. Whereas Anno went with bleakness, confusion and uncertainty, here the ending speaks of hope and optimism. Indeed it is a perfect ending for those who had followed the journey of Shinji Ikari.
And all of this is sealed by the wondrous artwork: sleek, elegant character designs; machines rendered in impressive mechanical detail; action setpieces the scales of which are perfectly captured with a sequence of still drawings.
In conclusion, I’m left with a hollow feeling inside. I’m happy that the manga lived up to all my expectations, but also left with a sense of melancholy at the close of a 17-year chapter of my life. I suppose all that’s left is to say a “Thank you ∞ goodbye” to the Evangelion manga. It was one unforgettable ride.
Overall score for the entire manga series: 10/10.
This marks the conclusion of an endeavour spanning 17 years. It was back in 1998 when I bought the first volume of the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga. Since then I had to endure a release schedule that operated in geological time. And now having read the fourteenth and final volume, I can declare it a masterpiece. Of the three “official” Evangelion stories – This Sadamoto manga, the TV series and the Rebuild movies – this is currently the best interpretation of the story. That’s right, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto has done a better job at telling Hideaki Anno’s story than Anno himself. Well, that’s how it stands pending the conclusion of the Rebuild series…
For a start, the story has been nipped and tucked into a tighter narrative, with entire filler sections like the Jet Alone and Volcanic Angel subplots excised. And the result is profound: unlike the series which – and I say this as a die-hard Eva fan for life – only got really interesting from episode 14 onwards, the manga is compelling from the word go. Events segue into one another seamlessly, creating a natural flow of events.
Best of all is how Sadamoto treats Shinji Ikari. Anno seemed to treat him like his personal whipping boy; it was not unlike the way Charles M. Schulz treated his own main character, Charlie Brown. In the manga Shinji is not quite the milquetoast that he was in the series. He stands up to Asuka from time to time, and the reader is given insight to his inner thoughts and motivation, the better to understand the decisions he makes throughout the series. Another aspect that I really enjoyed here was how the story explored the complexities of Shinji’s relationship with Rei and Asuka, something I would say was similar to – I’m sticking with the Peanuts motif here – the relationship between the insecure Charlie Brown, the outspoken Peppermint Patty and the reticent Marcie.
Sadamoto avoids a full-on crib of Anno’s story, inserting his own take on certain events, especially in the later values. For instance, it is Gendo who saves Shinji from execution, not Misato. Also we get to know what Gendo said to Ritsuko before pulling the trigger. But most telling is the ending itself. Whereas Anno went with bleakness, confusion and uncertainty, here the ending speaks of hope and optimism. Indeed it is a perfect ending for those who had followed the journey of Shinji Ikari.
And all of this is sealed by the wondrous artwork: sleek, elegant character designs; machines rendered in impressive mechanical detail; action setpieces the scales of which are perfectly captured with a sequence of still drawings.
In conclusion, I’m left with a hollow feeling inside. I’m happy that the manga lived up to all my expectations, but also left with a sense of melancholy at the close of a 17-year chapter of my life. I suppose all that’s left is to say a “Thank you ∞ goodbye” to the Evangelion manga. It was one unforgettable ride.
Overall score for the entire manga series: 10/10.
