What do you think?
Rate this book
新世紀エヴァンゲリオン [Shin Seiki Evangelion] #7
Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 7
フィギュア付き初回完全限定版 アスカ (角川コミックス・エース)
182 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2001
17 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
167 books253 followersYoshiyuki Sadamoto (貞本義行) is a Japanese character designer, mangaka, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio.
His notable works include Neon Genesis Evangelion character design and manga.
He is also the character designer for the .hack//Games and the Package designer for the .hack//GU games.
Also publishes with the doujinshi pen name 45yen.
His notable works include Neon Genesis Evangelion character design and manga.
He is also the character designer for the .hack//Games and the Package designer for the .hack//GU games.
Also publishes with the doujinshi pen name 45yen.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 19, 2025
4.5/5
Love the differences from the anime in this volume!
(not gonna lie, the new form of EVA-01 is scary as hell)
Love the differences from the anime in this volume!
(not gonna lie, the new form of EVA-01 is scary as hell)
February 26, 2017
Whatt? ? Toji is really dead? ?? The hell! !!
Ugh..anyway.. This manga keeps getting more and more depressing. Kaji's past was pretty sad. And the ending: is it even possible to dissolve a human being? what kind of liquid is inside of Eva? And how is possible to bring back a dissolved human being? Isn't it somehow against the entropy? I still don't understand how Eva is made.. Explanation required.
Ugh..anyway.. This manga keeps getting more and more depressing. Kaji's past was pretty sad. And the ending: is it even possible to dissolve a human being? what kind of liquid is inside of Eva? And how is possible to bring back a dissolved human being? Isn't it somehow against the entropy? I still don't understand how Eva is made.. Explanation required.
July 3, 2022
Now, this is the real deal:
The Evangelion Unit 01 manned by Shinji won't synch anymore with other pilots. It was realized when Shinji decided to quit after Toji's death. But he came back when the Angel appeared to attack Tokyo 03 once again. Rei and Asuka's robots were brutally mutilated that Shinji couldn't stand it anymore and came back for Unit 01, adding the fact that he was enlightened about Second Impact and the lives sacrificed because of it (including Katsuragi's father, and Kaji's tragic back story.)
We also get to know why the angels only ever attack Tokyo 03, and not any other places in Japan. It's because the angels are after the remains of the crucified Adam underneath the NERV establishment. Note the creepy and terrifying hint of biblical allusion from here on. Also, the NERV's shape (pyramid attached to an inverted triangle)... sends me back to some Louvre Museum myths (again, was it a myth?)
By Shinji's overpowered effort he managed to eradicate the angel and something freaky happened, Evangelion Unit 01 absorbed the angel on its limb. Awakening, it immediately proceeded to consuming the monster (angel), becoming completely awake and detached to NERV's controls. Because of this unexpected event, Shinji's body on the robot plug system dissolved into tiny quantum particles scattered about, along with his soul. But the organization has to seal the awakened Evangelion, or else it could be a threat. But it seems that Dr. Ikari expected this to happen, after all it is the real beginning. Also, there seems to be a rise of a new character.
The Evangelion Unit 01 manned by Shinji won't synch anymore with other pilots. It was realized when Shinji decided to quit after Toji's death. But he came back when the Angel appeared to attack Tokyo 03 once again. Rei and Asuka's robots were brutally mutilated that Shinji couldn't stand it anymore and came back for Unit 01, adding the fact that he was enlightened about Second Impact and the lives sacrificed because of it (including Katsuragi's father, and Kaji's tragic back story.)
They say, there will be a third impact... if an angel makes contact with Adam, which is sleeping underneath the NERV.
We also get to know why the angels only ever attack Tokyo 03, and not any other places in Japan. It's because the angels are after the remains of the crucified Adam underneath the NERV establishment. Note the creepy and terrifying hint of biblical allusion from here on. Also, the NERV's shape (pyramid attached to an inverted triangle)... sends me back to some Louvre Museum myths (again, was it a myth?)
By Shinji's overpowered effort he managed to eradicate the angel and something freaky happened, Evangelion Unit 01 absorbed the angel on its limb. Awakening, it immediately proceeded to consuming the monster (angel), becoming completely awake and detached to NERV's controls. Because of this unexpected event, Shinji's body on the robot plug system dissolved into tiny quantum particles scattered about, along with his soul. But the organization has to seal the awakened Evangelion, or else it could be a threat. But it seems that Dr. Ikari expected this to happen, after all it is the real beginning. Also, there seems to be a rise of a new character.
February 6, 2017
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION n. 7
Questo volume mi ha devasta. Il dolore di Shinji era il mio. Scopriamo la storia di Kaji e vengono fuori altri retroscena. Il finale mi ha spiazzato. Datemi subito il prossimo!!!
