Review: NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Volume 14

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, VOL. 14
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY/ART: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
ORIGINAL CONCEPT: khara
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: John Werry, Evan Galloway
LETTERS: John Clark
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7835-4; paperback (February 2015); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a long-running manga series that is tied to the beloved anime series of the same title.  Written and drawn by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the manga was initially released in 1994 (in Shonen Ace magazine) before the anime debuted (October 1995), but the anime ended 15 years before the manga finally concluded in 2013.  VIZ Media recently published the 14th and final English-language graphic novel collection of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is the story of humans at war with hostile beings called Angels.  The human side of this conflict is led by the paramilitary organization, NERV.  The Earth is defended by giant mecha called Evangelions (also known as “EVA” and “Evas”) that are piloted by teenagers.  The lead character is Shinji Ikari (who is 14-years-old when the story begins); he is the pilot of EVA “Unit-01.”

Shinji's father, Gendo Ikari, NERV Supreme Commander, initiated the final phase of the Instrumentality Project.  As Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 14 (Chapters 91 to 95 to the Final Chapter) opens, things have not gone according to Gendo's plan.  The Instrumentality Project reaches its apocalyptic conclusion.

Earth is now the “Sea of LCL,” as every human consciousness in the world has become one.  It is a combined entity waiting to be reborn.  In this, the source of life, Shinji and Rei Ayanami meet, and have a meeting of the minds and bodies.  Shinji makes a decision about the future and about what it means to feel love and despair.  Also, Yui and Gendo, Shinji's parents, reunite.

[This volume includes the extra chapter, “Eden in Summer.”]

The Neon Genesis Evangelion manga was my first experience with the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise.  I read Volumes 12 and 13 of the manga, and I liked 12 more than I did 13.  Neon Genesis Evangelion Volume 14 is the final volume of this series.  Like Vol. 13, this final volume reminds me of Stanley Kubrick’s film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.  I would like to think that Yoshiyuki Sadamoto would be the perfect comics creator to adapt 2001 into comics.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Volume 14 is one of the most beautifully drawn final volumes of a manga that I have ever read (and it may be the most).  Without spoiling the story, I must say that I am quite happy with this ending.  Part bittersweet and mostly lyrically beauty, it speaks truth about what what it means to live a life that involves living with other people.  The same hand that can hurt can also love.  I think I want to start anew and read Neon Genesis Evangelion all over again.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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Review: NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: 3-in-1 Edition Volume 2

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-IN-1 EDITION, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
ORGINAL CONCEPT: khara GAINAX
TRANSLATION: Lillian Olsen, William Flanagan, David Ury
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Fred Burke, Carl Gustav Horn
LETTERING: Wayne Truman, John Clark
EDITORS: Megan Bates, Carl Gustav Horn
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5305-4; paperback (March 2013); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
572pp, B&W, $19.99 U.S., $22.99 CAN, £12.99 UK

The anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion, first aired on Japanese television in late 1995. The manga adaptation of the anime, also entitled Neon Genesis Evangelion, actually debuted in 1994. VIZ Media is publishing single-volume Neon Genesis Evangelion graphic novels and is reprinting the series in 3-in-1 editions, which gather three graphic novels in one large-sized, single volume.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is the story of humans at war with hostile beings called Angels. The human side of the conflict is led by NERV, a paramilitary organization. NERV created giant biomechanical units (or mecha) called Evangelions (also known as EVA or Evas) that are piloted by teenagers. The lead character is 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, EVA “Unit-01” pilot, who is also known as the “Third Child.”

Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 Edition, Vol. 2 (Chapters 20 to 40) reprints Neon Genesis Evangelion, Volumes 4 to 6. In Volume 4, Asuka Langley Soryu (the “Second Child”), the EVA Unit-02 pilot, comes to the fore. The golden-red-haired teen is dismissive of Shinji. When they meet a powerful Angel with a surprising ability, Shinji and Asuka must learn to work together. That training will bring them closer than they ever wanted to be.

In Volume 5, roommates Shinji and Misato Katsuragi, the 29-year-old NERV operations chief, get a new roommate. Shinji confronts his father, 48-year-old Gendo Ikari, the Supreme Commander of NERV, at this mother’s grave. Misato also discovers secrets about Ryoji Kaji and his loyalties.

