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Notes:

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• The time flaw in the anime: In one point of the anime we see the accident described as having happened '22 days ago'. Later, judging by Toji's (or Kensuke's?) comment the fight against Shamshel took place three weeks (21 days) ago. Now, this means the accident took place a day before the fight, when Shinji was already at NERV. Since this is impossible, perhaps Sadamoto has tried to correct this flaw by moving the date back by ten days.

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The face of the stage:

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Gendo, page 22, panel 2 - "No!"
One of the rare emotional flashes from Gendo.

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Stage fourteen : The Warped Room

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

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Synopsis:

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One day Shinji realizes that he doesn't know anything about Rei. According to Ritsuko, her past is a total blank. Nothing of her past is recorded anywhere. Shinji even starts to wonder if she is human at all. He does a test near the swimming pool, which gets everyone lauhing - except Rei, as he had suspected. Back at the NERV HQ he witnesses his father talking with Rei, and wonders what their relationship exactly is. Later that evening, Misato gives Shinji Rei's security card and wants him to deliver it to her next morning. At Rei's place, Shinji discovers the doorbell broken and enters. He finds his father's broken glasses, plus Rei as she comes out of the shower...

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What is different:

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• The scene at the pool is handled differently. Only Toji teases Shinji for staring at Rei, and he offers no explanations in answer but performs a little 'experiment' to get some response out of Rei.

• In the meeting between Rei and Ikari, we actually get to hear what they talk. Shinji spies them from outside his EVA, not inside (and so hears what they are talking about).

• Misato, not Ritsuko, charges Shinji to deliver Rei's security card to her. In fact, we don't see Ritsuko in the whole scene.

• Shinji does not put his father's glasses on.

• Rei doesn't snatch the glasses from Shinji's hand. Instead, he drops them and Rei picks them up.

• Shinji's bag doesn't get stuck with the drawer. He trips on Rei's ankle as she is standing up (Shinji is running with his eyes covered).

• Shinji leaves Rei's ID card to her apartment.

• Shinji is the first to leave the room.

• Rei is more talkative.

• Most of the things Rei and Shinji say are different.

• Remember that Toji owes Shinji one (stage 13)? Well, they're even now! ;)

• The third panel on page 15 put me thinking. Why are they building so much in Tokyo-3 if the city is half-empty already? Misato and Shinji are the only people living in their house, as is Rei in her own.

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The face of the stage:

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I'll avoid the obvious here...
Misato and Shinji, page 15, panel 1 - "You little devil!"

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Stage fifteen : What Her Crimson Eyes Believe In

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

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Synopsis:

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On their way to the NERV HQ, Shinji and Rei have a talk. It soon becomes apparent that their worlds are VERY different; Shinji doesn't trust his father, while for Rei he is the only thing she has faith in. Later, the reactivation test of Unit-00 commences. It proceeds without any surprises, and the unit is activated succesfully. However, the test is interrupted by the appearance of a new Angel. This is the fifth one, Ramiel. Shinji is sent to do battle with it, but this time the Angel grabs the initiative and attacks first. Coincides with the ending of anime episode 5 (tape 0:3).

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What is different:

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• For a chance, this stage sticks to the anime plot pretty well. There are some differences, though.

• Shinji and Rei chat in front of the NERV HQ pyramid, not inside the buidling.

• Rei does not slap Shinji. Instead, she (gasp) smiles!!! ...spooky.

• See how clever the Angel was... it 1) knew where the EVA would be coming up and 2) had positioned a buiding between itself and the elevator shaft.

• Shinji's wounds are pretty severe because he is linked to the EVA. What the unit feels, he feels too. Ouch.

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The face of the stage:

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Rei, page 8, panel 1 - " ... "

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Stage sixteen : Abandoned Memories

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

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Synopsis:

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The attack upon the fifth Angel (see the previous stage) did not go as planned... Shinji is recovered from surface, almost dead, and hurried to the intensive care. Meanwhile, the Angel begins its own assault on NERV; it lowers a huge drill and starts churning through the Geofront's protective plates. Misato is not willing to give up yet, though, and starts examining the Angel's capabilities in an attempt to find a weak spot. Back at the hospital, Shinji lies unconscious, reliving through his past memories. He wakes up to find Rei standing watch over him... and ready to hand him a new mission. Misato has come up with a plan, requiring all the electric power of Japan...

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What is different:

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• As with the previous stage, this stage generally sticks to the anime plot.

• The most obvious difference is Shinji's dream of his childhood. We even get to see the faces of his uncle and aunt.

• The scene where Misato loans the particle cannon from the JSSDF labs is missing.

• Misato's plan is already being carried out when Gendo approves it... Wouldn't it be a bit too late to say 'Sorry, think of something else'???

• Notice the small detail how the Angel's bottom folds inward when it extends the drill (page 7, panel 2) -cool.

• It is also mentioned that the drill is 17.5 meters (almost sixty feet) thick. Umm, it really doesn't look that thick...