Questo volume mi ha devasta. Il dolore di Shinji era il mio. Scopriamo la storia di Kaji e vengono fuori altri retroscena. Il finale mi ha spiazzato. Datemi subito il prossimo!!!
September 2, 2023
3.5 stars
this volume just made me hate Kaji and especially Gendo but that's nothing new. the way Kaji emotionally manipulated Shinji into recording the Eva when Shinji at his lowest, blaming himself for Toji's death. Shinji is literally one of, if not, the most fragile character in the series and it's saddening seeing how throughout the series, people continuously take advantage of him for own their own selfish desires.
that being said, I loved the philosophical undertones of this volume and how Shinji observed the irony for NERV's goal of peace which necessitates the sacrifice for innocent lives through the process.
this volume just made me hate Kaji and especially Gendo but that's nothing new. the way Kaji emotionally manipulated Shinji into recording the Eva when Shinji at his lowest, blaming himself for Toji's death. Shinji is literally one of, if not, the most fragile character in the series and it's saddening seeing how throughout the series, people continuously take advantage of him for own their own selfish desires.
that being said, I loved the philosophical undertones of this volume and how Shinji observed the irony for NERV's goal of peace which necessitates the sacrifice for innocent lives through the process.
August 17, 2021
AAAAAAAAA
April 12, 2022
Nach den traumatischen Ereignissen des letzten Bandes, bekommt Shinji keine Ruhe. Bis jetzt war die Gefahr noch nie so groß. Die Szenen am Ende gehören zu meinen Lieblingsszenen der ganzen Serie.
February 12, 2024
Co tu się w ogóle dzieje.... no dzieje się
February 7, 2017
Sadamoto me has roto!!!
September 24, 2022
This was the best volume. Unit 01 refusing any pilot other than Shinji, Shinji bursting in at the last minute to pilot it, blasting through the wall of Nerv HQ to fight the 8th angel, HANDING IT ITS ASS, EATING, AND THEN INTRODUCING KAORU AT THE END. Understand that in the anime Kaoru doesn't show up until the last 3 episodes. He's showing up EARLY early, which was my biggest complaint about the pacing of the show. I'm a happy camper.
August 25, 2017
Yeah, that's it for me.
I still like Shinji but everything around him (especially the hints at victim blaming and some other stuff) just makes me want to throw the manga at the wall. So, nope, not going to read further.
I still like Shinji but everything around him (especially the hints at victim blaming and some other stuff) just makes me want to throw the manga at the wall. So, nope, not going to read further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2020
finally: KAWORU!!!!!!!!!
pd: bendito ivrea por hacer los aclas al final de cada tomo
pd: bendito ivrea por hacer los aclas al final de cada tomo
November 17, 2020
Continuing my read of Evangelion.
I love the action and the themes in this one as they are becoming more prominent, but yeah - it does leave you emo.
I love the action and the themes in this one as they are becoming more prominent, but yeah - it does leave you emo.
August 24, 2021
“Si ricomincia da qui”
Ci siamo, ci siamo! 😍
Ci siamo, ci siamo! 😍
June 14, 2022
У цьому томі більш почала розуміти Кадзі, прочитавши його історію. А повернення Сіндзі - це сильний вчинок, особливо після смерті друга, в якій звинувачував себе…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
Breathtaking.
February 3, 2024
When (s)he said "I don't really care" and then he said "Then what are we going to talk about", I really felt that.
June 11, 2018
It is a very beautiful story with a lot of plot.
August 22, 2023
KAWORU??
July 22, 2017
Este volumen se lo lleva casi por entero Kaji; su historia, sus intenciones, y su veldad. Emocionante, más pistas que van derechito a revelar secretos. Intriga y demás.
August 12, 2016
If Alan Moore's Watchmen is a 'classic' of the dark-fantasy comic genre, then NGE is a 'classic' of anime, and one with an incredibly loyal cult following. This, then, is the manga adaptation of one of that original contoversial, yet incredibly successful, anime.
I loved the anime series, although not a fanatical fan, as I thought both endings were EXTREMELY disappointing and actually detracted from the story. After reading this first 'book' I have to admit that I am impressed how well this adaptation works. It takes the original series and looks at it from a slightly different angle.
After the last battle Shinji leaves the Evangelion project, vowing never to return.
However, before he can fully leave Tokyo-3, another Angel attacks. As Asuka and Rei are defeated by the Angel, Gendo Ikari (Shinji's father and Commander of NERV) attempts to activate EVA-1 with the dummy-plug system and fails. It seems EVA-1 only wants its pilot...
