Manga Guide of Neon Genesis Evangelion *- Book 2

Trixie Turnpike
What is...?

Dragon Ball
Ranma 1/2
Sailor Moon
Pokemon
Evangelion
Rurouni Kenshin
Slayers
Others
Back

Credits

The manga version of the Neon Genesis Evangelion is written and drawn by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, a co-creator of the original TV series. He gives us his own personal intepretation of the story and the motives of the main characters. This leads to some differences between the story as told in the anime and as told in the manga, but more of that below...

The special collectors edition : Viz comics, the publisher of the english translation decided to publish a special edition of the manga alongside the 'normal' version. In this version, the original japanese page order and alignment have been retained, so you read the manga backwards. Also, the original katakana sound effect symbols have been left untouched. Beginning with Stage seven, translations of the sound effects have been printed on the inside cover.

The Issues : The issues of the NGE manga are separated into 'books'. Each book equals two episodes of the NGE anime, with approximately three issues per episode. The synopses can be found on the NGE anime page, so only the major differences between the plots are noted here with some personal commentary.

More on the difference between the manga and the anime : It should be noted that the manga version is not 'based' on the anime. Actually, the manga began appearing in Japan even before the anime show was aired. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, who is responsible for the manga version, belongs to the creative team that created the Evangelion. His manga version is not the 'correct' version of events. Likewise, the anime is not the 'correct' version of events. Both are the intepretations of their respective creators of the story of the Evangelion. Repeat: neither takes precedence as the 'canon of Evangelion'. They both stand equal.

Book One
Book Two
Stage seven : Closing Hearts & Stage eight : Shinji's Bad Mood
Stage nine : The Trials of a True Fan
Stage ten : Shonen and Knife
Stage eleven : Third Child Wandering
Stage twelve : Fumbling Towards Kindness
Book Three
Book Four

Book Two

Stage seven : Closing Hearts

Stage eight : Shinji's Bad Mood

48 pages - No color pages - Lettercolumn
Actual story : 45 pages

Synopsis:

Here we have two stages crammed between single covers, making this the biggest NGE manga to date! From this issue on, the "special collector's edition" version contains a sound effects glossary which translates the 'kana sound effects into plain english.

Shinji and Misato arrive to Misato's home. Shinji meets the hot springs penguin, Pen-Pen, and witnesses Misato's sloppy lifestyle. At school Shinji reveals that he is the pilot of the mysterious robot, giving Toji someone to blame for her sister's injuries. Later, Shinji finds the supervision record Misato is keeping of him... needless to say, he is not happy about that.

What is different:

In stage six, the sequence of events is different: Shinji gets clobbered by Toji before the training scene. Shinji's and Misato's homecoming is here instead of its proper place (end of book one).
The shower scene is still missing. :)
But we have it with reversed roles on stage seven. Misato is in the shower as Shinji walks into the apartment. The mandatory fan service bit, I guess... ;)
Toji and Shinji face off twice, once in each stage.
Shinji stumbles upon the "Project E"-book, a record Misato is keeping of his doings. I suspect this is one of the reasons which causes Shinji to run away (see stage eleven).
Shamshel attacks as Shinji is about to get hit by Toji the second time. This scene takes place on the top of the school's roof.

Notes:

Pen-Pen is much more active in the manga. It even sits at the table (stage seven) when Shinji and Misato eat - and drinks beer!
Note Toji's accent...
Also note the (slightly derogatory) reference to OTHER robot shows. Shinji's classmates ask him of the EVA's "special attack", standard fare of the usual robot show...

The face of the stage:

Stage seven: Shinji, page 5, panel 5 - "What...???"
Stage eight: Toji, page 42, panel 6- "Boiling point"

[Back to top]

Stage nine : The Trials of a True Fan

32 pages - 4 color pages
Actual story : 32 pages

Synopsis:

The fourth Angel, Shamshel, arrives to Tokyo-3. Unit-01 is launched to fight against it with Shinji still in a bad mood. Meanwhile, Toji and Kensuke sneak out of the shelter to see the EVA in action, fighting the Angel. The fight does not go as planned and Shinji gets beaten by the angel - again. No surprises here; the manga slavishly follows the anime plot from scene to scene.

What is different:

Toji and Kensuke plan their escape in the shelter room, not in the toilet.

Notes:

Notice when the umbilical cable is severed the display gives just two minutes of active time. Later the display tells there is still three and half minutes of active time left...