In Volume 6, meet 14-year-old Rei Ayanami, the “First Child” and EVA Unit-00 pilot. Wait; you’ve already met her… Shinji’s pal, Toji Suzuhara, has an admirer. Also, NERV recruits the “Fourth Child,” who receives a baptism by fire.

Having never seen Neon Genesis Evangelion the anime, I was curious to read Neon Genesis Evangelion the manga, once I learned that it existed. The more I read the manga, the more I liked it. I would suggest that readers start at the beginning with these 3-in-1 editions. I started reading Neon Genesis Evangelion with Volumes 12 and 13 of the graphic novel series. They were enjoyable, but I was somewhat lost.

The early chapters of Neon Genesis Evangelion the manga are simple and straight forward. They develop slowly, and author Yoshiyuki Sadamoto allows the reader to get to know the characters – some more than others, but always enough to tell the story or to entice the reader to keep reading to learn more.

Shinji Ikari is the vehicle through which we are introduced into the world of NERV and the Evangelions. Shinji starts off a bit soft and unfocused for a lead. By Vol. 4, Sadamoto has fleshed out Shinji, so the moody, sad boy has developed a playful side and even becomes more forceful. Why am I writing about a character and not about the giant robot battles – because I want more of the characters than I want of the giant robots, which are cool, though.

Readers looking for classic mecha must look for Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 Edition.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-in-1 Edition Volume 1

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-IN-1 EDITION, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
ORGINAL CONCEPT: khara GAINAX
TRANSLATION: Mari Morimoto, Lillian Olsen
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Fred Burke, Carl Gustav Horn
LETTERING: Wayne Truman, John Clark
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5079-4; paperback; Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
528pp, B&W, $19.99 U.S., $22.99 CAN, £12.99 UK

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese science fiction anime (or animation) television series. Twenty-six episodes of the series were originally broadcast from October 1995 to March 1996. The anime had a comic book companion, Neon Genesis Evangelion the manga, which was produced by author Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. The manga actually debuted in the manga magazine, Shonen Ace, 10 months (December 1994) before the anime as a way to introduce the series to the public.

In addition to publishing single volumes (which are up to Volume 13 as of this writing), VIZ Media recently began reprinting the series in 3-in-1 editions, which gather three volumes in one large-sized, single volume. Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 Edition, Vol. 1 reprints Neon Genesis Evangelion, Volumes 1 to 3.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is the story of humans at war with hostile beings called Angels. The human side of the conflict is led by NERV, a paramilitary organization. NERV created giant biomechanical units or mecha called Evangelions (also known as EVA and Evas) that are piloted by teenagers. The lead character is 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, EVA “Unit-01” pilot.

The first three volumes of the series introduce Shinji and reveal how he was brought into the EVA program by 29-year-old Misato Katsuragi, the NERV operations chief who plans EVA missions. Shinji is also reunited with his estranged father, 48-year-old Gendo Ikari, who is NERV Supreme Commander. Shinji meets 14-year-old Rei Ayanami, called the First Child because she was the first to pilot an EVA.

After Rei’s EVA Unit-00 is damaged, Shinji and Unit-01 have to fight the Angels. These early stories also depict Shinji’s conflicted feelings about being an EVA pilot, but two of his classmates, Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara, provide comic relief in contrast.

As I’ve previously noted, I knew of Neon Genesis Evangelion the anime, but had never seen it. My first direct experience with the franchise was reading Volume 12 of the manga last year. I enjoyed reading this Neon Genesis Evangelion 3-in-1 Edition more than I did reading Volumes 12 and 13. These early chapters are simple and straight forward.

Author Yoshiyuki Sadamoto uses Shinji Ikari as the vehicle through which we are introduced into the world of NERV and the Evangelion. As a lead character, I find Shinji a bit soft and unfocused. His moody, sad boy personality gets old after awhile, but he meets so many interesting characters (like his father) that he’s worth the trouble.

Of course, the giant robot battles are good, and Sadamoto composes them with imagination, so this is not just battle for the sake of battle. Sadamoto makes this interesting, mixing intrigue and melodrama with the anticipation of another attack. This is giant robot with quality soap opera, and that’s a good thing.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji Ikari - A Boy's Life

I read Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 13

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.