Meanwhile, having been 'found' by Kaji (who has been revealed as a spy within NERV working for the Japanese Ministry of the Inerior) Shinji takes refuge in a huge shelter beneath the railway system where Kaji relates his life-story. Of course, this being Evangelion, there is a lot more than just that going on. We also learn the real reason that all these monsters keep attacking Tokyo, and the relationship that the NERV organization has with the tragedies that have killed half of Earth's population.
Shinji returns to NERV to pilot EVA-1 and defeat the current Angel threat, but in the process his 'essence' (body, ego, and soul) are absorbed by the EVA itself. The volume concludes with Dr Akagi telling Misato that there *might* be a way to bring Shinji back, while at the same time the secretive SEELE set in motion a plan to wrest control of NERV back from Gendo Ikari....
I loved the anime series, although not a fanatical fan, as I thought both endings were EXTREMELY disappointing and actually detracted from the story. After reading this first 'book' I have to admit that I am impressed how well this adaptation works. It takes the original series and looks at it from a slightly different angle.
After the last battle Shinji leaves the Evangelion project, vowing never to return.
However, before he can fully leave Tokyo-3, another Angel attacks. As Asuka and Rei are defeated by the Angel, Gendo Ikari (Shinji's father and Commander of NERV) attempts to activate EVA-1 with the dummy-plug system and fails. It seems EVA-1 only wants its pilot...
Meanwhile, having been 'found' by Kaji (who has been revealed as a spy within NERV working for the Japanese Ministry of the Inerior) Shinji takes refuge in a huge shelter beneath the railway system where Kaji relates his life-story. Of course, this being Evangelion, there is a lot more than just that going on. We also learn the real reason that all these monsters keep attacking Tokyo, and the relationship that the NERV organization has with the tragedies that have killed half of Earth's population.
Shinji returns to NERV to pilot EVA-1 and defeat the current Angel threat, but in the process his 'essence' (body, ego, and soul) are absorbed by the EVA itself. The volume concludes with Dr Akagi telling Misato that there *might* be a way to bring Shinji back, while at the same time the secretive SEELE set in motion a plan to wrest control of NERV back from Gendo Ikari....
September 9, 2021
{2nd readthrough}
The Story: Okay, my memory deceives me again. I thought this was the book that Kaji gets offed. Thankfully, it isn't. Him and Toji back-to-back like that would hurt me. Still, it's crazy to think about how little time we spend with characters like him and Toji over the course of the manga when they're so impactful. Less than half the series each. And so much seems to happen in those first four volumes, whereas the last four volumes are all the final fight / the EoE adaptation. This volume alone feels really faced-paced, and is generally fucking cool. During the slower beats, though, Kaji continues to be an effective mentor for Shinji. Cool and gentle while paternal, he helps Shinji confront his darkness. And a (non)wild Kawo-, erm, Tabris appears! Pretty. (pg. 180) The beginning of the end is indeed upon us as this volume closes the first half of the series. To quote Gendo on pg. 158, "This is where it begins."
Due to the sheer gravity of events from the last volume, you won't find a lot of laughs in here. In fact, this is the only time I might complain about them being present. Shinji keeps interrupting Kaji and breaking the fourth wall during some heartfelt revelations, and it feels weird. Maybe Sadamoto didn't feel too confident about leaving that stuff by the wayside after incorporating it so well before and noticeably moreso than in the anime, but it didn't feel appropriate. Christ, you fucking killed Toji. Let the room breath. On a positive note, some of Kaji's flashbacks were so visceral I was hearing soundtracks in my head. While his starving 15-year-old self sneaks into a warehouse, the Final Fantasy XV track "Imperial Infiltration" came to mind. After I played it on YouTube, following along with the text, the "Song of the Stars" track fittingly accompanied the next segment, where the cover of his hideout is blown.
Quote appreciation!
1) And the window I thought I had shut tight-it started to open, and before I knew it... - Shinji, pg. 34
2) GUOOOO!!! - Unit-01 (perhaps Yui? Shinji? Both!?), pg. 142, while in front of the Nerv HQ, and 154, screaming to the top of the GeoFront
3) It isn't armor that encases the Eva. They're restraints-that allow us to hold the Eva's full potential in check. And now... that spellbinding is being undone-by the Eva itself... - Ritsuko, pgs. 155-156
Art appreciation!
1) The cover of vol. 7 is powerful. I love the rich colors used. All of them have had a painterly effect that works very well with the stylization, but I love the contrast in this one in particular. The blood-soaked jaws of the awakened Unit-01 are magnificent, too.
2) In pg. 115, panel 2, the Angel Zeruel breaches the command center. And it's great seeing the play on scale.