The face of the stage:

Toji & Kensuke, page 24, panel 4 - "A bird? An airplane? No..."

[Back to top]

Stage ten : Shonen and Knife

32 pages - no color pages - Lettercolumn
Actual story : 23 pages

Synopsis:

The battle with the fourth Angel continues. Shinji rescues his classmates by letting them inside the EVA. Disobeying Misato's orders - and the common sense offered by Toji - Shinji charges at the Angel armed only with the progressive knife, destroying it just in the nick of time. The EVA suffers major damage - again. Coincides with the ending of anime episode three.

What is different:

Shinji decideds to let Toji and Kensuke inside the EVA, not Misato.
Shinji offers a rational explanation why he attacks Shamshel with the knife instead of retreating.

Notes:

Misato shouts a lot! Just watch her jaw move!

The face of the stage:

Two choices here:

Misato, page 14, panel 3 - "Getting steamed up"
Fuyutsuki, page 22, panel 5 - "In situations like this, the most important thing is to look cool"

[Back to top]

Stage eleven : Third Child Wandering

32 pages - no color pages - lettercolumn
Actual story : 27 pages

Synopsis:

The angel has been destroyed and the battle is over. But all is not well... Misato chews Shinji out because he disobeyed her orders during the battle. Disillusioned, Shinji runs away. He soon reaches the conclusion that it was a bad move - he has no place to go anyway. After wandering the countryside he stumbles upon Kensuke's camp. To his surprise he discovers that his classmates were actually worried about him. Soon after, the NERV agents arrive to take Shinji back to the HQ. He excepts another confrontation with REALLY mad Misato, but...

What is different:

Misato slaps Shinji during their arguement!
Toji doesn't try to phone Shinji. Instead, he and Kensuke think of asking Rei about him.
We don't see Shinji's aimless wandering around Tokyo-3.
Kensuke surprises Shinji as he sneaks into his camp.
The NERV agents arrive in the evening, not in the morning.
Notice how every scene differs somehow from the anime.

Notes:

The basic plot of this stage is still the same as in the anime, but Sadamoto takes great liberties in telling the actual story. No scene in this stage is a straight copy of the anime. Instead, they depart from it in many ways.
As if to emphasize this, there is a single picture in this stage which is an exact copy of of a scene in the anime. See the picture, above.
PenPen seems to be poised for much more 'screen time' - it has thus far been in every scene that takes place in Misato's apartment.
So, we get a bit clearer explanation here why Shinji ran away: he though Misato as his friend but then realizes that she needs him only as a pilot, not as a person.
Misato understands Shinji - instead of leaving with shouting at him again, she advises him to quit piloting and leave, otherwise he might get himself killed.

The face of the stage:

Misato (again :), page 30, panel 2 - "What now?"

[Back to top]

Stage twelve : Fumbling Towards Kindness

32 pages - no color pages - lettercolumn
Actual story : 27 pages

Synopsis:

Shinji is dismissed from NERV, and Gendo and Akagi are already moving forward with new plans. Kensuke tells of his meeting with Shinji to Toji, and he decides to do something about it... They go to Shinji's place, and meet Misato. In turn, she too decides to do something, and runs off after Shinji, reaching him at the railway station. End of book two, coincides with the end of the second tape (0:2) and episode four.

What is different:

Dr. Akagi even suggests brainwashing Shinji!
As Shinji is being led out of NERV HQ, he meets with Akagi, who has a message to him from Gendo (a lie, probably, but she's laying some groundwork...)
Kensuke and Toji meet Misato for the first time here. Also, they do not meet Shinji as he is led to the train, it happens later (stage 13)
Notice Pen-Pen.. again! Misato takes him along for the ride as she goes after Shinji.
No hedgehogs
Misato makes it in time to the station.
The ending scene is very different... but I'll leave that for your reading pleasure ;)

Notes:

So, no hedgehog's dilemmas here... with the help of Toji and Kensuke, Misato realizes that she has betrayed Shinji's trust and friendship.
Strange... Gendo and Ritsuko are referring to the Marduk agency when speaking of new pilots (page 4, panel 4)... and those two are about the only ones who know how the pilots are really chosen. The only one who could overhear them is Rei whom I suspect to know the truth as well.
Gendo's lack or respect towards other people comes evident in what he says on page 4, panel 4. Really, what's his major malfunction???
Sadamoto is on experimental mood again. The scenes are all different except for the few first ones. I'm looking forwards to next stages with great interest.