• Hyuga proposes 'raising a white flag'... Exactly how do you surrender to an Angel? ;)

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The face of the stage:

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Gendo, page 26, panel 1 - This isn't the anime, you don't need to cover that mouth to save cell work... :)

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Stage seventeen : The Night Before Battle

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

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Synopsis:

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Rei briefs Shinji to their next mission, operation Yashima, at the hospital. Shinji voices his reluctance to pilot the EVA again but when faced with the other alternative decides to go for it. Later, they arrive to mt. Futago, where they are briefed to the specifics of the operation: a sniper shot at the Angel with a positron cannon... and there is no room for a miss. As Shinji and Rei wait for the operation to commence, they have an interesting chat... more of that below.

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What is different:

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• Notice how Shinji decides to pilot the EVA already at the hospital, while talking with Rei. But what makes him to do the decision? Because he doesn't want to run away anymore, or because he doesn't want his place (and importance) taken over by another?

• Toji and Kensuke are the only persons watching as the EVAs emerge from the subterranean cage.

• Rei is unusually open about her life as she talks with Shinji. But so is Shinji too. Do I sense mutual understanding developing between them?

• Just what Rei thinks of Shinji? The way she off-handedly suggests that Shinji could flee again... Does she view him as a coward, a competitor, or perhaps both?

• Rei says, "...like I was born to to pilot an EVA." ...hehehe... ;)

• For character developement (and people who like to follow such things), a very important stage. Rei views piloting as an only way of having a life...

• And why the sudden decision to protect Shinji and to voice it aloud? Did she decide she liked him after all?

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The face of the stage:

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Shinji and Rei, page 6, panels 2 and 3 - "A decision"

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Stage eighteen : Blood Battle

Stage nineteen : The Moon Inside the Darkness

40 pages - no color pages
Actual story : 40 pages

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We are treated with a somewhat fatter-than-normal issue again, and this time ALL the pages are dedicated for the story! Like the first issue of Book Two, this contains two stages. The last stage wraps up Book Three and coincides with the ending of the third tape (NGE 0:3) and sixth episode.

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Synopsis:

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Stage 18 : All the necessary preparations and adjustments have been made and NERV is ready to strike at the Angel - but it spots the EVA sniping at it and attacks too! Both discharge their positron weapons simultaneously and the beams almost brush each other as they pass, causing both to curve and miss their targets. Then, its more bad news for NERV; the Angel's drill has reached the Geofront. There is time only for one more shot. As Shinji moves to another position, waiting for his rifle to recharge, the Angel shoots at him again. At the last instant, Rei intercepts the ray using the special shield made for the purpose... but it is not going to last for long.

Stage 19 : The special shield Rei was using to protect Shinji and Unit-01 has melted away! But Rei continues to stand in front of the positron beam, giving Shinji a chance for a clear shot at the Angel. Now, not only NERV is at stake in his shot - Rei's life will depend on it too! Shinji aims, fires... and succeeds. The Angel explodes and falls down in flames. But that is not the only thing Shinji sees going down. Unit-00 crashes to the ground too, and Rei does not respond to his calls. He force-ejects the unit's entry plug and runs to Rei, fearing the worst...

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What is different:

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• Since the manga is black and white, the positron beams have different appearances instead of colors. The corkscrew-like beams is shot by the EVA's rifle while the smooth beam belongs to the Angel.

• After the first shot misses, Misato orders Shinji to change positions to "buy them some time".

• The special shield breaks down completely (maybe it did this in the anime too but in that case it happened off-screen), leaving Unit-00 exposed to the full blast of the Angel's beam.

• Unit-00 almost falls down on Unit-01 while defending it. It stands much closer too.

• Shinji and Rei have a lenghty conversation in (and outside of) the entry plug. As in all of Shinji's and Rei's conversations up to this, they have something more to say besides the things they spoke in the anime.

• Shinji helps Rei out of the entry plug and towards the rescuers.

• We see the rescue party approaching and Rei being carted off to a medical... umm... VTOL?

• Look at Shinji's reaction when Rei smiles at her... here he goes! (nudge nudge wink wink ;)

• I'll go even as far as to bet that when Asuka arrives in the next book, Shinji will soon be torn between the two girls. Sure, the tension's there in the anime too, but I it will be much stronger here in the manga... let's see later how good my guess was!

• So, Shinji firmly decides to live... only if he knew... kinda makes me feel sad. :(

• On the Angel Watch-pages, I wondered what Ramiel intended to do after penetrating into the Geofront... looking at the direction it was drilling to, I guess (again... :) that it intended to drill even deeper, past the Geofront and all the way into the terminal dogma. But wait! Adam was not yet there! Was it not aware of this? ...this troubles me. ;) [And apologies if this was a spoiler for anyone... but rest easy, the sentence is still half a lie...]

• Ok, I think you all have seen several stupid b-grade sci-fi flicks with androids or clone humans that in the beginning of the movie are as emotinal as a rock, but during the film slowly learn to love in the idiotic and soooo boooring Hollywood-style of "first some kisses and then [censored by the author]". Well, in a certain sense Rei is in a similar situation (considering her background) but Sadamoto-sama shows how this thing can be handled with extreme quality. Rei isn't stupid, just inexperienced (I am especially referring to what she says on page 34 of this issue). But why am I ranting about this here anyway? I think it just goes to show how much I like this manga and NGE in general. :)