3) From the moment Shinji shows up here to save the day it's basically a blitz of superb Unit-01 action shots. Seriously, just thumb through the rest of the book: both chapters of the Awakening and Eradication. It's practically porn. Mecha porn. From the smoking, Angel-like core on pg. 133, panel 4, on up through the restraining of the "armor-less" Eva (on pgs. 162-165), it's the closest I feel the series comes to just being a self-contained art showcase. The giant, bandaged head on pg. 162 is a particularly rad page turn.
Moment appreciation!
1) Shinji lets his father finally have it! Erm, the closest thing to it, anyways. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Gendo chastises. "Don't you have something to say to me?" And he nearly lands a fist on his father's stupid chinstrap before Kaji intercepts. Hey, Gendo. Eat shit, buddy. (pgs. 19-22)
2) Because it bears repeating: the whole *clap* fucking *clap* sequence where Unit-01 goes berserk with life, starting from pg. 137. Its hands ripping through the Angel's offense, using the horn like a utility knife to stab it in the eye (138), the absorption of the Angel's tissue to regenerate the left arm (141), well into the next chapter where it crawls around with hungry eyes and gulps the enemy down like a snack. This is the fanservice I'm into.
The Extras: The bios have gone from not being updated to revealing too much! Last volume, of Shinji's Angel headcount, it should have read five instead of four, and this volume should read six instead of seven. We've gotten ahead of ourselves now. In addition, there's spoiler content about Shinji merging with the LCL inside his Eva (which we only find out late into this volume). It's made known Kaji is responsible for the death of his brother and friends! Uh, hello!? They did fix the awkward wording in Asuka's summary though, changing it from "attracted by Kaji" to "attracted to Kaji", and Misato is now correctly listed as Major.
Did anyone else notice the odd sideways formatting of letters in speech bubbles, a la pg. 128? It popped up more than once. Just like we can adjust to read right to left, we don't need awkwardly tilted letters. Pretty sure we get the jist of what a bunch of upright 'A's would be. No need to reorient them just because Japanese sentence structure happens to be vertical. I think pg. 78's "fear stuck me down" is a spelling error, and it's supposed to be struck? Unit-01 is spelled out as Unit One for the first time on pg. 157, and I'm curious as to why. Lastly, in New Genesis Gospel dossier, which contained more delicious, religious insight woven into the fabric of this papyri, the kana for "tēze" (テーゼ) has a misspelled romanization of "theme".
Sadamoto, now 40, continues to be shamelessly candid about his weaknesses, and that continues to speak to me. Now, if only I had a beloved manga/comic/art work out, so he could be even more relatable, that'd be greatch!
The gallery has started labeling the signage translations as such, instead of being labeled as FX, which is a great idea! So, I will continue to be on the lookout for those standouts, especially to see if I recognize any kanji.
Finally, TIL: Nerv's slogan is derived from Robert Browning's Pippa Passes, which is apparently is a prominent enough work it's taught in poetry and drama studies. #furtherreading
As one of us, to know good and evil. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: - Genesis 3:22, KJV (Thanks, Biblehub.com.) One day, I'm going to re-read and draw even more context from these verses.
The Story: Okay, my memory deceives me again. I thought this was the book that Kaji gets offed. Thankfully, it isn't. Him and Toji back-to-back like that would hurt me. Still, it's crazy to think about how little time we spend with characters like him and Toji over the course of the manga when they're so impactful. Less than half the series each. And so much seems to happen in those first four volumes, whereas the last four volumes are all the final fight / the EoE adaptation. This volume alone feels really faced-paced, and is generally fucking cool. During the slower beats, though, Kaji continues to be an effective mentor for Shinji. Cool and gentle while paternal, he helps Shinji confront his darkness. And a (non)wild Kawo-, erm, Tabris appears! Pretty. (pg. 180) The beginning of the end is indeed upon us as this volume closes the first half of the series. To quote Gendo on pg. 158, "This is where it begins."
Due to the sheer gravity of events from the last volume, you won't find a lot of laughs in here. In fact, this is the only time I might complain about them being present. Shinji keeps interrupting Kaji and breaking the fourth wall during some heartfelt revelations, and it feels weird. Maybe Sadamoto didn't feel too confident about leaving that stuff by the wayside after incorporating it so well before and noticeably moreso than in the anime, but it didn't feel appropriate. Christ, you fucking killed Toji. Let the room breath. On a positive note, some of Kaji's flashbacks were so visceral I was hearing soundtracks in my head. While his starving 15-year-old self sneaks into a warehouse, the Final Fantasy XV track "Imperial Infiltration" came to mind. After I played it on YouTube, following along with the text, the "Song of the Stars" track fittingly accompanied the next segment, where the cover of his hideout is blown.
Quote appreciation!
1) And the window I thought I had shut tight-it started to open, and before I knew it... - Shinji, pg. 34
2) GUOOOO!!! - Unit-01 (perhaps Yui? Shinji? Both!?), pg. 142, while in front of the Nerv HQ, and 154, screaming to the top of the GeoFront
3) It isn't armor that encases the Eva. They're restraints-that allow us to hold the Eva's full potential in check. And now... that spellbinding is being undone-by the Eva itself... - Ritsuko, pgs. 155-156
Art appreciation!
1) The cover of vol. 7 is powerful. I love the rich colors used. All of them have had a painterly effect that works very well with the stylization, but I love the contrast in this one in particular. The blood-soaked jaws of the awakened Unit-01 are magnificent, too.
2) In pg. 115, panel 2, the Angel Zeruel breaches the command center. And it's great seeing the play on scale.
3) From the moment Shinji shows up here to save the day it's basically a blitz of superb Unit-01 action shots. Seriously, just thumb through the rest of the book: both chapters of the Awakening and Eradication. It's practically porn. Mecha porn. From the smoking, Angel-like core on pg. 133, panel 4, on up through the restraining of the "armor-less" Eva (on pgs. 162-165), it's the closest I feel the series comes to just being a self-contained art showcase. The giant, bandaged head on pg. 162 is a particularly rad page turn.
Moment appreciation!
1) Shinji lets his father finally have it! Erm, the closest thing to it, anyways. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Gendo chastises. "Don't you have something to say to me?" And he nearly lands a fist on his father's stupid chinstrap before Kaji intercepts. Hey, Gendo. Eat shit, buddy. (pgs. 19-22)
2) Because it bears repeating: the whole *clap* fucking *clap* sequence where Unit-01 goes berserk with life, starting from pg. 137. Its hands ripping through the Angel's offense, using the horn like a utility knife to stab it in the eye (138), the absorption of the Angel's tissue to regenerate the left arm (141), well into the next chapter where it crawls around with hungry eyes and gulps the enemy down like a snack. This is the fanservice I'm into.
The Extras: The bios have gone from not being updated to revealing too much! Last volume, of Shinji's Angel headcount, it should have read five instead of four, and this volume should read six instead of seven. We've gotten ahead of ourselves now. In addition, there's spoiler content about Shinji merging with the LCL inside his Eva (which we only find out late into this volume). It's made known Kaji is responsible for the death of his brother and friends! Uh, hello!? They did fix the awkward wording in Asuka's summary though, changing it from "attracted by Kaji" to "attracted to Kaji", and Misato is now correctly listed as Major.
Did anyone else notice the odd sideways formatting of letters in speech bubbles, a la pg. 128? It popped up more than once. Just like we can adjust to read right to left, we don't need awkwardly tilted letters. Pretty sure we get the jist of what a bunch of upright 'A's would be. No need to reorient them just because Japanese sentence structure happens to be vertical. I think pg. 78's "fear stuck me down" is a spelling error, and it's supposed to be struck? Unit-01 is spelled out as Unit One for the first time on pg. 157, and I'm curious as to why. Lastly, in New Genesis Gospel dossier, which contained more delicious, religious insight woven into the fabric of this papyri, the kana for "tēze" (テーゼ) has a misspelled romanization of "theme".
Sadamoto, now 40, continues to be shamelessly candid about his weaknesses, and that continues to speak to me. Now, if only I had a beloved manga/comic/art work out, so he could be even more relatable, that'd be greatch!
The gallery has started labeling the signage translations as such, instead of being labeled as FX, which is a great idea! So, I will continue to be on the lookout for those standouts, especially to see if I recognize any kanji.
Finally, TIL: Nerv's slogan is derived from Robert Browning's Pippa Passes, which is apparently is a prominent enough work it's taught in poetry and drama studies. #furtherreading
As one of us, to know good and evil. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: - Genesis 3:22, KJV (Thanks, Biblehub.com.) One day, I'm going to re-read and draw even more context from these verses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2009
On the surface, this seemed like it was going to be a fairly standard adventure hero sort of plot. His friends dead and injured, our protagonist leaves the Evangelion project, returning only after the city is attacked again and he realizes that he alone can save it.
Of course, this being Evangelion, there is a lot more than just that going on. We learn the real reason that all these monsters keep attacking Tokyo, and the relationship that the NERV organization has with the tragedies that have killed half of Earth's population. Most shockingly, we also learn that the giant robots aren't actually giant robots, but living things, and we see our hero get broken down on a quantum level until only his disembodied spirit exists within the hulking frame that he used to pilot.
Of course, this being Evangelion, there is a lot more than just that going on. We learn the real reason that all these monsters keep attacking Tokyo, and the relationship that the NERV organization has with the tragedies that have killed half of Earth's population. Most shockingly, we also learn that the giant robots aren't actually giant robots, but living things, and we see our hero get broken down on a quantum level until only his disembodied spirit exists within the hulking frame that he used to pilot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2015
Aquí se habla de la historia de Kaji, éste trata de convencer a Shinji de volver a pilotear el EVA 01 tras los últimos acontecimientos. La historia de Kaji es muy cruda pero también realista y al final tiene el efecto deseado.
Un nuevo ángel aparece y rápidamente deja fuera de combate a Asuka y Rei por lo que Shinji parece ser la última esperanza de salvar al Geo Front pues el ángel ha penetrado muchas defensas y está muy cerca a Adán.
Estas cosas parecen no agradar mucho a Seele que libera al final al que será su más temido aliado.
Un nuevo ángel aparece y rápidamente deja fuera de combate a Asuka y Rei por lo que Shinji parece ser la última esperanza de salvar al Geo Front pues el ángel ha penetrado muchas defensas y está muy cerca a Adán.
Estas cosas parecen no agradar mucho a Seele que libera al final al que será su más temido aliado.
February 24, 2020
Otro tomo triste y depresivo. Aparece el noveno ángel, y estos parecen ser cada vez más letales y peligrosos. Se nos da más información sobre la conspiración que hay detrás de NERV y los Evas. Me gustó mucho particularmente la escena en la que Kaji habla con Shinji y le cuenta su historia.
February 15, 2022
It's getting there.
January 22, 2025
SHINJIS JUST FLOATING AROUND IN THE EVA??? AND THE EVA ATE THE ANGEL???? WTF 😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2021
Nos encontramos con la vuelta de Shinij a la realidad, volviendo a las instalaciones de NERV dentro del EVA-01, destruido por la muerte (inevitable por él) de su amigo Toji. Tiene un pequeño sueño con Hikari, donde se siente completamente culpable por lo que pasó, pero sintiendo que él no es la persona responsable, sino su padre, Gendo Ikari. Ahí es donde Kaji lo mira despierto, y le dice que deben ir a la oficina de su padre, porque quería que tuvieran una conversación en el mismo instante que se despertará. Y en esa conversación, fría y distante, como si nada hubiera pasado, Shinji pierde el control y trata de pegarle a su padre.
Si bien el anime me gusta demasiado, la forma que cada viñeta, cada escena, cada momento como es representado en el manga es impresionante, en cuanto a los personajes. Nuestro protagonista siento que tiene el arco perfecto sobre como poco a poco va creciendo, como despierta, como cada diálogo le hace sentido, para finalmente sacar sus emociones a flotes y tratar de voltear toda su ira contra su progenitor, donde este último se siente asombrado por la situación.
No podemos comparar cada uno de los productos, el anime y el manga son universos diferentes, y cada uno se debe disfrutar a su manera. Pero algo que valoro del manga, es el tremendo desarrollo de personajes que lleva, y como poco a poco va haciéndolos crecer para tener pequeños momentos que los hace dar un paso adelante en su proceso personal.
Posterior de esto, tenemos una historia, la infancia de Kaji, y siento que ahí dan una lección de vida tremenda. Al principio es un poco confuso el inicio del volumen, una escena de unos niños pequeños con armas, no tenía mucho sentido con la historia, pero si con el flashback que cuenta Kaji. Él (al igual que muchos niñes) tuvieron que irse a orfanatos después del tercer impacto, lamentablemente la situación fue desfavorable para mucho de ellas y ellos. Los trataban mal, debían soportar condiciones paupérrimas y sobrevivían con lo justo. De esta manera, Kaji y su hermano se escapan del orfanato y termina con un grupo de niños que robaban comida (en especial a fuerzas armadas) para sobrevivir. Así es como una de las veces que había robado, fue sorprendido por un militar, y lo amenazan con matarlo si no daba la ubicación de los demás niños. Kaji dice que nunca había estado tan aterrado, no quería morir y prefirió ser un soplón. Lamentablemente las consecuencias fueron terribles, especialmente porque fueron asesinar a sangre fría a todos sus amigos. Él le cuenta toda historia a Shinji, porque siente que ellos no tienen derecho a ser felices, no podrán serlo, al fin de cuenta, vivieron una situación tan fuerte donde sienten que no merecen eso. Así es como Kaji le menciona a Shinji que se asustó cuando sintió que la relación con Misato iba tan bien, porque al fin de cuentas, él sentía que no se merecía eso.
Y vuelvo a repetir lo mismo que ya lo había mencionado anteriormente, la construcción del personaje, tanto en presente, pasado y futuro es tremenda. Por lo que siento que este volumen termina de la mejor forma posible, Shinji siendo absorbido por el EVA, el alma de su madre, y teniendo un viaje de introspección personal.
Si bien el anime me gusta demasiado, la forma que cada viñeta, cada escena, cada momento como es representado en el manga es impresionante, en cuanto a los personajes. Nuestro protagonista siento que tiene el arco perfecto sobre como poco a poco va creciendo, como despierta, como cada diálogo le hace sentido, para finalmente sacar sus emociones a flotes y tratar de voltear toda su ira contra su progenitor, donde este último se siente asombrado por la situación.
No podemos comparar cada uno de los productos, el anime y el manga son universos diferentes, y cada uno se debe disfrutar a su manera. Pero algo que valoro del manga, es el tremendo desarrollo de personajes que lleva, y como poco a poco va haciéndolos crecer para tener pequeños momentos que los hace dar un paso adelante en su proceso personal.
Posterior de esto, tenemos una historia, la infancia de Kaji, y siento que ahí dan una lección de vida tremenda. Al principio es un poco confuso el inicio del volumen, una escena de unos niños pequeños con armas, no tenía mucho sentido con la historia, pero si con el flashback que cuenta Kaji. Él (al igual que muchos niñes) tuvieron que irse a orfanatos después del tercer impacto, lamentablemente la situación fue desfavorable para mucho de ellas y ellos. Los trataban mal, debían soportar condiciones paupérrimas y sobrevivían con lo justo. De esta manera, Kaji y su hermano se escapan del orfanato y termina con un grupo de niños que robaban comida (en especial a fuerzas armadas) para sobrevivir. Así es como una de las veces que había robado, fue sorprendido por un militar, y lo amenazan con matarlo si no daba la ubicación de los demás niños. Kaji dice que nunca había estado tan aterrado, no quería morir y prefirió ser un soplón. Lamentablemente las consecuencias fueron terribles, especialmente porque fueron asesinar a sangre fría a todos sus amigos. Él le cuenta toda historia a Shinji, porque siente que ellos no tienen derecho a ser felices, no podrán serlo, al fin de cuenta, vivieron una situación tan fuerte donde sienten que no merecen eso. Así es como Kaji le menciona a Shinji que se asustó cuando sintió que la relación con Misato iba tan bien, porque al fin de cuentas, él sentía que no se merecía eso.
Y vuelvo a repetir lo mismo que ya lo había mencionado anteriormente, la construcción del personaje, tanto en presente, pasado y futuro es tremenda. Por lo que siento que este volumen termina de la mejor forma posible, Shinji siendo absorbido por el EVA, el alma de su madre, y teniendo un viaje de introspección personal.
February 11, 2022
This is a review of the entire series!
After the disastrous results of a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact, an alien species known only as Angels terrorizes the last remnants of humanity. Young children are raised in military schools and trained to combat these godlike entities by piloting giant biomechanical mechas into battle. The story revolves around the personal struggles of the members of NERV, the shady organization responsible for the creation of these mechas; most notably the cold and calculated leader Gendo Ikari and his chronically depressed son Shinji.
The surface level story of Evangelion is deceptively simple. It appears to be a straightforward apocalypse story about the last survivors of humanity fighting back against an alien race that nearly drove them to extinction, but there’s a lot of depth in the background of the plot. There’s more to the Angels than meets the eye. NERV has a disturbing number of skeletons in its closet. And the few survivors in charge of fighting against the aliens have an abundance of mental scars in desperate need of being healed lest they destroy themselves before the Angels can get to them.
I love the subtle depth of the characters. Shinji appears to be a cold and distant boy with odd tendencies that are almost sociopathic in nature, but he turns out to be an extremely sensitive and anxiety-ridden teen who suffers from a lack of parental guidance and affection. He’s not always likable, but he’s uncomfortably relatable. Asuka appears to be a bratty and spunky girl with all the confidence in the world, but she suffers from a self-destructive inferiority complex caused by past tragedies that causes her to act out in front of adults to make herself appear more mature than she really is while struggling with emotional breakdowns in her private time.
Every character has a facade they put on in front of their peers, only for it to be revealed that they’re hiding a brutal amount of unhealed trauma and emotional baggage that usually causes more damage than the main threat of the story. In fact, the main story is just a part of the background. What makes Evangelion a masterpiece in my eyes is how horrifyingly human the characters are, how painful their struggles are and how disastrous their bad choices end up being.
A very bleak, depressing and terrifying series that tackles nihilistic philosophy and twisted religious allegories in abundance, but there are faint glimmers of hope and lessons to be learned from the catastrophic mistakes made by the mentally and emotionally broken cast.
I enjoyed reading this much more as an adult than I did as a teen!
After the disastrous results of a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact, an alien species known only as Angels terrorizes the last remnants of humanity. Young children are raised in military schools and trained to combat these godlike entities by piloting giant biomechanical mechas into battle. The story revolves around the personal struggles of the members of NERV, the shady organization responsible for the creation of these mechas; most notably the cold and calculated leader Gendo Ikari and his chronically depressed son Shinji.
The surface level story of Evangelion is deceptively simple. It appears to be a straightforward apocalypse story about the last survivors of humanity fighting back against an alien race that nearly drove them to extinction, but there’s a lot of depth in the background of the plot. There’s more to the Angels than meets the eye. NERV has a disturbing number of skeletons in its closet. And the few survivors in charge of fighting against the aliens have an abundance of mental scars in desperate need of being healed lest they destroy themselves before the Angels can get to them.
I love the subtle depth of the characters. Shinji appears to be a cold and distant boy with odd tendencies that are almost sociopathic in nature, but he turns out to be an extremely sensitive and anxiety-ridden teen who suffers from a lack of parental guidance and affection. He’s not always likable, but he’s uncomfortably relatable. Asuka appears to be a bratty and spunky girl with all the confidence in the world, but she suffers from a self-destructive inferiority complex caused by past tragedies that causes her to act out in front of adults to make herself appear more mature than she really is while struggling with emotional breakdowns in her private time.
Every character has a facade they put on in front of their peers, only for it to be revealed that they’re hiding a brutal amount of unhealed trauma and emotional baggage that usually causes more damage than the main threat of the story. In fact, the main story is just a part of the background. What makes Evangelion a masterpiece in my eyes is how horrifyingly human the characters are, how painful their struggles are and how disastrous their bad choices end up being.
A very bleak, depressing and terrifying series that tackles nihilistic philosophy and twisted religious allegories in abundance, but there are faint glimmers of hope and lessons to be learned from the catastrophic mistakes made by the mentally and emotionally broken cast.
I enjoyed reading this much more as an adult than I did as a teen!
March 10, 2024
I mentioned in an earlier review that the NGE manga differs from the NGE anime. See that review here.
The original 1996 animated series had some issues. Gainax, the studio that produced NGE, had some serious financial problems. They ran out of money towards the end of the series and they covered it up by taking the plot in a very minimalist, "meta" direction. For the most part, I think the studio problems forced them to think outside the box and create some awesome and enduring sci-fi literature.
There are a few places where the problems pushed them to take shortcuts in the storytelling that hurt the overall narrative. One of those places was with Ryoji Kaji's plot. His story was essential to the main plot arc, but for whatever reason, his backstory was never explained in the 1996 anime. Shoot- even his actions in the main plot are never adequately explained. Kaji's death was a major plot point of the anime and yet they never explain who killed him or why. It's implied that Misato killed him, but the creators later went public debunking that fan theory.
I haven't reached Kaji's death yet, but volume seven gives Kaji a backstory and fleshes out his character in some very important ways. We now get some insight to his motivations- why he's attempting the dangerous game of playing Ikari against SEELE. We get an explanation for why he broke up with Misato. And we get to see what happens when Kaji stops wearing the happy-mask and gets real.
Volume seven also shows us some of Ikari's internal dialogue and escalates the fight between him and Shinji.
I wish I had read this years ago- but then, volume seven was published in 2002. The manga may have started before the anime, but by this point Sadamoto was able to learn from the reception of the anime and make edits accordingly.
If you're a fan of NGE and haven't read the manga, I highly recommend you do so.
The original 1996 animated series had some issues. Gainax, the studio that produced NGE, had some serious financial problems. They ran out of money towards the end of the series and they covered it up by taking the plot in a very minimalist, "meta" direction. For the most part, I think the studio problems forced them to think outside the box and create some awesome and enduring sci-fi literature.
There are a few places where the problems pushed them to take shortcuts in the storytelling that hurt the overall narrative. One of those places was with Ryoji Kaji's plot. His story was essential to the main plot arc, but for whatever reason, his backstory was never explained in the 1996 anime. Shoot- even his actions in the main plot are never adequately explained. Kaji's death was a major plot point of the anime and yet they never explain who killed him or why. It's implied that Misato killed him, but the creators later went public debunking that fan theory.
I haven't reached Kaji's death yet, but volume seven gives Kaji a backstory and fleshes out his character in some very important ways. We now get some insight to his motivations- why he's attempting the dangerous game of playing Ikari against SEELE. We get an explanation for why he broke up with Misato. And we get to see what happens when Kaji stops wearing the happy-mask and gets real.
Volume seven also shows us some of Ikari's internal dialogue and escalates the fight between him and Shinji.
I wish I had read this years ago- but then, volume seven was published in 2002. The manga may have started before the anime, but by this point Sadamoto was able to learn from the reception of the anime and make edits accordingly.
If you're a fan of NGE and haven't read the manga, I highly recommend you do so.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews